It's like 90% of our attacks follow exact script :
CBs pass to Busquets
Busquets pass to Gavi or Pedri
Gavi or Pedri pass to Dembele
Dembele dribbles or crosses
And on repeat the entire game whenever we face good organised defenses. You can not find any top team with such a rigid attack like ours that follows the exact same sequence every single time.
As I mentioned it works ok against 4 ATB when the fullbacks are in 1v1 Vs the wingers, but when good teams begin to double them, we have no options and no ideas what to do.
For some reason, we played against a deep 5 ATB block yesterday and the fullbacks and midfielders weren't attacking the box. That is like the first rule of breaking down deep and dense defenses, you need overlaps from fullbacks and midfielders to attack the box to give the attack options.
I keep saying this but Spanish teams and coaches are very weak tactically and don't seem to realise yet how easy it is to give us problems if they sit in defense. We score a lot of goals in LaLiga because we play teams like Sociedad that do attacking 4-2-3-1 and leave miles of open space in defense.
Agree with everything you said about Xavi's struggles with 5atb (and thanks for the xG numbers)
The games against Eintracht last season were telling, and I think Xavi hasn't improved at all when facing those low blocks with 5 atb
IMO, there are 2 ways to break a 3/5atb parked bus:
1) Either you put an aggressive fullback to operate on the flank together with your winger, so you have a 2v1 on the flank (kinda like Alaba and Ribery or Lam and Robben for Bayern in the past), create numerical superiority there that leads one of the two to cross or pass in the box from good position. The danger here is of course that you leave a numerical inferiority at the back, and in a ball loss they can hit you quickly with long passes
2) Or you populate the areas between the 5 defenders with mds that attack the box directly. That creates insecurity to them, they hesitate to step up, more spaces are opened. But most importantly our wingers have more options in the box.
IMO no2 was the best strategy to go yesterday because we didn't have players to play 1, and with our backline we could suffer from quick breaks
But guess what? Xavi's picked the wrong personnel to play 2. In case of 2, the most important players are the ones that are in the left and right half-space, which are those that will attack the box when the ball goes to wingers
It was evident from 10 minutes of play only that Kessie was far better suited in this role than Gavi.
Gavi is great in aggression and pressing, but he is an interior and his positioning when team is on the ball tends to drift further towards the md.
That's why he was invisible yesterday. There were numerous occasions where he should have attacked the box, and he didn't
Then, on the other side, Raphinia in the half-space was lost AF, it's not his position nor his strengths.
Ansu was better when he came on, but still his positioning was odd at times. Even in the dying minutes where everyone was finally occupying their box, Ansu was clashing on the left flank with Balde. Did no one tell him that he needs to get in the damn box?
Funny as it may sound, I think Ferran would have played that role much better.
These problems are seen in the average position graphic, where Xavi's 'box' formation can also be seen.
Where is Raphinia (22)? too close to Alonso, and Lewa is too close to him.
The spacing is bad
We really saw 2 only for 10 minutes at the end of the game when people got finally into Inter's box
A lot for Xavi to correct until next Wednesday when we play Inter again
