The Thing About Xavier…
By: Laurie | May 1st, 2008
Here’s the thing about Abel Xavier.
People write in the comments about how horrible he is, saying things like, “So how does the ball get under Xavier’s feet once again, causing Franklin to say WT* as it gets to Razov. That goal was purely Xavier’s fault. Cronin covered, Franklin moves it wide, and Xavier looks for his walker to help himself get up.” And I think, “Yes!! They’re right!”
And then people write in the comments about how he’s a quiet powerhouse and seriously underestimated, and they say things like, “Xavier is one of the biggest differences I have seen the past two games on defense. He consistently gets to the headers that our shorter defenders have no chance at, and his organization of the back line helps to overcome the lack of experience in Cronin (as it’s usually the keeper that provides that structure).” And I think, “Yes!! They’re right too!!”
How can they both be right? And yet they are.
Another thought, from NathanHJ in his weekly Soccer by Ives column:
On defense, I love Abel Xavier in the air, but he’s also good for about three howlers a game and Saturday night they were worth two Chivas goals. Getting juked by Kljestan (what a move and shot – I hope he packs that for Beijing) and then absolutely bungling the cross that (eventually) led to Razov’s strike are two reasons he always gives me heart palpitations when he’s on the field.
And, of course, he’s right too.
So what do you think. Keep him? Dump him? Is his experience worth the “howlers”? Does what he offers counterbalance the mistakes? And how many of the mistakes are his fault, and how many are just a back line that can’t quite cut it at the moment? And what’s the answer?
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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Xavier is a slug – the slowest of the slowest!
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Abel is awful. For some reason he cannot seem to stay on his feet. He lunges out at players a lot and thats why he gets beat. That and he’s really slow. Another thing, the guy is overpaid. He makes somewhere around $100,000 or higher. I’d say dump him only to have some more cap room, which the galaxy desperately need.
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Laurie, I will not disagree that there are defenders who are more agile of foot and when faced with one-on-one coverage of younger and faster forwards, he is not going to produce the spectacular dispossessions routinely, but his savvy and leadership are crucial to providing direction for our backline. Add to that his aerial prowess and I don’t see how one could say he is not a positive for the Galaxy when he is in the game.
As for the Kljestan play, Klein had moved too far forward leaving Xavier to defend the entire right center side with no help. That was a gambit by Klein that did not pay off and left Xavier on an island. I think its safe to say that if Landon were to be in a similar spot with any other team’s center back, the results would be the same. Hats off to Kljestan for a great move and shot. It was more his skill than Xavier’s lack thereof that led to that goal. The ball between the legs later… well, that was not a thing of beauty, but it is not enough to outweigh the merits of his contributions elsewhere.
In the end, we have outscored our opponents 7-3 since Xavier came back into the line-up and a lot fewer long balls are dropping to the feet of the opposition in our third of the pitch. I see no reason to make any change at the moment. As the season progresses, the line will gel, as it already seems to be with move of Franklin to the center alongside Xavier. Go Galaxy!
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I think that we keep him because he does know his stuff back there and yeah hes slow but not really. I watched him chase down DeRo a few weeks ago at the HDC. He just gets faked out easier now days. Also the move by Sasha would have gotten many defenders. Now with saying that, him and Vanney not going to work. So who would be the easier one to get rid of I think Vanney he is younger haha and we just got him this year we could say oh hes just not fitting in here in playing time with X. Or we can keep them both and sub them in for each other and drop Pete and hmmm I am sure there is a couple more. Pick up a few more young guys and keep building young guys the way we are. Let Valentin play also.
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I’m trying to think of this in the context of the best back lines being close units that know and trust each other. The box sort of becomes their house (I love when they say keeping the goal clean). Probably the most important thing is that the keeper is part of the unit and that they know and trust his skills and eye. Whatever their deficiencies as players, which we all see, they’re are compounded by the fact that the Galaxy defense are mostly new to each other and that the keeper is both green and finding(?) his confidence.
As others have said, maybe Gullit wants Abel for his experience and what he can teach the rest of the defense–whether or not he can still do those things himself. You can tell how smart he is and how well he knows the game and its world from his interviews. Is he worth it on the pitch? I’m also nervous watching him, my pet peeve being that he passes back so much (I would have said ALWAYS, but that may be improving this season).
Definitely not sure both Vanney and Xavier are needed for experience. BTW, its not necessarily their ages that make them slow. Defender have longer careers than players up front and some keep up until pretty long in the tooth. I’m pretty sure the nimble and experienced combo is pretty pricey.
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p.s. I never forget the basketball saying, “offense sells tickets, defense wins games.”
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Ooo, ooo, I got quoted! I got quoted!
I had to edit my entry for space and what I left out was that I also think that Xavier has very good positioning. Between those two thing (ability in the air and positioning) he’s still got value.
But yes he’s slow and he takes more chances than I’m comfortable with. The lunging comment is right on. If he had Michael Parkhurst’s positioning, I wouldn’t care about his speed, but while he’s good, he’s not quite that good and I think that’s why he’s good for 3 major mistakes a game.
He’s also expensive. I’d be willing to dump him if I didn’t think defensive depth was already a problem and that the G’s hadn’t already stipped themselves of good options to help them make trades.
I think if the G’s have a great season, you might see Landon Donovan decide the time is now to get back to Europe. He’d bring a nice transfer fee and the G’s could use that and the end of his cap space to get a slew of new good players.
Not saying I want Landon to go. Just looking at what could be one possibility.
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Just my 2 cents but as a defender in my own amateur career, Xavier is my favorite player on the field for the Galaxy as of late. Sometimes he’s slower than the younger players, and sometimes his height trips him up more than it helps him, but it’s his experience that this team needs more than anything. Just like Beckham has brought a European sensibility to the front, (people actually making runs and starting to realize the places that the ball can successfully be placed for a good offense) Xavier runs the back line with his own knowledge of the game, knowing the best places to be to stop the opposing offense. The times that we get caught are usually when he’s been left all alone back there, and yet he still gives it his all. Not only that, but he also merges well with Beckham to slow the tempo when we get control and begin a good offense.
And finally, as if to nullify my own opinion in the face of throngs of Klein supporters, I would suggest that Klein is the liability in the Galaxy defense. He is out of position more often than not (and yes, I know that is sometimes due to his forward runs, but he needs to communicate those with the other players so that we’re not constantly caught off guard). And honestly, 19 out of every 20 balls he plays are terribly off target! I will admit he’s gotten better in the past couple of games, but he is without a doubt the player I would be least sorry to see go from this team.
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Mentally, more often than not Xavier makes and acts on correct decisions. Physically, he’s unable to keep up in MLS.
In American soccer, though the pace is constrained by the heat and the resulting physical limitations of travel, is still highly dependent on athletic ability and physicality.
He’d make a great coach for our young defenders. Indeed on the field he’s a great example for them to emulate but because of his age and declining ability, Gullit has to make a choice between the eventual diminishing returns of experience versus a player that can keep up with the run of play.
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I think you are off on the Klein statements and I am at every home game and I do pay attention to the players on the pitch.
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I brought a friend from England to the last game and within 20 minutes he was talking about how terrible Klein was. I told him that Klein is usually an excellent player and provides some real offensive prowess. But we then counted at least four times when Chivas came down that right side and Klein was nowhere to be seen – at least once resulting in a goal. Much as I love Klein, I think the Galaxy would be better trading him for a true right back (hmmm… Albright anyone?).
Xavier is a very tough player and adds some much needed heft to the Galaxy back line. He is a little slow and players can get past him. But I think most of his mistakes come when Klein is out of position or a central defensive midfielder doesn’t give cover.
When his teammates are out of position and he is stretched, he doesn’t play as well. When he can sit in central D and do his thing, he is pretty good at plugging the hole.
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Didn’t I read that Albright was injured again? I checked the NE website and can’t find an injury list.
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I’ve seen Xavier play great, play decent, and play horribly. Ultimately, I think that he has more worth to LA than Vanney does, but if we could trade or drop Xavier for the cap space, we should (heck, our defense can’t be any worse).
I think Klein has never had a real chance to show his skills with the Galaxy, since he’s had to play right back since last season. He’s not a defender, and I think he’s done a great job, all things considered…
Perhaps local boy Carlos Bocanegra would be willing to come over and shore up the backline?
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Yeah Chris is hurt again seems to be his thing.
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Albright is hurt again, so it may have been a good sell and I hate to say that ’cause I really like Albright. Klein plays well at times and then is just off base. The issue I see with him is his speed back at the defense, at midfield he’s a better player. X-man is very hot/cold, when he’s on he plays well and looks solid but at other times, not so much!
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I am sorry to say this but he is just too old. The money should have been spent on Ty Harden. Any man who goes into another field for what he must do needs to be contacted and begged to come back. That is honor, integrity, and determinatio; all three characteristics of the best central backs of the world. Plus Harden’s best games seem to have been when Abel wasn’t on the field, sound familiar to anyone this season with Franklin. Too many people are enamored with EPL on resumes. We need to sign American players who can play to big initial contracts. Splash some cash. NFL and NBA teams have great lists of the biggest busts, I want MLS to have a list of biggest busts of number one draft picks. Waste money on some kid coming out of UCSB, because all the others who stay will be worth it. How many top level players leave the u.s for junk second division scandanavian leagues. God Bless America, is that what have become, a feeder league to towns Google doesn’t have a map for. Cut Abel, he needs to go retire in the south of France.
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I’m not a big fan of the Galaxy’s recent line-up churning, so I think that any trade or waiving has to be likely to really help the team before it’s worth considering. Marginal improvements in quality aren’t enough to offset significant upheavals in chemistry.
That said, I don’t think the Galaxy can continue to pay and play both Xavier and Vanney, so I think Bravo should be looking to upgrade at least one of them. And then there’s Pete Vagenas. Given MLS’ wage scale, I don’t think it’s a good idea to have Vagenas, Vanney, and Xavier taking about $400k of the team’s cap space. For that kind of money, we could pay $250k for a solid, more mobile central defender and have enough left over to pick up two or three useful squad players.
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Just a thought on Klein. Could the right side be weaker because Beckham isn’t getting back on defense as much and therefore Klein is picking up that slack?
I remember thinking, while watching England v. France, “Wow, Becks is really tracking back on defense a lot.” I hadn’t seen a lot of that in the preseason, and I still don’t see a lot of it now unless he’s getting pissed at how poorly the team is playing.
That doesn’t mean that I think Beckham needs to get back more. That’s not necessarily his role on the team. If he got back more, how many offensive chances would we miss? So the decision makes sense to have Beckham and Klein where they are — it’s just that there will always be weaknesses in each player and in each player’s position.
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jen, I agree that is the problem. Since the pre-season I’ve thought that Gullit was trying to make Klein and Beckham into the type of right side partnership that Real Madrid had with Beckham and Sergio Ramos and Manchester United had with Beckham and Gary Neville. Which was even more fluid and overlapping than those positions usually play — something that is generally more common on both flanks in Spain anyway.
The problems are that few right backs have Ramos’ speed and not many have Neville’s eye/instincts, and also the issue you point out which is that, until the Galaxy’s passing gets sharper and midfield is able to keep and move the ball more effectively, Beckham is best used up front. Not just for getting the ball directly into striking position, but for generally organizing the movement in the offensive area, and particularly for the kind of partnership that has created so many of Donovan’s chances — which don’t all come from direct assists.
When Becks didn’t look too cheerful at the beginning of the season, my observation was that he’s never liked having his real estate limited and I was REALLY impressed with Gullit for being able to do so (if anyone wants to know who’s in charge that would definitely clinch it).
Well and good to say Beckham can serve from the back because his long balls are accurate but that requires an offense that has great timing and first touch and is really good with possession — which would mostly mean Donovan and Becks at this point…so…basically everything comes together as the players improve. I think Klein has been great given the constraints and will certainly be key in developing the “youngsters” (Gullit’s word).
Anyway, who plays right mid-field if Beckham gets called up for national duty?
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Klein lol, and we throw some one else at RB.
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Exactly. Klein will play right mid and someone else will play right back.
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Im one of those “Xavier is rubbish” people. Yes, he great (did I just say that?) in the air, but that is it!
Slow, slow, slow…can’t man mark, leaves his feet way too often. Watch a replay of any game he’s in…count how many times he tries to slide tackle…now watch the other team central defenders and count. No contest, Xavier wins! He costs us goal after goal after goal, those header wins, just cant be worth it.Posted from
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According to LA Soccer News, Jazic may be back in soon. Not sure that will make much a difference, but could change things.
http://www.lasoccernews.com/teams/galaxy2.php?article_id=2819
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Xavier makes me nervous…really nervous. I mean really, really, really nervous. But not because he’s bad – he isn’t “bad” by a longshot. He’s a very solid defender, but his problem is that his body can’t do the things his mind wants him to do. In his head, he’s still the player he was back in Europe. Often he’s in great defensive position, but blink your eyes and he’s not. He simply can’t make the runs he used to make.
Or he simply doesn’t give any credit to his opponents, which is possible for a guy like X.
Either way, it’s frustrating as a fan that he hasn’t learned a lesson by getting burned a few times.
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Abel Xavier is the best defender of LA Galaxy, and is portuguese
PORTUGAL FOREVER
US suck’s
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