Let's talk about Xavi's replacement (2024)

[M3ls]

Understat is a horrible data site, I have said that many times to people posting stats from there

I wrote that the more authoritative fbref gives approximately the same numbers as Understat.

You can compare. https://fbref.com/en/comps/20/2020-2021/2020-2021-Bundesliga-Stats

 

[M3ls]

I wrote that the more authoritative fbref gives approximately the same numbers as Understat.

You can compare. https://fbref.com/en/comps/20/2020-2021/2020-2021-Bundesliga-Stats

bayern 2020-2021 -> fbref


bayern 2020-2021 -> understat



barcelona 2023-2024 -> fbref


barcelona 2023-2024 -> understat



I only see a major discrepancy in Madrid's xG numbers.

You can take a reputable fbref and still the numbers will be in favor of Xavi's Barcelona (If we speak in the context of the level of opposition in the league).

 

[Birdy]

bayern 2020-2021 -> fbref


bayern 2020-2021 -> understat



barcelona 2023-2024 -> fbref


barcelona 2023-2024 -> understat



I only see a major discrepancy in Madrid's xG numbers.

You can take a reputable fbref and still the numbers will be in favor of Xavi's Barcelona (If we speak in the context of the level of opposition in the league).

Use fbref

Still, Madrid's potentially overperforming their xnumbers this season is irrelevant.
Then Bayern's sextuple season was the 19-20, not the 20-21

 

[Birdy]

No no. I can give you a link to this post on the most famous sports website. I just made a translation.

I read what Bayern fans write because I didn’t follow Bayern much during the covid period. I only have advanced statistics and I need more information from Bayern fans who understand football.

Still, I don't see why we should take seriously the opinion of just one fan
I can quote you the exact opposite view from another Bayern fan

 

[Porque]

All these Flick press talks remind me of the Koeman talk and then we saw how his physical preparation was. So in this regard it will depend on his team and not getting prep guys with 20+ year old methods.

It's time Laporta showed his previous backbone and go with what he initially wanted. A coaching team led with German principles. 2/3 of his election mandate coaching candidates are now free and available. So atleast if his presidencial run dies. Atleast let it die having tried what you initially intended to.

 

[jamrock]

Hopefully his physical preparation doesn't become conte at spurs level of fuckery.

 

[Birdy]

All these Flick press talks remind me of the Koeman talk and then we saw how his physical preparation was. So in this regard it will depend on his team and not getting prep guys with 20+ year old methods.

It's time Laporta showed his previous backbone and go with what he initially wanted. A coaching team led with German principles. 2/3 of his election mandate coaching candidates are now free and available. So atleast if his presidencial run dies. Atleast let it die having tried what you initially intended to.

This.
All this 'German school of coaches' election talk, and we end up with a mandate full of Barca-way nobodies like Xavi and Marquez??

 

[M3ls]

Use fbref

Still, Madrid's potentially overperforming their xnumbers this season is irrelevant.
Then Bayern's sextuple season was the 19-20, not the 20-21

In the 2019-2020 season, Flick only led the team for part of the season. For the sake of objectivity, I took a full season. If you take 2019-2020 the situation will not change.

 

[M3ls]

Still, I don't see why we should take seriously the opinion of just one fan
I can quote you the exact opposite view from another Bayern fan

I read everyone.

Again, my goal is not to prove that Flick is crap. I'm saying the numbers indicate he's not the obvious choice.

For me, Flick is a black box. I'm not saying that he will fail in Barcelona, but I TEND to this opinion.

 

[M3ls]

I won't fall for this talk about physical training anymore. Koeman, Xavi, Flick - for each of them, the media constantly said how much emphasis these coaches would place on physical training.

 

[Windhook]

There were articles a couple of years ago praising Xavi's physical preparation. This season iirc Barca won numerous games by scoring late goals. He even mentioned in a post-match that "we are not the quality Barca of 2011, so we have to run more". I don't think the issue lies with Xavi's stamina programme. The real issue is lack of physicality in numbers, especially in midfield. Other than Lewa and Araujo we have technically great but smaller players. This wasn't an issue in the past, but football adapted against Barca to stop Cruyff's tiki-taka by parking buses or Klopp's way of having marathon footballers like James Milner.

 

[Birdy]

I read everyone.

Again, my goal is not to prove that Flick is crap. I'm saying the numbers indicate he's not the obvious choice.

For me, Flick is a black box. I'm not saying that he will fail in Barcelona, but I TEND to this opinion.

Listen:
his 19-20 Xnumbers are great. in 20-21 their defense was not so good, but still had blistering attack.

The objections Purist raises are valid, and I watched the vid when it first came out

All in all, and given that options like Nagelsmann with a possibly higher ceiling than Flick are out of the question now, there should be no doubt:
Flick will be a 100% upgrade on an apprentice like Xavi who is learning his craft by slow painfull trial and error
even if he only managed to instill the pressing/physical preparation/fitness/work ethic our players badly need

 

[serghei]

I will support any manager we sign, but he has to provide results. If he does, we're good to go.

 

[Birdy]

I won't fall for this talk about physical training anymore. Koeman, Xavi, Flick - for each of them, the media constantly said how much emphasis these coaches would place on physical training.

With the difference that with Xavi it was mostly talk for the press.
Didn't you see the recent vid with Lewa complaining in the training?

There were articles a couple of years ago praising Xavi's physical preparation. This season iirc Barca won numerous games by scoring late goals. He even mentioned in a post-match that "we are not the quality Barca of 2011, so we have to run more". I don't think the issue lies with Xavi's stamina programme. The real issue is lack of physicality in numbers, especially in midfield. Other than Lewa and Araujo we have technically great but smaller players. This wasn't an issue in the past, but football adapted against Barca to stop Cruyff's tiki-taka by parking buses or Klopp's way of having marathon footballers like James Milner.

physical preparation is not only stamina. Besides with so many 16-21 yr old in the XI, we can run much more than 3 or 4 years ago. BUT: there is still lot more to it
Our players for instance aren't bulked at all. We don't win duels apart from certain Araujo, which is very important in today's football.
Look at the final yesterday: Atalanta players won almost all duels and that played big part in their win

It's a combination of power, strenght, stamina, and intensity/urgency in every action (for instance not passing around with no urgency as if bored that our players constantly do under Xavi) that makes the killer combination. Flick's Bayern was all about suffocating the opponent by pressing AND winning all balls
Then the rest is about tactical coaching

 

[serghei]

The squad is ok to challenge for the league and reach something like CL semis with a bit of luck. More than that would be a serious achievement in terms of management imo.