5 Things Barca Boss Xavi Must Do To Save His Job

The beleaguered Blaugrana boss, Xavi Hernández will need to make major changes if he is to turn his tenure around.

Xavi is fortunate to be present. By now, a lot of managers at teams the same or bigger in stature would have been fired. Barcelona are third in La Liga, out of the Copa del Rey, and face a tricky round of 16 Champions League tie with Napoli next month. With no clear pathway to silverware, and poor performances on the pitch to boot, it would make sense if Barca were to sack their manager.

READ ALSO: I’ll Walk Away If Barcelona Players Don’t Back Me – Xavi

But the Blaugrana are reportedly determined to stick with him, eager to let the manager who won them La Liga last season play out the rest of the campaign. It’s something of a risk – even if you subscribe to the holy footballing doctrine that ‘all managers deserve time and patience’.

There doesn’t seem like much to fight for here. Barca are riddled with injuries. Their tactics have gone stale. They are too easy to play against, and don’t look particularly fun to play for, either. They would probably be better off with a more skilled tactician at the helm.

However, there are strategies to turn this around despite all of those worries, all of which are well-founded. But rather than making small adjustments, it’s time for a thorough overhaul and big transformation. In order to ensure that the Blaugrana don’t fade away for the balance of the season, Xavi needs to reevaluate how this Barca squad plays, rely on a few important players, and maintain faith in one important ageing player.

Though winning a trophy is probably out of the question, Xavi could at least make it through the season if he can gather enough momentum. THEEAGLE examines how Xavi might keep his job and preserve Barca’s season.

Stop experimenting with the backline

The ability of Barca to keep the ball out of their own net was their greatest strength throughout the previous season. Indeed, Robert Lewandowski’s objectives had an impact, but Ousmane Dembele’s effect cannot be disregarded. However, their impenetrable rearguard led them to an undoubtedly unattractive La Liga victory.

There was a sense, at the end of the campaign, that the Blaugrana had been lucky. Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s league MVP-winning season was a statistical anomaly, while there were certain areas of overperformance all over the pitch.

Even so, the league’s most efficient back four consisted of Jules Kounde, Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen, and Alejandro Balde. Curiously, though, Xavi has rarely chosen to start all four players at once during prime performances.

Araujo has been switched for Kounde, which should satisfy the former. Christensen has come and gone from the starting lineup. With Balde’s hamstring tear, injuries have been and will continue to be a mitigating factor. But enough tinkering with the greatest asset of his side.

Ditch the formation

Xavi won recognition for the creative 4-4-2 formation he used in the second half of the previous campaign. And for good reason—the system kept Barca agile enough to attack while also making them a more formidable force that was harder to play through. It was the optimally balanced system to maximise the performance of a flawed team. However, it was a year ago, and Barcelona has changed since then. They miss Sergio Busquets’s midfield impact these days and lack confidence.

They are more gifted creatively on either wing, despite being slimmer in the middle. To get the most out of his team, Xavi might have to change his system. To maximise his attacking ability, a 4-2-3-1 or even a more traditional Cruyff-ian 4-3-3 might be appropriate. As of right now, the game appears to be making more and more holes in a system that already has many faulty fits. The manager needs to change things up.

Find a role for Joao Felix

Well, it’s easier said than done. Felix has now represented his country and club under almost ten different managers. They have all failed to specify a precise position. He had not yet discovered a position where he really shines. He had been utilised as an attacking midfielder, winger, false nine, and lone striker. While there is merit to adaptability, Felix has to be developed and honed as a player given his inherent skill. It’s hard to expect Xavi, a coach with limited tactical acumen, to take on that challenging assignment.

However, it might be crucial to keeping him in a job. The Blaugrana’s ongoing injury problems may perhaps work to their hilarious advantage in this situation. Xavi is essentially limited to three players that play central midfield: Ilkay Gundogan, Pedri, and Frenkie De Jong. Felix has lots of space to find a place in this, whether it be as an inverted winger or a roving No. 10. Maybe he could also use him as a second striker to provide Lewandowski, who is constantly lacking chances in the last third, with more food. Regardless of how it’s set up, a well-utilized Felix that fits and fires can change everything.

Unleash Lamine Yamal potential 

For a while, there existed a valid argument in favour of safeguarding Yamal. Barca appeared to be in a good position, allowing the teenager to settle in and become a member of the team. But there’s nowhere to relax now. It’s simple: Yamal improves Barcelona. Despite Raphinha’s superior scoring and assist rate, Yamal is a vital player due to his inventiveness and natural unpredictable nature.

The Lionel Messi comparisons are unfair and hurried, even though they are unavoidable. However, Xavi stated that this youngster has the ability to “mark an era” in Catalunya. We have to put our trust in him to do that. It’s not completely clear how that appears. Yamal needs to be in the starting lineup for the major games even though he cannot start every one of them. He’s possibly Xavi’s sole available match-winning talent at the moment.

Restore Robert Lewandowski’s confidence

Lewandowski had basically won the Pichichi by January last season, the former Bayern Munich man proving in emphatic fashion that he could do it in another league. Since the second half of last campaign, though, Lewandowski looks a different player. He’s a languid presence, a player who touches the ball less and doesn’t look comfortable when he has it.

Even though Lewandowski has scored eight goals in La Liga so far, he feels that he should have scored twice as many goals at this stage of the campaign. Maybe these are indicators that a player is losing ground. The tweets from “LewanWASHEDski” might be accurate.

However, it’s more likely that the player has somewhat declined and lacks his customary swagger to return to his previous heights. Sometimes, even the top finishers struggle with confidence. Rethinking the structure and practicing good man-management are necessary to get him back to his potential. To be among the greatest players in the world, Xavi just needs to have faith in him.