Xavi's options to recover the most 'effective' version of Barça

The defeat of the FC Barcelona in front of the Shakhtar has left very 'touched' to the team and with the imperial need to shake before it increase the crisis. It has been a called of attention because, although still there are too many options to achieve the classification to eighth of final in the last two days of the phase of groups, the image that is leaving the team is worrisome. It is a mental blockade, as it recognised Xavi Hernández, but also futbolístico. And there it has to be the first in taking part.

In Hamburg were many the lacks of the Barça. Further of the motivation or no of the players on the terrain of game, were a lot of the errors that committed in the positioning, in the pressure after loss and the distribution of the responsibilities. The team was not comfortable defensive neither ofensivamente and, of there that the figure of Marc-André ter Stegen was key to avoid a new goleada in Europe. The rest of players, except exceptions explained, did not accompany him in front of the Shakhtar.

Xavi can find solutions home

The Barça was victim of his own errors and has to begin to amend them. Xavi and his technical body are in full process of analysis to deepen in what they can improve. They are conscious that the return of Frenkie of Jong (after the stop of selections, probably) can be key so that they reduce the spaces in the centre of the field and the team play more 'together', but there are other solutions that will have to go implementing to avoid that the crisis futbolística extend more. It is time to to react.

One of the big problems that showed the Barça in front of the Ukrainian group was, precisely, the big space to the back of the midfield players. It is not a secret for anybody that so much Oriol Romeu like Ílkay Gündogan are not the players more 'hit' to the hour to run to backwards, because it does not give them. Xavi has to try that the lines are more hit and the team do not suffer so much in the shrinkings. It is one of the points that more prejudices, especially because the central also remain very unprotected and also have to multiply for 'cover' more zones in front of the constant overtaking of the sides.

In the defence are varied the failures, but the trainer egarense will have to insist in the improvement of the sides and find the formula that any of the two compensate in the basculaciones, because seldom it occurs. Taking in account to Joao Cancel and Alejandro Balde, both have profiles much more offensive and leave unprotected to the defence. One of the two goes to have to limit so that the team can have some feeling of solvency in the retaguardia. In the past season himself occurred, because the player formed in The Masia went up constantly and Jules Koundé, in the right, adopted a more defensive profile.

The Barça needs to be more vertical

On the other hand, Xavi has to 'force' to his to give him more mobility and speed to the balloon. It can be one of the big keys so that the Barça have more presence and intention in the rival area, because in the last parties have seen too many predictable passes and a slowness little favorecedora. It is necessary to inject speed and risk much more, as well as find the formula so that they are more vertical, increase the game of the interiors and that these are able to confine in the area.

The culés have devoted to hang balloons in the area that are not taken advantage of in the majority of the occasions. It is being a dangerous tendency and has left to filter balloons for the arrival of the '9', in this case Robert Lewandowski or of the own midfield players. It is not taking advantage of the capacity of the Pole to appear as 'killer' and, further that it still is not to tope physically, the game of the team does not accompany him to try mark differences. This, and that the team begin to play each party as if it treated of a final, with the murderous instinct 'activated', can be vital to go out of the crisis.

The return of the 'jugones'

A factor that could be vital so that the Barça can show a more effective version and that his game have much more sense is the return of Pedri González to the XI. To date, it has been playing around 30' in each presentation, but could be of return to the titularity against the Alavés. It is a player that prints felt to the played, that gives speed and clairvoyance to what happens on the terrain of game... And that serves of lighthouse in the moments in which the team is atascado. It is of the footballers that knows when risk, give the pass and break lines. All what the blaugrana are needing right now. Joint him again with Gündogan can be vital.