Xavi Hernández

[JamDav1982]

You won't see me praising Xavi to no end for finishing 2-3 places higher. Only if he makes top 4 would it be considered a top performance.

For me there's some things he has to be spot on about:

- speed of passing should go up a lot
- more shooting from good positions (almost never put the ball wide when you have space to shoot in the center at 16-20 range)
- fairness when dealing with old and young players
- good rotation
- good tactics and not wild experimentation with formulas and whatnot showing a lack of vision and plan

Disappointed in almost all of these with Koeman.

The squad when fit and fixtures coming up should allow for a run at top four whether it was Xavi or Koeman or anyone under normal circumstances. Although Koeman knew and acted like dead man walking so change had to be made clearly.

The basics of pace up top, a focal point at CF, physcality and pace in midfield and CBs, full backs that can cross a ball.

Need to get those back and match teams with them before being a top Barca type passing team works in my opinion and that is too often neglected.

Koeman was fair with players based on performance regardless of age bar Busi and Pique at times but not sure any Barca coach has power to take those two on.

The tactics were in relation to players available and actually results got worse when settled on a 433 and tried to force players into it.

 

[KingLeo10]

You won't see me praising Xavi to no end for finishing 2-3 places higher. Only if he makes top 4 would it be considered a top performance.

For me there's some things he has to be spot on about:

- speed of passing should go up a lot
- more shooting from good positions (almost never put the ball wide when you have space to shoot in the center at 16-20m range)
- fairness when dealing with old and young players
- good rotation
- good tactics and not wild experimentation with formulas and whatnot showing a lack of vision and plan
- good decisions in games with sub and timing of subs

Disappointed in almost all of these with Koeman.

Meeting ALL OF THOSE is what you'd expect from an absolutely elite manager, which I don't expect Xavi to be right off the bat, if ever. In Pep and ZZ's case, they had a world class roster at their disposal to implement their way of play (the way of play being especially clear and innovative in Pep's case).

I think he'll be great at #1 and decent-good with #5 and #6.

Don't expect much of a change with #2 (the deeper we got in the Pep era, the more obsessed we got with "walking" the ball into the net and being allergic to long shots). #3, he certainly isn't going to drop the likes of Busquets, Pique, Alba and co. unless they are already gone beforehand.

#4 remains questionable. He's always struck me as the type who would have his set of players he believes can play the way he likes and those that he believes can't.

 

[serghei]

Meeting ALL OF THOSE is what you'd expect from an absolutely elite manager, which I don't expect Xavi to be right off the bat, if ever. In Pep and ZZ's case, they had a world class roster at their disposal to implement their way of play (the way of play being especially clear and innovative in Pep's case).

I think he'll be great at #1 and decent-good with #5 and #6.

Don't expect much of a change with #2. #3, he certainly isn't going to drop the likes of Busquets, Pique, Alba and co. unless they are already gone beforehand.

#4 remains questionable. He's always struck me as the type who would have his set of players he believes can play the way he likes and those that he believes can't.

Maybe not all, but some should be improved. Koeman sucked in all arguably. I was displeased with him in terms of ideas of play, squad handling, fairness when dealing with players getting time, even messages in pressers bringing players down, too much experimentation (probably because he had no vision) and so on, not to mention that results were bad.

I don't know who said it, but somebody said Koeman had some 2 months last season when he really seemed like he was on to something, about when we played Sevilla away, and PSG away, and we turned around the Copa affair. After Pique got injured in the first leg with PSG. We really played well, but it was all over quickly and he never really recovered. And when the veterans came back, Koeman forgot everything that worked well before and tanked the season. I remember he played 3-4-3 without De Jong there, with Pique and Lenglet, and later even Umtiti showed up, and it was an absolute slow-fest disaster.

 

[JamDav1982]

I agree with the story about last season, but this season Koeman was a disaster. The team showed nothing. Xavi will have to show more vs the weaker sides where squad quality can't be used as an argument for performing poorly, to get more time and trust.

In even in the big games, I expect better results from Xavi. Even likes of Betis cause more damage vs big sides than Koeman Barca did in 1.5 years almost.

Also in big games... only so much can do when Dest misses that sitter v Real and Coutinho does same year before or MATS has a brain fart and launches 40 yards from goal.

The games were by and large fairly even. Real and Atletico had match winners up top.. Barca have fucking Depay, LDJ, Dest, half fit Aguero, half fit Fati this season.

 

[JamDav1982]

Maybe not all, but some should be improved. Koeman sucked in all arguably. I was displeased with him in terms of ideas of play, squad handling, fairness when dealing with players getting time, even messages in pressers bringing players down, too much experimentation (probably because he had no vision) and so on.

His hands were tied on every one virtually and he didnt treat young players badly he was the best thing to happen to young players at Barca in years.

 

[KingLeo10]

Maybe not all, but some should be improved. Koeman sucked in all arguably. I was displeased with him in terms of ideas of play, squad handling, fairness when dealing with players getting time, even messages in pressers bringing players down, too much experimentation (probably because he had no vision) and so on, not to mention that results were bad.

I don't know who said it, but somebody said Koeman had some 2-3 months last season when he really seemed like he was on to something, about when we played Sevilla away, and PSG away, and we turned around the Copa affair. After Pique got injured in the first leg with PSG. We really played well, but it was all over quickly and he never really recovered.

That 20 game stretch coincided with Messi scoring at a goal per game/over a goal per game and a couple other veterans (Pique, Roberto) being out. If anything, the before and after of that stretch show Koeman was clueless and simply got lucky.

The moment he introduced the quintet of doom (Busquets, Pique, Lenglet, Alba, Roberto) in the crucial stretch where we could have won LL, things completely fell apart (predictably).

 

[serghei]

Also in big games... only so much can do when Dest misses that sitter v Real and Coutinho does same year before or MATS has a brain fart and launches 40 yards from goal.

The games were by and large fairly even. Real and Atletico had match winners up top.. Barca have fucking Depay, LDJ, Dest, half fit Aguero, half fit Fati this season.

Make no mistake, these inexperienced players will cost Xavi too, which is why he will need to show better management skills than Koeman to get better results. Simply put, he will need to find ways to create more chances to cover for these misses.

For example, last night vs Alaves. We will continue to miss chances, which is why we need to create more of them. This is in the power of the manager. Of course, getting a top-class no9 will help anyone get better results, even Koeman, but there is no money for that for the time being.

 

[JamDav1982]

That 20 game stretch coincided with Messi scoring at a goal per game/over a goal per game and a couple other veterans (Pique, Roberto) being out. If anything, the before and after of that stretch show Koeman was clueless and simply got lucky.

The moment he introduced the quintet of doom (Busquets, Pique, Lenglet, Alba, Roberto) in the crucial stretch where we could have won LL, things completely fell apart (predictably).

Nah Koeman was huge part of that run and finding a way for Messi/Griezmann/FDJ to perform at a high level. Even taking in Dembele at CF to make it work at times.

He moved away from it and started forcing in Pique.

 

[serghei]

That 20 game stretch coincided with Messi scoring at a goal per game/over a goal per game and a couple other veterans (Pique, Roberto) being out. If anything, the before and after of that stretch show Koeman was clueless and simply got lucky.

The moment he introduced the quintet of doom (Busquets, Pique, Lenglet, Alba, Roberto) in the crucial stretch where we could have won LL, things completely fell apart (predictably).

More players clicked around that time. I remember Trincao scored vs Betis a golazo, to get us those 3 points in the last minutes, then he scored a double vs Alaves, and when he was building some form, somehow he barely played in something like the next 5-6 games.

I think he trusted some players more in La Liga because in his head the title fight was done. Only when the title fight got real as we went on a run, he started to panic and feel the pressure of results, and he just tossed aside what worked before.

So, in a way, it was a feeling that his best period came when he had nothing to lose, confirming that it was a bit of a lucky streak. Because as soon as the players got back from injury, he just walked them back and forgot everything that worked before.

 

[JamDav1982]

Make no mistake, these inexperienced players will cost Xavi too, which is why he will need to show better management skills than Koeman to get better results.

Xavi will never have to deal with hangover of Bayern, no proper pre season due to covid, board resigning and elections, players not getting paid and deferrals, constant speculation over Messi contract throughout season, having nothing to spend in market.

That was last season.

Hopefully he never has to deal with going into games v Real/Atletico with Dest, half fit Fati and Depay etc and Pedri missing when team are still srambling to settle and play in way post Messi and having sold best forward on last day of transfer window.

There are circumstance no coach at Barca should ever face again.

 

[George_Costanza]

Now I'm more optimistic about Xavi's chances to succeced after reading Jamsnitch's posts. Take this guy to any sports betting venue, and just bet on the opposite of what he picks and your odds of winning will go up. For example, if he places a straight bet on X, you bet on Y! This guy has an extraordinary talent for siding with the losers i.e players, coaches, presidents, horses, or dogs...etc.

 

[KingLeo10]

Nah Koeman was huge part of that run and finding a way for Messi/Griezmann/FDJ to perform at a high level. Even taking in Dembele at CF to make it work at times.

He moved away from it and started forcing in Pique.

Him moving away from it the moment Pique and Roberto became available lends me to believe it wasn't a system he designed in the first place (instead, that it simply came into being). Or if it was a system he designed, then he had very little faith in it (for title deciding games).

Both of those point to being clueless to me.

 

[JamDav1982]

Now I'm more optimistic about Xavi's success after reading Jamsnitch's posts. Take this guy to any sports betting venue, and just bet on the opposite of what he picks and your odds of winning will go up. For example, if he places a straight bet on X, you bet on Y! This guy has an extraordinary talent for siding with the losers i.e players, coaches, presidents, horses, or dogs...etc.

From the man who wanted Barca to spend 500m on Seri, Muniain, Icardi, Eriksen and Dybala.

Top stuff as always Georgie.

Also from the man that used to back flip for Semedo, Mina, Alena etc.

Quite the squad you would have had at Barca there chief.

 

[JamDav1982]

Him moving away from it the moment Pique and Roberto became available lends me to believe it wasn't a system he designed in the first place (instead, that it simply came into being). Or if it was a system he designed, then he had very little faith in it (for title deciding games).

Both of those point to being clueless to me.

It was a system but designed for players available but changed it again when others came back.

The system Koeman found was reason they were competing and won the cup.

 

[KingLeo10]

It was a system but designed for players available but changed it again when others came back.

The system Koeman found was reason they were competing and won the cup.

But it's still the coach's job to evaluate between which system is better when more players are available?

I don't understand how you don't dock any points from Koeman for immediately switching back to Pique and Roberto over something that was already working (nevermind they were barely fit when they were shoehorned back in). Pep or even Lucho wouldn't do this.