Welcome to TalkBarca. Today we are going to have look at our Mid Season Performances and analyze the Weaknesses of FC Barcelona. We have already published the Mid Season Review of FC Barcelona, make sure to check it out for more details. Barcelona is on top of the La Liga Table and safely through to the Champions League Group Stage. Well, the real competition has just started.
As we progress, we are going to face tougher and tougher teams in the knockout stages of the Champions League. Meanwhile, Real Madrid is going to put a real battle for the La Liga title as they are right behind our shoulders. Therefore, at this stage of the season, we have to look at the Weaknesses of Barcelona and see what we can do about them.
If you look at our performances so far, we have not been very convincing. We have a lot of problems in our defense on top of poor tactics from Valverde. Therefore, we have to improve as a unit and capitalize on our strengths while minimizing our weaknesses to make sure we don’t crumble along the way. FC Barcelona has sacked Valverde and appointed Quique Setien as their new Head Coach which is surely going to resolve more than half of our problems. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the Weaknesses of Barcelona until the Mid Season.
Weaknesses of FC Barcelona:
It is no doubt that Barcelona has stayed unbeaten throughout December. However, there have been a lot of places where we are weak and need improvement. So, let’s have a look at the weaknesses of Barcelona this season.
Vulnerable Defence:
By this time, it is really clear that our defense is weak and under a huge crisis. We are playing with poor defensive lineup since the start of the season and it seems like the things are going to continue in the same way. Barcelona has been really lucky this season. Winning games despite our poor defense is a pure example of our good charms. Pique is not lethal and quick anymore. Furthermore, there is poor chemistry between Lenglet and him. Umtiti has been in and out due to injuries and struggling to make a place in the starting eleven.
On the other side, Jordi Alba has not been really impressive. Jordi is a legend for our club and his country. However, all good things come to an end and every rise has to face a decline. This is the case with Jordi Alba and Pique. They are getting old now and are no longer as effective as they used to be.
Semedo is a gem on the Right Back. However, he needs a lot of polishing and game sense. In terms of a quick fix, we need a strong Centre Back and someone who can partner up with Pique. We need a player who is agile, fearless, and strong. When we combine these qualities with Pique’s intelligence, we can regain a solid defense which is going to scare all attackers across Europe.
However, as we know Pique is not getting any younger. So, instead of finding a quick fix, we should be looking for a long term replacement of Pique. We had a perfect heir to Pique in the form of Todibo. However, the club has sent him on a loan to the German club FC Schalke 04. We are lacking depth in our defense and really need a new defender. We would either have to buy a new Center Back in the January Transfer Window or look at our academy player to fill the void left by Todibo.
Poor tactics:
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As we know Valverde has been sacked and the Board has replaced him with Quique Setien. This section is about the poor tactics of Valverde and I included this because Valverde was in charge until the midseason. I am pretty sure, poor tactics wouldn’t be one of weaknesses anymore since Setien is a genius. Anyways, we have to discuss what has happened so far throughout the season. So, let’s get onto it.
It is really fair to say that Valverde has disappointed several times than this season. His decisions are often pointless and stupid. Valverde often made foolish starting lineup choices that cost us in from of dropping points or getting knocked out. He benched strong players when they are needed the most and sometimes used them when they were supposed to rest.
Rakitic is a perfect example. At the start of the season, it was looking as if Rakitic would leave. Therefore, Valverde kept him on the benched in almost every game. Later, he made it clear that he wants to stay and the fans also demanded to see Rakitic on the pitch. Then, Valverde started using Rakitic in places where he does not fit. Furthermore, Valverde has played many players out of their desired positions.
We saw Valverde making De Jong play in attacking areas even when it’s clear that he is a holding midfielder. Griezmann is another case. Till this date, Griezmann has not played on his natural number 9 or false 9 position. Valverde has been using Griezmann on the Left Wing right from the start of the season. Gradually, Griezmann lost hope of playing as a striker and started to adapt to the wing. Let’s see what role he gets under Quique Setien. Especially, with Suarez out of the squad due to his injury, I am sure Quique Setien will use Griezmann in the Number 9 Role.
Lack Of Depth In Attack:
This is another issue with us. We are lacking options in the attack. We have only 4 First Team forwards including Messi, Suarez, Griezmann, and Dembele. Dembele has been out of the squad for most of the season due to injuries and we really don’t know if he would be able to stay injury-free once he comes back. Meanwhile, Suarez is going to have surgery and will be out for 4 months. This leaves us with only 2 first-choice forwards. It’s a real challenge for Quique Setien to play the rest of the season with these 2 attackers only.
This shows that we are highly under depth when it comes to our squad rotations. Yes, our youngsters are talented, and they are the next big thing, but, at the same time, they are also inexperienced. Any senior squad no matter less talented than our players is going to storm us away just because of the match experience they have.
We cannot expect to play a young squad in a Champions League Semi Final and expect them to take us through all by themselves. Also, I am actually afraid of playing our starlets like Ansu Fati in such high-pressure games simply because they can hurt their confidence. We don’t want the high demands of the fans to take a toll on youngsters like Ansu Fati. We know he has the potential to become the next superstar. However, at the same time, he may end up just like Bojan. We really need to make solid purchases in the transfer window. Otherwise, we might have to face some consequences.
Injuries:
Injuries are yet another issue Barcelona is suffering from. None of our players look 100% fit. Take a look at Dembele. How many times has he been injured this season? He comes back, plays a game or two, then gets injured again. Arthur Melo is injured as well. We started the season with Messi injured. Suarez got injured as well. Sergio Busquests also faced an injury during the season. What is wrong with us?
We need to find answers to our problems really soon, otherwise, it is going to be really late. Is there any problem with our medical staff? Or, is it a fault of our players who do not pay attention to their health? Are there any problems with our warmups or recoveries? We need to remind ourselves that we are the biggest club in Spain. We are not playing Sunday League or amateur football. Everything matters at this stage. We need to avoid injuries otherwise, our squad is going to remain hollow and this can soon fire in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Verdict:
Anyways, guys, this is it for the Analysis of the Weaknesses of FC Barcelona up to the Mid Season. I hope things will get better Quique Setien as our Coach. Are you satisfied with our performances up to this point? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below. There is a lot of news and buzz about Barca currently so make sure you stay tuned to our website. Until next time guys, Visca El Barca!
