Xavi Hernández

[Barcilliant]

Xavi has a lower winrate than Valverde, Setien, and Koeman at just 52% Are we so sure about Xavi? He seems to be a possession merchant who allows the opposition to get extremely dangerous counter attacks every game.

I mean the the whole defensive line is nearly in the final third. The opposing teams get free runs behind all game and that's all they try for. And when the pass pays off its 1v1 or 2v2 with the goalkeeper. Rayo should have 2 goals easily I really don't see how they messed those chances up.

We have fullbacks pushed up wide and we have the wingers....pushed up wide? Wtf that makes no sense. The midfielders are spread out and are basically shuttling the ball to wide players and running into the final 3rd mainly doing nothing since both Pedri and Gavi are like 5'8. Xavi has until the 9th game this year to prove he knows what he is doing. We play RM week 9. He better be ready or else the seat will heat up. He gets by on being a Barca legend and a recent legend at that. He might be the Barca version Ole Gunnnar

He's clueless and keeps saying or at least insinuating that it's the players fault.
These players need to understand that coach is Ng and playing are two different things. I've said it a hundred times before. People need to pay their dues, put in the time. He came from the Qatari league ffs. He should have at least coached the B team or some mid table team before coming here. Instead he arrogantly walks in and days he's ready for the job. Fuck him. He's a shit manager.

 

[JohnN]

You guys are helpless really. So much whining and "expert" analysis after the first game of the season. El Gato again being an expert in another topic after, covid and Greek politics. Thank God for all those experts. You guys are welcome to teach me some software development too, If you read google for a couple of days.

 

[Messigician]

If I remember that game correctly,we played very well and missed a boat load of chances. There was structure, possession and we actually looked like a team. I think we lost first game, drew second and then hammered a team with six in the third. Went unbeaten till December I think.
Pep clearly knew who was starting, how we would play and the first two games were an aberration. Xavi still clueless after half a season and over 150 million spent.
Utd have an excellent manager with a shitty squad while we have an excellent squad with a shitty manager.

Yup even Iniesta went to Pep's dressing room and told hom to relax because theyre playing well and results will come

No one with brain sees a Xavi team and thinks they're playing well lol

Cross and Haramball

 

[Messigician]

Xavi literally had a few good months until imploding after the Real Madrid game

 

[BusiTheKing]

The midfield style just doesn't work. It produces nothing offensively and it's a huge liability defensively. How many times did we play out through Gavi or Pedri in that default setup and actually made something happen? Not once I think.

Then when we press, they're all over the place, both Pedri and Gavi often pressing as attackers. A good team will slice our press, which isn't very disciplined, and be through against a back line plus an isolated 35 year old Busquets.

 

[vegitot]

You guys are helpless really. So much whining and "expert" analysis after the first game of the season. El Gato again being an expert in another topic after, covid and Greek politics. Thank God for all those experts. You guys are welcome to teach me some software development too, If you read google for a couple of days.

First game of season but the same problem remains since last season.

Really helpless yeah.

 

[ajnotkeith]

Xavi: "We struggle with interior play. We already do well on the wings, but we need to combine more in the middle. The idea is to do it with the third man. We did it well a couple of times, but there are things that we have to adjust."

Nice. Finally some acknowledgement of midfield not working.

 

[Temptation]

Xavi: "We struggle with interior play. We already do well on the wings, but we need to combine more in the middle. The idea is to do it with the third man. We did it well a couple of times, but there are things that we have to adjust."

Nice. Finally some acknowledgement of midfield not working.

"Get me Bernardo Silva you wankers!"

 

[vegitot]

"Get me Bernardo Silva you wankers!"

It means he isn't sastified with his midfielders. Thought he praised Pedri the best talent, De Jong great player, Gavi promising...

 

[JamDav1982]

Xavi: "We struggle with interior play. We already do well on the wings, but we need to combine more in the middle. The idea is to do it with the third man. We did it well a couple of times, but there are things that we have to adjust."

Nice. Finally some acknowledgement of midfield not working.

Passing buck and blaming players when his structure of midfield doesnt give them any freedom to dominate games. He wants Busi on ball and others positioned for him higher up.

Dual impact of not letting the midfield have freedom dominate game as set up positional cones and then when other team break there is the slowest DM on planet earth isolated and chasing ball aimlessly trying to win it early.... then scratch head why team get cut open on break.

The issues with midfield is the structure and reliance on Busquets.

There are very few better sets of midfielders in world than Barca have and top coaches would be having a field day with the options there.

Biggest issue is lack of quality at FB.... but lets pay yet more big money club doesnt have on another midfielder.

Full backs that can get up park would allow the wide players to get closer to the CF who is far too isolated. Which in turn allows the midfielders to play in middle of park and no be there to support the striker.

Xavi cant believe players dont understand his genius tactics bar Busi and puts blame on them not being good enough.

 

[Bobo32]

The midfield style just doesn't work. It produces nothing offensively and it's a huge liability defensively. How many times did we play out through Gavi or Pedri in that default setup and actually made something happen? Not once I think.

Then when we press, they're all over the place, both Pedri and Gavi often pressing as attackers. A good team will slice our press, which isn't very disciplined, and be through against a back line plus an isolated 35 year old Busquets.

Didn't watch the game, but seems it was more of the same... At least Xavi usually talks soundly, but he doesn't appear to have the keys, understand how to get the team working.

 

[serghei]

Xavi: "We struggle with interior play. We already do well on the wings, but we need to combine more in the middle. The idea is to do it with the third man. We did it well a couple of times, but there are things that we have to adjust."

Nice. Finally some acknowledgement of midfield not working.

He has to work harder in midfield, because at the moment we are playing with two kids who are talented, but far from top players. Also needs to understand De Jong is our best midfielder and make him the key player in midfield.

Stop fucking around with Busi and Gavi.

Gavi in particular is starting to get rushed. Let the kid be a squad player which is a good role for his current level. If we get Bernardo it would be criminal if he doesn't play Pedri - De Jong - Bernardo Silva.

Based on Xavi's comments he has failed to instruct the players properly in midfield, since it is without any doubt that he knows what to do in this area of the pitch.

He needs to sort out the midfield fast, because if not, all pressure will be on the attackers to make stuff happen on their own more or less. This is what happened vs Rayo, and they were pretty uninspired on the night, all of them frankly.

 

[BusiTheKing]

yeah the main issue isn't that Gavi and Pedri were moving around in those pockets, it's that they looked stuck in there.

Anybody who's every played football knows how much more difficult and disorienting it is to deal with a dynamic opponent.

Consistency is easy to mark because you don't have to look over your shoulder. What we inadvertently are doing with this current setup is allowing the opponent to keep their shape.

 

[Messigician]

"Get me Bernardo Silva you wankers!"

Common Win

 

[delancey]

Did LE receive this much criticism at this point as manager here?