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Xavi Simons

billyiddo said:
Big performance from him, graft AND guile - fair play.


Looking better off the left though recently has to be said
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Said it before, but for me any position that gets him on the ball in between the lines with a bit of movement around him will probably work well for him.

Absolutely agree on graft and guile.

For me definitely feels like there's way more coming from him. Several situations still where a bit more accuracy would make a big difference. But whatever happens he keeps trying, doesn't hide and he clearly has the quality to be a real difference maker.
 
elltrev said:
I thought that at first. But then I thought Solanke was in possession and shot, and Guehi stuck his leg in front of Solanke without touching the ball. So if anything a foul by Guehi!
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Just seen the replay again. Solanke's toe gets the last touch, so not a foul, and I've also just noticed its not being called an OG anymore. As you were!
 
Yesterday showed what can happen with a bit of patience. Yes, you get the odd 5 yard pass misplaced but there is so much to like....and its getting better and better.

And I also love how much effort he puts in and his reaction to the 2nd goal shows how much he cares.
 
Raziel said:
It's not obsession to understand you don't get the best out of Xavi by bypassing the midfield with long balls, always running the channels and spamming crosses into the box.
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Definitely get your point.

I also think he could do well even if an important part of the overall strategy includes long balls. As long as we win the ball/second ball enough, get players forward on the back of that. Arguably that's what we did in the second half against City.

Obviously long balls are a fairly basic form of ball progression, but as long as it ends with us in possession and having progressed the ball I think Xavi can then do his thing. His movement and effort makes him a decent player for winning those second balls too.

But if we don't have a real target man, or if we don't get enough players forward (arguably that's been the case at times this season) then that's not going to work.

Between long balls (and getting enough players forward in the process) and progressing the ball wide to pump in a cross a long ball strategy will imo be more likely to good things out of Xavi.
 
braineclipse said:
Definitely get your point.

I also think he could do well even if an important part of the overall strategy includes long balls. As long as we win the ball/second ball enough, get players forward on the back of that. Arguably that's what we did in the second half against City.

Obviously long balls are a fairly basic form of ball progression, but as long as it ends with us in possession and having progressed the ball I think Xavi can then do his thing. His movement and effort makes him a decent player for winning those second balls too.

But if we don't have a real target man, or if we don't get enough players forward (arguably that's been the case at times this season) then that's not going to work.

Between long balls (and getting enough players forward in the process) and progressing the ball wide to pump in a cross a long ball strategy will imo be more likely to good things out of Xavi.
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100%, the biggest issue with us right now is predictability, people think the swing from last season in league is from too attacking to too defending, it's from too predictable to too predictable.

Your attack cannot be (in 23 games) -> less than 20 through balls and 100's (literally) of crosses.

You also need to figure out how to use runs in/around/in front of Xavi to give him space, plus figure out how to get ball from back line to him, do those and you will get a lot more out of him.
 
Raziel said:
100%, the biggest issue with us right now is predictability, people think the swing from last season in league is from too attacking to too defending, it's from too predictable to too predictable.

Your attack cannot be (in 23 games) -> less than 20 through balls and 100's (literally) of crosses.

You also need to figure out how to use runs in/around/in front of Xavi to give him space, plus figure out how to get ball from back line to him, do those and you will get a lot more out of him.
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Agreed.

Solanke helps with that for sure. Can go long. Can go wide. Can (if they're back) ask Romero or Porro to try to play through the lines.

Week off now should help too. Get some rest into some fatigued legs, get Romero over his illness and hopefully no fresh injuries to deal with.

The players, unsurprisingly, looked shattered physically towards the end against City.
 
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