Xavi Hernández

[delancey]

Hey let us change the back line, play inferior defenders against the best Europa League team, and randomly shuffle the defenders around so that chemistry between the defenders gets fucked up.

Oh and let us not rotate the midfielders who always play, causing them injury or suspension in the follow up game.

Finally, let us sub out Raphinha, the man on fire, the player with most desire, for that was a predestined move.

Great tactics. 🤥

Sorry Laporta, but one does not make an apprentice the CEO of a multi billion dollar entity.

 

[Neeraj]

ETH after the game - 'We dominated, disappointed we didn't win the game. Finish it off back home'.

Xavi after the game - 'We should be proud of ourselves. We competed against a top European team. United is back'.

After having a better team at the Camp Nou at that. Cuck mentality

 

[ajnotkeith]

It is clear that Xavi tries his best to play up the opponent and make them seem as difficult as possible every game, especially in Europe. Not clear why.

 

[Neeraj]

It is clear that Xavi tries his best to play up the opponent and make them seem as difficult as possible every game, especially in Europe. Not clear why.

An excuse for failure, simple as.

Let's not forget how he would blame the grass, the referee, the tea served in the hotel, the opposition managers trouser choice, basically anything but the team, when he was a player and we lost. Not surprised. GOAT midfielder, but it hurts seeing him in press conferences.

 

[Horatio]

ETH after the game - 'We dominated, disappointed we didn't win the game. Finish it off back home'.

Xavi after the game - 'We should be proud of ourselves. We competed against a top European team. United is back'.

After having a better team at the Camp Nou at that. Cuck mentality

Nonsense. Ten Hag also praised Barcelona. Saying people at home prolly enjoyed this one because it was a clash between two great teams. A bit of cherry picking with quotes to make xavi look bad imo.

 

[Neeraj]

Nonsense. Ten Hag also praised Barcelona. Saying people at home prolly enjoyed this one because it was a clash between two great teams. A bit of cherry picking with quotes to make xavi look bad imo.

If you watch the interview, it comes across very clear, ETH was not happy with the result, Xavi was. Saying it was two great teams and an enjoyable game is very different from what Xavi was implying, that we should be proud cause we competed so well with a top European team. Seriously? ETH exuded confidence and Xavi didn't. Quote cherry picking aside.

 

[Horatio]

If you watch the interview, it comes across very clear, ETH was not happy with the result, Xavi was. Saying it was two great teams and an enjoyable game is very different from what Xavi was implying, that we should be proud cause we competed so well with a top European team. Seriously? ETH exuded confidence and Xavi didn't. Quote cherry picking aside.

Fair enough.

 

[DonAK]

I assume this will be his lineup at Old Trafford:

ter Stegen
Kounde - Araujo - Christensen - Balde
Frenkie - Busquets - Kessie
Raphinha - Lewandowski - Ansu or Ferran

Man Utd will have Lisandro Martinez, Sabitzer, Martial and Antony back for the return leg it seems.

 

[Andresito]

I assume this will be his lineup at Old Trafford:

ter Stegen
Kounde - Araujo - Christensen - Balde
Frenkie - Busquets - Kessie
Raphinha - Lewandowski - Ansu or Ferran

Man Utd will have Lisandro Martinez, Sabitzer, Martial and Antony back for the return leg it seems.

Where's Alonso?

 

[DonAK]

Where's Alonso?

Won't rule out Xavi benching Araujo for him. After all Xavi's taken inspiration from Pep's experimenting in big games.

 

[Birdy]

Won't rule out Xavi benching Araujo for him. After all Xavi's taken inspiration from Pep's experimenting in big games.

Pep's experiments had logic behind them, despite not working every time.
Xavi's don't

It frustrates me so much that our backline is our biggest strength this season, and in a crucial game he decides to go with 0 of that back 4 that made us so solid. Kounde/Araujo played out of position, Alba and Alonso in. If you want to shuffle around then do so with 3 of the regulars in the lineup intact, and that includes playing them at positions they've been good at. There was absolutely no point having Araujo defend against Sancho while Kounde and Alonso were in charge of Rashford.

So fucking amateurish to highlight Rashford as the biggest threat but move our best CB out of the way for him to RB and bench the second best CB.

But but...
... Serghei said LL is our priority, so we should be happy he fielded some starters after all, he could have fielded Juvenil A to play this game; mighty Cadiz is to be played on the weekend

 

[JamDav1982]

He got away with poor tactics again really.

 

[Rory]

If Ter Stegen wasn't having arguably best season of his career I wonder where we would currently be in la liga seeing as we've won 7 games 1-0. How much of our newfound defensive solidity is simply having very good defenders and as mentioned a keeper in the form of his life. I think Xavi should consider himself immensely lucky should we go out to united that we've scraped so many 1-0 victories to give him enough credit to keep his job.

 

[Givenchy]

It frustrates me so much that our backline is our biggest strength this season, and in a crucial game he decides to go with 0 of that back 4 that made us so solid. Kounde/Araujo played out of position, Alba and Alonso in. If you want to shuffle around then do so with 3 of the regulars in the lineup intact, and that includes playing them at positions they've been good at. There was absolutely no point having Araujo defend against Sancho while Kounde and Alonso were in charge of Rashford.

So fucking amateurish to highlight Rashford as the biggest threat but move our best CB out of the way for him to RB and bench the second best CB.

Truly. Sancho is half-fit and doesn't pose much of a threat yet he leaves Rashford up against our weakest CB (who isn't even a CB)

Anyways, now the frustration is gone, we can still actually win this tie IF and only if Xavi becomes tactically flexible. (spoiler: he won't). Going to Old Trafford vs this in form United team with the players we are missing and still trying to play the usual Barca way is a recipe for disaster, just like the 2nd match vs Bayern.

Adapt to the opposition or we will get blown away.

 

[jamrock]

If Ter Stegen wasn't having arguably best season of his career I wonder where we would currently be in la liga seeing as we've won 7 games 1-0. How much of our newfound defensive solidity is simply having very good defenders and as mentioned a keeper in the form of his life. I think Xavi should consider himself immensely lucky should we go out to united that we've scraped so many 1-0 victories to give him enough credit to keep his job.

Winning 7 games 1-0 ain't luck, when it happens consistently it has to be by design, defensive has been great, mats just as great, a bit of luck is always involved when's striking at goal, but don't diminish what they'd done by chucking it all up to look.