We have been through different moments as FC Barcelona fans this season. from the start of the season when we still had the fears from last season s disappointment to the middle of the season when we were winning but it seemed there was no pattern to our play.
After falling in love with a team with a specific style of play what we we were witnessing then was a team without a clear plan but with an idea.
The idea was clearly to make the team as dynamic as possible while utilizing all its best best players to their strengths while still staying true to its identity. it surely was a difficult job to do. moving away from a style of play that brought so many success and love from all over the world has simply been difficult. but with the stalwarts of that great era not being who they used to be with the exception of Messi .
It has become inevitable. The team simply has to evolve. The chaotic transfers over the years have luckily left us with the best front line in the world. A midfield not on the same level as a team like Real s midfield and a defense that is lucky to have Pique at his best again. The goalkeeping department is at its strongest level in quite a while.
Making a competitive team out this squad is the challenge that Enrique has had to face this season and after the Real Sociedad game he has found a method that seems to be the best for this squad.
After starting the season with a 4-3-1-2 ish kinda formation with Messi in the hole.
It simply didn't work with the return of Suarez from suspension with this formation having him play as a right forward.
Luis Enrique has gone back to the classic Barca 4-3-3. Having Messi start out as a right winger and Neymar as an inside forward with Luis Suarez holding down the centre forward spot putting to bed all previous assumptions that Messi cant play with a centre forward or that he destroys centre forwards at FCB. The clear fact now is that those strikers were clearly not good enough to play with him.
A first choice midfield combination of Busquets Iniesta Rakitic has emerged and with the current squad it seems to be the best combination. With Iniesta in the old Deco role and Rakitic playing as himself ( i cant put him as someone else as he brings unique qualities to this Barca team).
Busquets holding down the midfield pivot position things have settled and we are already in a cup final while still alive in all competitions. The defense is also clearly better than that of last season ad we no longer have our hearts in our mouth from every counter attack we face in each match as the case was last season. A big part of that to Gerard Pique who looks to be in his best ever form and credit to Enrique for his work on the big man.
The GK position is as settled as the front line as we no longer after to experience the same feelings from last seasons Pinto experience ( how did we get to that).
Now I will take a look at the few areas where improvements can be made which are the midfield and the defense.
The midfield is clearly not as talented as in the previous glorious years. Mind you that midfield was one of a kind. But still considering the way we play now with less control and more direct passes and counter attacking. One thing i can say is we deserve far more than we are getting from Iniesta.
Gone are the days of tiki taka when he didn't have to contribute many goals and assists ( heck! even then he gave some) now he simply has to improve his numbers. ten goals and ten assists wouldn't be too much to expect from both our central midfielders. Rakitic at least looks like he would get something like that this season while Iniesta has not even started yet. we cant depend on our front three alone for the goalscoring and creativity.
We no longer seek control of all our matches. That's what this new style is about cue Villarreal 2nd leg copa del rey 1st goal and Iniesta chance best describes what am talking about. Facing an opponent who were in our face, our front line conjured a goal out of a long pass from defense. moments later an almost replica of the chance fell to Iniesta and he couldn't take the chance. when facing a team if better quality taking these chances and more support from our midfield for our front line will be the difference between winning and not winning. Iniesta simply has to up his game greatly or the new board should bring in a central midfielder as the statement signing.
Someone with real quality both on the ball and without it and with more room for growth would be perfect. (Pogba). A midlfielder like that will ensure we can go toe to toe with the likes of Real Madrid and Chelsea. Also with Busquets evolution into a Xabi Alonso type of deep lying playmaker we can be safe in that spot ( I love Mascherano but his best qualities work for us in defense ).
The defense is a position with lots of work to be done even after all the signings of this season ( shows how bad the board let things get) Pique is my only sure bet any day any time. Alba offers pace and effort but that's it. For a full back of FC Barcelona standards his crosses are not even on the same level as ex player Maxwell now of PSG.
Lots of play goes down his flank with little end product. The only quality cross that comes to mind from him this season is his assist for Suarez s goal against Man City. He also has yo improve on his interplay as they often times end with him going back on running into a cul de sac. if he needs someone to build his game on David Alaba of Bayern is the one.
Now to the other flank where Alves still patrols. Its as clear as day light that the club legend is simply not who he used to be, even if his interplays are only rivalled by Marcelo s . But that's it when it comes t his positives. the negatives pile up. his tackling are worse for someone who was never a Philip Lahm kind of tackler. Wingers and opposing full backs make it past him too easily and he allows too much pressure on our defense. His bad crossing is now expected and with his age he is no longer as rapid as he used to be. The board had an opportunity to improve this position but instead bizarrely brought in a full back of even lower standard than Montoya who is a fine full back but we don't do 'fine' we do world class. A full back with real crossing ability to advantage of our more direct play and an equally excellent level of football intelligence and defensive nous is desperately needed. (Damian or Bellerin).
The centre back positions only have one vacancy with Pique now a sure fire starter. Mascherano is not tall enough and he is not a natural centre back but he looks to be our best option alongside Pique simply because Mathieu is not of the require standard he is at best a squad player even if has and will continue to prove useful for the most expensive defender aged over 30 in football history. Bartra is still learning his trade and he is too similar to Pique unless he adds more qualities to his game. While we can only stay positive regarding Thomas Vermaleen. At his best he would be perfect alongside Pique but after so many injuries and his age the big question is if he can return to be that player.
Luis Suarez Scoring The Winning Goal in the last El Classico
We can be positive that we would have a better season than last time around and if we are lucky ( the best teams don't always win the champions league) can end up with an if it happens, an even better treble than 2009. If we improve on our consistency in the league after defeating Real in the classico the team has enough motivation to keep it going. A run of ten straight wins in the league is not something beyond a team like FC Barcelona.
We can be positive that we would have a better season than last time around and if we are lucky ( the best teams don't always win the champions league) can end up with an if it happens, an even better treble than 2009. If we improve on our consistency in the league after defeating Real in the classico the team has enough motivation to keep it going. A run of ten straight wins in the league is not something beyond a team like FC Barcelona.
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