Xavi Hernández

[Richard.H]

Our defense is CL-semis level, the mid is CL-group stage level, and the attack is Conference league level. Best way for me to describe this squad.

 

[Capitan Puyol]

Wow...Lewandowski isn't Conference league lever for sure... Pedri and Gavi also.

 

[iniestaGOAT]

If ten Haag was our manager we would be down 7-0 before the second leg in Copa del ray

Imagine that

 

[malvolio]

Our defense is CL-semis level, the mid is CL-group stage level, and the attack is Conference league level. Best way for me to describe this squad.

nope, defense is not CL-semis level, until they actually reach that stage.

 

[JamDav1982]

Top defences at CL semi finals usuall are good at defending and good at playing ball out from back.

At Barca other than Christ the other defenders are average at best playing ball out and under pressure... Kounde, Araujo and Balde are not great when teams apply pressure on them.

Also top teams can defend well high up park when trying to give rest of team platform to perform up park.. this Barca team has plenty of pace but still looks like getting caught on break a fair bit and a lot of defensive record is due to sitting back when ahead and GK being one of best players in league.

Cant claim they are CL semi standard really before theu show it...didnt look it v Man Utd.

 

[Kul_z]

Top defences at CL semi finals usuall are good at defending and good at playing ball out from back.

At Barca other than Christ the other defenders are average at best playing ball out and under pressure... Kounde, Araujo and Balde are not great when teams apply pressure on them.

Also top teams can defend well high up park when trying to give rest of team platform to perform up park.. this Barca team has plenty of pace but still looks like getting caught on break a fair bit and a lot of defensive record is due to sitting back when ahead and GK being one of best players in league.

Cant claim they are CL semi standard really before theu show it...didnt look it v Man Utd.

Its different thing when 8 players are crushing you to tge back knowing you cant harm them on counter. Manutd was dembele away from getting smoked. Our back four is rsolid, right there with the bestin europe. What we lack is prime players in mf and quality/pacey attackers. Ferran and raphinha cant dribble for shit. Dembele at least gets no problem in getting around 16m area whoever is on opposite side of the field.

 

[vegitot]

Maybe Xavi's brother is actually the coach all along.

Liga is secured. Now just eliminate Madrid in Copa then it is quite good season despite Europe humiliation.

 

[vegitot]

For the first time in the Club's history, Bar?a has won 8 Liga matches with a 1-0 scoreline.We even 1-0ed Atleti.New records are being set.It seems Xavi is not what he says.

He isn't Cruyff or Pep. He is like Ernesto to be fair. That's good though. Just need to improve his Europe match from now.

 

[Rory]

Just need to pray the rest of la liga continue to be as financially weak as they have been the last few years. If they had 50m net to spend each season we'd be fucked with these sit back and hope tactics.

 

[JamDav1982]

Just need to pray the rest of la liga continue to be as financially weak as they have been the last few years. If they had 50m net to spend each season we'd be fucked with these sit back and hope tactics.

La Ligas best CFs are players in their mid 30s and failed EPL players for most part.

No wonder it is a shock for likes of Barca when come up against teams in Europe who have more pace/movement and better attacking players each step.

Real dont defend well in Europe either really. Let in a ton of goals and their forward players bail them out.

 

[JamDav1982]

Its different thing when 8 players are crushing you to tge back knowing you cant harm them on counter. Manutd was dembele away from getting smoked. Our back four is rsolid, right there with the bestin europe. What we lack is prime players in mf and quality/pacey attackers. Ferran and raphinha cant dribble for shit. Dembele at least gets no problem in getting around 16m area whoever is on opposite side of the field.

Barca got done on the counter plenty with Dembele in the team.

This season and previous ones.

 

[Barcaman]

His "explanation" for penalty fiasco was ridiculous. Bet he was ashamed on the stands.

 

[Kul_z]

Barca got done on the counter plenty with Dembele in the team.

This season and previous ones.

Its easier to defend. But we didnt get with balde, chris, araujo and kounde. That back four is solid as fuck. We finally started from the back line, we need rb this summer, and we can call it a day with backline for couple of seasons. Scary part is that financially we still need to spend on positions that are most expensive.

 

[Horatio]

His "explanation" for penalty fiasco was ridiculous. Bet he was ashamed on the stands.

What explanation did he provide? Heard he said there is a hierarchy to penalties. It is agreed upon Ferran is first designated penaltytaker(of the ones on pitch)

 

[JamDav1982]

Interesting video on how Klopp countered Man Utds man for man markng in midfield.

Barca did the opposite.. Man Utd pushed man for man on FDJ and Kessie/Busi and Barca had no real tactical alternative to exploit the space it left.

This was mentioned during both matches and how Barca made it far too easy for Fred etc to just push up and try to man mark FDJ without much threat of space he left.

Should have been a field day for likes of Gavi to come inside and find space the way Gakpo does there but Barca didnt adapt an he couldnt find ball enough.

Xavi needs to start learning to deal with in games tactis at top level much better than has.

Done well v Real.. who are fairly one dimensional at time and played them enough to be left with little surprises how they play but far too often out done tactically in Europe.

Xavi and his brother have to show they are learning soon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7Q0B97UeEE