By writing it all down, this can help me (and maybe you too) make sense of everything that happened from August to December.
This is the story of FC Barcelona’s 1st part of the season broken down into 4 chapters.
Chapter 1 : “THE FIRST DRAFT“
From August until end of September. This was Valverde’s first draft. The idea he insisted on by starting the same 11 multiple times in order to build understanding & mechanisms between players.
The pressing and the tempo of play were higher than the previous season. This translated into offensive impact, but too many goals conceded due to a lack of control and poor defensive transitions (especially on the right flank, something that was expected).
Like a lost island in midfield, Busquets’ struggles brought back memories of the Luis Enrique era and were the symbol of this phase.
Chapter 2 : “BETTER CALL ARTHUR”
From October until mid-November. The main differences were Arthur’s introduction in midfield, and Coutinho replacing Dembélé upfront. Also Messi’s absence in most games due to injury (alternatively replaced by Rafinha or Dembélé).
This translated into more control & stability. The team retains ball possession longer & higher on the pitch. Busquets doesn’t have to run up & down every 30 seconds. The lines are more compact, there are more players closer to the ball carrier, which means the counter-pressing is more effective if/when the ball is lost. Also, a less crowded left side meant more free spaces for Alba’s runs. The team had its best performances of the season during this period of time (Tottenham, Real Madrid, Inter Milan x2).
Chapter 3 : “A MOMENT OF CONFUSION”
Last 2 weeks of November. Messi is back in the starting 11. But the collective play loses its fluidity. The defensive solidity reached in Chapter 2 seems gone and the issues with the desynchronized high pressing are more apparent than ever. The loss against Betis at Camp Nou (tactical analysis of the game here) epitomizes the situation perfectly.
The good news is that Dembélé starts to have a bigger impact on games (mostly as a super sub), while also solving some issues that made him lose his spot (the constant lost balls in dangerous areas). At the same time, Coutinho starts showing signs of being stuck.
It’s time for Valverde to do the 2nd big adjustment of the season.
Chapter 4 : “SQUAD POWER“
The entire month of December. Dembélé definitely takes Coutinho’s spot in the starting 11. Arthur & Roberto’s injuries meant Vidal & Semedo had more playing time.
With his energy and capacity to be impactful in both boxes, Rey Arturo brought counter-pressing & ability to track back to block counters (thus compensating Busquets & Rakitic’s slowness) and, with Semedo’s good run of form, brought that right side back to life.
If Arthur is classical music, Vidal is Rock’n Roll. The Chilean is an interesting alternative to the Brazilian :
– More presence between the opponent’s lines, thus a passing option to break free from any unproductive horizontal play.
– A perfect complement to Messi’s movements. The quality of his movements as a “fake forward” means defenders keep an eye on him instead of following Messi when the latter drops deep.
Dembélé, Semedo & Vidal play all the important games in December at a high level. The clean sheets are back : only 2 goals conceded, both in non important games (Cultural Leonesa, Tottenham). Signs of physical fatigue appear in the last minutes of these games, but the team shows cohesion & solidity to overcome it.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE SECOND PART OF THE SEASON
Of course, there are still issues to solve and potential problems. What about the drop in intensity in the last 20 minutes? What if Alba (a key player without a substitute at a respectable level) is injured? Will we pay the price of Busquets & Rakitic not rotating & resting more often ? Will the new recruit, Murillo, be able to perform at a high level so we can finally rest Piqué? How will Valverde “reactivate” Coutinho?
But after 4-5 months, the team is now more used to the new system. Usual substitutes showed they can perfectly do the job if called up to start (thank you Lenglet!). Dembélé taking Coutinho’s spot in the starting 11 is a proof of a stronger & fair competition within the squad. Each player now showed what he can bring to the table (Arthur for control, Vidal for energy, Aleña for freshness upfront etc) and some go-to mechanisms start to appear.
There are enough reasons to be optimistic. Obviously, the cup tournaments (Copa del Rey & Champions League) are hard to predict and the outcome partly depends on random factors (the team’s form in the moment, the opponent’s level, a refereeing decision etc… ). But in LaLiga, the competition that really rewards a team’s consistency according to its level, Barça has a high probability of winning it again. Let’s hope for the best 🙂 Visca Barça 🔵🔴
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