Xavi Hernández

[Maria]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/featur...-spanish-stars-at-risk-of-burning-out?cc=5739

 

[Maria]

Xavi's new boots:

 

[Ryan_Cule]

Xavi is training with the group right now

 

[mitkoa7x]

Xavi's new boots:

these boots are mighty sexy

 

[abual3bed1]

looked so good last night, good to see him back

 

[hellsangel1]

I'm a bit surprised that more people aren't talking about it here. The fact of the matter is that this season Xavi has shown signs of decline and has looked really slow on the ball.

We can talk about relying on Messi too much/not having Villa and Abidal but I believe having a below-par Xavi this season (by his amazing standards) was one of the contributing factors to us not having a great season. With the possible exception of a great CB, more than anything we need Xavi back to his best next year. He gave too many lateral passes this season and not enough of his usual defense-splitting forward passes. We would have a bit more success against parked buses if Xavi played great for us this season.

 

[Maria]

As unhappy as I was with Xavi this year, I can understand him because he was one of our best players in the previous 3 years and didn't have any rest between Barca and Spain's NT..I liked that Busi stepped up in Xavi's absence, but I expected much more from Iniesta. Though it seems that the manchego is uncapable of having 2 consecutive good years, so let's hope that next year he will be brilliant again.

 

[Raed]

Play him 25 important games in La Liga, none in the Copa del Rey, and of course the CL and he will be fine. Cesc and Thiago both need the time anyway and he needs the time management.

But he was running like a zombie in some matches, which is pretty telling as to how much he had exerted himself physically and with the Euros coming up, it is going to be all worse.

 

[Puyol the wall]

Play him 25 important games in La Liga, none in the Copa del Rey, and of course the CL and he will be fine. Cesc and Thiago both need the time anyway and he needs the time management.

But he was running like a zombie in some matches, which is pretty telling as to how much he had exerted himself physically and with the Euros coming up, it is going to be all worse.

Xavi out and play a Madridstar instead

 

[Theconomist]

Xavi really can't be starting as many games anymore.
I agree with Raed that he has to be used sparingly.
I doubt Tito would take that gamble tho.

 

[Raed]

It is not that much of a gamble. Your problem last season was not Xavi, it was relapses in concentration because you disrespected opponents and your finishing was horrendous. The best team in the world should be able to adjust its game plan for a La Liga fixture which you normally dominate with many goals. You lost points to lower teams, so I shouldn't say do not play him against the lower half but it is what it is, these teams took points off you because you weren't into the other 45 minutes.

If the players take the league seriously, you will be able to finish teams off without Xavi.

 

[Ode to Django]

I think it was mostly down to Barcelona playing through the middle more & less runs being made, basically Xavi just passed to Messi in midfield the whole season, the team was more static imo which is why Xavi didn't look at his best.

 

[Puyol the wall]

I think it was mostly down to Barcelona playing through the middle more & less runs being made, basically Xavi just passed to Messi in midfield the whole season, the team was more static imo which is why Xavi didn't look at his best.

That is the problem with a 3 man defense when usually Alves would make those runs from deep he didn't make runs while in a 3 man defense cause he was playing RW rather he was waiting for the ball staying high up the pitch and opponents knew he was there.

 

[Maria]

I think it was mostly down to Barcelona playing through the middle more & less runs being made, basically Xavi just passed to Messi in midfield the whole season, the team was more static imo which is why Xavi didn't look at his best.

I don't remember the number of times that I saw Xavi ignoring Alexis' runs..not to mention that because of his problem with his knee, Xavi couldn't help the deffence as much as he should have or as much as he used too.

And Raed is right, Barca should be able to win 50% of the league games without Xavi..and we would have if someone other then Messi would have scored consistently.

It is not that much of a gamble.

It's not a gamble, but I'm not convinced that Xavi can accept that he won't be the leader of the team anymore. I hope he will respect Tito like he respected Pep..

 

[Puyol the wall]

I don't remember the number of times that I saw Xavi ignoring Alexis' runs..not to mention that because of his problem with his knee, Xavi couldn't help the deffence as much as he should have or as much as he used too.

Agree,
but I still think we missed Alves runs from deep.