Best Spanish Player

comment by Come to Salah, Come to Success. (U12335)

Everything went through Xavi....I started watching him closely and he was quite simply in charge of what they did with the ball.
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The passing carousel as a whole was a big part of Barca & Spain’s dominance of possession. He was the central figure in that carousel but not the main reason, ultimately, for Barca & Spain’s Championship success.

Messi was ultimately the decisive player for Barca in terms of Championships, and with Spain the titles came from many contributions from their All-Star cast (including assists from Xavi).

Possession alone doesn’t win. We’ve seen that with Pep’s failure to win the CL without Messi.

*makes note of "passing carousel" to add to made up jargon list*

comment by *Robbing Hoody - tell me I can't and I�... (U6374)
posted 10 minutes ago
*makes note of "passing carousel" to add to made up jargon list*
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It's a clutch phrase.

comment by #LiquidGenius (U20571)
posted 1 hour, 52 minutes ago
comment by Come to Salah, Come to Success. (U12335)

Everything went through Xavi....I started watching him closely and he was quite simply in charge of what they did with the ball.
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The passing carousel as a whole was a big part of Barca & Spain’s dominance of possession. He was the central figure in that carousel but not the main reason, ultimately, for Barca & Spain’s Championship success.

Messi was ultimately the decisive player for Barca in terms of Championships, and with Spain the titles came from many contributions from their All-Star cast (including assists from Xavi).

Possession alone doesn’t win. We’ve seen that with Pep’s failure to win the CL without Messi.
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and without Xavi. I wonder if you ask him, which he would think was irreplaceable!

spain still won the WC without Messi

Messi has never won anything with Argentina

go figure who was more important to Farza's system under fraudiola...Xavi or Messi

I think people also forget that Guardiola himself played at the base of midfield like Xavi did. During his time in Italy, he saw how those holding players (who in England were usually defensive but not in Spain and Italy) could dictate the play from the back and mark the rhythm as well as martial things around them. Xavi's success was dictating the pace and shape of the team, slowing it down to gain control and injecting pace to open up space for the team. People say tiquitaca is boring - it was not boring, it was exciting. What Guardiola has played since has been less dynamic as he hasn't got a Xavi.

comment by Xiuxiuejar (U6109)

I think people also forget that Guardiola himself played at the base of midfield like Xavi did. During his time in Italy, he saw how those holding players (who in England were usually defensive but not in Spain and Italy) could dictate the play from the back and mark the rhythm as well as martial things around them. Xavi's success was dictating the pace and shape of the team, slowing it down to gain control and injecting pace to open up space for the team. People say tiquitaca is boring - it was not boring, it was exciting. What Guardiola has played since has been less dynamic as he hasn't got a Xavi.
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I enjoyed Tika-Taka. Although, in the end I found it tiresome and switched my allegiance to Real Madrid around early 2012.

Pep doesn’t have a Xavi at City but he doesn’t have a Messi either and that for me is why they’re less exciting.

At Bayern, Pep had Schweinsteiger & Thiago (two similar CMs to Xavi) but they were still not as exciting to watch and failed to win the CL.

It’s not that Xavi isn’t a top player, but I find it hard to say he’s as crucial as Messi etc. when he’s been a pro since the late 90s and no one considered him an elite player until around 2008, when he was part of an unbelievably good National Team and club side.

How does anyone who watches football have Fabregas above Xavi in a list of Spain's greatest player?

Fabregas was a squad player for both Barca and Spain's golden eras. Xavi was both teams' general and dictator

There was a saying

If you watch the game you might not notice Xavi, watch Xavi and you'll see the whole game.

Just watch what he does. Forget the lazy journalism opinions....look at the domination he facilitates. As soon as he left real Madrid's midfield suddenly became competitive with them.

comment by Come to Salah, Come to Success. (U12335)
posted 55 minutes ago
There was a saying

If you watch the game you might not notice Xavi, watch Xavi and you'll see the whole game.

Just watch what he does. Forget the lazy journalism opinions....look at the domination he facilitates. As soon as he left real Madrid's midfield suddenly became competitive with them.
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I couldn't agree more with this. The shape and rhythm he gives a team are often barely visible, until you take it away.