Xavi Hernández

[Don Juan Laporta Estruch]

To be champions League ready, by that I mean able to win it, albeit with favourable draws, Barca needs to do the following after selling a few more players.

1). Sign Cancelo on loan.

2). Sign Sane or Coman on loan ( whichever one Bayern will let us have basically ). Not only can they cover the RW, but both can also play LW.

3). Bring Vitor Home Now

Sign WILLIAN ESTEVAO for the future as a cherry on top.

 

[Birdy]

But Xavi would have been completely naive building a system around Dembele specifically.

21/22 minutes (attacking players)
1. Depay - 2.495'
2. Ferran Torres - 2.062' (Jan signing)
3. Dembele - 1.942'
4. Auba - 1.514' (Jan signing)
5. Adama - 735'
5. Auba - 1.514'

22/23 minutes (attacking players)
1. Lewy - 3.954'
2. Raphinha - 2.924'
3. Dembele - 2.169'
4. Ferran - 1.884'
5. Ansu - 1.824'

Sure it worked best with Dembele, but Raphinha is the one who played more minutes, and thus should have already established the tweaks for him holding the right.

But he was?

It's clear that despite Raphinha playing more minutes last season, Xavi always constructed and though of his system with Dembele there instead.

And it is also clear from the many times we struggled with Raphinha there that he hadn't established the necessary tweaks.
It will take a lot of time to do so

PS: Another point, which I see is wrong in many people's judgments.
People think that Cancelo complements perfectly Raphinha. That's wrong IMO.
It's true that an overlapping fullback on the right would allow Raphinha to cut in and not always have to hold the width.
But Cancelo is a play-maker in essence, just like Raphina, and wants the ball to feet.
He is not an overlapping fullback like Dumfries for instance that can run and fill in vacant space quickly. That would be the ideal profile to complement Raphina

People will be in for more surprises once they see the compatibility of Raphinia and Cancelo

 

[JamDav1982]

Dumfries aint that great.

Stop trying to rate FBs Birdster. Aint a good look after Semedo and Dest.

 

[iniestaGOAT]

1 full season, 1 league title as underdog.

Even though half the team was injured almost half the season.

Respect Xavi

 

[Andresito]

Xavi is keen on using Koundé as s centre-back this season. @sanantheone


The one thing that worked out best for us last season is about to change? Already calling it, it's going to be a disaster to have somebody else from our squad at RB.

 

[Barcaman]

Unless.. we switch to 3 at the back.

But even then why change it when it's the best thing that worked last season.

 

[Messigician]

To be champions League ready, by that I mean able to win it, albeit with favourable draws, Barca needs to do the following after selling a few more players.

1). Sign Cancelo on loan.

2). Sign Sane or Coman on loan ( whichever one Bayern will let us have basically ). Not only can they cover the RW, but both can also play LW.

3). Bring Vitor Home Now

Sign WILLIAN ESTEVAO for the future as a cherry on top.

Garbage ideas

You don't know game llil bro

Cancelo is a diva moment city binned him they won the treble

 

[ajnotkeith]

What's up with the defense against Prem teams?

It's actually baffling how it can go from being a literal wall against the Spanish teams to a chocolate teapot against any English team.

 

[mc_lovin]

Agree with him, the team needs reinforcements. Not many, but in two or three key positions.

Hopefully we can get some stuff done like Laporta alluded to.

 

[JamDav1982]

He needs to move on the correct players to get those in.

If he needs a RW... then try to punt Raphinha. He is once again too expensive as a back up.

 

[DonAK]

We need reinforcements for sure, but the last thing they should do is let Xavi handpick them if they can even afford it.

 

[Sailor Mars]

Sign a real RB first. Another midfielder and winger would be really nice to have, but not backbreaking if the club doesn't get them.

 

[JamDav1982]

In ideal world Fresneda and Cancelo.

Fresneda looks a unit that could cover CB in a three even.

Doubt will sell the players needed for that though.

 

[Sailor Mars]

The defence is weaker than last year. Inigo is just a replacement for Pique, until he proves otherwise.
Alba hasn't been replaced and he was far superior to Marcos Alonso. Also gave Xavi the flexibility of moving Balde to RB without losing too much at LB.

Midfield has just been 2 out, 2 in with Busi and Kessie being replaced with Gundogan and Romeu.

Frontline is weaker without Dembele for whatever games he is healthy for, atleast until Roque arrives.

Counting big on the youngsters improving and stepping up.

 

[mc_lovin]

A RB would practically turn the defence from zero to decent depth.