Xavi Hernández

[serghei]

Chaotic defending and weak mentality are issues for some time now regardless of who is in that front line. Even with a fit Fati and Dembele as outlets, the team can't sustain any kind of pressure at all on the other end and most times will crumble way to easily. I get what you are saying about depth in attack and having an outlet but the back line is fragile regardless of whatever options you have up front. Any decent team can rattle us once they start pressing high and putting in some crosses. Once that starts happening we shit our pants.

The team can't sustain the pressure because of fitness deficiencies. We need to phase out the veterans but it's hard to do that when you have so many injuries.

 

[mc_lovin]

Chaotic defending and weak mentality are issues for some time now regardless of who is in that front line. Even with a fit Fati and Dembele as outlets, the team can't sustain any kind of pressure at all on the other end and most times will crumble way to easily. I get what you are saying about depth in attack and having an outlet but the back line is fragile regardless of whatever options you have up front. Any decent team can rattle us once they start pressing high and putting in some crosses. Once that starts happening we shit our pants.

Not that we had longer periods of that - maybe when Messi was still around, who opens another can of worms though. Fati and Dembele are the difference finishing yesterdays game comfortably or not. I will admit defeat when we still can't close games with either one of them (or at best both) on the pitch.

Apart from that I agree that our defence is not top class, but not disastrous like they looked yesterday either. If you ask me what's most important to fix our defending: a) an actual front line b) Replacing Pique (which is my priority in regards to our seniors, he's easily the worst of them).

 

[JamDav1982]

Cant deal with teams that press.

Happened last week when Celta had to take risks at 3-0 and happened yesterday in last half hour or so.

No pace in attack as threat going back other way, Depay cant control a ball to relieve the pressure and take game up park, Busi struggles to get legs moving when not given time on ball and teams pressing, Pique retreats the defence back and tries to organise defence for him not to have to defend, full backs are not good enough on ball to build from back. Too many slow players, too many players that cant control and take ball in tight areas and lack of leadership when game gets tense.

Same issue Barca have had for years and years and same players still play.

Should get better when players with pace up top come back but other weaknesses still be there.

Think Xavi had a bit of a rude awakening yesterday to how much coaching can do when players are not good enough.

 

[khaled_a_d]

Not defending, I said the defence wasn't the problem (apart from Mingueza). It's a difference, and I would argue our team/defence as a whole collapses from the front.

It isn't this or that.
I don't think anyone can argue we have attacking problem, but defense in itself is a problem too. It will be improved but not fixed by fixing the attack.
We have a bunch of serviceable players in defense but not a single elite one, the 2 headers and Espanyol got was the problem of defense organization.
Defense has to do its job when midfield fails to take the ball fast, same as GK has to do his job when defense inevitable fails them.
Also, our defense in general is part of the attacking issue, they aren't quick enough at the center to push for a highline when opponent wants to score and don't sit back willingly
Pique & Garcia are awful partnership in that regard, it opens a can of worm in highline defense

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

Since 17-18 you can beat barca easily if you press non-stop.

 

[mc_lovin]

Happened last week when Celta had to take risks at 3-0 and happened yesterday in last half hour or so.

Again, just look at the teams we put out in the last 30 minutes. There aren't many conclusions to be drawn.

Otherwise I agree that it's more than just one cause [MENTION=11668]khaled_a_d[/MENTION]. But there are still levels to it.

 

[JamDav1982]

Again, just look at the teams we put out in the last 30 minutes. There aren't many conclusions to be drawn.

Otherwise I agree that it's more than just one cause [MENTION=11668]khaled_a_d[/MENTION]. But there are still levels to it.

The team is exactly the issues being discussed so nothing to look at.

 

[serghei]

There is no doubt the team has issues, that was clear from the get go. The main idea is to show progress in time. Meaning after some months we have to do better than we did last night.

Some things won't be changed that quickly, but other things should be better in some months or Xavi will be feeling some pressure. Even if he came midseason.

One thing that has to get better is the physical conditioning of the team. You simply can't drop dead and swim after 60 mins because you played with intensity in the first part of the game. You have to carry on a high rhythm for a full 90, with normal short periods where you catch your breath, like all teams have. But with us, it's clearly a major drop-off in intensity after 55-60 min mark that was here under all managers for quite some years. And it's not a "catch your breath and go again" moment, it's a "that's it, our fuel tank is empty, have to pray and hold on".

Xavi and his staff have to work on that and train these players to be able to cope with the pace and stamina required for a full 90 intense match. The ones that can't, due to age, have to be cut.

 

[Birdy]

It is with Barcelona as it is with the spanish NT: as Luis Enrique says, they are a bit poor at defending, but great when they have the ball. So it is important that all players reliably can at least keep the ball. It all falls apart when you have 1,2,3 very sloppy players, and players who don't understand where and when to run.

That's just crap.
It's the same recycling of the quotes Pep once said.
And it's done to make up excuses

Good defenders can be good passers and can be good at pressing too.

 

[Richard.H]

He already looks visibly more stressed after just one game. Stunning. This job is too much.

 

[Messigician]

Valverde- long break and chilling period.

Setien- says the job retired him

Koeman- his friend says Barca will be his last ever coaching job

Xavi- visibly aged and stressed after one day in the job.

And people wonder why no one wants to come here lol

 

[Messigician]

Xavi has asked for the signing of Baghdad Bounedjah, his star striker at Al Sadd.

? @sport

If this happens Xavi out

 

[Zidane82]

Xavi has asked for the signing of Baghdad Bounedjah, his star striker at Al Sadd.

? @sport

If this happens Xavi out

He cannot be any worse than those we currently have up front

 

[Birdy]

He already looks visibly more stressed after just one game. Stunning. This job is too much.

True.
Peppy going bald
Lucho goind grey
Ernie going grey
What now with Xavi? I don't see baldness genes in him, so another greying?

 

[ajnotkeith]

I remember watching Bounedjah score in the AFCON final for Algeria (probably the best team in Africa), who he plays often for despite playing in Qatar. Is better than Luuk De Jong almost certainly.

My only concern would be his current wages and their asking price/his release clause. Al Sadd won't do us any favours and will demand the max price after what happened with Xavi. That's their star player.