Who would thrive better in the Xavi role: Thiago or Samper?

[DonAndres]

Just a heads up i am not trying to compare either of these guys to Xavi. It's just obvious that one of the roles in our midfield triangle has to be the distributor who starts attacks and sets the tempo for the tiki taka play. Xavi inhabits this role and since he is aging someone will succeed him and take over the reigns as the general of the Barcelona midfield. And as i see it there are 2 candidates for the future that really shine and could take over for him. Sergi Samper and Thiago Alcantara.


Case for Thiago
Very good at keeping possession and delivering great passes. Boasts unrivaled technique and touch and this is extremely impressive considering his age. Also proficient at beating a man and has Ronaldinho-esque flair. Arguably the most confident youngster in the world and always performs well when given the chance. He is generally attack minded and thrives at playing in through balls or lofted passes to the wingers.

Case for Samper
At age 17 he has unbelievable knowledge and understanding of the game. He provides the brains behind the midfield and plays as a very deep lying playmaker. He distributes the ball perfectly and sets the tempo for his team. He has really extraordinary vision and an eye for long passes. Has amazing maturity for someone at his age. A genius at tiki taka and starting buildup play for attacks proves he has a fantastic footballing brain and can calculate every possibility on the pitch.


Which one is more suited to the Xavi role? Once again i want to reiterate that i am not trying to start an argument or compare either of these guys to Xavi. I'm just trying to see your opinions on which one would be a better boss for the midfield in the future.

 

[I Wonder]

Sergi Samper. I am sure that he is loyal to Barcelona more than Thiago

 

[ivan22]

open that poll again in 2,3 or 4 years. How should we be able to judge if Sergi never played for the first team...lol

bossing the youth teams is one thing, but bossing the first team is something different.

 

[Doobs]

Too early to say. Right now, you'd have to pick Thiago.

 

[Barcaman]

Would like to vote but haven't seen enough of Samper.
Can note that Thiago played a more advanced role yesterday when he came on for Xavi as Iniesta moved back. Was surprised at this as Thiago has more fire in him playing without the ball, so in theory should work better behind Iniesta or Cesc.

 

[poltergeist]

Thiago is a very different player from Xavi. The only thing they have in common is they are both CMs but their playing styles are as different as night and day.

I haven't seen alot of Samper but from the little I've seen he seems the closest to Xavi but that's not a very informed judgement.

 

[FCBelfast8]

Personally, Thiago is made for this role.

 

[Fourteen]

There's no flamboyance to Xavi's game therefore, Sergi Samper is more suited to the role.

 

[Deco 20]

I say Thiago, but he's got to improve on his passing and movement

 

[DonAndres]

I'd say Thiago is an amazing midfielder for tiki-taka play but can't dictate a game or set the tempo like Xavi can. His game seems to be more about flamboyance and technique (like iniesta) rather than being the brain of the midfield. Even though Samper hasn't played for the 1st team yet he has trained with them and is definitely a good enough prospect to cut it as a full out professional (unless Eusebio misuses him and completely stunts his development). Samper has the brains for the Xavi role which really is the most important aspect of it. Technique and confidence can come with age but the way a player plays and sees the game is pretty ingrained. Samper has a visionary brain to really control the team which is what the Xavi role is all about.

 

[Deco 20]

Thiago did well dictating the play for Spain at u19 and u21 levels

 

[ccesc]

Samper -> Xavi
Thiago -> Iniesta

 

[jamrock]

Thiago, sampler is more like pirlo very static in the way he plays, xavi moves all over the pitch.

Wilfrid Kaptoum is also in with a chance.

 

[DonAndres]

Thiago did well dictating the play for Spain at u19 and u21 levels

Yea he did actually i remember that. But to argue against it the spain youth teams play a far quicker style of play without as much buildup. Not to mention the fact that the Spain team don't play tiki taka while barcelona does. He did dictate play and keep possession more than any other attacking midfield but he wasn't really controlling like the Xavi role requires. He played more as an attacking midfielder who dropped back quite a bit. Even though he did set the play much better than all the others on that team doesn't mean he plays in that role for barcelona.

 

[DonAndres]

Thiago, sampler is more like pirlo very static in the way he plays, xavi moves all over the pitch.

Wilfrid Kaptoum is also in with a chance.

Samper plays in that deep position because he is used as a defensive midfielder by the Juvenil A team (xavi also played as a defensive mid in his youth days). Thats mainly to give him space to act as a deep lying playmaker. However if/when he reaches the first team he'll be given a more mobile role because firstly Busquets inhabits the defensive midfielder space and secondly because they know that he's much more useful in building attacks than acting as a pivot. When he's given that freedom to move around the pitch he'll be even better at dictating play than he is now.