Xavi Hernández

[Windhook]

Depends mainly on the players in the lineup. It's a fluid system.

 

[te amo barca]

He isnt playing the Al Saad shape.

It is much closer to a 4321 than that or even a 433.

Clearly Barca are playing a back four and two DMs with freedom given to them based on opposition.

It isnt how he wanted to play either from start.. it is what team have developed into.

There is no way he benches FDJ and play a sole DM of Busi and two CMs higher up park if this was plan from start.

It's really close to a 3-2-2-3 in possession due to how high Balde gets and how pronounced Gavi and Pedri are as the inside "forwards" in left and right half-spaces in attack (when Busi and FdJ are the two pivots), in defense it's obviously different. But it's not as pronounced as his Al-Sadd shape because there he used two real wingers, there is more variety with using a fullback in that left winger position because you can easily switch to a back four.

 

[Porque]

It's really close to a 3-2-2-3 in possession due to how high Balde gets and how pronounced Gavi and Pedri are as the inside "forwards" in left and right half-spaces in attack (when Busi and FdJ are the two pivots), in defense it's obviously different. But it's not as pronounced as his Al-Sadd shape because there he used two real wingers, there is more variety with using a fullback in that left winger position because you can easily switch to a back four.

Good post.

Formations are fluid, main point is the focus has changed to overload the midfield, suffocate the ball. He is playing to the squads assets recently. Maybe partly because the form/ quality of the offensive depth has let him down (Ansu, Ferran basically)

Previously the midfield were stretched. A 433 in tactic but play style like an early 2000s 4231. Stretched and rigid.

 

[JamDav1982]

It's really close to a 3-2-2-3 in possession due to how high Balde gets and how pronounced Gavi and Pedri are as the inside "forwards" in left and right half-spaces in attack (when Busi and FdJ are the two pivots), in defense it's obviously different. But it's not as pronounced as his Al-Sadd shape because there he used two real wingers, there is more variety with using a fullback in that left winger position because you can easily switch to a back four.

It is much close to a 4321 or 433 but Balde gets forward and Gavi comes central when in posession.

Of the two in the middle it depends on what the game needs but at times either are given freedom to push up.

He has not bene trying that Al Saad formation at all at Barca really.

Closer to formation Peps Barca had in his 433 as well than that Al Saad one just one of the CM sits deeper. The closest would be 4321 and quite clearly it is a back four.

 

[Andresito]

 

[KingLeo10]

Quite amazing to have more attendance now than during prime Messi/MSN/Guardiola Barca

 

[Birdy]

Heightened expectations after the summer spending spree, it's normal that attendance is up again

 

[Birdy]

It's really close to a 3-2-2-3 in possession due to how high Balde gets and how pronounced Gavi and Pedri are as the inside "forwards" in left and right half-spaces in attack (when Busi and FdJ are the two pivots), in defense it's obviously different. But it's not as pronounced as his Al-Sadd shape because there he used two real wingers, there is more variety with using a fullback in that left winger position because you can easily switch to a back four.

Yes.
Xavi used this system quite early (Benfica game CL), and rediscovered it many times this season (Sociedad away, Inter twice, most importantly Bilbao home), and after RM SuperCopa final it has become the standard for important games
Maybe we could have coped better against Eintracht last season if Xavi was not insistent in the 4-3-3 back then. 3-2-2-3 allows much better penetration IMO.

I personally think it's a problem that out of possession it almost always morphs back into a 4-3-3.
For instance, against Inter we couldn't defend their width, had Xavi stayed with the 3-2-2-3 out of possession as well, we could have had better luck

 

[Horatio]

Did Camp Nou construct new seats or something? It’s awesome news but weird to think post-messi era attendance would be higher than messi era.

 

[JamDav1982]

Would guess tickets are significantly cheaper at moment than in the past.

Not only buying from club but they cracked down on socios only attending a few games and trying to sell tickets online for well over face value.

Know from folk that have been this season it was much easier to get decent seats from club directly than was in past.

 

[Kul_z]

Would guess tickets are significantly cheaper at moment than in the past.

Not only buying from club but they cracked down on socios only attending a few games and trying to sell tickets online for well over face value.

Know from folk that have been this season it was much easier to get decent seats from club directly than was in past.

Can confirm. I've spent 550 euros for 2 tickets for bilbao game and 2 tickets for bayern game(and bayern game we were seated at lateral, middle, wonderful seats). For example, in messi era tickets for granada match in upper corner were 90 euros. Was on lyon k.o. match on top corner(birds nest) where you cant see shit - 100 euros. Behind goal barca inter in messi era 100 euros, same seats barca bayern 70 euros. All tickets through barca site, and not as a member. So lets say that full price tickets, considering the inflation, is actually a lot cheaper now then it was in messi era. And yes, when i wanted to buy seats in the middle for lyon game they werent available, unlike bayern game that i purchased with ease actually.

 

[JamDav1982]

There is a reason they are doing a lot of advertising for fans to go to games... quite clearly not quite the demand there was in the past to pay those prices.

 

[Andresito]

Not that it makes too much of a difference, but at that time there were often a meaningless CL game because we had won the group. Bayern game was meaningless this season as well but at least there was a chance of it being crucial.

Also there were games in CdR that weren't always played at the lesser team's stadium. Pulling the average down a notch.

SF against Atletico in CdR in 16/17 only brought 67k to Camp Nou. Would never happen this season. But at least now we don't have to see Denis, Arda and Gomes starting together

But I must say, the game against Athletic a couple of months ago was the best atmosphere I've ever seen live at Camp Nou.

 

[Porque]

Post-covid burst too.

Lower price could be incentive to increase demand ahead of Montujlic move so people continue to watch there. It's going to get cold there next winter, and a bit out the way.

Price drop might be even cheaper next year. I know for example Villarreal season tickets dropped to a crazy cheap price of from 200 euros this season because of the initial games at Levante. Next season doubling mind you.

 

[te amo barca]

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