🔵🔴 Tactical Focus
🇵🇹 In which way João Felix and João Cancelo could improve this Barcelona team ?
Positioning, creativity...
THREAD ⤵️🧵
🇵🇹 In which way João Felix and João Cancelo could improve this Barcelona team ?
Positioning, creativity...
THREAD ⤵️🧵
I think both players have a high sense of how to position on the pitch. Concerning Joao Felix, he knows how to keep distance with his opponents, to be ideally placed to receive the ball. It will help Barca to win more sequences in midfield in possession.
Joao Cancelo, thanks to Guardiola, has developed a very good positioning too, especially in midfield, as his inverted fullback role suits him pretty well. Xavi seems to pursue this animation and Cancelo's risks he take in vertical passes can catalyze Barca's build-up a lot more.
Joao Felix needs to have freedom in his moves if you want to exploit his pass skills potential. I think he was kind of restricted in Atleti's team, explaining his difficulties to showcase his qualities. He tends to control the left side to have more time to pass the ball.
When he evoluated in a 4-4-2 at Benfica, he did those same drop-offs to have a global vision and give magnificent passes. Cancelo in midfiedl also give more security for Barca, given his pass quality too.
The fact Cancelo developed a relevant sense of positioning allows him to take spaces created from Barca's build-up, and make the difference.
His role allows Raphinha to do more runs, and second allows Gavi to take higher positions alongside Lewandowski.
His role allows Raphinha to do more runs, and second allows Gavi to take higher positions alongside Lewandowski.
Whether it be Felix or Cancelo, each player has its own space to defend/attack and they did it well yesterday. Felix attacked spaces at the right time, while Cancelo controlled the zone before penalty box.
One thing I haven't seen from Felix for a long time : the way he pressed yesterday has been relevant, and counter-pressed when Barca lost the ball. I hope for Barcelona fans he will be as disciplined as yesterday for the rest of the season concerning that part.
We talked a lot about this dummy assist from Felix. But he attempted this skill two times more, and I think it will be one of his new tricks in offensive situations. In short pockets of space, this creativity is a very good asset to breakdown low-blocks.
I said it this morning, when you don't have a support on flanks your pressing can be bypassed easily. With Cancelo's press, Xavi will improve his pressing structure, without a doubt. We have seen many recovering like that at Man City.
In transitions, Joao Felix is precious, because he waits the last second to pass the ball in the right timing. He seems to have found his speed back. That's why he could also improve Barcelona's transitions.
Whether it be Cancelo or Felix, Barcelona could gain many advantages :
Out of possession, more aggressiveness (as I said, for Felix we need to wait a little more)
In possession, more control and security on the ball (Cancelo), and control this left flank with Felix drop-offs
Out of possession, more aggressiveness (as I said, for Felix we need to wait a little more)
In possession, more control and security on the ball (Cancelo), and control this left flank with Felix drop-offs
Loading suggestions...