Xavi Hernández

[JamDav1982]

Well, there weren't discussions about Koeman being lucky to win away games, because he had 0 wins and only 1 goal scored in 5 games or so. Fine if you think there's no improvement. I disagree, if anything the team is more positive and motivated without a manager saying in pressers how bad we are.

Well... obviously there would not be comment about being lucky to win when team didnt win but nor were folk producing possession and chances stats to say played well as now seems to be case.

The tactic last night were not working.

Villareal had more of the ball and more chances dominating largest parts of the games. Barcas best chances came not from team play but more individual moments or a hoof up park that their defender fucked up on.

Need wins to put run together and doesnt really matter how happen at this stage but last night and first game were more of same really in terms of Barcas dominance and standard of performance.

Same folk now ignoring things that used to seem all so important even last season when were winning and playing better than last night.

 

[Bobo32]

From early Jan '21 to April '21 the team played the best football since Lucho left, and this was reflected in the relevant numbers.
Koeman and Schreuder are to be credited that. They found a system that got the best out of the group.
And has nothing to do with 'Messi's brilliance' fucking LOL
You are deluded to believe so

fast forward to today: Xavi is still a long way from reaching that 4month period under Koeman.
IF he manages, of course I will congratulate him and remark so,
unlike you and Serghei for Koeman

They used at least four different systems in that period. I was very critical and you were very positive, he finally got sacked and it was very good.
If Xavi was able to have had a very great 4month period after just some weeks, he would truly be brilliant!

 

[Windhook]

I clearly see improvement in Barca pressuring the opponent more than what it was under Koeman. And that happened, as I repeat myself from last night, against a top 5 team in La Liga in an away game. Should mention also the average age of both squads - Villareal at 28 and Barca at 25.8. We had our weak moments last night, but it wasn't like total domination under Koeman either, even with Messi present.

 

[JamDav1982]

I clearly see improvement in Barca pressuring the opponent more than what it was under Koeman. And that happened, as I repeat myself from last night, against a top 5 team in La Liga in an away game. Should mention also the average age of both squads - Villareal at 28 and Barca at 25.8. We had our weak moments last night, but it wasn't like total domination under Koeman either, even with Messi present.

Sat off Villareal and let the have more of the ball in game. Not great pressuring there.

Team look to be working hard and good in spells but exact same issues as before. Only so much can do with players available.

The pressuring of Espanyol last week was terrible in second half and felt like they cut through at will.

All three games it seemed that other team adjusted tactically better than Barca in second half.

 

[Birdy]

[MENTION=15262]serghei[/MENTION]

Let me clarify then:
Against Espanyol I was OKish with performance, but we didn't create enough clear-cut chances and conceded 2 clear-cut chances at the end which Espanyol missed.
We were lucky as we lost that game on xG, but performance was OK let's say
(Same midweek against Benfica: OKish performance but not finding the chances)

Against Villareal, we created enough chances to win the game, but our performance was abysmal IMO, Villareal made us look like a small team

Both games for different reasons involved luck we benefited.
In the first from Espanyol missing their chances at the end,
In the second from Villareal not being careful and clinical in our final 3rd.
No bias there...

If you ask me which one I prefer, certainly the Espanyol game, as performance dictates chances as well in the long run.
That's why I wasn't so critical of Xavi after the Espanyol and Benfica games.
BUt I am now, since we got outwitted by Emery and his tactics did not work, that's why we got dominated

 

[Bobo32]

I clearly see improvement in Barca pressuring the opponent more than what it was under Koeman. And that happened, as I repeat myself from last night, against a top 5 team in La Liga in an away game. Should mention also the average age of both squads - Villareal at 28 and Barca at 25.8. We had our weak moments last night, but it wasn't like total domination under Koeman either, even with Messi present.

This very talented team played maybe five great games under Koeman. One was actually without Messi, I think it must've been the one against Levante this season that I thought looked very good.
Otherwise, it was never domination, but mostly Messi bailing the team out, or more rarely some of Fati, Dembele, or even Griezmann. There never was a good system, only very good players.

So far, Xavi didn't make them play greatly either, but there are hints of improvement, and most importantly, he understands the game is won in the centre of the pitch.

 

[Birdy]

So far, Xavi didn't make them play greatly either, but there are hints of improvement, and most importantly, he understands the game is won in the centre of the pitch.

Which we didn't win yesterday.
Why don't you say it?

 

[serghei]

Which we didn't win yesterday.
Why don't you say it?

We did say it, and Xavi said it himself after the match. We still won the game, scored more goals, and created more chances than in any away game under Koeman. It wasn't a very good performance, nobody said it was.

So, there are two topics here, both true.

Was it a very good performance? No. It was so-so. If we played this way after 1 year with Xavi I would say it was a bad performance.

Was it a better performance than what we're used to seeing this season against top teams in Spain? Yes, in my opinion, because we scored 3 goals, and missed another 4 big chances in the first half.

 

[JamDav1982]

We did say it, and Xavi said it himself after the match. We still won the game and created more chances than in any away game under Koeman.

Won the game when their defender fucks up. These things happen but the control of game for largest spells was with Villareal.

Villareal had more of ball and more attempts.

Having possession doesnt matter now though it seems. As Puig doesnt matter and Gavi playing every game doesnt either.

 

[serghei]

Won the game when their defender fucks up. These things happen but the control of game for largest spells was with Villareal.

Villareal had more of ball and more attempts.

Having possession doesnt matter now though it seems. As Puig doesnt matter and Gavi playing every game doesnt either.

Yes, had more attempts, and we had clearer chances, and score more goals. They dominated the game, but we created the bigger chances, and had more shots on target. Overall, the game was even, in possession and shots.

 

[mc_lovin]

What a tedious discussion

 

[Birdy]

We did say it, and Xavi said it himself after the match. We still won the game, scored more goals, and created more chances than in any away game under Koeman. It wasn't a very good performance, nobody said it was.

Against Rayo away we created more than enough to bury the game and more than what we created yesterday.
And Rayo 'created' only the goal.
But I didn't see you or Bobo admitting so after that game.
Against Benfica away the 3-0 is distorted image of the game and the chances.

Just to name a couple from this season out of the many examples of the games under Koeman we got unlucky and we deserved more (more such games last season)
Here you see the double standards both of you are employing

 

[Windhook]

All three games it seemed that other team adjusted tactically better than Barca in second half.

No idea what you mean by adjusting tactically, okay they adjusted megaperfectly, applied the greatest tactics in the history of football and we still beat them both Espanyol and Villareal, didn't concede goal against Benfica. Maybe if we had parked the bus against the Portuguese you'd have praised Xavi? Of course not. Get over your Laporta/Koeman drama whatever it is, it's over and face reality that this squad is the worst you've seen in your lifetime as Barca fan, which is still undefeated on a good run of form under Xavi. Stay positive, Jam.

 

[serghei]

What a tedious discussion

I agree.

 

[JamDav1982]

Yes, had more attempts, and we had clearer chances, and score more goals. They dominated the game, but we created the bigger chances, and had more shots on target. Overall, the game was even, in possession and shots.

Barca have dominated the ball and had more shots/better chances games lost this season than last night.

Now folk seem to love having slightly less possession and less attempts. Before would be a melt down even when won.

Yesterdays game was another were dominated for longest part and other team adjusted better tactically and Barca were not creating chances from any great team play or midfield dominance.

Do you no longer care that Puig is being treated 'unfairly' and Gavi plays every game?

Last night would have been text book discussion of how moronic coach let agendas keep him from making changes in game Barca were losing the midfield.