Xavi Hernández

[ajnotkeith]

Well, that, and that every single team(except us) shoots wide or straight at your gk when ever they are inside your box, no joke.

And to be serious, just explaining your defensive stats down to plain luck makes more sense than anything else, you concede big chances every game.


Now, your team will suffer defensively with Messi next season, but honestly, you wouldnt have conceded much more this season with him in this team than not, because again, there is this "aura" surrounding you domestically.

Cant wait until Xavi is gone, none here may like him, because he makes the team play "bad", but its better to be lucky than to be good.

Just get a coach that can concede goals against non-RM teams, will you? Thanks.

Maybe some data points help to break it down :
Barca's overperformance of xGA is +14.46, meaning that roughly we should have been expected to concede 14 more goals than we have at this stage in the season. It is a huge number in isolation and likely extremely pivotal to how many points we have picked up, but is it isolated in LaLiga?

No. There are two other teams with similar overperformance (Villarreal, +12.07, Cadiz, +13.69), and in the entirety of the league, only four teams underperform xGA by more than a goal, meaning that in the majority of LaLiga matches finishing is well below average.

I think what we are seeing is that in LaLiga, most defenses look better than they actually are due to poor finishing. Because ours is already good, the effect of poor Liga attackers is amplifying it and making it historic.
There is a certain element of luck there but I also wouldn't expect it to end any time soon, I think it is a sign of the gulf in quality between standard Liga attackers and our defenders/goalkeeper. We already don't allow many chances and we have seen across the whole league finishing is generally poor in chances they do find.

 

[mc_lovin]

Injuries are no excuse.

Funny the folk that quote 'four key players' are the ones that think there is in fact nothing between Dembele and Raphinha or FDJ is massively over rated etc.

Yet when they miss out folk claim it is 'four key players' injured.

Usual.

Four players have not been missing anyway bar home to Real when Barca got turned over 4-0 in worst home result v them since before Pep and had plenty of players who even with those missing should be better and team was set up terribly.

What are you even talking about

 

[JamDav1982]

What are you even talking about

Making excellent points.

Should try it.

Keep stanning for Gavi and his 'off the ball runs'.

Sensational.

 

[Morten]

Maybe some data points help to break it down :
Barca's overperformance of xGA is +14.46, meaning that roughly we should have been expected to concede 14 more goals than we have at this stage in the season. It is a huge number in isolation and likely extremely pivotal to how many points we have picked up, but is it isolated in LaLiga?

No. There are two other teams with similar overperformance (Villarreal, +12.07, Cadiz, +13.69), and in the entirety of the league, only four teams underperform xGA by more than a goal, meaning that in the majority of LaLiga matches finishing is well below average.

I think what we are seeing is that in LaLiga, most defenses look better than they actually are due to poor finishing. Because ours is already good, the effect of poor Liga attackers is amplifying it and making it historic.
There is a certain element of luck there but I also wouldn't expect it to end any time soon, I think it is a sign of the gulf in quality between standard Liga attackers and our defenders/goalkeeper. We already don't allow many chances and we have seen across the whole league finishing is generally poor in chances they do find.

Well, in my view, the Main reason is Xavi, he is some kind of magic repelent against your goal.

Hope you get rid of him soon, even if your team might play "better" as a result.

 

[JamDav1982]

Well, in my view, the Main reason is Xavi, he is some kind of magic repelent against your goal.

Hope you get rid of him soon, even if your team might play "better" as a result.

Too easy to see through this schtick.

Keep at it though,

Some might not.

 

[Morten]

Too easy to see through this schtick.

Keep at it though,

Some might not.

What "schtick" is it you are talking about?

Something about everything going against RM, everything in favor of Barca?

No, thats not it, i have no problem saying Barca deserves the title, your defensive record is just plain silly though, my opinion, and i don't think you really disagree either.

 

[JamDav1982]

What "schtick" is it you are talking about?

Something about everything going against RM, everything in favor of Barca?

No, thats not it, i have no problem saying Barca deserves the title, your defensive record is just plain silly though, my opinion, and i don't think you really disagree either.

Keep at it.

 

[malvolio]

Xavi lucky as hell, too bad it didn't work in Europe.

We did have the better chances and were the better team today. So I'll give him a pass.

 

[Messigician]

Xavi: "No disrespect to the others, but it's obvious that Frenkie and Pedri are more important, with their talent they improve everything, they are crucial."

Ouch baby

 

[Richard.H]

The Catalan Mourinho

 

[Birdy]

I agree with you that it's hard to explain and it annoys me a little thinking about it because I can't work it out, I imagine it is the same for @Birdy, it just doesn't make sense how these chances keep being missed but there must be a reason other than luck because it is a constant. Not just variation or we would have conceded a few at some point.

Our underlying numbers are good, but we also hugely overperform those, leading to a historic level of defense so far. Maybe our hard pressing system tires out the opposition such that they struggle with the ball, or the fact we deny touches in our half a lot leaves strikers 'cold'.

It is luck, plus STegen being great plus the attackers of the opposition messing up their shots.

Nothing different from RM in CL on both ends of the pitch that many erroneously hail as mentality or quality

 

[jamrock]

Back in the day when a team won a league or did something consistently on the league, score goals, don't concede, whatever the case maybe.


100% of people would say the league never lies, it's not like a cup competition.

But here we are in 2023, where that footballing norm has been thrown out the window.

Why? Because what xavi is shit & the luckiest coach over, you with think he's di matteo just lucking his way to the CL, and his team not conceding goals.

 

[iniestaGOAT]

What a win! What a league!

Barcalliiant on suicide watch,

That kid must be depressed as fuck right now.

 

[Iniesta Ultra]

Hail Xavi!

 

[BJJ]

What a win! What a league!

Barcalliiant on suicide watch,

That kid must be depressed as fuck right now.

Bwahahaha. Why would I be depressed? I support the club. Like I've said before this la liga is the worst I've seen it in 30 years. We've had a huge amount of luck and Griezmann himself came close three times today.

If I were you I'd be more concerned about the fact that Xavi has still not managed to reverse our choke status. We've pretty much failed again in Europe and the copa where we fell apart against Madrid AT HOME!!

WHEN THAT HAPPENED YOU WENT MIA FOOL!

You and Serghei bitched out and went missing. Too busy cuddling and comforting each other 😜☺️.