Xavi Hernández

[Andresito]

I hope you are correct.
It's not about 'fun' for me though, but it is about seeing hints of vision and determination, and things that might not work at the moment but that they work on and might improve a lot over time.
I think there is a window in the first weeks-months where a new leader can set standards - it is very tough to make BIG changes after that.
Him waving the players back in the last liga game for example, or his treatment of Luuk v Depay in the last games... Signs of almost cowardice to me, I don't see him making many daring decisions. Maybe some things like signing Alves could be seen as daring though (to me it looked very obvious)

There's a fine line between daring and naive. I actually think Xavi is proving a lot of people wrong by being cynical. There were a lot of worries about him coming in with a carbon Pep copy tactic.

But yeah, I also hope we can boot out the oldies ASAP and play a Xavi incused type of football. But I think it's easier said than done.

 

[JamDav1982]

He is more a copy of Peps current tactics than Peps time at Barca.

Not that he is copying Pep as such as many coaches including Klopp even are tucking in FBs now with TAA more or less their main playmaker from midfield at times.

Pep also plays the two full backs tucked in, wingers on touchline and with two more or less AMs in middle trying to nit it all.

Difficult to know if that is how Xavi wants to play or is choosing to with players has but at least there is a clear plan and players believe in it. That in itself is improvement even if plan has flaws.

 

[Bobo32]

There's a fine line between daring and naive. I actually think Xavi is proving a lot of people wrong by being cynical. There were a lot of worries about him coming in with a carbon Pep copy tactic.

But yeah, I also hope we can boot out the oldies ASAP and play a Xavi incused type of football. But I think it's easier said than done.

Yeah these people must be pretty satisfied.
Results have been OK too, although a bit of luck in some games (bad luck in others)
I didn't expect a carbon copy of Pep, but a similarly unshakeable belief in the basic philosophy. That's why I shilled for him for years.
I am not with you on "the oldies" though, for clarity.

 

[MTL_Barca]

I think every coach deserves at least one summer window + pre-season to be judged.

Right now he is bound to the squad he has and there isn't really much room to experiment. It's even the first time he finally has (almost) the full squad to his desposal.

 

[Pepsbarca]

He is more a copy of Peps current tactics than Peps time at Barca.

Not that he is copying Pep as such as many coaches including Klopp even are tucking in FBs now with TAA more or less their main playmaker from midfield at times.

Pep also plays the two full backs tucked in, wingers on touchline and with two more or less AMs in middle trying to nit it all.

Difficult to know if that is how Xavi wants to play or is choosing to with players has but at least there is a clear plan and players believe in it. That in itself is improvement even if plan has flaws.

That seems to be his idea of football doesn't it? Wingers staying wide, midfielders breaking into the penalty area, and fullbacks tucking in when we have possession.

We have to give him time to see if he can get his ideas across well enough to get us to become competitive again. Even with the pour state of the squad, the initial signs are very encouraging. The work on the squad is probably more important then the work on the training pitch that Xavi and his staff are doing right now. We simply need some better players as tactics alone will not get us back winning things.

Also, for those who are already against Xavi because he isn't improving the side quick enough. It took Pep one full season at Man City before they fully understood his ideas and how he wanted them to play. That's Pep, after having already managed for 10 years and having won countless trophies here and at Bayern. This season for Xavi is all about getting in the top 4 and getting his ideas across to those players that will still be here next year. If he has to use Pique, Alba, Busquets to do that then that's what he's going to, and should, do.

 

[Bobo32]

I think every coach deserves at least one summer window + pre-season to be judged.

Right now he is bound to the squad he has and there isn't really much room to experiment. It's even the first time he finally has (almost) the full squad to his desposal.

Yes, it will take 18 months more until I'll really judge his work, and he deserves these months of course. I won't sit silent and just accept whatever until then though.

 

[BarcaOG]

i wonder if you guys were as charitable and patient when Setien was here briefly, with no support, and with no transfers

 

[Bobo32]

Setien was great and ruthless at the beginning, before he fell on somebody elses shield.
Xavi is one who has the full authority to do whatever he thinks is best, but he still seems a bit laissez-faire unfortunately. I hope it is soon that he'll introduce a bit more of his ideas.

 

[BarcaOG]

Setien was great and ruthless at the beginning, before he fell on somebody elses shield.
Xavi is one who has the full authority to do whatever he thinks is best, but he still seems a bit laissez-faire unfortunately. I hope it is soon that he'll introduce a bit more of his ideas.

so far i am not at all convinced by xavi--in fact i see some very worrying patterns, but for the sake of our club i hope you're right...

 

[Joan]

Most of us expected Xavi to arrive with a plan here, to have strong vision. Most of us also expected that vision to be outdated and obsolete since it wasn?t realistic for a beginner coach who has spent years outside of Europe to have a modern, effective system of ideas and knowledge to implement it. Xavi will learn here and all we can hope for is that he?s a quick learner. That doesn?t mean he?s got no vision or plan but those aren?t as predetermined as we feared. Small improvements over longer period of time, evolution not revolution. I can live with that. That said, as Khaled argued, an experienced, defensive minded assistant would do wonders for both him and us. We are losing points cheaply.

 

[Messigician]

🗣️[ @fansjavimiguel🥇] | Xavi has already explained to Dest that he doesn't feature in his plans at all. Alves, Roberto, Mingueza and Araujo are all preferred for his position hence he is not expected to get any minutes under the Egarense and him leaving is the best option.

Is he dating Xavi's sister or something bros?

 

[Birdy]

The biggest problem I have with him is nothing of the aforementioned 'problems' (lack of vision and co)

It's rather his personnel selection, and obvious bias towards some players at the expense of others.
I will not mention the Amigos again, because it's an issue clear as daylight and it has been exhausted.

But, see this:
He comes in, he says Luuk is not in his plans, he disregards him so shamelessly in the first games,
and then suddenly he likes him because he scored a couple of goals against LaLiga fodder, or fluke-goal against RM,
while he is MISSING SITERS (missed 2 of them in headers against RM) in the same games.
No Luuk has not changed, but Xavi had a distorted view of him initially, and suddenly he went to the other extreme of thinking him as his starting CF

Look how awfully he is treating Dest, who is our best RB and our best prospect RB for the future.
His relationship with Dest is still in the 1st phase described above: he is shamelessly ignoring him and his qualities, based on a distorted view he has of him.

Then, his transfer requests to the board.
Ferran, OK, he is young and a prospect worth taking a bet on.
But Morata? a former Madritista, whose qualities you can find abundant on the market? Why?

These are ominous signs. We cannot afford to burn cards available or make wrong transfers.
That's why there should be a proper SD at the club, below Allemany, someone like Overmars or Edwards to tame Xavi a bit, and restrict him to his coaching job,
letting the squad management be their job

 

[Messigician]

How do we respond bros?

https://twitter.com/ElChiringuitoEN/status/1481956547794247688?t=bQLBLulhzYeiXg53ZGrPLw&s=19

 

[JohnN]

Dest our better prospect for RB? The man is stupid as a brick. Good athletic qualities but already overshadowed by a 38 year old.
Xavi is not wrong about Dest. He had his chances.
Also, team moral is the most important thing we have been missing and somehow he seems to have gotten it back to the team.
About the seniors that still play it depends, if the rules prevent us from playing more youngsters or not. Still, having experience mixed with youth is a correct approach most of the times, even if I can't stand busquets stinking up the place.
All on all, a positive couple of months, but we could have gotten some better results here and there, much of it though, relies on player's scoring, and our players weren't up to it.

 

[khaled_a_d]

Dest our better prospect for RB? The man is stupid as a brick. Good athletic qualities but already overshadowed by a 38 year old.
Xavi is not wrong about Dest. He had his chances.

Don't think I can agree with that.
And this is a rebuilding project, you need to have patience with the young players tbh.