Barça’s Ineffective Bang for their Buck

Barça defied the tough odds and gave us a memorable performance last week against Milan. The tide shifted from disaster to optimism and hope. We saw the old Barça that we were accustomed to seeing. The great win against Milan brought back hope and the mojo this team was lacking but also brought up a question regarding the club’s recent transfers.

FC Barcelona’s official website called Barça’s 4-0 victory a magnificent comeback. You can’t argue with them there. After all, the odds were against them and there were doubts following their lethargic displays against Real Madrid. There were talks of different lineups and formation, with one in particular from Mundo Deportivo indicating that Messi would be starting in the midfield. In the end, Tito and Roura went with what worked before, the usual starters and tactics under Pep.

There was the surprise of seeing Puyol on the bench with Mascherano starting in his place. Fortunately that Mascherano error did not haunt the team and cause a whole lot of second guessing either. Ultimately, the starting eleven got it done. Coincidentally, the starting eleven in that match where the same exact starting eleven that started that UEFA Champions League Final in Wembley against Manchester United back in 2011 with the minor exception of Jordi Alba starting in place of Abidal.

As the old saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” and what we saw from that match that these guys could get it done when they played the old system. This lineup had won before and in the end, Tito and the players went back to the old system and it paid off. However, why was this system changed in the first place? Only Tito can answer that. The bigger question though is the fact that most of the club’s recent transfers were sitting on the bench with the exception of Jordi Alba.

Jordi Alba and his transfer was a god send for this team after Abidal’s health problems. The same cannot be said for the other transfers. These past two seasons has brought us new players such as Cesc, Alexis, Song and Jordi Alba. Yet, only Alba started. So what does that say about the club and its spending? These guys were signed to be an asset and help the club. However, where were they for the big game? They were on the bench and were a non-factor.

Every summer, fans discuss about the need to sign new players to help improve this team. Why was Song signed again? When will Cesc ever show us he can replace Xavi and not be a small cog in a large wheel? Will Alexis ever become a part of the solution or just a hard worker?  We have to depend on the old guard again but the investments in these players are not paying off and that is a concern when the club has to scout again and invest in new reinforcements for the club for next season. Right now, the club is not getting the maximum bang for their buck or Euros for that matter.

2012-2013 MIDSEASON AWARDS & REPORT CARD

FC Barcelona just played half their league fixtures and it’s been a great season so far for us Cules. FC Barcelona are still competing in all 3 competitions and have an 18 point lead over their arch rivals, Real Madrid and are 11 points clear atop of the league standings from second place Atlético Madrid after accumulating 55 points from 19 matches, a new Spanish league record. The only negative was losing out on the Supercopa. So with half of the season already in the record books, it’s time to hand out the midseason awards and grades.

MVP: MESSI – It’s a no brainer, 38 goals from 29 matches. Messi has started this season on fire. He scored 50 league goals last season and has surpassed half of that total already with 28. Barring any injury, the sky is the limit for Messi as he keeps doing what he loves to do; win.

Best Goal: This was a tough one. We have seen some great goals so far this season such as Adriano’s strike against Valencia, Iniesta’s blast against Levante, David Villa’s last gasp goal in the dying seconds against Sevilla, Xavi’s rocket from outside the box against Granada and Messi’s free kicks against Real Madrid. However, I thought Adriano’s goal against Atlético Madrid was the best goal out of them all. He made it look easy by the way he got away from his markers and then unleashed a ferocious shot from outside the box that struck the bar and bounced in for the goal. It will take a special goal to top that.

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Best Assist: This was an easier choice. The teamwork between David Villa and Iniesta in the buildup for the go ahead goal against Celta Vigo was art in motion. From Villa’s back heel pass initiated what would turn out to be a beautiful goal after Iniesta glided into the box where he sucked in defenders before somehow passing the ball back to Villa for him to score.

Best Transfer: Jordi Alba. Some would say Jordi Alba’s transfer may go down as one of the best moves in club history because of his low transfer cost. However, his arrival has been so good that people seem to forget about Dani Alves as the club’s most explosive fullback. Jordi has fit in perfectly without any adjustment period and already looks like someone who has been on this team for years.

Best Youngster: Montoya. This season has been one where Barça players haven’t been hit by the injury bug like last season. Thus, not many Barça B players or newly promoted players have gotten minutes to shine. However, one player though has made a good impression this season and that player is Montoya. He has filled in for Dani Alves superbly on two different occasions against Real Madrid. One can only imagine how high his stock would have risen if his shot had went in and didn’t strike the bar against Real Madrid. I believe it’s a matter of time before we start hearing rumors that the club is looking to offload Dani Alves because they have faith in Montoya to replace him.

Most Improved: Cesc. I was very harsh on Cesc last season. He was my choice for Most Disappointing Player award last season for his invisible act in the second half of that season. He seemed to be carrying on that form early this season too but he finally snapped out of his funk and he’s been a great fit either as a left winger, false 9, or in the midfield. Hopefully he can stay injury free and keep up the good work.

Best Game: 5-4 win victory against Deportivo. Some would say Barça’s 4-0 win against Espanyol was their best of the season but, as good as the first half was, the second half was less memorable. On the other hand, that 5-4 victory against Deportivo was madness. Barça rushed to a 3-0 lead before seeing their lead shrink down to 3-2. Messi then extended their lead to 4-2 but not before Deportivo drew one back. Messi claimed his hat trick when he scored the 5th goal but it was a nervy final 11 minutes after a Jordi Alba own goal made it a 5-4 game. Barça held on and these types of victories away played a big role in why they are the league leaders and showed the good and bad that this team had to offer. Since that game, Barça have only conceded two goals or more just once in the league.

Most Disappointing Player: Alexis. Victor Valdés and Mascherano had a poor start to the season with their sloppy play in the Supercopa and Pedro had his share of scoring slump. However, Alexis’s second season with the club has been a disaster. We cannot expect him to score once every temperate seasons. I appreciate that he runs hard and works hard for the team but he is not scoring up front and that is becoming more difficult to stomach when he squanders golden scoring chances. He has to pick it up or else he is going to be looking for a new team next season. The fans showing their discontent in yesterday’s Copa encounter against Malaga was a warning sign not for the player, but for the club too.

Grades:

Goal Keepers: B. That Supercopa performance dropped it down one grade. Valdes had an iffy start but is getting better while Pinto is the same old Pinto who has his moments.

Defenders: B-. Night and Day when Puyol and Pique are back and when they are not. Why Real Madrid didn’t punish Barça when they faced them at the Camp Nou back in October without those two in the starting lineup is beyond me. Barça have benefitted from Jordi Alba’s smooth transition from Valencia player to Barça player while Adriano has been playing superbly whenever he has had to step in either as a full back or center back. Mascherano has had his moments but some would attribute it to playing alongside Song, who is not cut out for the center back position, and a young and upcoming Bartra. Dani Alves remains the X factor in which you’re not sure if he’s lost a step or motivation. Barça currently have conceded the third fewest goals in La Liga behind Malaga and Atlético Madrid.

Midfielders: A. Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets have been superb this season and Cesc getting back into the grove is even better. Song has shown flashes of Yaya-esque potential but minutes will be hard for him to come by. Thiago is back and his absence has been deeply missed.

Forwards: C. Take away Messi and the forwards core have been disappointing. Villa has been fine in his few minutes but Pedro and Alexis have been in a long scoring slump. Tello has been fine but ultimately, this team is in a lot of trouble if Messi is ever ruled out of action for a long time. These guys have got to improve the second half of the season or those Neymar rumors are only going to increase.

Coaching:  A+. Tito Vilanova has done a superb job. His first season has been a smooth ride so far as his club set a new record for most points halfway through the season. Sure, there were minor hiccups of losing out the Supercopa and the Celtic loss. Other than that, he has managed the bring the best out of Cesc again and keep the ship steady while fighting that dangerous medical ailment that we hope he can overcome for his and his family’s sake. Keep up the good work Tito.

Caution ahead for Barça in lieu of 2013

Barça head into the New Year with a great domestic advantage against their arch rivals, Real Madrid, and their closest rivals to the league crown Atlético Madrid. The 16 and 9 points cushion provides our beloved Blaugrana wonderful breathing room in their league conquest and allow them to focus on the Champions League and Copa del Rey. However, Barça should head into the new year with extra caution and not repeat past mistakes and beat themselves.

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Cules are ending 2012 on a spectacular note as they find their club 16 points ahead of arch enemy Real Madrid. Lost in all of this is the fact that Atlético Madrid are 9 points behind. That too is a great lead but Barça need to remain focused the rest of the way especially with two difficult matches coming up against Espanyol at the Camp Nou and away to Malaga. Espanyol have found a new bounce in their step under “El Vasco” Javier Aguirre while Malaga defeated Real Madrid not too long ago and have conceded the fewest goals thus far in the league. A few hiccups here and there and their lead might shrink down again for Atlético to somehow catch up to them.

I have always been a firm believer that Barça’s biggest enemy is themselves. Last season showed us how Guardiola didn’t prepare for the season with a very difficult and congested fixture that sprung fatigue and injuries towards the end of the season. When Tito returns in mid-January (fingers crossed) he has to ensure that these mistakes do not play out again.

 

First, Tito has to cut down on the matches Messi is playing. Mission impossible, I know, but one has to consider the amount of wear and tear that Messi is racking up. Last season was a perfect example where Messi had finally hit the wall near the end and struggled against Chelsea and Real Madrid. Sure, the minor injury he picked up at Stamford Bridge didn’t help but you could tell that he and his teammates were almost running on fumes. Thus, Tito has to continue rotating his players, including Messi to keep them fresh especially with the treble on the horizon.

Another issue that has to be addressed is the dependency on Messi. We have seen the likes of Pedro, Alexis and David Villa struggle to get into rhythm, or minutes for the latter, and have not had the best of seasons when it comes to scoring. These upcoming Copa games have to be used for them to snap out of their funk and get their mojo back. Perhaps, they were focused on helping Messi break the Muller record but everyone’s hearts was in their necks when Messi went down in the Benfica match. That was a match he had no business playing in and was a perfect example for the others to step up and gain from those minutes. Had that injury been severe, how optimistic would you have been to know that those trio, along with Tello and a returning Cuenca, as the other players up front? We need those players to be sharp and in goal scoring form and not watch teams shut down Barça by hounding Messi.

 

Another issue Tito has to address is David Villa. Clearly the #7 is still #1 in many hearts of the Blaugrana faithful and many, including myself, wonder how long can Villa remain patient with his lack of minutes and starts? The last thing this club needs is unhappy players. Either sell him in January or start playing him. Sure, he doesn’t drop back and defend like Alexis but he does something that Alexis and Pedro cannot seem to be doing much of lately; scoring. The club says he will be a winter signing.  Well, he better be used as such or else it will be a distraction for the media to keep addressing if he finds himself on the bench often.

Finally, the rotations should consist of the youth players getting more minutes. Bartra showed he can fill in for Pique and Puyol and is a better fit than Song as a centre-back. Let him get the occasional starts over Puyol and Pique to keep them fresh ahead of the bigger encounters such as Champions League where Puyol’s presence is much more vital. Same can be said for Montoya who has been sensational this season who might see more minutes if Dani Alves and Adriano keep picking up injuries. Thiago and Cesc are now healthy so that should mean Xavi and Iniesta should get a breather from time to time too along with Song giving Busquets some time off. We need our best to be fit and fresh for the big games.

Although it’s too soon to talk about the treble, it’s already on every Culet’s mind and New Year’s wish list.  Tito has a deep squad so he has to make the most of it for all three competitions to be prepared for all situations and not drop points which will force Tito to keep using his starters more often. 2012 has had its share of ups and downs, with it ending on a positive note. Hopefully 2013 will have mostly more ups and fewer downs. For my 100th blog entry, I wish you and your family a Happy New Year and may 2013 be wonderful to you all.

 

Blame the Federations and not FIFA.

Another unnecessary and poorly timed international fixture break was bestowed upon a few days ago. It was sandwiched in between league games. Of course, some of the matches were important such as the Asian World Cup Qualifiers but the rest were meaningless friendlies with a few memorable performances and inexcusable trips across the globe. Of course, FIFA picked this date but they should not bear the brunt of the blame. The blame falls squarely on the shoulders of the respective country’s federation.

The FIFA Virus reared its ugly head again a few days ago. Barça players had to play in meaningless friendlies which required them to play on a few days rest and training with their national teams coupled with flights across the Atlantic Ocean. Alexis Sanchez was the biggest FIFA Virus casualty when he suffered yet another injury that will keep him out up to four weeks. Barça players representing Spain flew all the way to Panama for a friendly while Dani Alves traveled to New York with Brazil to face Colombia. Messi traveled to Saudi Arabia to represent Argentina.

All the Barça players had to return and get ready for a match today.  Today! Not tomorrow, but today! So Barça players, and other club players too, had to return and get ready for another match on two day’s rest. I am sure that is exactly in the best interests of the players and the game. Many would love to spew venom at FIFA for such a meaningless decision to have International games played in such a manner but I don’t think they should bear the brunt of the blame.

They are not blameless either but I wouldn’t have objected if this window was used solely for Asian World Cup Qualifiers. However, since these games were scheduled on a Wednesday and not over a weekend, why did the rest of the world decide to schedule friendlies? This is why I place the blame squarely on the shoulders of the country’s federation. RFEF, Royal Spanish Football Federation, and other country’s federations decided to schedule the games. RFEF has been cashing on Spain’s success by scheduling them to play in friendlies in Argentina, Puerto Rico, and just recently Panama the past few years.

Countries do not have an obligation to schedule a friendly. FIFA only provides the window but the final decision lies with the Federations. Mexico, a side that is well known for playing way too many friendlies, did not participate in the glutton of friendlies on Wednesday. Obviously, the Mexican league playoffs played a part in that decision but they could have scheduled a friendly and fielded C team too. They did not! Therefore, it is possible to not see your country play a friendly on a day set aside for friendlies. So, the next time you complain about countries playing meaningless friendlies; don’t blame FIFA, but blame the Federation head honchos who decided to cash in and schedule the friendly.