The Purist
@ThePurist_
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Also on Mastodon! Blending the art and science of football. Following FC Barcelona. Enquiries: allthepurist @gmail .com
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Bayer Leverkusen are so exceptional they've confused pretty much everyone trying to decipher their tactics.
So here's my attempt... and I had to go pretty in-depth.
How Alonso's Leverkusen have genuinely shifted the footballing landscape 👇📺
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Those few months where Pep was playing 3-4-3 with Fabregas and Messi together as false 9s was the most ridiculous period of football I’ve ever seen.
Messi was really doing all of this while scoring 91 goals in a year. 😭😭😭
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There are actually two Dembele’s. Identical twins who draw straws before every game to decide who plays.
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Manchester City have become the Floyd Mayweather of football.
Incredibly effective. Undeniably great. Unfortunately boring.
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If I were a football manager of any level I would avoid Barca like the plague.
You’d have to be insane to give your entire life and energy for such an utterly thankless task.
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Having better players makes you play better…
I’m shocked.
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Raphinha has looked twice the player since Lamine started balling
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I don’t know why Koundé (apparently) detests this role. He’s clearly adventurous by nature.
His runs forward are the key to Pedri getting closer to de Jong and Gundogan.
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Xavi’s Barça having *the best defensive record in La Liga history* is being taken for granted.
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Transformative signing for Barca. Huge huge injection of quality across multiple roles. Wow.
Ilkay Gündogan to Barcelona, here we go! Final approval arrived on club side to register him as new signing, green light from the player. It’s done deal, signed few minutes ago. 🚨🔵🔴
#FCB
Gündogan has agreed a two year deal valid until June 2025 with option for further year.
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How Eintracht Frankfurt frustrated Barcelona in the
#UEL
The tactical battle explained clearly, with images and video.
A thread ✍️📖
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It’s obvious that Barcelona have lost the clarity in structure and identity that Xavi introduced so brilliantly when he first arrived.
I’m not saying Frenkie de Jong is the problem but he’s the clearest symptom.
De Jong was incredible last night, and what he brings in his -
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There’s a difference between a defensive midfielder and a pivot.
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Been thinking about this Barca project a lot recently. And in a way I’m torn. Below I’ll try and put it into words.
(Warning: nuance ahead. Kindly leave agendas at the door)
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Xavi understands football like few others, and it shows in his tactical choices.
Almost always knows the right shape vs the opponent. Isn’t afraid to do something ‘unusual’ if he thinks it’s tactically optimal.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: he’s taken for granted.
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The overriding feeling is sadness, for selfish reasons. After everything, it’s hard to accept that his story at the top level is over.
Of course, Messi has earned the right to make that decision. It’s just… going to take some time to sink in. Here’s to the greatest of all time.
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Guardiola defined Cruyff’s dream team…
Busquets defined Pep’s golden generation…
Who will define the Xavi Hernández era?
The Barcelona Pivot - Coming soon ⏳
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Raphinha’s ‘parallel run’ isn’t just for getting in-behind.
Here he baits Nacho into thinking he’s running towards goal, but curves away to create space.
As a wide player, often receiving under pressure, it’s game-changing to have these kind of tricks up your sleeve.
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Barcelona have a core of young, elite players. The only thing that’s missing is an era-defining forward. A proper superstar who can win a game single-handedly.
That might be you-know-who.
But if it is, three to four years is a LONG time to make do without him.
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There are still people who think a formation is a style. I work in vain.
ℹ️ Hansi Flick’s footballing style: 4-2-3-1, with fast paced football and high pressure.
@jbatalla7
#FCB
👤📋
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Signing Gundogan was one step towards Barca competing at elite CL level. Losing Dembélé would be two steps backwards.
For all his flaws, he is THE most important player in Barca’s offensive transitions. A cornerstone of the Xavi project. Replacing his profile is very difficult.
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No reasonable analysis would conclude that Hansi Flick is the best option for Barcelona.
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That’s the blueprint. If everyone stays fit (big if) Barcelona are heading in the right direction.
Accomplished performance but still loads of room for refinement.
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FOUR xG. Wow. Five out of five big chances missed.
No in-depth analysis needed here 🥲
🇪🇸 | Barcelona 2–4 Girona
• xG: 4.06 – 2.40
• Shots (on target): 31 (11) – 15 (7)
• Big chances (missed): 5 (5) – 5 (2)
• Touches in opp. box: 60 – 32
Girona go two points clear at the top of the LaLiga table thanks to a clinical display in Barcelona! 👏👏
#BarcaGirona
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Xavi creates structures and principles, but he does not hold players’ hands.
That model, in my opinion, suits elite players. And Frenkie de Jong has profited from that more than anyone.
Video coming 🔜
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The more I’ve learned about football, the more I’ve realised just how supernatural Pep Guardiola is. By every metric, the greatest.
He didn’t need this to cement his legacy, but he deserved it.
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I can justify every single thing Xavi has done, other than how he’s using Gundogan and Pedri in this system. Please please swap them.
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It’s late, but allow me to ramble for a while about FC Barcelona.
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Barcelona crash out of the
#UEL
in shocking fashion at the hands of Eintracht Frankfurt.
But what exactly went wrong?
Wrong system? No intensity? A lack of quality?
Forget the reactionary takes, here’s a full tactical analysis. ✍️
#PuristThread
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Frenkie de Jong has always felt enigmatic. Why?
Because, frankly, he defies modern ‘positional’ football. And that causes conflict.
Tie him to a ‘zone’ and you take away what makes him brilliant. His intuition. He drifts, he roams, he searches. Not just for the ball,
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The more I think about it, the clearer it is that Barca should go all out for De Zerbi.
If any club in the world should be the exemplar of juego de posición, it’s Barcelona. The global image of the club, the modern success, and the entire youth academy are built on it.
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I’ll say it again, it makes no sense to sell Ansu Fati if Messi is Plan A.
Prolific creator from the right + dynamic goal threat from the left.
Who else is doing that job in the squad?
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Didn’t want to tweet during the game but Enzo was imperious.
Covers insane ground, ridiculous composure under pressure. Super progressive even as a pivot. Incredible in duels.
And only 21!
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Midfield diamond with Gavi as a 10, Pedri and de Jong as 8s, and a 6 behind them.
How crazy?
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So having rewatched Barca vs Rayo I can say pretty confidently that the first half was the biggest tactical shift we’ve seen in the entire Xavi era.
If it continues it will be worth a video. But for now here’s a thread of some disorganised thoughts:
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Said it before but the core of this Barca squad, considering age and talent, is actually obscene.
The only thing that will stop this project is poor squad planning. And we all know that’s Barca’s speciality 🙃
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The same ‘useless tactics’ that brought you 0-0 against [insert team] also brought you 10-0 over 2 games.
Interesting.
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I’ve been asked several times now about this thread.
So, as someone who has studied Xavi’s Barca relentlessly this season, I thought I’d give a few thoughts.
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One of my biggest issues with Barca right now is you can press them with zero consequence.
Even if they do navigate out of the press (not often), there is no threat in-behind.
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It’s just clicked that there’s strong shades of Riquelme in Pedri. The adhesive close control. The elastic limbs. The pausa. The ball rolls. Even the expansive pass selection.
Cut from the same cloth.
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This is Barça’s ‘first choice XI’.
Guess how many times this exact lineup (including positions) has been played this season?
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There’s a ruthless, decisive goal-scorer inside Ansu Fati. Unlock that potential, and you give this team the extra cutting edge it desperately needs.
He’s not going to create chances for himself. Or beat players 1v1 out wide.
But with creators around him, he’ll deliver.
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The rhythm and quality of Barca’s possession has gone from worryingly bad to seriously good in a couple of weeks.
Watching Pedri and de Jong is honestly a joy.
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I’d expect Cancelo to make a pretty instant impact. He’s had the Pep brainwashing so no positional play issues. His quality is so high he’ll fit alongside anyone, but having Gundogan there can’t hurt.
Felix I expect will need a lot more patience.
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Raphinha was bought to do exactly what he’s doing. Take advantage of the space the team creates, and supply output.
He’s inconsistent, he’s too hasty, and he’s wasteful in offensive transitions. But as a backup winger (for now), he’s the kind of depth Barca need everywhere.
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Been watching loads of Ansu Fati footage recently and I STRONGLY believe he’s an elite centre forward in the making.
Not backing him would be unforgivable.
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Honestly think breaking down a low block is almost entirely about player quality.
Quality crossers, box threats, long-range shooters.
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If you’re in the football tactics world you’ve probably seen the words ‘Fluminense’, ‘Fernando Diniz’ and ‘relationism’ come up a lot recently.
Why?
Because something is happening in Brazil that might just change football. I had to take a look 👇
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You have to stick with Ferran. He’s frustrating. He’s going to lose the ball, miss chances.
But he brings so much. His dynamism, movement, rotation with Alba. Threat in-behind. Unpredictability.
There’s no equivalent in this squad.
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The problem for Barcelona is that Busquets was both. Now they have to pick one or the other.
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For large parts that was really poor. I hope the qualification takes some of the pressure off and this team finds something more sustainable.
Thank goodness for Cancelo who finally showed what it means to be an elite forward.
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I’ve got to say, Ange’s Tottenham really surprised me. Super composed under pressure, transitioned well going both ways. Nice press. Bissouma looked world class.
Could be a genuinely exciting project.
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I have a lot of doubts (which I’ll try to expand on) but the best candidate to directly build on Xavi’s term is De Zerbi.
He would maintain the basic principles and improve the details. The transition would be relatively seamless and suit La Masia graduates.
However…
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This is a team that is broadly excellent but has lost knockout games to the details.
Reasonably understandable given the major absences defensively (in the CL) and now offensively (against United).
A lot of maturing to do but no project-defining concerns for me.
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You’ve been waiting for it. And here it is.
From one of football’s brightest talents, to its most enigmatic outcast.
Why Riqui Puig couldn’t make it.
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Very surreal to see Busquets’ journey come to an end. The beating heart of FC Barcelona for over a decade.
He has been tireless, immaculate. Unique, yet inevitable. One of the greatest in history. Glad I got to enjoy it.
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I’m still not convinced by Barca’s out-of-possession. Even with longer and more patient sequences, the counter-pressing isn’t there.
To make up for that, it’s a team that needs to put their opponent to the sword. But can’t.
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Watching back Pedri’s highlights from last night. He defies belief.
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Barca’s left side is still barren creatively. And on the right Raphinha has to do it on his own.
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Ah, England.
So much talent. Yet so dull, passive and disorganised. Worst of all, in a tournament that’s been refreshing and exuberant.
A really indictment on Southgate and co.
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Not many teams lower in confidence than Barcelona right now.
But Napoli is one of them.
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As for Barca…
Too often possession feels like a struggle. Pedri is on the fringes when he could/should be taking control. I don’t mind verticality but the (starting) front-line doesn’t warrant it. Not enough killers.
Yamal and Ansu change that. Very very excited to see more.
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The best Barca teams have had South American forwards who associate naturally when space is unlocked. This team needs more tabelas.
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I really think this pre-season has produced more questions than answers for Xavi.
The best front line, Pedri’s role, possession dynamics, even Lewandowski’s importance - all under scrutiny. Plus half the defence is injured again.
Sunday is going to be very interesting indeed.
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Pablo Torre is really balling rn.
I still sense that his physicality is holding him back at the higher level, but it’s got to be worth keeping him around for pre-season at least.
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Spainelona will probably control every game in this tournament.
Still convinced their fate will be decided by the performance of their forwards.
So far so good!
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Hate to say it but a lot of attacks dying at the feet of Lewandowski.
As the guy with the freedom to become a +1, he’s got to be more reliable between the lines.
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This era is so nostalgic even though it only really lasted a couple of months
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This has been a long time coming. Do not take this for granted.
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My biggest challenge for this match review is to express in words how good Pedri is.
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A big misconception I see about Xavi’s Barca:
People see 4 midfielders and 3 centre backs on the team sheet and assume it’s a ‘box’ midfield. That’s not the case.
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Why do City start seasons slowly? Why does it take time for new players to look comfortable?
If I had to guess: because people underestimate how hard it is to coach positional play to a high level.
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technique, dynamism, explosiveness is massive. He’s an elite player and an intuitive one, who given enough freedom can control a game.
However, he is *not* a consistent match winner. He doesn’t affect the final third often enough to be given *unlimited* freedom. He’s not Messi.
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If Messi returns to Barca, the assumption is that he’ll play as a right interior in a 3-2-5. It’s what I suggested in my video and it makes sense tactically.
But the problem is, it kinda ignores a big part of Xavi’s coaching ideology…
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A random thought I couldn’t fit in the Messi video… I think Ansu Fati would be a big winner.
All of a sudden there’s loads more creativity in the team for him to feed off. Put him in the left half-space and he’d feast on those Messi through-balls.
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In a team without a reliable pivot, the intensity, coverage, ball-winning that Gavi gives you (along with his exceptional technique) is priceless.
The puzzle was beginning to be pieced together. Now the nature of the puzzle itself has changed.
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Ferran/Alba connection. Pedri at RCM between the lines. Gavi making direct runs into the left half-space.
I’m watching XaviBall again.
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Defensively, everything looks harder when you don’t have a ball-winning DM.
That said, you can mitigate the problem by being smarter on the ball. Be patient, avoid early turnovers and get set to counter-press.
Less immediate threat but more balance.
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Really hope Gavi is the one playing deeper on the left next to Frenkie, with Gundogan higher up on the right. I like the idea of Gavi evolving there.
Plus I think Gundo more advanced provides loads more threat.
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The sad thing is that tactics, philosophy etc. all become irrelevant without good squad planning, development and investment in players.
It’s criminal that Busquets could leave Barcelona and we don’t know who’s next in line. The literal foundation of the team! Never, ever again.
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Scaloni’s 4-3-3 yesterday was completely unexpected - and genius.
Analysis happening as we speak.
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Rewatched the Betis game and Frenkie was virtually flawless on the ball. He gives so much security in possession, is creating triangles everywhere. Progressive via carries, passes. In perfect sync with Pedri.
But getting this midfield right is a real issue of balance.
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Koundé’s arrival means five right-footed centre backs at Barca. Is that a problem?
Let’s look at some basic buildup principles, and whether the lack of a lefty will hurt Xavi’s team 👇
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Rewatching the game. The first 45 was the best of the season.
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Results-wise, Barca are a team that don’t take their chances, and concede from very little.
They don’t make any difference in the margins (set pieces, individual brilliance), and a lack of quality in the final third continues to frustrate.
Feels like the story of the season.
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