Paganinisrvnge
New member
His whoscored rating is also drastically lower this year.
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klc123
Member
Such double standards. Messi strikes fear into the heart of defences every game he plays? Didn't look like that against atletico, probably won't be the same tonight either. The PSG game amplified his effect because he was brought on as a sub, the players could physically see him warming up and the stadium reacts to that. If he starts the game, the fans don't react as there isn't much to react to, and the PSG players don't get nervous and fluff their lines.
To suggest Xavi isn't having a presence on the pitch is absolutely ludicrous. I will happily admit it is not as much of a influence as before, but every player in the team is having less influence, the team is less influential in general, as they are playing poorly for the last two seasons.
Players like Iniesta are the glamorous magical footballers who capture imagination, and get you on your feet. But if you cannot recognise the important groundwork players like Xavi and busquets do, you are not a barca fan, and don't really understand football.
He's declined, but he is still essential in my opinion.
Your criticisms seem to be based around his decline in defensive duties, and also his reduction in chance creation going forward, with less trade mark balls behind defence.
1. The entire team has gotten worse defensively. Xavi used to win the ball because messi Pedro and villa were pressing further up the pitch, so the opposition players are receiving poorer passes which are harder to control and easier to intercept. To blame Xavi for the defensive drop isn't correct in my opinion, you should blame Tito and Tata for reducing the overall pressing work rate.
2. Perhaps Xavi feels the need to delay the incisive pass more these days as the team is more direct. We are still a possession team by nature, even if what we play is terrible compared to previous tiki taka systems. To control games we need the ball. If Xavi sees players like alves lumping the ball up the pitch constantly, then Xavi will compensate by being less direct himself.
This is bad management in my opinion, even if we are going to be direct, why are we not getting Xavi to make the passes, when he is the best in the world, and instead have dani alves constantly hitting it forwards, when his long passing is awful in relation. You guys seem to think Xavi is intentionally disobeying the manager, and that he is supposed to be playing direct but refuses out of principal. When has Xavi ever exhibited poor attitude and caused conflict in the dressing room intentionally? This mis directed witch hunt needs to stop. Once again, I'm glad none of you have any responsibility at the club. God knows what state the club would be in if we rewarded our most loyal and skilful players by sacking them off and blaming them for the managers faults, purely for the fact that he is one of the older members.
Ode to Django
You're not even a real journalism
Maria
New member
I can't believe that someone can compare Xavi's situation at Barca(who's been declining since December 2011) with that of Messi(without whom we wouldn't have won anything last year).
Not to mention talk about Iniesta like all he can do is dribble, when the man was instrumental in 3 of the 4 CL this club has won..
Not to mention talk about Iniesta like all he can do is dribble, when the man was instrumental in 3 of the 4 CL this club has won..
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Ursegor
World Champion
Very profound argument IMO. And while we are at Whoscored. Xavi was the 8th best player in Euro 2012 according to Whoscored. Iniesta was the 33th best, a few places behind Arbeloa.
You seriously underestimate Lord Arbeloa he is right up there with Lord Bendtner
Paganinisrvnge
New member
It's not like my only argument is whoscored but it's one of MANY arguments. It's not like their statistics don't mean shit. They keep track of a lot of things. I already pointed out Xavi's assists numbers and anyone who has watched him play consistently can agree that he's not the player he was. He is a defensive liability and doesn't offer as much going forward as he used to.
There is only one way Xavi could continue to be successful and that's if we sold a couple of Iniesta, Fabregas, Busquets, and then copied Juvenus' approach with Pirlo to have strong, young, energetic players with good technical ability(Pogba and Vidal) accompanying him in midfield while he sits back and sprays passes from a very deep position.
There is only one way Xavi could continue to be successful and that's if we sold a couple of Iniesta, Fabregas, Busquets, and then copied Juvenus' approach with Pirlo to have strong, young, energetic players with good technical ability(Pogba and Vidal) accompanying him in midfield while he sits back and sprays passes from a very deep position.
Armando929
New member
Why does he keep passing to Alves all the time?
eye-switcher
Banned
He likes Alves crosses?
evilhita666
Barçapocalypse NOW!
I was thinking the same... And I don't know if Madrid did it on purpose, but Alves was always unmarked to receive the ball, like they knew nothing would come out of that... And when you think about, their goals came from Alves getting dispossessed...
JamDav1982
Senior Member
Alves is wide open because the other team want the Barcelona full backs on the ball.
By Xavi constantly playing it out to him his playing into the oppositions hands.
Paganinisrvnge
New member
Ode to Django
You're not even a real journalism
To rack up his completed passes stats
To increase his whoscored rating
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