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Xavi needs to inject more urgency into Barcelona’s play

The performance at Alaves wasn’t anywhere close to being acceptable for Xavi, Joan Laporta or Barcelona’s supporters.

The hosts did next to nothing in the game, especially in the opening 45 minutes, but Barca couldn’t take advantage and that’s a real problem.

At half-time, the stats showed the visitors had enjoyed 72 percent possession.

Possession-based stats are all well and good if there’s actually an end product of course, and time and again that wasn’t provided.

Sergino Dest certainly didn't cover himself in glory after being handed a surprise start by Xavi, but he was hardly the only one who deserved criticism.