18/09/2023
Act. a las 12:56
CEST
Just a year ago, Xavi Hernández asked his players for a greater share of ‘rebellion’ in attack. More individual inspiration, more creativity. “We are aware that we have to generate more. Sometimes we have to go off script: shooting, individual plays…”stated the coach regarding the problems of his team when attacking closed defenses.
To this day, that remains the biggest criticism of this Barça. With spaces, the Blaugranas do find a way. When there are none, a first imbalance is missing to dislodge the opponent. The matches against Getafe, Cádiz and Villarreal serve as examples. In the first two, the Catalan team had a hard time penetrating the defensive web. In La Cerámica, on the other hand, Xavi’s men took advantage of the spaces to sink their teeth into it.
The arrival of Joao Cancelo and Joao Félix alters, and in what way, the game. If they both share something, in addition to nationality and agent, it is their ability to improvise. Often, their decisions are far from those that many of their colleagues would make.. As Xavi requested, they go off script. For better and, of course, sometimes for worse.
Some ‘letters’ that the team did not have
The Joaos are overflow, electricity and verticality, three virtues that Xavi’s team had been crying out for. The match against Betis was enough to confirm it. The side moved inside like Pedro around his housewhile the attacker capitalized like few others on his interventions: he opened the scoring and enabled Lewandowski without touching the leather to make it 2-0.
In an obedient team that works to control everything, The daring of Cancelo and Félix is the spice necessary to shake the board. When excess order turns Barça into a flat team, the appearance of both is like mixing all the cards again. How to hit the F5 in a stuck navigation.
Balances are everything and This Barça was too inclined towards the politically correct. Towards the foreseeable. Hence, the Joaos represent a huge boost to the team. But, as the saying goes, to break the rules you first have to know them. That is to say, For its spontaneity to shine, the work and rigor of the Christensen, Oriol Romeu, Gavi, Ferran and company are essential.. In the variety is the spice. And the key.
2023-09-18 10:56:12
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