Xavi Hernández

[klc123]

Why can't you accept Xavi is not nearly as good as he was in his prime? His last really good performance was vs Milan in the CL and his last performance at his peak level was the Euro 2012 final.

Of course he has declined, but I still think that he is consistently one of our most important players and does the most for us, especially in the midfield. Games where he doesn't start are when you really notice the difference.

This. Even if, as Klc argues, his statistics are not that bad, statistics, as always, do not capture the full picture. The intangible qualities of Xavi's game-- his presence, vivacity, gravity-- have all but evaporated. He may make and receive hundreds of passes, but these are back and sideway passes. Very little penetration. Xavi should be a responsible captain and step aside, for the team. He has nothing left to prove; he's already a legend.

1. Presence, gravity and vivacity, are not not three very subjective ways to describe a players performance, they are also things people argue are missing from the entire barca team, regardless of age.
2. Are you intentionally selecting and ignoring parts of my posts? I've already stated many times that in the last 10 games he has created more chances for barca than any other player, as well as many more forward passes.
3. While I agree the quality of the chances he creates have gone down, that is universal across he team, and in my opinion due to management and lack for team organisation.

The team doesn't play tiki taka anymore, we just keep the ball and hope that one of our creative players does something good out of nothing. Throw in the occasional long ball and cross and that's our tactic now. That's what has to change, not the midfield personnel.
4. This summer Xavi will be one of the most influential players in the world again, like his old self. This will be because he is playing in a team that is organised and managed by someone who knows how to play these players to their utter maximum capacity.
5. While I agree we will need to phase Xavi out at some point, this time isn't now, and when it comes it should be gentle. Give him more rests and save him for big games.
6. You guys can argue how he has lost his reactions, but I think that is rubbish. Picking out a runner isn't reactions, that's vision. Paul scholes improved his ability to pick out a quality pass to a runner every year that he played, what retired him was him losing his legs, and at the moment Xavi is still putting in the distance every game.
7. Statistics can be misused, but they can also be an invaluable tool when used appropriately, you just have to select the right stats. I could make Xavi seem like a terrible midfielder by highlighting his defensive capacity. But even in his prime he never put in good defensive numbers, he's not that player. So I've intentionally selected stats that apply to his playing style, and more importantly stats that disprove a lot of the witch hunt propaganda on this forum about him only passing sideways and not creating chances. If you want to complain about a player not passing fowards enough, or not creating chances, Xavi is the LAST player in our team you should be bringing to the guillotine. (Particularly when Xavi's main role in the team wasn't even to use forward passes or create chances, he does that on top of what he is meant to do, keep possession.)

 

[footyfan]

Of course you need reactions to pick out a runner. The space and run are only available for a brief period of time. The Paul Scholes counter-argument is pretty irrelevant, because (1) he played a deeper and deeper role with his advancing years (2) majority of his great passes are long balls out to the players on the wing, which in United's case are fairly open at all times.

The forward passes stat is so vague. For all we know, most of his forward passes are simple 5 yard passes to Dani Alves, Neymar, Messi etc. His throughball stats have gone down year by year, so have the key passes stats, his assist stats, interception stats and tackles stats.

I don't even know what's being argued here. Xavi is not the player he once was. He's worse defensively and he is worse in terms of offensive contributions. He's still vital to Barcelona though, because he seems to be the only who can still organise our play.

 

[Paganinisrvnge]

Three things have changed with Xavi since his prime.

1. Defensive abilities - Xavi was never a Defensive master but he held his own and worked his butt off. Now he gets skinned by any decent player. This may be where tired old legs are most evident.

2. Attacking intent - Xavi still has the technical ability to play beautiful through balls but he either chooses not to or picks the wrong moments. Over the past two seasons he's gotten do frustrating to watch when there is a chance to counter with Messi and Co yet he slows play down and lets the defense get organized. It's like it pains him to counter.

3. Physical abilities- he doesn't seem to have much energy anymore so he gets outrun by anyone and even his famous ability to hold defenders off similar to Messi with his low center of gravity and strong legs have failed him more than before this season. He still uses his skills to get out of tight situations like always but it's less than before. He gets bullied off the ball more than ever. Ironically, he loses more possession than in his prime even though he's more obsessed with it now.

 

[Hamzah]

your right about the manager. del bosque gets xavi, cesc, pedro etc playing very well because he knows what he is doing. our previous two managers didn't have this (this includes tata btw). though xavi has declined you can't deny that.

 

[Maria]

your right about the manager. del bosque gets xavi, cesc, pedro etc playing very well because he knows what he is doing. our previous two managers didn't have this (this includes tata btw). though xavi has declined you can't deny that.

Do you guys really think that Xavi has played so well for Spain in the last 2 years(apart from the EC final against Italy)? I don't think so..and even in 2012, Iniesta, Ramos, Pique, Busquets, Alba or Xabi were better than him. And in Spain's most difficult match at the EC Xavi was subbed off and Spain still had the control of the game with Busi and Xabi. Though I'm reading the stats afterwards or stuff like this:

4. This summer Xavi will be one of the most influential players in the world again, like his old self. This will be because he is playing in a team that is organised and managed by someone who knows how to play these players to their utter maximum capacity.

and it feels like I was watching a different game or tournament.

 

[Ursegor]

Do you guys really think that Xavi has played so well for Spain in the last 2 years(apart from the EC final against Italy)?

Yes.

 

[Behrox]

Do you guys really think that Xavi has played so well for Spain in the last 2 years(apart from the EC final against Italy)? I don't think so..and even in 2012, Iniesta, Ramos, Pique, Busquets, Alba or Xabi were better than him. And in Spain's most difficult match at the EC Xavi was subbed off and Spain still had the control of the game with Busi and Xabi. Though I'm reading the stats afterwards or stuff like this:



and it feels like I was watching a different game or tournament.

You mean you didn't have the pre 2010 WC matches recorded :tata1:

 

[Paganinisrvnge]

Iniesta was way better than Xavi at the euros until the final when Xavi gathered his last energies to put out one final legendary performance to show that he was just as good as Pirlo and Iniesta who were the players of the tournament. Sadly, it was his last legendary performance.

 

[ManusXavi]

I'm gona cut in with some memories. Love this video.
I feel I have partial confidence that even in 30 years I will still be renewing my Xavi #6 shirt every few years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w1iPqSgvlU

 

[Ursegor]

Iniesta was way better than Xavi at the euros until the final when Xavi gathered his last energies to put out one final legendary performance to show that he was just as good as Pirlo and Iniesta who were the players of the tournament. Sadly, it was his last legendary performance.

According to stats Xavi was way better than Iniesta.

Chances created Euro 2012:

Xavi: 25
Iniesta: 5

Direct assists:

Xavi: 2
Iniesta: 1

>

Always has been, always will be.

 

[Cule4life]

According to stats Xavi was way better than Iniesta.

Chances created Euro 2012:

Xavi: 25
Iniesta: 5

Direct assists:

Xavi: 2
Iniesta: 1

>

Always has been, always will be.

Didn't you say that Cesc's stats were misleading and later proved it correct? Now you are using stats to defend xavi......

 

[Ursegor]

Didn't you say that Cesc's stats were misleading and later proved it correct? Now you are using stats to defend xavi......

Cesc's stats are misleading because he racks up big assist numbers against poor teams and pretty much nothing against good teams. This doesn't make the stats "wrong". Just need to look more closely at the stats to get a better picture. 25 (the most in the tournament by the way) vs. 5 chances created however is a clear enough number, at least clear enough to suggest Xavi didn't only do something against Italy, and Xavi certainly didn't create all of those 25 chances against Ireland. No one played considerably more throughballs than Xavi either in Euro 2012.

Point is: Xavi having played well only against Italy in the final is a silly myth. The ridiculously transparent thinking of casual fans goes like this: "Big game + assist = Xavi played well = only played well against Italy and Milan in the past 2 years." The Euro final certainly was a standout performance that will go down in the history books. Doesn't mean Xavi hasn't played well in other games as well.

And no, no one says Xavi is still playing like in his prime. Hope that strawman argument won't be brought up a third time now. But I take 34 year old Xavi over dos Santos, Sergi Roberto and Fabregas any day. Which are the only alternatives.

Part of me actually wants Xavi to leave this summer so the board replaces him with Bruno Soriano. Just for the lulz.

In 2 out of the last 3 La Liga defeats Xavi didn't even participate. Problems lie elsewhere.

 

[Maria]

According to whoscored, Xavi created 3 chances against Portugal(in 87 minutes), Arbeloa 1 and Iniesta 0(in 120 minutes). Like I said, it feels like I watched a whole different game.

According to stats Xavi was way better than Iniesta.

Chances created Euro 2012:

Xavi: 25
Iniesta: 5

Direct assists:

Xavi: 2
Iniesta: 1

>

Always has been, always will be.

CL won by Iniesta without Xavi: 1
CL won by Xavi without Iniesta: 0

>

Always has been, always will be.

 

[Gooch]

There's no doubt Xavi is not the player he once was, but so what? I enjoy watching him play. I enjoyed Maradona's play till he retired - the way he caressed that ball, held off defenders, created a pass out of nothing. For some of us, art is much more important than efficiency and winning. So I hope Xavi plays on in Barcelona. Unfortunately, the pressure to win may lead to him having to retire elsewhere. Let's see.

 

[Paganinisrvnge]

I hope Xavi retires at Barcelona but starting next season, i hope we don't have to rely on him. He should have a role similar to Giggs in his last years at united.