La Liga Round 11: Real - Barca 0-4

[Porque]

It's time to mention the obvious.

One days less rest and 126km midweek against a top Bayern side.

Go to Madrid.
-More goals.
-More chances created.
-More possession.
-More passes.
-Less offsides ( lol )

Incredible feat. We should have been way more tired than Madrid who started the supposed energisers in Jude, Tchoumeni, Camavinga and Valverde.

Absolutely deserved rest for the team. What a week.

 

[ajnotkeith]

Casado already had a better Clasico than Gundogan. Flick deserves a lot of credit for this, but if the player wouldn't be quality, trusting him would be useless.

Yamal is a completely different league to Joao Felix.

Olmo is a great signing.

Cancelo is a bum that cost us in the biggest games last season due to defensive blunders. Man can't defend.

I get that you changed your mind, which is fine, but I'm interested to know, what do you now think of the squad's quality under Xavi as opposed to what you were saying before?

Around the time Xavi got sacked, you were saying the squad is nowhere close to Madrid and a league title was a miracle. Obviously, a few months cannot change that fact, as we didn't sign anyone new except Olmo, so would you say now that maybe Xavi was not getting the best out of the players and the squad was not so far from the top level overall?

Some of the very young players have slightly more experience but the majority of players are prime age players with a lot of experience, the only ones I would are is undergoing significant improvement are Yamal and Cubarsi.

 

[ajnotkeith]

It's time to mention the obvious.

One days less rest and 126km midweek against a top Bayern side.

Go to Madrid.
-More goals.
-More chances created.
-More possession.
-More passes.
-Less offsides ( lol )

Incredible feat. We should have been way more tired than Madrid who started the supposed energisers in Jude, Tchoumeni, Camavinga and Valverde.

I really can't believe we are still seeing people revising this as if it was expected, I mean, the atmosphere around here was literally doom at the end of last season, with most people saying we didn't have a chance to compete with Madrid.

I think this magical start to the season needs to be appreciated more than it even is, whilst I thought that a new manager would improve the team a lot, I didn't expect to this extent whatsoever.

It is clear we are playing far beyond the objective level of the squad, so if it ends up falling as the season goes on we also shouldn't be surprised, if that does happen.

 

[serghei]

Well, Casado was there last season having an incredible season for the B and didn't get a shot with Xavi clamouring for a DMC in Winter. So you could add him to the list of players Xavi had at his disposal.

Xavi had Yamal too, and also Felix who is a better squad option than Ansu. Felix actually won some points with some clutch performances like Atleti (off top my head). We haven't seen that Ansu can even offer that yet.

I'm happy Cancelo isn't here, but he would probably be starting over Balde. Now if Balde can keep it simple and cross like he did for that Lewy goal more often- happy days.

Point is that this is Xavi's squad, with way less depth. Flick is just making way better use out of it. But let's not make it out that guys who are 26-28 are suddenly more mature or better players under Xavi like Inigo, Raphinha, Kounde. It is just that Flick is getting way more juice out of them.

Yes, but there's also players Xavi promoted that maybe Flick wouldn't have rated and trusted as much early on. Flick got those players not as complete rookies, but with a CL quarterfinal under their belt.

Xavi had Yamal too, just a rookie Yamal instead of Euro winner and football star Yamal. When Xavi was at the team, one of the best offensive players was Dembele. Today he'd be a bench warmer.

No chance Cancelo starts over Balde for me. Both share the same flaws and qualities, except Balde's defending is not quite as terrible, even if not good, he's faster, younger, probably has more stamina.

This is Xavi's squad (disagree also about depth). Flick is doing a better work with it no doubt. But what Xavi did contributed to that. He started the reconstruction phase, trusted most of these kinds, won a league with some of them... it's an adding factor, not someone that underused them as some pretend, only for Flick to come and save the day.

The gradual progress of the club since Laporta took over has been noted. People are praising Inigo now, but he was a Xavi signing. Turns out the club and Xavi were right that he can be a leader and play at a high level vs any opponent. Things like that are often ignored.

Also, Xavi's league form was bad in 23-24, but this was after winning the league in 22-23 by a huge difference to Madrid. Flick first has to win the league, and then we can see if he can fight to retain it in the next season.

 

[ajnotkeith]

Xavi had Yamal too, just a rookie Yamal instead of Euro winner and football star Yamal. When Xavi was at the team, one of the best offensive players was Dembele. Today he'd be a bench warmer.

At that time Dembele was competing with Raphinha for the spot, and Xavi preferred Dembele over him on many occasions, so you can't really say that is a squad improvement, it's actually Xavi's choice there.

 

[serghei]

At that time Dembele was competing with Raphinha for the spot, and Xavi preferred Dembele over him on many occasions, so you can't really say that is a squad improvement, it's actually Xavi's choice there.

Yet, the formula with Raphinha on the left and cutting inside - Lewa - Yamal was first used by Xavi. First match we discovered that it may work great was vs PSG.

But I agree that Xavi did not see the true potential of Raphinha.

 

[jamrock]

The people who are raving about Flick and rightly so.

Need to also admit, they were wrong when they complained for literally 2 years, that we wasted 135m on these players, 45m net spending mind you.

Whined about
Lewa
Raph
Kounde
Martinez.

Probably the only player they didn't whine about was Christensen and even then some of them did.

Yes flick has improved them, but taking a player from a 7 to a 8, doesn't eliminate the fact that he was a 7 before.

 

[ajnotkeith]

Yet, the formula with Raphinha on the left and cutting inside - Lewa - Yamal was first used by Xavi.

This is after Dembele left, I'm talking about when Dembele was here, you made the point that Dembele was one of the best offensive players and he would be benchwarmer now, but the reality is at that time he was preferring him over Raphinha.

I think Dembele would still even play a lot of minutes now, it has become clear that Raphinha is the better player, but Dembele would be a very good rotation option for either him or Yamal.

 

[serghei]

This is after Dembele left, I'm talking about when Dembele was here, you made the point that Dembele was one of the best offensive players, but the reality is at that time he was preferring him over Raphinha.

Yes, when he was here, with Raphinha just signed and finding his footing, he was probably our best if fit.

 

[serghei]

The people who are raving about Flick are rightly so.

Need to also admit, they were wrong when they complained for literally 2 years, that we wasted 135m on these players, 45m net spending mind you.

Whined about
Lewa
Raph
Kounde
Martinez.

Probably the only player they didn't whine about was Christensen and even then some of them did.

Yes flick has improved them, but taking a player from a 7 to a 8, doesn't eliminate the fact that he was a 7 before.

Good post, main person that should go seriously up in credit is Laporta.

Inherited a load of shite, and he's bringing us back in just one term. Incredible job.

Sacked Xavi and got the successor spot on too. That looks to be another great decision.

 

[Porque]

Yes, but there's also players Xavi promoted that maybe Flick wouldn't have rated and trusted as much early on. Flick got those players not as complete rookies, but with a CL quarterfinal under their belt.

Xavi had Yamal too, just a rookie Yamal instead of Euro winner and football star Yamal. When Xavi was at the team, one of the best offensive players was Dembele. Today he'd be a bench warmer.

No chance Cancelo starts over Balde for me. Both share the same flaws and qualities, except Balde's defending is not quite as terrible, even if not good, he's faster, younger, probably has more stamina.

This is Xavi's squad (disagree also about depth). Flick is doing a better work with it no doubt. But what Xavi did contributed to that. He started the reconstruction phase, trusted most of these kinds, won a league with some of them... it's an adding factor, not someone that underused them as some pretend, only for Flick to come and save the day.

The gradual progress of the club since Laporta took over has been noted. People are praising Inigo now, but he was a Xavi signing. Turns out the club and Xavi were right that he can be a leader and play at a high level vs any opponent. Things like that are often ignored.

Also, Xavi's league form was bad in 23-24, but this was after winning the league in 22-23 by a huge difference to Madrid. Flick first has to win the league, and then we can see if he can fight to retain it in the next season.

I agree with you on Cubarsi especially, and Lamine (and Fermin too). It was pivotal of Xavi to incorporate them into the first team and make it the easy choice for Flick to have them as first teamers.

The depth is easy to say now, because Flick established Casado as a first team player and against Madrid and Bayern and we had Frenkie and Olmo coming off the bench.

But for the majority of the season so far the squad has been bearbones with us having to start with two unprovens in Casado-Bernal, and Bernal then going out for the year. Flick had no depth. There's no comparison really with what the two had to work with.

Let's not forget that if Xavi stayed, that he wanted to retain Sergi Roberto so it's undecided if Casado would have had any breakthrough anyways.

 

[ajnotkeith]

Good post, main person that should go seriously up in credit is Laporta.

Inherited a load of shite, and he's bringing us back in just one term. Incredible job.

Sacked Xavi and got the successor spot on too. That looks to be another great decision.

That is fair enough, Laporta is doing a very good job, as is Flick. I think Laporta also counted on a lot of luck with La Masia though, the sheer amount of talent we had from there in the last couple seasons is beyond all reason.

 

[serghei]

I really can't believe we are still seeing people revising this as if it was expected, I mean, the atmosphere around here was literally doom at the end of last season, with most people saying we didn't have a chance to compete with Madrid.

I remember almost the same situation before 22-23.

The expectations before both 22-23, and this season is competing for the league title vs Madrid with the expectations that Madrid are favorites.

For me it would be far far more impressive for Flick to achieve what Xavid didn't domestically. Back to back titles.

 

[jamrock]

Good post, main person that should go seriously up in credit is Laporta.

Inherited a load of shite, and he's bringing us back in just one term. Incredible job.

Sacked Xavi and got the successor spot on too. That looks to be another great decision.

Yea, they also need to admit they were wrong about him as well.

It's funny because they were primarily convinced by one loud voice on here about all these things.

They act like all of this came out of thin air and nothing came before it.

It's great but work was laid down by Laporta and Xavi no matter how much they refuse to admit it.

 

[mc_lovin]

It’s simply not happening in a vacuum. It’s not just Flick or Xavi or Laporta. It’s a combination of lots of stuff happening in the club.

Flicks been better than Xavi so far, but the latters stint was not a waste… he did enough.