matbezlima
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How good was Xavi in the 2010-2011 season?
The stats speak for themselves about Xavi's 2008-2009 season: 22 assists in La Liga, 7 in UCL and 1 in Copa Del Rey. Insane stats! Undisputably the best midfielder in the world that season. Countless genial passes and through balls in almost games. The 2009-2010 season saw a slight drop in numbers, with 16 assists in La Liga and 4 in UCL. But he still overall kept the same level of play and made genial through balls in probably the same rate as the previous season. Against Malaga in 2010, a crazy performance with many fantastic skills and one of his greatest through balls ever, making Dani Alves assist Barcelona's second goal. No goals, no assists, yet a marvelous performance. His performance against Arsenal in the UCL's first leg was also a masterclass, man of the match. He remained undisputably the best central midfielder in the world.
Everywhere in internet, I see high praise about Xavi's 2010-2011 season. People saying that it was his last 10/10 season. Xavi was rated above Iniesta in individual awards during the 2010-2011 season, being named second best player in Europe by UEFA and third best player of La Liga in the Alfredo Di Stéfano trophy, behind Messi and CR7. But Xavi made only 7 assists in La Liga and 3 in UCL that season. But Iniesta had 4 assists in La Liga and 7 in UCL! Also, tough my sample of games from that season that I fully watched is still very small, I do not see Xavi so brilliant, specially when it comes to genial through balls, and even when he was fantastic, such as in the 5-0 against Real in 2010, I still think that Iniesta played at least as well if not better. The UCL 2011 final is the only game of that season that I have seen so far in which he played better than Iniesta. Even then, his passing was safer than what I expect from someone hailed for fantastic game vision and eye for crazy through balls. It was a marvelous Barcelona collective performance, but virtually all individual brilliance came from Messi, while in the 5-0 Xavi, Iniesta and Villa also gave a constant and fantastic show of skills and great, often direct passing and also long balls.
In the 5-1 against Espanyol and the 2-1 against Bilbao, he was far better, making many, really many great passes and AMAZING ball protection, but, far more in the Bilbao game, he gave the ball away too much and made simple mistakes. His second half against Bilbao, tough, is delightful, brilliant and almost perfect (type Xavi vs. Bilbao and you will find it easily on YouTube). His performance against Espanyol would also be rated by me in the same level as his second half against Bilbao if he had not made during the whole match 4 or 5 simple mistakes, specially in the first half.
So, what were his best performances in the 2010-2011 season? Brilliant performances? Was he really better than Iniesta in that season, as virtually all individual awards and best XIs of that season would make you think? Was that season really inferior to his two previous seasons? Overall, How good were his performances in the 2010/2011 season, how well did Xavi play in that season, how good he was?
The stats speak for themselves about Xavi's 2008-2009 season: 22 assists in La Liga, 7 in UCL and 1 in Copa Del Rey. Insane stats! Undisputably the best midfielder in the world that season. Countless genial passes and through balls in almost games. The 2009-2010 season saw a slight drop in numbers, with 16 assists in La Liga and 4 in UCL. But he still overall kept the same level of play and made genial through balls in probably the same rate as the previous season. Against Malaga in 2010, a crazy performance with many fantastic skills and one of his greatest through balls ever, making Dani Alves assist Barcelona's second goal. No goals, no assists, yet a marvelous performance. His performance against Arsenal in the UCL's first leg was also a masterclass, man of the match. He remained undisputably the best central midfielder in the world.
Everywhere in internet, I see high praise about Xavi's 2010-2011 season. People saying that it was his last 10/10 season. Xavi was rated above Iniesta in individual awards during the 2010-2011 season, being named second best player in Europe by UEFA and third best player of La Liga in the Alfredo Di Stéfano trophy, behind Messi and CR7. But Xavi made only 7 assists in La Liga and 3 in UCL that season. But Iniesta had 4 assists in La Liga and 7 in UCL! Also, tough my sample of games from that season that I fully watched is still very small, I do not see Xavi so brilliant, specially when it comes to genial through balls, and even when he was fantastic, such as in the 5-0 against Real in 2010, I still think that Iniesta played at least as well if not better. The UCL 2011 final is the only game of that season that I have seen so far in which he played better than Iniesta. Even then, his passing was safer than what I expect from someone hailed for fantastic game vision and eye for crazy through balls. It was a marvelous Barcelona collective performance, but virtually all individual brilliance came from Messi, while in the 5-0 Xavi, Iniesta and Villa also gave a constant and fantastic show of skills and great, often direct passing and also long balls.
In the 5-1 against Espanyol and the 2-1 against Bilbao, he was far better, making many, really many great passes and AMAZING ball protection, but, far more in the Bilbao game, he gave the ball away too much and made simple mistakes. His second half against Bilbao, tough, is delightful, brilliant and almost perfect (type Xavi vs. Bilbao and you will find it easily on YouTube). His performance against Espanyol would also be rated by me in the same level as his second half against Bilbao if he had not made during the whole match 4 or 5 simple mistakes, specially in the first half.
So, what were his best performances in the 2010-2011 season? Brilliant performances? Was he really better than Iniesta in that season, as virtually all individual awards and best XIs of that season would make you think? Was that season really inferior to his two previous seasons? Overall, How good were his performances in the 2010/2011 season, how well did Xavi play in that season, how good he was?
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