Xavi Hernández

[serghei]

Still, if we look past the problems, the good part is that we had many clear chances to score and we scored 3 goals with some poor finishing on the night. We could have scored 5 goals easily today.

So, a game riddled with both good and bad.

Oddly it's retaining the possession that was bad: 51-49% possession for us is bad.

 

[Horatio]

Still, if we look past the problems, the good part is that we had many clear chances to score and we scored 3 goals with some poor finishing on the night. We could have scored 5 goals easily today.

You know how ironic it is hearing you say this? lol

 

[Bobo32]

Yeah this game was not good, and I lost a bit of my confidence, that before was sky high, in Xavi.

A good win, but very bad play, a lot of strange managerial decisions, but most worryingly, a lot of non-acceptable deviations from the general style/philosophy I thought Xavi would be defending to death. For ter Stegen or Araujo to wave the team upwards on a dead situation, just to hoof it pretty aimlessly, is very hard for me to accept. I don't really like the general way of playing so far, the opponents have been pretty decent of course, but I had hoped for a lot more already.

 

[serghei]

Yeah this game was not good, and I lost a bit of my confidence, that before was sky high, in Xavi.

A good win, but very bad play, a lot of strange managerial decisions, but most worryingly, a lot of non-acceptable deviations from the general style/philosophy I thought Xavi would be defending to death. For ter Stegen or Araujo to wave the team upwards on a dead situation, just to hoof it pretty aimlessly, is very hard for me to accept. I don't really like the general way of playing so far, the opponents have been pretty decent of course, but I had hoped for a lot more already.

This just shows that Xavi is not as much of a purist as some feared. Everybody was scared we'd be naively playing tiki-taka, but here we are holding on and defending a 1-1 and nicking the win on the counters.

I don't like it either, but the team needs a lot of work to shine in that direction.

 

[KingLeo10]

I honestly think the reason ZZ and Xavi are such black magic shamans is because they were titans of the game...most other teams just crumble under their presence

 

[iniestaGOAT]

Yeah this game was not good, and I lost a bit of my confidence, that before was sky high, in Xavi.

A good win, but very bad play, a lot of strange managerial decisions, but most worryingly, a lot of non-acceptable deviations from the general style/philosophy I thought Xavi would be defending to death. For ter Stegen or Araujo to wave the team upwards on a dead situation, just to hoof it pretty aimlessly, is very hard for me to accept. I don't really like the general way of playing so far, the opponents have been pretty decent of course, but I had hoped for a lot more already.

Well said.

 

[mc_lovin]

Easily our worst game under Xavi so far.

But it's okay, noone sane would expect instant wonders.

 

[Bobo32]

This just shows that Xavi is not as much of a purist as some feared.

Because of that, he was losing this game. He won it in the end, but he has to be more pure if he is to succeed long term.

 

[Morten]

Yeah this game was not good, and I lost a bit of my confidence, that before was sky high, in Xavi.

A good win, but very bad play, a lot of strange managerial decisions, but most worryingly, a lot of non-acceptable deviations from the general style/philosophy I thought Xavi would be defending to death. For ter Stegen or Araujo to wave the team upwards on a dead situation, just to hoof it pretty aimlessly, is very hard for me to accept. I don't really like the general way of playing so far, the opponents have been pretty decent of course, but I had hoped for a lot more already.

Winning > philosophy

 

[te amo barca]

40 minutes of play between our first goal and Depay's winning goal were like someone playing FIFA for the first time. Unable to play out of defense, all passes intercepted, all second balls lost, players constantly drawn out of position, etc.

 

[FCMessi]

3-1 to mask Xavi's creativity

 

[BusiTheKing]

i have a feellng he wants too badly to be a genius with this weird formation. defensively it's clearly very inefficient, inflexible and just overall confusing.

offensively our major issue is getting it out from the back and starting an attack momentum. playing it out from the back must be a plan, not THE plan.

 

[serghei]

Well, Xavi is pretty displeased now on the post-match interview. Says Villareal didn't deserve to lose and that we played badly. Says we couldn't beat their high press and we were dominated for too long.

So, basically very critical. Good words, showing this match was basically us getting a lucky win not playing what we should have played.

 

[Bobo32]

Winning > philosophy

Thinking > Looking at the result

I just wrote it was a good win, but they can't play like that and continue to win.

 

[soul24rage]

Because of that, he was losing this game. He won it in the end, but he has to be more pure if he is to succeed long term.

Relax, Xavi only arrived just 3 weeks ago with no pre-season.

A lot of work still needs to be done.