Xavi Hernández

Bobo32 said:

I have not seen a full game of him as a coach, and I don't know any of his players, but from watching some highlights, his team seems to connect well, the players relate to each other in a natural way and the movements are harmonic. I like what I see.
He may very well be top 3 in the world, we'll find out. If you claimed Pep Guardiola was top 3 in the world in 2008 you would be laughed at, luckily Cruyff believed he was and just one year later he was proven right. Some people couldn't decide before 2011 or haven't even decided yet, but that is just madness.

I was given this video in another thread which I started to analyze a bit but decided to not write about there:

The second pass was a pretty magical pass, perfect timing and with a surprising angle.
3:18 is another real through ball with the NT, through a couple of lines, and he had to really make that one quickly and with precision. The one after that towards Messi was great as well; lofted, and geniously finding him between the CB:s.
Apart from that, I didn't really see many "genious" passes there. There was even a corner in that video, lol. But please put some timestamps for passes you mean are particularly great, and let's see if I agree.

Most through balls he made are on the foot of players who have already started their run, and Xavi is looking in the same direction as the pass goes. He mostly has good marginal both vertically and horizontally when he decides to make the pass.
He was also good at playing the pass over the LB of the opposing team, he had perfect timing for those, but there wasn't really anything genious about them. Easily spotted from the TV couch.
Most of what made him great was his movement/positioning, his calmness on the ball combined with always keeping his vision up, and that he chose a 95% safe option 95% of the time. Of course he was technically great as well, so he could play safely on a higher difficulty level than most players.

Take a look at this game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nhx6vEsQJM
I pointed before to that Pedro assist as one of his greatest passes, but I don't see that one, or any other pass he made in this video, as being speculative. Well, I counted 2 crosses, naturally a bit speculative... But if you put Pjanic in Xavis positions in that game he would unironically try 30 through balls

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Message back when Arthur or Puig can even dream of crossing to Messi making a header vs Rio Ferdinand and Van De Sar in UCL final.

Show me a match Pjanic made more than 10 though ball in his career. Let alone 30 through ball, lmao.

So sad that Arhur can play for decade but will never reach 8 through ball assists like Xavi did in Liga 09/10.

You are just a poor troll. No matter how you say about Xavi, he had much more assists, through ball in one season like 09/10 than Arthur in his entire career. Why Arthur play more risk but much less assist, much less through ball???

You don't see that Xavi's passing is spectacular because you watch with your eyes closed.

Another stupid thing from Bobo32 that Xavi only made through ball when his teammates made a run. Fuck, every passer can only make a pass if his teammates decide to make a run so he can pass it through. Look at all of great passer in history like Platini, Maradona, Zico, Laudrup, Messi, Riquelme... They all have to find their teammates so they can pass. Of course they can do it in instant, that is why they have better vision than other players. Same with Xavi.

Or if you want to watch a fancy pass then go to watch futsal or something.

Now show how sick passing skill Arthur possess, will you Bobo32. Show it with detailed stats, video.

All of Bobo32 claims: Xavi was predictable because he can point out what pass he would make lol.

You say it because you already saw his passes before, so you knew what pass he would makw lol. Now you go on internet and claim you can predict all of his passes. Same with your claim that you already thought Xavi was better than Lampard in 2005 but you have no edvidence. Only you go on this forum in 2021 and said it out of nothing. By your method, i already knew Messi would score 73 goals and 30 assists in 2011/12 season in 2005.

Xavi, only safe passes, easily to predict in 09/10 Liga: 8 through ball assists.
Arthur, much more risk in play, harder to predict than Xavi in his entire Europe career (league +UCL): 1 through ball assists.

LOL.

Xavi with Most passes in the final third in Euro 2012: 212.

Worse than Arthur??? LOL.

World cup 2010: Xavi completed 599 in 2010, which is the most ever, and it came with a 91.2% success rate, 84,2% passing completed in the final third, 20 through ball played, 30 chances created, two assists (one from a baclheel to Villa).

Worse than Arthur??? LOL. TROLL.

Xavi when he was 35: 8 assists in Liga.
Arthur in his entire Europe career (league + UCL): 5 assists.

LOL.

Xavi vs Real Madrid at Bernabeu in 2009: 4 assists.
Arthur in his entire Europe career (league only):4 assists.

So much risk, so much creative LOL.

Did I block Bobo by accident so his posts are not showing or you really wrote 8 consecutive posts?

Joan said:

Did I block Bobo by accident so his posts are not showing or you really wrote 8 consecutive posts?

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Yes i did. Just destroy all of his stupid opinions. If having more times i would post full of Xavi's GIFs, stats, analysis which will be long.

vegitot said:

Yes i did. Just destroy all of his stupid opinions. If having more times i would post full of Xavi's GIFs, stats, analysis which will be long.

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A tip: think over your thoughts and try to put them concisely in one post, so that I can respond. I won't respond to you this way. It is rude not only against me but against those posting before me to post consecutively this way. It is bad etiquette.

And frankly, most of your posts don't respond to anything I've written. You don't seem to understand, but it helps you if you try to read what I'm saying and try to understand what I say instead of letting your emotions take over. These are not my opinions you are debating, but your own.

If anyone wonders, I think Xavi was the best midfielder to ever play the game.

Bobo32 said:

A tip: think over your thoughts and try to put them concisely in one post, so that I can respond. I won't respond to you this way. It is rude not only against me but against those posting before me to post consecutively this way. It is bad etiquette.

And frankly, most of your posts don't respond to anything I've written. You don't seem to understand, but it helps you if you try to read what I'm saying and try to understand what I say instead of letting your emotions take over. These are not my opinions you are debating, but your own.

If anyone wonders, I think Xavi was the best midfielder to ever play the game.

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Fact: Xavi completed much more through ball in one season than Arthur in his entire Europe career. And how did a player that only play safe passes can have much more than someone play more risk??? It is not an opinion, it is just a fact, completely objective. Xavi completed much more though ball than Athur. He played much more risky passes in one season than Arthur in his entire Europe career. Stats show it. If Arthur plays more, show it to me. Not by "i can predict" stuff from you, that is bs, just use stats, facts, videos...

Let start with Xavi at 23, in 2003-04 season: 13 assists in total. Arthur, much more risky player in his entire Europe career: 5 assists

Must be really hard to see which one played more risk and more creative. One thing you can look at is pass in the final third. Xavi, for example, made 212 passes in the final third in Euro 2012, 6 games only. Arthur never be able to do something like this, in span of 6 games.

Who played more risk here Bobo32???

vegitot said:

Fact: Xavi completed much more through ball in one season than Arthur in his entire Europe career. And how did a player that only play safe passes can have much more than someone play more risk??? It is not an opinion, it is just a fact, completely objective. Xavi completed much more though ball than Athur. He played much more risky passes in one season than Arthur in his entire Europe career. Stats show it. If Arthur plays more, show it to me. Not by "i can predict" stuff from you, that is bs, just use stats, facts, videos...

Let start with Xavi at 23, in 2003-04 season: 13 assists in total. Arthur, much more risky player in his entire Europe career: 5 assists

Must be really hard to see which one played more risk and more creative. One thing you can look at is pass in the final third. Xavi, for example, made 212 passes in the final third in Euro 2012, 6 games only. Arthur never be able to do something like this, in span of 6 games.

Who played more risk here Bobo32???

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Before your 8 posts I analyzed two videos, one compilation of the best passes from his carreer, and one which showed all his passes in the 2011 CL final, and I encouraged people to show me where the risky or unexpected passes were.

I have never said he didn't play many passes in the final third. I'd say he was the one player who played most correct passes on the final third without losing the ball, or without playing a final ball. I am talking about relative numbers, not absolute. As Xavis style made his team dominate the games, he got more chances to be in the final third than Arthur.

Bobo32 said:

Before your 8 posts I analyzed two videos, one compilation of the best passes from his carreer, and one which showed all his passes in the 2011 CL final, and I encouraged people to show me where the risky or unexpected passes were.

I have never said he didn't play many passes in the final third. I'd say he was the one player who played most correct passes on the final third without losing the ball, or without playing a final ball. I am talking about relative numbers, not absolute. As Xavis style made his team dominate the games, he got more chances to be in the final third than Arthur.

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How is through ball not a risky pass??? If Arthur plays more risky, how can he barely get any through ball than someone who played safe??? Rakitic had more, Roberto had more. Messi had more (he is predictable, usually passed to Alba or Suarez). By your logic, Arthur plays more risk than Messi.

Pass in the final third/through ball is something risky that a passer will do. Arthur plays more risk than Xavi but not even close to half of Xavi's number.

Now go watch Xavi assist to Messi in 2009 UCL final then tell Arthur do the same thing.

All of your claims are: "Because i could predict his passes so he played with less risk". If only Ferguson hired you as his assistant, wow. It is just BS, totally subjective that has no weight when you try to make an argument.

Do more research before shitposting here. Even if you want to make a shitpost, make sure that it will not embrass you much.

The risky/unpredictable is all your subjective opinion anyway. Just because you feel that way, same with your Puig being top 5 midfielder in the world now, more creative than Xavi. All your opinion. Pure subjective and biased.

Come back to this topic when Arthur plays more through ball than Xavi.

Reminder: Through Ball ? a pass splitting the defence for a team-mate to run on to. That is the hardest pass to attemlt.

Also, can you show me the match Pjanic made 10 though balls??? You claimed he would made 30 through ball vs Man Utd if he played Xavi's position. So maybe you know the match which he could made 10 or more through balls.

BarcaOG said:

Puig? Yeah, no.

Also please explain what this new 'direction' means. If it involves losing every important game against every decent side, well, that's the wrong direction.

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I said before, I really don't care about the results this year or next one.

As you yourself say:

BarcaOG said:

no matter who is in charge next season things wont change until we get rid of

pique alba busi lenglet braitwaith and probably messi as well

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So why should I care that much about the results during a rebuilding transition period? For me as long as we finish top 4 in Liga, he is doing fine result wise.
Now regarding his direction, for me it is 2 things:

1-Youth direction: Pedri,Fati & Araujo are undisputed starter now when healthy, even Puig is getting minutes as season progressed (not his biggest fan, but I concede he deserves more minutes).
We are seeing him takes more youth approach with other young players, like Mingueza and Moriba and to lesser extent Konrad, he was calling Ramos Mingo too before he got injured early in the season.

In addition, first team relatively young players, as Dembele, FDJ and Trincao are all doing well with him, at least relative to their talent, all progressing nicely.

This is also consistent with his history as coach, since his Ajax day working with the like of Ibra,Mido, VDV, Sneijder etc to his days with NT


Obviously, he isn't without criticism in those areas, and some games he will try to be more conservative and go with old guards, and also he overplays some of those to, players like Pedri aren't ready for that workload,but overall his work has clear direction in pushing youth.

2-A more attacking approach: We are playing more attacking football, most of the year he worked trying to establish the team playing a more highline defense although he would cave at times due to the terrible defense he has. This is a very progressive move IMO, and it would need to be added to a more pressing approach but currently we don't have the individual for it.

I would put the data and XG aside, although they are in his favor, as I am not fan of both, but I think it is clear we are trying to be more aggressive on offense and we have a better look than last year.
Injuries has kind of hurt him in that regard, Fati is huge loss to this team, and generally the squad isn't helping him and it makes him try to find new ideas on consistent basis trying to cover for team weakness when facing better competition.

That is again not saying he is without faults, his 2nd half game management is terrible, and honestly I think he would have benefited from better assistants than he currently has.

But as I said early in my post, and many other posts, I don't care at all about results atm.
I don't think we will win anything this year, I don't think we will win next season either, at least until we have a proper Pique and Busquets replacements who allow us to have more modern approach to the game (some can make an argument about Messi & Alba too)
For me, let's allow Koeman to do the dirty work, take the hit for not winning while establishing a better foundation for next coach.

He sure can drill those triangles. Even into lowly scrubs.

Best manager in the world, need him here ASAP

Xavi will be the closest thing to Pep as a coach from our club, we'll ever see

FCBarca said:

Xavi will be the closest thing to Pep as a coach from our club, we'll ever see

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Bold statement

Xavi just gives me the feeling of a manager that gets positional play based on his interviews and a small sample of Al Sadd results. He has all the tools to succeed and he should be our next manager 100%.

Laporta returning to the club based on merit, with not a lot to show for.
Xavi returning to the club based on what he achieved as a player, with not a lot to show for after his retirement.

Not saying Laporta and Xavi will be automatic failures. But I really hope they have other ideas other than "we're going back to the style that used to work".

On paper we're putting all eggs into the 'back to 2008'-basket.

I think Xavi is too intelligent to make a mistake like that. He has been coaching other styles in Qatar as well, right?