Xavi Hernández

[Luftstalag14]

He kept talking about our defensive mistakes and yet no words about what his own failures were.

 

[matbezlima]

This is a fair and sensible post tbh and I agree with the narrative. But don't you think is up to the coach? Dembele is an outstanding player but hardly known for consistency. He's been with the team for some time, he's not new. Psychological, physical, and technical form of the team are all within his domain.

It's easy to overrate the importance of tactics but his are lacking. Very few patterns and ideas. And when I said found out, I meant his then approach. Rode an early wave with few successful changes but when teams reacted and coached adapted, he wasn't flexible and kept pushing which cost us. He is a very stubborn coach with little reason to be, think we can both agree on that.

Let's just say that I don't see it. Can only hope you're right because we aren't sacking him.

Xavi has blame, and I think it lies on the team being too dependent on Dembel? and Raphinha (but specially Dembel?) to break defenses through individual quality. And they are not at their best recently.

Do I think Xavi is an amazing coach? No. But it's a gross overexaggeration to say he is anywhere near the horrible fool that so many people here are painting him to be. He is OK. If anything, I think he is still learning a lot. He can be a great coach, but he isn't yet, and may take years to become so.

One thing is sure: sacking him NOW would be absurd. Do you think a new coach could instantly turn things around for El Cl?sico? I don't think so. Barcelona needs some stability.

 

[kattanib]

He claims he is doing self-reflection but he essentially just keeps repeating that the players fucked up and that nothing is on him.

Without understanding that tactically we have been outplayed by a poor Inter.

He was tactically outplayed by Mallorca as well and last La Liga game luck was his hero

 

[SmilerBam]

Xavi transformed us into FC Crossalona.

 

[ajnotkeith]

He kept talking about our defensive mistakes and yet no words about what his own failures were.

How long until dressing room loses faith in him and players start turning against him?

He has brought several of them here, like Lewa, Kounde with the promise of titles and Lewa pretty much stated he came here to win the Ballon Dor. Now we haven't even qualified past the group stage. Players of that quality unlikely to be happy at playing in Europa and especially if we do not end up winning LaLiga, they will probably question why they came here at all and turn against Xavi.

Additionally, he seems to exclusively blame the players or the refs for bad results and seems to never be able to state any mistake he has personally made himself. Won't be surprised if the players start to grow discontented at poor tactics and no accountability from Xavi.

 

[Tackle]

Still reading posts on socials that he "needs more time" and that he has "hopefully learned his lesson." We are not Arsenal (yet), and Xavi has done nothing in his managerial career to merit patience like Klopp has earned at Liverpool.

Unless we win the remainder of our Liga matches convincingly (including Clasico) before the WC we should pull the trigger on Tuchel while he is still available.

 

[Luftstalag14]

How long until dressing room loses faith in him and players start turning against him?

He has brought several of them here, like Lewa, Kounde with the promise of titles and Lewa pretty much stated he came here to win the Ballon Dor. Now we haven't even qualified past the group stage. Players of that quality unlikely to be happy at playing in Europa and especially if we do not end up winning LaLiga, they will probably question why they came here at all and turn against Xavi.

Additionally, he seems to exclusively blame the players or the refs for bad results and seems to never be able to state any mistake he has personally made himself. Won't be surprised if the players start to grow discontented at poor tactics and no accountability from Xavi.

I got that vibes from him too, after all he was the one who blamed the grass.

I don't think we will have any immediate danger of current players becoming discontent and wanting out and not wanting to renew etc. since the new ones we brought in are going to be here for a while, however if this keeps up it will hurt our morale and our performance on the pitch.

 

[ItachiXXX]

No Trophy season in coming

 

[Horatio]

Shouldn't Copa del Rey have started by now?

 

[jairzinho]

It would be a real shame if we failed to get out the group with all the money spent improving the squad. He just doesn't seem up to the task at the European level.

 

[Devils]

He's finished.

People can't seriously look at this team and say there has been any improvement since our game against Frankfurt despite our squad being much better.

A hammering this weekend in the clasico is on the cards and should be his last game as manger of Barca.

 

[Total-Football]

Xavi:

Assessment of the game:

"The assessment is negative. This Champions League is being cruel to us, from Munich, through Milan and today at home. The first half was excellent, but in the second half we conceded a lot and made a lot of mistakes. The first goal is a very clear mistake from the defensive line and the second too, we had already talked about it. I think we deserved more, but that's the Champions League. It's about winning and not conceding, not just attacking and we should have played the game like in the first half and continue with that intensity and pace, but right now we don't depend on ourselves and it's a very difficult situation, but we have to go ahead and think about Sunday's classic. We have to recover well and change the chip for the league because the Champions League has become very difficult and complicated."

Errors

"Football is a game of mistakes and I think they should always be minimized, you have to defend well, but today we didn't. We did a very good first half, conceding very little, the intensity was excellent, we went to the break very satisfied and happy and we had to continue down this path and since we did not, we paid dearly. Mistakes are paid for expensive in the Champions League. We made some very serious defensive mistakes that cost us the game."

El Clasico

"We have to change the chip from tomorrow when we train to prepare for the classic. We will try to disconnect from the Champions League to prepare for the league. They've got three games in a row in the league."

Message to players

"I have encouraged them, in the end people have seen that we have given everything, that they leave our souls. You can't forgive so much, not in Munich, where were the missed chances and effectiveness, or in Milan, which were other circumstances, or today at home, that have been our defensive mistakes."

I stopped at "first half was excellent "

 

[wisconsincule]

If we are fully healthy I bet the back line would have been Balde - Christensen - Araujo - Kounde…

With that back line these matches are completely different. I hate injuries. Just making making this whole thing even worse.

 

[Horatio]

tbf....been reading a lot of neutral fans praising this game on its quality and entertainment. Good sign at least?

 

[Luftstalag14]

tbf....been reading a lot of neutral fans praising this game on its quality and entertainment. Good sign at least?

Entertaining for the neutral fans perhaps but what quality?