FdJ is a long way from being top level. Did not see at least a dozen good runs for balls in over the top. And, unlike Xavi, lacks any tactical vision. Xavi controlled the ball with the purpose of finding the space. This is a good example, 1 minute into the second half. He has a 4v4 on the left with a huge amount of space. He starts a lateral run to the right, drawing his marker with him. At that point, he should reverse and get past his marker and make it 4v3 attacking the huge space.
Messi, of course, is not helpful with his lazy movement. He could easily move into the space with the arrow to open up a passing threat into the same gaping space on the left.
He's not. The problem is with the club. His only fault is that he's not a generational, incredible talent. He's "just" a top player. That's all. Somewhere along the way, this has become insufficient to make it here. I keep saying this because imo we burden our players with more than any other club. At any other club the player gets more help from a) the manager, b) the teammates, c) the fitness staff. Probably even more factors I'm missing. Fix that and you will no doubt see players improving at a faster rate. Or at least don't get worse.
I keep hearing this. If he does this, and if he plays this bold pass, the we can do this or that. That's the problem. To be great at this club you need to pull great stuff in sequences. As in, make a great first touch, hold off an opponent, maybe do some dribble, play a defense splitting pass to some immovable target (Messi usually).
That's not how it works imo, or not how it should work. At some other team you only require a great first touch and in that instant a player is already open to receive and well positioned to carry on, because things are coordinated and players follow a clear and precise set of instructions. What X, Y, Z will do when guy no A manages to do B. At Barca, some of those who need to do something will either not do it because they are played off position, or won't feel like doing it at that moment in time. And the poor guy on the ball will be left hanging. The result is this. At Barca, even after you gain a bit of space by doing something, you are still not in a position to play. Because things are not coordinated. They're a bunch of individuals trying to individually make a difference.
It's wrong.
Why is nobody appearing in that big chunk of space in the picture? That is what we need to account for at team-level.
