XAVI, FORCED TO SHAKE HIS BOARD
Xavi must find a solution to see the best Joao Cancelo
The 'slump' in Joao Cancelo's prominence at FC Barcelona has gone hand in hand with Xavi Hernández's 'experiments' to fit him into his system while reinforcing his defensive backline
One of the big enigmas of the FC Barcelona of Xavi Hernández is the position of Joao Cancel. Although in his first presentations was being protagonist and gave a lot of more consistency to the team, especially in the offensive section, in these last parties his performance has been much more irregular. And it is that, although it was offering a good number of partipaciones between goals (2) and assistances (1), the team was suffering the consequences in the defensive facet.
It is not a secret for anybody that the international with Portugual is not a guarantee in this section and that suffers, more than the account, in the shrinkings. The trainer egarense was conscious that they assumed a lot of risks because so much he like Alejandro Balde are lateral that tend to keep in zone of attack and leave unprotected to the two head offices. They multiply the responsibilities and of there that they have fit eight goals in the last nine parties of LaLiga. Numbers very move# away to which registered the Barça.
The modifications 'without success' of Xavi with Cancel
Of there that Xavi began to implement modifications. First it left more 'fixed' to Cancel by the band, avoiding that it added like a fourth midfield player in inner zones. There were not a lot of changes and, for the dispute of the Classical against the Real Madrid and in front of the need that the band was very very covered, the trainer egarense advanced him of position so that fungiera like right extreme and allow joint in the retaguardia to three defenders: Ronald Araújo by the band and the couple of head offices of Christensen and Iñigo Martínez.
Except the played of the second goal of Jude Bellingham, the plan went out to perfection. The charrúa commissioned to contain to Vinicius Jr by the right band and countered the effect of the attacker, whereas the two head offices were attentive to move away the danger of the area of Ter Stegen. Alejandro Balde went up constantly, but the saga was much more compensated. I cancel it showed comfortable, participatory, but without a lot of shine. It played 77 minutes, turning into the first time that was replaced in a party of LaLiga.
A week later, in the duel against the Real Sociedad, Xavi went back to agitate his approach to go back to opt for playing with three head offices (this time with Jules Koundé) and went back to advance to Cancel, but split more as an interior. It was the party in which more discussed has been and in which less it has participated. It was desconectado of the game and without incidence. 'It prejudiced' to the team and left his worst statistical of the temporadto. In 69 minutes, only touched the balloon in 26 opportunities, with only 64% of tarpaulin in the passes. It did not give any key pass, lost the possession in eight occasions, only won three duels (of eight, between the ones of the lawn and aerial). It was his greyer performance.
The possible solutions... Risky?
The Barcelona trainer is forced to find a solution to fit him in his diagram while it avoids to weaken the defence and achieves his best version. There are several alternatives on the table, but all and each one of them are complicated. The first is that it go back to the right side, but have freedom restricted, that is to say, that do not have so many opportunities to add to the attack. The second is that yes it can move as the prefeiera, but forcing to Balde to remain in own field. Another option is that it split like left side (where better exerted in the Manchester City), but would suppose to seat to Balde.