Gerardo "Tata" Martino

[Aryagorn]

I remember seeing rumors that Pep wanted to make changes (particularly selling certain players) but Rosell & co didn't let him. Considering Pep's recent comments about our board, I wouldn't be surprised.

I am not sure if I would believe that... Rosell not being ready to sell!? GTFO!!

 

[serghei]

When hating on Tito, you might as well mention Pep too, as he could easily be faulted for at least the bolded ones too.

And just a quick note about the Tello, Montoya and Bartra case. So far they have played a whopping 104, 90 and 11 mins respectively. Last season they ended with 1633, 1683 and 904 mins. We're, what, a tenth into the season so far? If you multiply this season's numbers by 10, I honestly don't see the reasoning behind your claim.

Tiki-taka worked with Pep because it was seasoned with one of the most agressive pressings I've ever seen in modern football. Tito, somehow, lost the pressing thing. Plus, it was particularly unpleasant to see how the team's passing cadence became much slower compared with Pep's Barca. Our players were either unfit when it mattered most, or unmotivated. Or both. They just couldn't run like they used to.

Pep Guardiola's tiki-taka was a great, great sistem because it was complete. If not for personal mistakes - which are out of the hands of the coach (like not scoring from dozens of clear chanches) - Josep Guardiola's tiki-taka would have been like a license to print money. As for Tito's tiki-taka, IMO it was a toothless version of Pep's tiki-taka, because it really turned out to be counterproductive against top teams. The missing elements were much more important than Villanova anticipated.

 

[Richard.H]

Obviously I bring Pep into this, as you - and many others - are so quick to criticize Tito for the same shortcomings that Pep showed. And, sure, maybe he would've brought changes, maybe not. Fact is he failed badly during his last season at the helm. Tito failed as in not correcting the mistakes and bad habbits from Pep's reign, but even so he at least managed to regain La Liga - and that with an inferior squad than what Pep had at his disposal.

To be honest, Pep did an excellent job coaching against the big teams. We spanked RM everytime except for that home game in La Liga. For the CL, the reason we got eliminated was pure 100 % luck. We could've easily won that game against Chelsea.


However, I do agree that Pep did terrible against the midtable-lowertable teams since we drawed a lot of away games. He sometimes got too carried away with his hipster lineups and formations.


With Tito it was more of the opposite. We spanked the weak teams while we did mediocre at the very best against the big teams. Plus like someone else mentioned, the pressing game was clearly lost with Tito tactics. It seemed to me last year that Tito focused more on durability/match fitness and hence he preferred his players to not press so much so they could stay fresh for the whole season (Makes sense when you think how often he played the same 11).

 

[Poor_Sunyol]

It is a little unfair on Tito as he wasn't there for most of the season. Last year was a kind of lost year really.

 

[suckabov]

It is a little unfair on Tito as he wasn't there for most of the season. Last year was a kind of lost year really.

True, I find it a bit unfair how some put all the blame for everything that went badly last season on Tito. We didn't really get to see how good a coach Tito is because of his long absence; who knows if we would have struggled as much in the UCL with him being there.

 

[oz187]

1) Tito was in charge of the best league campaign in football history.
2) Tito got cancer which had a negative affect on him and the squad during the season.
3) Tito had to resign and so hasn't got the chance to prove whether he could learn from any mistakes that he made in the first season.

 

[Stric]

EDIT:

misread, my bad

 

[Kerrybai]

Delighted with his tenure so far. My only criticism is playing Fabregas at false 9. It didn't work for Tito and it doesn't appear that it will work for Tata.

 

[barca7788]

so far not very impressed at all except those rotations. My heart is ready this time to get the 7-0(well may be 7-2 bcoz of neymar) beating once again. but fortunately there seem to be no team that can pull it off this season. every top team playing average right now.

 

[DonAndres]

How does anyone have legitimate complaints about Tata so far?

His rotations have been near perfect, giving every player fair time and still having authority. His style has been flexible, we're no longer chained to one philosophy and can mix our game up to be faster and work in our favor. Sure, defensively we are still struggling but with Bartra rising up and Puyol ready to return even that can be minimized until hopefully we get a CB in January.

 

[barca7788]

its plain simple, i dont like the way we are playing. I just dont believe our mid n defense are working well. if tata is trying to play direct thing I wd want mash to replace sergio, that way we will be more secured in the defense.

 

[JamDav1982]

its plain simple, i dont like the way we are playing. I just dont believe our mid n defense are working well. if tata is trying to play direct thing I wd want mash to replace sergio, that way we will be more secured in the defense.

Tata knows that there is no point in the team playing full throttle at this point of the season and for now it is about introducing a few new things to the style of play and keeping the players as fresh as possible.

There is not point in pressing teams for 90 minutes and trying to thrash the poorer sides just now if it will effect the team later in the season.

Hopefully by the time it comes to play the latter stages of the CL the players are fitter and have alternative styles of play to turn to.

 

[barca7788]

I hope so too. the results are there and our top 3 are producing lot. I for one dont believe in preserving energy for later stages. last year was same, everyone was crying about it and when the time came we lost 7-0.

i live in japan and have to wake up very early in the morning to catch the game(mostly 3-5am) but this Barca is making me sleepy every time.

 

[putogusiluz8]

Don't doubt Tata and his pistachio shirt. The man is a serious coach, and a fantastic manager. Stress on the word manager, cus he gives me the vibe that he knows exactly what he is doing out there when it comes to resting players and keeping the team in order.

I don't see him having the motivational skills of Pep per say, or that innovated drive, but what he has is tremendous leadership, managerial experience, seriousness in intent and a great ability to keep everyone with their eye on the ball. Perhaps this exactly what the players needed. After the bathing of football knowledge and innovation they got from Pep here comes a guy, who's not going to stub the team's growth, will even add his own ideas, but is more down to earth and traditional and can give more stability in contrast to the dizzying era of football philosphy from Pep.

I like Tata. I think we made a fantastic choice in him.

 

[Flavia]

11 games, 7 clean sheets. Greatly thanks to Valdes, but the defense is improving.

Martino: "If everything goes as planned, we'll have four centre backs after the international break, as Puyol and Mascherano should be back"