Xavi has announced he will leave Barcelona this summer

Can’t see it working out will be surprised if he’s still there at the end of the season.

 

Absolutely love the guy, loved him as a player, love him as a manager, love him for being as humble as he is.

I actually wanted to name my son after him some 11 years ago, I decided against it as here in the Netherlands they wouldn't say Xavi, they would say X..avi.

Wish him nothing but the best and I hope he brings nothing but success to the club he loves and belongs to.

 

Funny how the man has got such a great reputation song our fan base. Obviously he was on of the best midfielders ever to play the game, but there are plenty others of that level who don't have the affinity.

And he's spoken kindly about our club a few times, but agsin so have plenty others. With Xavi it feels different somehow. I think he's one of the most well respected people in football by us who have no direct link to the club.

Regardless of the reason, wish the guy nothing but the best. True legend of the sport.

 

He’ll get this season and the start of next I think. But I agree in general, the habit of clubs giving ex-players a job on playing reputation alone just now is a weird trend, I think it’s because what Zidane did at Real. The fact he’s not been linked to other jobs, like Man Utd just now, is also weird though.

I hope he’s another Pep though, because I * love Xavi.

 

Xavi is a footballing * with a ridiculous knowledge of the game. Ole was a little goal hanger for United.

 

Henke going?

 

He's got some job on his hands, that club is a mess

 

Aye I don’t see xavi being the same as ole with the nae tactics just vibes philosophy

 

true,
but without abit common sense in the club hierarcy.
strength sacfricifice and attitude wont cut it.
barcelona helped shaped the modern football business to the money hunger business we all know today,
now they have to dig themself out of their massive debt

 

They've purposefully left him at al-sad (?) To gain a bit of experience til now. Is it enough? Who knows.

But he's been groomed for the position at Barcelona and everyone knows it.
No other club will have bothered going in for him.

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Ultimately it won’t matter how good a footballing brain Xavi has, or how good a manger he is either in my opinion. A club of Barcelona’s size need to be winning league titles and competing at the latter stages of the champions league as a minimum. With the squad they have, which is only going to get worse with their financial state, the chances of league titles and champions league trophies are pie in the sky. I think it’s a bad move for him at this time. No manager in the world would have them where they need to be given the circumstances, and in football, there is no loyalty, so if he doesn’t deliver it, he will get sacked like any other manager. He might get a bit more time than others due to his status with the club, but he won’t get the kind of time they need.

 

Imagine it turned out he didn’t rate Barca football all this time and now that he’s in charge he basically implemented Lennon’s tactics - still scarred by the Tony Watting he got in 2012.

Barcelona just start working the ball to the striker as fast as possible and hoping for the best. Busquets instructed to take pot shots any time he sees the goal. Every time they get scudded off Elche County he starts talking about how he won the champions league and calls the fans entitled.

You lot can act like pretentious football purists all you want but we all know the above would be a far more entertaining sight to behold.

 

Best possible candidate to take over not named Pep, he is blaugrana through & through and learned from the best. Moreover, he, like Pep, were coaches on the pitch throughout their playing careers. He too is obsessed with football & tactics, like Guardiola. He comes in with more experience than Pep had as well

It too was a precarious position/time to take over vs Pep although finances are much worse atm & there is no Messi. However, I have every confidence he will bring back the style & joy we cules crave - the titles will follow

The beauty of having a solid youth academy with a philosophy is that the players are prepared from the beginning to one day slot into the 1st team like Ansu, Gavi, Nico & Balde have which means there will be talent to choose from to be successful. Step by step

I do wonder if Frenkie will have to be sold since there is now a surplus of youth talent in midfield and FDJ can still command a great transfer fee considering there are more pressing needs for a wide attacking player or goalscorer. City seems logical but would not want Sterling as part of a deal

Dembele's renewal, despite how unreliable he is, more about getting something for him downstream than letting him walk for free as I am not optimistic about his long-term success

Much to look forward to, I wouldn't normally attend the derby but as it will be the 1st match under Xavi I plan to be in attendance with the family.

 

I'd want them (I really want to say "us" ha) to keep Frenkie to be honest. He's the guy to build the midfield around for me, with another 2 from the younger talent to become a midfield trio for the next 10 years.
True, there is plenty of talent that finances could be used from such a deal, but it could in turn present a problem area in a year or two if Barca then need to seek out a world class talent in that area again.

Dembele is a mystery of a player, I aint sold on him at all - even when fit - but I dare say if he can get an injury free run at games and put in half decent performances, the ability to cash in and get something back from him would be good. unlikely to ever see the money back that they paid though. But then perhaps we need to stop thinking about the past and focus on what the financial mess is currently and just finding a way to make it better - a few names off the wage bill would be a good start.


Interesting to see how Xavi will shape the squad - presumably we will see a form of 433 in some disguise and likely to focus on giving youth a chance, while obviously not completely throwing away experienced talent to help them

Ter-Stegen
Dest, Garcia, Lenglet, Alba
De Jong
Gavi, Pedri
Demir, Aguero, Fati
​

Possible lineup for rest of the season/Next season?

Pena
Roberto, Araujo, Pique, Balde
Busquets
Puig, Nico
Dembele, Braithwaite, Depay
​

Neto, Umtiti, Coutinho, Luuk De Jong could all be moved on in my opinion.
Still got a few more younger/fringe players kicking about in Mingueza, Moriba, Tenas - who would make up the 25 man squad.
Look to then move on Braithwaite, Dembele, Agguero next season and replace with good quality at a better age.
Busquets, Alba and Roberto eventually will be needing replaced as well - so work to be done, but nothing major if the focus is on the younger talent.

Think a lot of folk (fans and non-fans alike) need to get it in perspective though and stop hammering in the same "barca are a shadow of themselves" sort of lines, we all know that, this is needing to be a rebuild phase and dropped games will be expected at times. But give it a little bit of time and I reckon Barcelona will be back at the top of the class with some excellent youth development once again.


Edit. Forgot you still have guys like Pjanic, Trincao and Griezmann at the club (out on loan) that other than Trincao, the others could be sold, if someone would take them, to free up a lot of wages as well.

 

And I should've prefaced that I am a big fan of Frenkie but I also look at the pros/cons, financial needs and depth - then it seems untenable to go forward without his sale. I hope to be wrong but like Pep, Xavi is the ideal advocate to implement the ideal midfield for Barca. Will Frenkie be a pivot, or part of a double pivot with Nico? Or is Nico better playing as an interior. These are the kinds of things Xavi will have a feel for deciding once he sees them in action. Pedri, FDJ, Gavi, Nico, Busi & Puig - I see 4 of them playing at a time, especially without pure wingers available atm

But clearly, Frenkie is the talent that could generate revenue in a sale and at least be used for a key need out wide or as a #9

I really don't want Dembele either. As I have mentioned previously, he seduces you with his potential but there are many aspects to his game that have yet to develop even when he's healthy - which is not often as we all know. Perhaps it's all a question of the poor training & lax fitness culture under Bartomeu but he could also simply be an injury-prone player. I just think regardless they have to extend him if for no other reason than to profit on a sale for him

As for formations, 3-4-3 and 4-3-3 are Cruyff hallmarks so I bet we'll see a combination of tactics. They will press high, they will maintain possession, be fluid and create numerical advantages in the attacking third to generate scoring chances - this I am convinced of

Collado will get a shot next summer but I saw he was training with Xavi & 1st team today despite not being registered which was a ridiculous sporting decision, coupled with registering Demir only with 1st team and preventing him from getting minutes in B team. Ilias also trained today with 1st team and I suspect he may get an opportunity as a winger with the lack of depth atm. But true, La Masia continues to produce young talents and under Laporta I expect that to only improve. As for loan players, unlikely Pjanic, Griezmann or Trincao will be returning - the latter, for me, just isn't really cut out for football in Spain. I saw a timid & predictable player