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Gnidrologist
Senior Member
Being annoyed at and instructing silly Pep as a wee lad and you think he is too harsh towards these young bums.
Nah, thought it was a nice gif.
Anyways you can watch the games. Just picking up on his mannuerisms on the sidely coming across negative.
Bobo32
Senior Member
Yeah Pep goes mental sometimes, but it is usually when he senses the intensity is falling a bit - it is often when the team is in a 3-goal lead, or if a player does something that is clearly not what is instructed. He uses his body language and his authority very well in getting his team to play the way he wants to, and the results are very clear.
Xavi so far seems a bit diffuse in what he actually wants from the team and the players, and his body language often seem to come from reactions to technical mistakes - like a fan almost. He seems a bit self-aware too when doing these gestures, as if he acts to the camera.
Birdy
Senior Member
I think the above should be Barca's lineup for ALL the big games this season: From the Betis and Villareals of LL to CL top sides like Bayern.
Retain the 4-3-3 and variations of it vs VAlladolids of Spain only
Why?
1) It fits the characteristics of our defenders. Kounde and Araujo are beast CBs and both look lost at RB (Araujo more so). It would be a big underuse to play them at RB.
Then, we are not getting a quality RB this summer, and having jokes like Roberto or Bellerin as RBs in 4-3-3 would kill us against top sides.
Plus, Eric is super stellar this season, and his passing range and ability to progress from deep is unmatched.
These 3 should start the big games
2) Despite both Dembele and Raphinia being wingers and not wing-backs, both cannot operate properly when they are not hugging the touchline.That's their starting point, and that's from where they are effective.
Dembele looks lost when Balde takes up his space on the wing and has to start more centrally. The way Xavi wants his LB even in the 4-3-3 to play high up the pitch creates a conflict there, and only works well with an inside forward like Ansu.
Granted both look better as RW, but I think from what we have seen Dembele at LW is not that bad.
Depending on the game and the opponent, Xavi can play Balde as defensive left winger/wing-back in some games and only one of Demb/Raph on the right.
But in many games we will need both to be on the flanks.
3) It gives a role to Ansu.
What Dembele and Raphinia caNNOT do close to a striker as an SS, Ansu can.
We saw how lethal he was in that role vs La REal, and how well he can connect with Lewy.
It will be a special weapon, punishing defenses.
We should not let his talent get wasted. That's his position, that's his game
4) As we have seen the previous season and even before under Koeman, the 3atb formation give more stability in defensive transitions.
Barca got slaughtered in the past with a classic 4-3-3, when full backs got caught high up the pitch, and Busi was left alone to cover acres of space vs fast runners like Mbape and co.
Having ARaujo and Kounde at the back is a first remedy, but you need also a system that doesn't leave many exposed in the even of a ball loss.
I think the system above alleviates that.
5) the md of the team operates in exactly the same way as Xavi wants: Pivot and 2 interiors, Pedri dropping deep if needed, and Gavi Kessie or FDJ being more aggressive in being the first presser, or in making those runs in the channel without the ball.
No change there
soul24rage
Senior Member
Would also like to add that having 3atb helps us deal with corner from both defense and offense with the 3 CBs.
Also agree that SS is Ansu's best position.
Also agree that SS is Ansu's best position.
Birdy
Senior Member
The point is they play different position.
Ansu is not a winger like Dembele or Raphinia, but an inside forward or an SS, a role neither Dembele nor Raphinia can play
A role that is created by Xavi's system with LB advanced
DonAK
President of FC Barcelona
If Ansu cannot press and run like Raphinha and Dembele are currently doing he will be a liability against the elite teams in Europe. Even if he's better suited for the role Xavi wants from his left sided forward.
serghei
Senior Member
Totally, we need to be a mean machine up front vs the big boys.
FinBarcelonafan
Well-known member
Actually true. Supersub he is for now.
KingLeo10
Senior Member
This dude has like a first XI and a whole decent second XI.
We've gotten him everything from top players (Lewa, Raphinha, Kounde) to resigning key players (Dembele) to a whole bunch of supplementary parts. Not to mention Ansu coming back from injury.
Needs to deliver the league minimum, this season. And for that, he'll have to beat RM H2H.
We've gotten him everything from top players (Lewa, Raphinha, Kounde) to resigning key players (Dembele) to a whole bunch of supplementary parts. Not to mention Ansu coming back from injury.
Needs to deliver the league minimum, this season. And for that, he'll have to beat RM H2H.
Gnidrologist
Senior Member
Everyone here saying he MUST deliver laliga will jinx him.
Anyhow, i'm more interested in how he does in CL now. That will show what minerals he's made of.
Anyhow, i'm more interested in how he does in CL now. That will show what minerals he's made of.
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