Xavi vs. Pirlo - Let's Revisit This In Our Own Way

jibers wrote:Right, generally I have refrained from posting seriousl;y seeing as most of the forum just troll. But this thread I will try and return to my old ways-ish.

Look, I have tried to fight it, I have argued with Alex back and forth of Xavi's merit, but the fact is, Xavi is the better football player. I will say that Xavi has become slightly more negative (I don't care what key passes stats say, I know what I see with my eyes). Yesterday for me well, Pirlo was better, but when I think about their jobs, it is hard to say. The whole systems arguement is a load of bull as Pirlo has played in a system for years at Milan and played his typical regista position for Juventus. Xavi on the other hand, as much as it pains me to say this, is the quite possibly the best dictating CM I have ever seen. For whatever reason, be it system, or the players, the point is that he did wat no other cm has done. Xavi's vision is better and he is better at keeping the ball than Pirlo, hell the best I have evr seen bar maybe iniesta. Those two just never lose the ball. On a technical level, Xavi is better at what a good dictating Cm needs. Pirlo is a riskier player, but if we use the sytems arguement, that could be because more players in Juventus and Milan run in behind the defence. There is a reason that Messi has the higher assist and goals in Barcelona.

I have rewatched a lotof Barcelona matches from 09 season and the 2011 season especially and you sort of notice that Xavi kind of performs two jobs as a central mf, he brings the ball from deep and he distributes it to the front line. Pirlo sprays diaginal balls to the wings and in front of the running forward. My point is as I stated in the last post, they are very different players, andplay in very diferent set ups, so for me, in terms of comparing achievments it is hard. Same thing with scholes as well. Xavi has shown he can perform in a two man mf as he did in the EUros in 08 with Senna helping out.

What bugs me is when people say that Xavi is A LEVEL above PIrlo. Xavi is better than Pirlo, but I would say they are still in the same league. Although this past season I feel that Pirlo did ore for his team than Xavi did (Xavi was suffering from Achilles tendon issues, but again, it is what it is). Xavi's consistency over the last 4 years has been unreal, only Messi has been more consistent for me over the same period (I'm leaving that freak out of this ASAP!)

One problem I find with Pirlo is that when he is man marked like a few games in serie A this season he became ineffective, whereas I can only think of Banega in the last 4 years having a better game than Xavi and taking him on. So what is the basis of this arguement? Last season, it was Pirlo, the SPain vs Italy game, Pirlo edges it for me only becasue of the assist, but Xavi dictated the way Spain played, but is that not more down to the playing styles? See what I did there? My point is that Barcelona have shown that they can have that amount of possession and so have Spain without Xavi, but when Pirlo's missing from both his sides, they literally look lost.

To finish my debate on this, I would say Xavi is the superior player, but the gap is nowhere as big as people are making it out to be.

paxtonpale wrote:Tbh, Pirlo wasn't that great against Spain. Xavi absolutely bossed him around though when he did have the ball, he did string in some good passers. I thought Xavi again, bossed him around and Pirlo was always chasing him around. Del Piero was the one who really made the difference for Italy.

MrDeeds wrote:

paxtonpale wrote:Tbh, Pirlo wasn't that great against Spain. Xavi absolutely bossed him around though when he did have the ball, he did string in some good passers. I thought Xavi again, bossed him around and Pirlo was always chasing him around. Del Piero was the one who really made the difference for Italy.

lmao. Are you serious? Did he even play against Italy?

BarcaKizz wrote:

Cotes wrote:

@ 1:10 Pwning Vagi(Xavi)
@ 1:14 Pwning Iniesta
@ 1:25 Pwning Alonso
@ 1:38 & 3:00 Pwning Busquets
@ 3:32 Pwning Fabregas
& basically everyone pwned Arbeloa... :p

lol... that video actually lessened your argument... Particularly the moments you've picked out... He didn't actually 'pwn' half of those guys at all lol

The best was how you mentioned Busquets at 1.38, when its actually Busquets pulling a move on Pirlo... at the time I thought, wow... that was nice, he owned Pirlo. I can't see how that counts as well played by Pirlo, he gets owned and concedes a foul.

If you wanna find little highlight vids good for you.. I could do exactly the same. Pirlo's dribble for the goal was wicked, but Xavi did some jizz-worthy plays in this game as well. At one point near the end he kept the ball and turned away from 2-3 players who were right on top of him (one of them Pirlo), I thought that was quite symbolic really. Then another notable one he did a beautiful run and one-two'd it past 2 players.

Both players played well, and I perfectly accept someone saying Pirlo shaded it, but I don't agree. I definitely don't agree that Pirlo OWNED Xavi.

Cotes wrote:

BarcaKizz wrote:

Cotes wrote:

@ 1:10 Pwning Vagi(Xavi)
@ 1:14 Pwning Iniesta
@ 1:25 Pwning Alonso
@ 1:38 & 3:00 Pwning Busquets
@ 3:32 Pwning Fabregas
& basically everyone pwned Arbeloa... :p

lol... that video actually lessened your argument... Particularly the moments you've picked out... He didn't actually 'pwn' half of those guys at all lol

The best was how you mentioned Busquets at 1.38, when its actually Busquets pulling a move on Pirlo... at the time I thought, wow... that was nice, he owned Pirlo. I can't see how that counts as well played by Pirlo, he gets owned and concedes a foul.

If you wanna find little highlight vids good for you.. I could do exactly the same. Pirlo's dribble for the goal was wicked, but Xavi did some jizz-worthy plays in this game as well. At one point near the end he kept the ball and turned away from 2-3 players who were right on top of him (one of them Pirlo), I thought that was quite symbolic really. Then another notable one he did a beautiful run and one-two'd it past 2 players.

Both players played well, and I perfectly accept someone saying Pirlo shaded it, but I don't agree. I definitely don't agree that Pirlo OWNED Xavi.

we can continue this arguement all u want...
Pirlo is still ahead
2 matches with 1 goal & 1 assist...
while Xavi, well that's all there is to say