Xavi Hernández

[Raketa10]

Did anyone think it was possible to fix all the flaws within 10 days? Xavi will need time, signings and healthy players to improve this situation. We need to be very patient. Considering current state of our team I am very happy that we won today.

 

[serghei]

Did anyone think it was possible to fix all the flaws within 10 days? Xavi will need time, signings and healthy players to improve this situation. We need to be very patient. Considering current state of our team I am very happy that we won today.

Of course. Xavi knows we didn't play well enough, but in comparison with other away matches this season, this is still one of the best games. Not a bad start, with obviously many things to improve.

 

[Horatio]

Did anyone think it was possible to fix all the flaws within 10 days? Xavi will need time, signings and healthy players to improve this situation. We need to be very patient. Considering current state of our team I am very happy that we won today.

Think issue is people were hyping Xavi as if he were JC himself. Yes, with some it seemed they expected Xavi to turn it around moment he arrived.

 

[serghei]

Think issue is people were hyping Xavi as if he were JC himself. Yes, with some it seemed they expected Xavi to turn it around moment he arrived.

That's bullshit man. Everyone said if he makes the top 4 taking the team from 10th it would be a great performance.

 

[Windhook]

That Mingueza sub at LB was a bad decision which eventually lead to zero in attack and a conceded goal. I like the fact he's experimenting with players at different positions, but Eric Garcia was really struggling in the first half, not his natural position, also because our quickest winger Abde was covering back with injured-Busi speed back. I know Xavi will take notice of that as he's done in previous game, example is his freezing of Puig for his headless chicken running.

 

[Messigician]

First away win in La Liga this season. Two consecutive league wins for the first time this season and first away win. Job done.

I just realised how bad we were under Koeman LMFAO

 

[serghei]

First away win in La Liga this season. Two consecutive league wins for the first time this season and first away win. Job done.

I just realised how bad we were under Koeman LMFAO

Exactly. I mean, Xavi didn't do anything spectacular and it's already a major feat for us this season.

 

[Messigician]

https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/1464674842645602304?t=Y0lgqKMkZsgEZa9TNRfcnA&s=19

Stunning marketing

 

[Birdy]

It's not a secret:

He got tactically outclassed by Emery and BIG TIME.
Yes, we missed a good chance in the 1st half and created the 2 goals, but overall
Villareal was threading us open the whole game:
in the 1st half exploiting the space at RB area time and time again, and in the 2nd half doing the same but also switching on the other side as well.
Apart from the chances they missed, they could have created tons others if they were more careful in the last pass.

And just to remark a couple of things about Xavi's 3-4-2-1 formation:
I liked it against Benfica, but
1) it can backfire in many games that require more than 1 player out wide in each flank, as others noted here

2) The personel selection for this system is mysterious or rather sloppy to say the least.
You NEVER EVER play Dembele as RWB, especially in games where the opponent pins you down on your half.
That's Dest's positions, not Dembele's.
It was more appropriate to play him up top leading the line, using his speed, and have Memphis as 'interior', which in reality were much closer to the striker.

Then again, Minqueza is never an LWB as many said, and it's a crime to play a RIGHT-FOOTED player as the furthest on the left in a game where you have just 1 player giving the width in each flank
BUT Alba was also, and has been recently, pretty terrible.
I wonder why the coach is not playing Balde who is a guy who has shown he can play the LWB position with much energy

Then, I cannot accept the presence of Pique in the XI under ANY conditions.
Even with 3 CBs Lenglet or Umtiti or Mingueza would have been better there

 

[serghei]

It's not a secret:

He got tactically outclassed by Emery and BIG TIME.
Yes, we missed a good chance in the 1st half and created the 2 goals, but overall
Villareal was threading us open the whole game:
in the 1st half exploiting the space at RB area time and time again, and in the 2nd half doing the same but also switching on the other side as well.
Apart from the chances they missed, they could have created tons others if they were more careful in the last pass.

And just to remark a couple of things about Xavi's 3-4-2-1 formation:
I liked it against Benfica, but
1) it can backfire in many games that require more than 1 player out wide in each flank, as others noted here

2) The personel selection for this system is mysterious or rather sloppy to say the least.
You NEVER EVER play Dembele as RWB, especially in games where the opponent pins you down on your half.
That's Dest's positions, not Dembele's.
It was more appropriate to play him up top leading the line, using his speed, and have Memphis as 'interior', which in reality were much closer to the striker.

Then again, Minqueza is never an LWB as many said, and it's a crime to play a RIGHT-FOOTED player as the furthest on the left in a game where you have just 1 player giving the width in each flank
BUT Alba was also, and has been recently, pretty terrible.
I wonder why the coach is not playing Balde who is a guy who has shown he can play the LWB position with much energy

Then, I cannot accept the presence of Pique in the XI under ANY conditions.
Even with 3 CBs Lenglet or Umtiti or Mingueza would have been better there

In the first half we had:

- header by Abde deflected in the bar by Rulli with a great save
- big chance by Memphis
- Gavi shot that hits the post
- sitter that was missed by Memphis again

4 big chances, not 1.

Shots on target in the game was 6-2 for us, possession 50-50. We had bigger chances. We didn't play great, sure, but we did play better than Villareal by a bit. If you want to be somewhat objective.

 

[Birdy]

In the first half we had:

- header by Abde deflected in the bar by Rulli with a great save
- big chance by Memphis
- Gavi shot that hits the post
- sitter that was missed by Memphis again

4 big chances, not 1.

Shots on target in the game was 6-2 for us, possession 50-50. We had bigger chances. We didn't play great, sure, but we did play better than Villareal by a bit. If you want to be somewhat objective.

Please...
You should know by now that a good chance is not the one who happens to hit the post.
Abde's header was 0.1 on xG or less -> which is a minor chance

We had 3 good chances in the game, apart from the late pen:
1) Memphis' missed on min '19: around 0.4 xG
2) Frenkie and Memphis double attempt that resulted in the 1st goal on min '48: around 0.65 xG
3) and Memphis deciding goal on min '88: around 0.6 xG

All the rest were insignificant on xG, hence you should not be paying so much attention to.
But the worst is that even those 3 were not totally down to us but to their mistakes:
Memphis' goal was the result of a give away of a defender,
and our first goal involved a minor fuck up by their keeper:

our chance production was not good, sorry
I am not happy with 1 and a half good chance, when at the same time on the other end, we were threaded open, and we didn't even control the md that we were supposed to

 

[iniestaGOAT]

Please...
You should know by now that a good chance is not the one who happens to hit the post.
Abde's header was 0.1 on xG or less -> which is a minor chance

We had 3 good chances in the game, apart from the late pen:
1) Memphis' missed on min '19: around 0.4 xG
2) Frenkie and Memphis double attempt that resulted in the 1st goal on min '48: around 0.65 xG
3) and Memphis deciding goal on min '88: around 0.6 xG

All the rest were insignificant on xG, hence you should not be paying so much attention to.
But the worst is that even those 3 were not totally down to us but to their mistakes:
Memphis' goal was the result of a give away of a defender,
and our first goal involved a minor fuck up by their keeper:

our chance production was not good, sorry
I am not happy with 1 and a half good chance, when at the same time on the other end, we were threaded open, and we didn't even control the md that we were supposed to

I dont know about the xg nonsense but Gavi should have buried that. You probably forgot about that chance.

 

[BusiTheKing]

Please...
You should know by now that a good chance is not the one who happens to hit the post.
Abde's header was 0.1 on xG or less -> which is a minor chance

We had 3 good chances in the game, apart from the late pen:
1) Memphis' missed on min '19: around 0.4 xG
2) Frenkie and Memphis double attempt that resulted in the 1st goal on min '48: around 0.65 xG
3) and Memphis deciding goal on min '88: around 0.6 xG

All the rest were insignificant on xG, hence you should not be paying so much attention to.
But the worst is that even those 3 were not totally down to us but to their mistakes:
Memphis' goal was the result of a give away of a defender,
and our first goal involved a minor fuck up by their keeper:

our chance production was not good, sorry
I am not happy with 1 and a half good chance, when at the same time on the other end, we were threaded open, and we didn't even control the md that we were supposed to

why not just say what the XG score ended up being instead of these vague reductive inferences?

understat has us at 3.37 against their 1.56

 

[clemente]

I'm actually surprised we won away, that by itself is already a huge deal, plus its against a really good team.
His tactics had me confused, but he knows better than me so wont judge

 

[Bobo32]

Sometimes it's as if the blood only reaches Birdy's mouth and not enough to his brain High voice but lazy thinking!

I believe with a bit better finishing, Barcelona will become more calm and self-assured and then play a lot better, it was a bit too much of panic and lack of confidence yesterday against a good opponent.