Gerardo "Tata" Martino

[Flavia]

Interesting stat:

@BarcaStat 27 min
Average Possession:

Guardiola's Barcelona: 68%

Tito's Barcelona: 66.5%

Tata's Barcelona: 69.3%

 

[big_man]

Interesting stat:

@BarcaStat 27 min
Average Possession:

Guardiola's Barcelona: 68%

Tito's Barcelona: 66.5%

Tata's Barcelona: 69.3%

Interesting indeed...I would have thought we had higher possession under Pep. presumably that includes CL and other competitions because our average possession in the league is around 67%.
Basically Tata has improved our counter attacking while maintaining possession.

EDIT: Just realised we had the highest possession in the CL despite having 2 of the top 6 possession teams in Europe in our group.

 

[Barcilliant]

Well, you're right - BUT, I just wish we could have cranked up the tempo against Levante like we did in the second half today. I'm not expecting us to win 100% of our games, but we had 2-3 away games where it looked like we didn't even try to give our best.
On the plus side though, our defense is looking better and better
On the negative side, our midfield is hardly creating anything forward - no danger at all, which is sad because it used to be much sharper. The final pass is almost never from the CM's anymore.

Iniesta is usually the man for our creativity. He's been on and off-formwise and injured too.

 

[Barcilliant]

I think what I don't like, at this point, is clearly the lack of identity in our play - it changes constantly throughout a match and even from match to match...At times I feel like we're still in preseason and isolated moments where the rhythm is terrific...We're far from our potential peak is what I am concerned about although we're also just getting back to health

Iniesta is a variable that hasn't been a lynch pin in Tata's Barcelona yet and no matter how you slice it, that makes Barcelona look less Barcelona, to me...That middle of the pitch is not the fortress of domination it has been - part of that might be down to the reality of aging or opponent tactics or simply the level of opposing midfields...But it's clearly a different look Barcelona atm, we get those periods of terrific attacking mixed with dangerous counters as well as segments of absorbing possession from the opponent...We'll see if this approach by Tata is ultimately successful

That "identity" in our play is what made us so predictable-especially under Tito where we became a joke. Retain possession at all costs and pass the ball a million times backwards and sideways. Tata has made us less predictable which is a good thing. All of our forwards and Cesc are scoring goals as opposed to just Messi and the defence is tighter though still flawed. At least Tata is not afraid to innovate and introduce new things. I totally support the guy.

Our only way forward was to evolve and Tata is doing that. Its good we got an outsider. Tata thinks from a more pragmatic approach and therefore there will be times when the football is less sparkling and more gritty. The results so far are damn good. The 2 losses we had were wake up calls for the coach and team. A big part of the problem is having to rotate so often because we have such a small squad. Pep & Tito literally ran the first team into the ground during their tenures.

My only gripe with Tata is his lack of signings. I thought we could have done with a CB and maybe a striker or box to box midfielder in this Jan trf window.

 

[beautifulgame]

signings is not where he had power at least yet. plus came with summer half over on a dime. no time to assess and make plans.

 

[Flavia]

It seems Bartomeu will give Martino an extra year.

 

[Djab]

It seems Bartomeu will give Martino an extra year.

And if things go on plan he can cement his position and stay for some more years.

 

[Robin]

It seems Bartomeu will give Martino an extra year.

Too early. We may not win a single title in 2014.

 

[Flavia]

Martino: "Alexis playing as centre forward at the end? He can play there, although I prefer Leo, Cesc, or even Sergi Roberto."

Martino: "President talked with me about renewal until 2016? Not true, we didn't talk about that. In any case, I feel supported by the club"

Martino: "We talked with Iniesta before the game, agreed that he would play 45 minutes. He felt good, he has fully recovered."

 

[Galning]

Martino: "Alexis playing as centre forward at the end? He can play there, although I prefer Leo, Cesc, or even Sergi Roberto."

Well that sucks.

 

[Stric]

I like Tata, but I'm glad the 2016 thing is not true. As Robin said, it would be too early to offer him an extension, considering that we haven't won anything with him yet.

 

[DonAndres]

Martino: "Alexis playing as centre forward at the end? He can play there, although I prefer Leo, Cesc, or even Sergi Roberto."

Messi is obvious, Cesc....unfavorable, but Roberto??! He has -1 goals this season and he'd be preferred as CF over Alexis who has shown that he can fit in that role in an open game? Tata's probably trying to favor the 4-4-2 diamond thing that we have going on at times, but there's no reason to believe that Alexis can't do that when needed.

 

[jamrock]

Martino: "Alexis playing as centre forward at the end? He can play there, although I prefer Leo, Cesc, or even Sergi Roberto."

Martino: "President talked with me about renewal until 2016? Not true, we didn't talk about that. In any case, I feel supported by the club"

Martino: "We talked with Iniesta before the game, agreed that he would play 45 minutes. He felt good, he has fully recovered."

will never get this

 

[Flavia]

Messi is obvious, Cesc....unfavorable, but Roberto??! He has -1 goals this season and he'd be preferred as CF over Alexis who has shown that he can fit in that role in an open game? Tata's probably trying to favor the 4-4-2 diamond thing that we have going on at times, but there's no reason to believe that Alexis can't do that when needed.

He could at least try Alexis in front of Messi to see what happens. But that indicates he won't.

 

[ZenI]

Messi is obvious, Cesc....unfavorable, but Roberto??! He has -1 goals this season and he'd be preferred as CF over Alexis who has shown that he can fit in that role in an open game? Tata's probably trying to favor the 4-4-2 diamond thing that we have going on at times, but there's no reason to believe that Alexis can't do that when needed.

Lol, that's terrible statistics for a CF