Xavi Hernández

[Iniesta Ultra]

xavi's system doesnt worrk with our players, next season i expect a fight for la liga title

Are you implying he should keep this system?

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

Are you implying he should keep this system?

you have two options

1. change players

2. change system

obviously, we have to choose second option

 

[ajnotkeith]

2 problems - Front 3 is constantly the width of the pitch from each other, making meaningful combinations and attempts to gain numerical superiority in an attack impossible because of the predictability and rigidness.

And also, there is nobody connecting the play in that wide open space higher up the midfield who can possibly help to link the front 3, the midfield mostly were stopped by Rayo's block in the middle and forced it to the wings, where as explained there is of course nothing. Since attack is isolated with no options it's either ball losses or sterile possession.

This kind of changed when Memphis who plays inside and engages the centrals more from the wing came on and had some positive moments, showing why having a mix of width and inside presence is crucial.

With Koeman, we had too much inside presence (Coutinho, Demir) leading to teams narrowing and forcing us outside which we couldn't do. Now, we play with too much width, and teams stretch out to close off the flanks, isolating our attackers. A balance is needed for an effective and fluid front 3 to challenge defenders and furthermore some offensive-minded midfielders who will try and link the front 3 and not sit back sidepassing.

 

[Bobo32]

Xavi needs an AM

He has one in the squad in Puig, who scored a Golazo and who looked energetic as always last time he was given a few minutes a few months ago...

Gavi, Frenkie, Nico and Pedri are very talented players, but they are not threatening, they do not force things and they do not see enough. They are circulating the ball as if they were DMs not AMs, but they do it from isolated positions in the AM space, so they do not get the ball very often, and when they do, they mostly circulate it either backwards to less threatening positions, or to the wingers who either lose the ball, also play it backwards to less threatening positions, or put the ball outside the stadium to collect later in order to sell to get some money since they are not on a contract.

 

[Iniesta Ultra]

Hard to wrap my mind around this but Xavi's starting to look worse than Koeman. I'm really sad because I loved him as a player, such disappointment for him and the team.

 

[Bobo32]

View attachment 9400

2 problems - Front 3 is constantly the width of the pitch from each other, making meaningful combinations and attempts to gain numerical superiority in an attack impossible because of the predictability and rigidness.

And also, there is nobody connecting the play in that wide open space higher up the midfield who can possibly help to link the front 3, the midfield mostly were stopped by Rayo's block in the middle and forced it to the wings, where as explained there is of course nothing. Since attack is isolated with no options it's either ball losses or sterile possession.

This kind of changed when Memphis who plays inside and engages the centrals more from the wing came on and had some positive moments, showing why having a mix of width and inside presence is crucial.

With Koeman, we had too much inside presence (Coutinho, Demir) leading to teams narrowing and forcing us outside which we couldn't do. Now, we play with too much width, and teams stretch out to close off the flanks, isolating our attackers. A balance is needed for an effective and fluid front 3 to challenge defenders and furthermore some offensive-minded midfielders who will try and link the front 3 and not sit back sidepassing.

I think the pic is a bit unrepresentative, Xavis CMs often roam and hide in the marked space, the idea is to get the ball to them, and they are often there, but the timing is not there, and then they are not skilled enough to do something with the ball from there the few times they do get it.
The CF is very bad with combinations most of the time too.

I think the pic is promising though, the ball carrier is in a good position to play Busquets on the left foot for him to one touch for either the close midfielder after he made a run, or for Aubameyang who could then one touch it into that same space after the same run. You should not hold good space, but have good space available to move into, and here there is both a lot of space that could be used, and a very safe position with the ball. I expect Dest to have played it backwards to a CB without a clear idea for the receiver though?

Dembele and Torres staying wide has it advantages and disadvantages. The marked space would be smaller if they had stayed on the inside, now I see a lot of lanes to move into for creative midfielders or for the attackers, it is only timing, understanding and a bit of skill that is needed. Dembele messes up most attacks he is involved with, Torres is so-so, and Aubameyang is pretty shit most of the time. Gavi and Frenkie plays too safely and uninspired.

 

[Barcilliant]

Unacceptable and Xavi needs to go. Strange thing is everyone can see the issues with the positional play and general isolation but for some reason Xavi can't. Also, we had that purple patch and suddenly everything goes wrong.
This guy was just not ready for this job and it shows. Steamrolling opponents in the Qatari league DOES NOT prepare you for elite European football. We have better squads than Rayo,Cadiz and Eintracht. Yet, we lost to all of them at home.
I called it right. He is just another Lampard and Pirlo. Giving him more time means we will just stagnate or regress even further.
We could still finish outside the top four at this rate and if we do there are no excuses for Xavi staying.

 

[Devils]

Anyone could have predicted this.

Even if Xavi would have us playing champagne football, it was evident that he was always going to start Busi, Pique and Alba every game. And that was eventually going to cost him in the end.

I knew he shouldn't have come until his group of pals were finished of their Barca careers.

 

[Bobo32]

*Frenkie could make a sharp turn to move into the same space too, but he is like Pedri a bit too much like a tired hockey player just gliding on his skates, he takes too few sharp turns but just jogs around in circles.
*Dembele of course has a perfect position to take a hard run towards the angle of the area for the inside pass as soon as a creative midfielder gets the ball facing forwards.
*The pic is one freeze frame and players are on the move, but just there there are two players breaking the golden rule of not having three players on the same lane, and those players are Frenkie and Gavi if I see correctly on the low pixel pic. Both of them should probably attack the space that is marked in red in the pic.

 

[Barcilliant]

Hard to wrap my mind around this but Xavi's starting to look worse than Koeman. I'm really sad because I loved him as a player, such disappointment for him and the team.

People need to get over this Barca DNA shit. It's stale crap. Get a proper coach, bigger and faster players and fuck these amigos off.
Any Barca coach who loses at home to these types of teams needs to go.

 

[Barcilliant]

Man, I'm fucking livid. Where is that fat douchebag Laporta? Saying hiring Xavi was the best thing he did.
Look at the complacency of the squad. A big win against Madrid and Pique saying we are back and everyone acting like we won treble. Digshit mentality from the club.

 

[Iniesta Ultra]

Any Barca coach who loses at home to these types of teams needs to go.

If it means Puig will stay next season as we surely need him then I'm all for an abrupt end to Xavi.

 

[jamrock]

I said a few weeks ago, clearly dembele is being told to hug the touch line & never let go, but these past few weeks xavi is taking it into over drive.

Now Torres doesn't come in, the FBs stay wide, the CM are either on the left or right, it's like their is this big dividing line down the center of the pitch and no one is allowed to cross or interconnect.

Very bad tactics, it's like watching the prem in the 90's.

 

[Tackle]

Reckon Laporta will give him two more seasons to get it right and bring us back to at least competing for the top trophies. Being one of the biggest club legends ever and Laporta's first bet as manager grants Xavi some level of job security.

Next season finishing within 5 points of the title and making it past the CL group stages will be enough as long as there is some progression shown on the pitch as well. Cup victory would help as well. Imagine the summer after next season our financials will be much improved and we will be able to make some serious signings. Time to produce trophies after that.

 

[Barcilliant]

Reckon Laporta will give him two more seasons to get it right and bring us back to at least competing for the top trophies. Being one of the biggest club legends ever and Laporta's first bet as manager grants Xavi some level of job security.

Next season finishing within 5 points of the title and making it past the CL group stages will be enough as long as there is some progression shown on the pitch as well. Cup victory would help as well. Imagine the summer after next season our financials will be much improved and we will be able to make some serious signings. Time to produce trophies after that.

At this rate there is no guarantees we qualify for CL and certainly no guarantees we get out of cl group. We are not good enough for the CL at this point. We need to get rid of Xavi. He looks burnt out already and he hasn't had a full season. Koeman must be enjoying this and I don't blame him. He was treated pretty shabbily by fat boy Laporta.