Xavi Hernández

[Flavia]

Not unreachable after yesterday if anything will need youth if he wants a high tempo game to help with the new play.

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He won't change the midfield now. Will likely just bring Alonso back. I still think Spain has more problems with the offence than the defense or the middle.

 

[PhilS]

the underrating of Xavi has really gone to extreme lengths lately. He has shown multiple times even during this period of "decline" that he's still a brilliant player. There's one main problem and that's him being overplayed. It's probably his fault as much as it is of his coaches, but it is what it is. The point is - that's the problem. His health is one, as well. Combine these two and what you get is a player who's not fit to play as many games as he has this season, and in consequence will look mediocre, uninterested and uninspired in many of them. If managed wisely, Xavi will remain a brilliant player for at least a few more seasons to come.

If you just look at percentage of passes completed, Xavi still rates high. But very few of his passes seem to be forward, they are to the side or backwards. That is not how you beat a pressing defense, it is not how you create goals. Mentally, he plays like an old man. Not good for Spain, not good for Barca.

He should not have started yesterday, he was not completely fit.

 

[Meitux]

I suppose he already knew hes gonna miss

 

[te amo barca]

Ramos is too confident when taking penalties.

 

[Meitux]

It was going good since his miss against bayern but..Ramos is Ramos

 

[mixer]

We must keep Thiago. He'll be a starter next season. Xavi is done. Yeah, I said it... I can't deal with it but it's true. I hope Xavi says to Thiago that he'll pull off next season and won't be playing that much.

 

[Stric]

People think Xavi won't be a starter.

 

[mixer]

I don't think, I hope

 

[Cruijffista]

Del Bosque would have looked like a genius if he would have moved Xavi to Xabi's role in his double-pivot.

I think a double-pivot of Xavi-Busquets could work for the club. Would allow Thiago to get more minutes and reinforce the Tiki-Taka style.

 

[Indignado]

Not unreachable after yesterday if anything will need youth if he wants a high tempo game to help with the new play.

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Del Bosque would never make such huge changes, he's not that kind of coach who takes risks.

He won't change the midfield now. Will likely just bring Alonso back. I still think Spain has more problems with the offence than the defense or the middle.

I think they also have problems in the middle, similar to ours. Busquets alone can't cover the defensive midfield and Xavi's defensive contribution is practically nonexistent these days, plus there's too little movement. When Alonso comes back, I guess he'll put Iniesta on the wing again which will just make them more defensive.

 

[ZenI]

Exactly, Xavi is not best at defending. Before this season he was faster and much more creative - this season it looks like he even lost that. If you can't defend properly, at least you have to contribute with something else - like Iniesta.

 

[barcanuck]

Poor Xavi has been used like a old horse though. We just can't use the X-man every 3 days in really big games.

 

[te amo barca]

Miss the old Xavi

 

[mixer]

Yeah, he had 34 assists in 08/09, now it's not even half of it.

 

[Flavia]

Yeah, he had 34 assists in 08/09, now it's not even half of it.

Well, he is older and past his peak now, but back in 08-09 he had Eto'o, Henry and Messi. Last season he had Messi, Alexis and Pedro. No wonder it's not even half of it