Xavi Hernandez

[ajnotkeith]

Pretty sure Xavi gave the 2nd most minutes to u21 players (and by far the most of any top club). First was Benfica iirc.

Barca had players like Ter Stegen, Kounde, Alba, De Jong, Christensen, Lewandowski, Dembele, Kessie, Busquets etc that they have more top level experience in their pinky fingers than the whole Arsenal team.

A lot of young players were there but also a lot of experience.

 

[jamrock]

This idea of managers 'not handling pressure' is an overused trope. Unless its theorised how Arteta cracked under pressure, for example by bad tactical changes, it doesnt really mean anything. Most likely, Arsenal just fell apart due to having a worse less experienced squad, not because of Arteta.

By and large this idea of 'bottling' or 'imploded' is directly related to the strength of the squad. Better players handle pressure better.

City can 'handle the pressure' because they have the best team in the league. Just like how when Barca won all our titles we had insane squads, Madrid the same, City the same, Liverpool the same.

Not handling the pressure is 100% not a over used trope.

History is litered with managers who have stepped up and failed at the highest level.

The psychological aspect of the game is 100% real and what separates the greats from the very good.

 

[jamrock]

If pep has the squad arsenal had and the lead arsenal had, he 100% would not have bottled it.

Psychological aspect of the game for players and coaches, is 100% real.

 

[ajnotkeith]

Not handling the pressure is 100% not a over used trope.

History is litered with managers who have stepped up and failed at the highest level.

The psychological aspect of the game is 100% real and what separates the greats from the very good.

Yes but the statement needs to be backed up with evidence, not just, Arsenal didnt hold their lead so it must mean Arteta specifically cant handle pressure.

What did he do that leads you to think he couldnt handle it? Any specific decisions taken? Line up choices?

As I said the most likely answer, as always, is title races and run ins are usually won by the better more experienced players.

 

[ajnotkeith]

If pep has the squad arsenal had and the lead arsenal had, he 100% would not have bottled it.

Psychological aspect of the game for players and coaches, is 100% real.

I agree. But that's because Pep is the GOAT.

 

[Don Juan Laporta Estruch]

You can keep your Ten Haag's and De Zerbi's. If Barca ever get either of them 2, fans will be begging for Xavi to come back in no time.

Simone Inzaghi I would take but not going to be attainable.

If not, wouldn't mind Spagletti or Arne Slot ( who pound for pound is arguably doing the best job in world football right now. )

Xavi has his faults, but so do most managers out there, many far worse than his. Around 95 percent of his potential successors mentioned here have been frankly laughable.

Let Xavi continue to cook, just don't let him buy the ingredients. Leave that to Deco.

 

[Temptation]

If pep has the squad arsenal had and the lead arsenal had, he 100% would not have bottled it.

Psychological aspect of the game for players and coaches, is 100% real.

If Pep was at Arsenal, he wouldn't have been competing for the title in the first place.


He won't get the luxury of throwing 100 million at new LBs and GKs every summer or breaking the FFP rules 115 times to assemble his dream squad.


Pep has zero credentials as a coach of any team that's not the strongest in that competition by a mile. Zilch. Nothing.



Does that make Arteta a better manager than Pep? No, it doesn't. But does that make Arteta more suitable for a club like Arsenal? Definitely.


It's not like Arsenal haven't spent a lot recently but City operates at a different level.

 

[JamDav1982]

Its apples and oranges.

The pressure at all top clubs is huge these days and many of the things like 24 hour media and expectations to play a certain way which were in some ways unique to Barca are there for all of the clubs now more or less.

Also to date that pressure to play a certain way has not been there for Xavi when has been for other coaches at Barca. Nor has the pressure to compete both in league and in Europe.

So far those expectations Xavi has not really faced.

No doubt he puts a lot of pressure on himself due to links to club but the expectations he has not had in same way to date in playing style and how many competitions expected to compete in.

Barca was the best job for Xavi.. personally think he arrived at Barca with a lot to learn and is still learning but would have been cut to ribbons in EPL against teams and coaches there if went across with same ideas and not lasted long in a job.

Barca had one of the top squads in Europe last season when it came to experience of winning top titles. Hence why some knew they should be competing with Real and had he squad to beat them.

 

[ajnotkeith]

You can keep your Ten Haag's and De Zerbi's. If Barca ever get either of them 2, fans will be begging for Xavi to come back in no time.

Simone Inzaghi I would take but not going to be attainable.

If not, wouldn't mind Spagletti or Arne Slot ( who pound for pound is arguably doing the best job in world football right now. )

Xavi has his faults, but so do most managers out there, many far worse than his. Around 95 percent of his potential successors mentioned here have been frankly laughable.

Let Xavi continue to cook, just don't let him buy the ingredients. Leave that to Deco.

Huge fan of this manager. Genuinely think he's amazing.
Their 5 at the back is beautiful to watch. It totally reinvents the idea of 5 at the back being defensive.

 

[ajnotkeith]

In general the media is not after Xavi like they were Valverde or Koeman at all.
Koeman was getting torn to shreds by the media for complaining about the squad and saying it needed investment. Notably, Xavi doing the same thing was responded to by investment. Koeman didn't produce the results to back it up tho.

For Xavi, part of that is recognition of more difficult circumstances he's had but also his reputation.

 

[mc_lovin]

What’s the point here? Xavi has a higher standing, that’s a plus! And he obviously delivered.

 

[ajnotkeith]

What’s the point here? Xavi has a higher standing, that’s a plus! And he obviously delivered.

Some comments here that Xavi is dealing with a lot of pressure from the club environment when not really true other than a handful of disgruntled fans.

 

[mc_lovin]

He obviously has a shit ton of pressure.

 

[ajnotkeith]

He obviously has a shit ton of pressure.

Any manager does at a top club. However, he doesnt have near as much as there would be usually.
Being grouped from CL and KO'd from EL both twice in a row would get you instantly sacked from other top clubs really even if won LaLiga.

That is mostly being written off due to people recognising and cutting slack for club circumstances.

We are getting to a point where the fans are expecting a bit more, I think, but still, nobody expects us to win the CL or something as we would usually be expected to. People are having patience.

 

[JamDav1982]

He obviously has a shit ton of pressure.

As do all coaches at top teams.