Fixing Barcelona’s Attack.
Last time out I looked at how Barcelona could improve in defense.
Barca had a front three of Messi,Neymar and Suarez 5 years ago. 4 yrs prior to that it was Pedro,Messi,Villa and 3 yrs prior to that it was Messi,Eto’o,Henry
As I discussed in the article above replacing the old Barca is not necessarily a matter of recreating them but finding a system that has similar outputs.
There’s things Barca need from it’s attack however.
A. CREATIVITY.
Messi and Ronaldinho before him were two of history’s best creative players.
However Barca don’t need that. What Barca need is a proper wingers with the 1 on 1 ability to always beat their man and the ability to play intelligent through balls and pinpoint crosses into the box.
Messi and Ronaldinho were more 10’s rather than wingers. Barca need wingers who are skilled at putting the ball into dangerous regions in the box. The best example of such a winger is Jadon Sancho.
In addition to dribbling ability, Sancho is capable of threading through passes in for his attackers. His crossing is also dangerous, putting in low pinpoint crosses that are make it easier for the attacker to finish.
Another key source of creativity that Barcelona need to utilize is the striker. Luis Suarez showed the benefit of having a striker who can create. A striker who drops deep to collect the ball and finds his fellow attackers with his through passing. A bit like Harry Kane in 20/21 or Karim Benzema.
B. COMFORT IN TIGHT SPACES.
‘JuegoDePosicion’/ Positional Play/ ‘Tiki Taka’ the Barcelona way is something that’s become more common in European football this days. Testament to the quality of coaches they’ve had in the last 3 decades.
Barcelona need attackers who are comfortable in tight spaces. Attackers who don’t crack under pressure. Attackers capable of initiating proper 1 touch passing in the final third. It’s this quality that made Barca so dangerous in the past. Attackers had little space but never wasted the ball as they were comfortable using it.
C. MOVEMENT.
Movement is key for any attacker at the highest level. Barca needs a striker who can drop deep and link up. Barca also need wingers who no when to hold the line. When to stretch it. When to run in behind. When to move into the box.
The reason why the Salah-Mane combination is so effective is because they always know when to stay wide, when to come inside and when to run in behind. Barca need something similar as well.
D. GOALSCORING.
This goes without saying obviously. However Barca need attackers who can comfortably do 20 league goals or more in a season.
Yes goals have to come from every attacker not just the striker and one winger. Considering the fact that Real Madrid could potentially field a front three of Haaland,Mbappe and Vincius all of whom are in such form at the moment Barca have to have the same in their front three.
SO HOW DO THEY ARRIVE AT THIS?
Well it’s simple really. They already have Ferran Torres and Ansu Fati.
While I did have hopes for Ousmane Dembele it seems his time at the Camp Nou is up as contract negotiations have broken down.
Let’s have a look however at those two players mentioned above and signings they could make to provide what those two lack.
1.ANSU FATI
Inheriting the number 10 shirt at Barcelona is never a small task. You see the Barcelona number ten is special. All of Barcelona’s best players other than R9(and if there’s 9 in his nickname you know his shirt number) wore the number 10.
And rightfully so. Coaches love him. Fans love him. Board members love him. Everybody loves him. Ansu Fati was the perfect candidate.
He give something the Barcelona left side needs.
- Though he’s a right footed player playing the left, he is adept at hugging the touchline and stretching the opposition defense when needed.
- He’s insane at 1 on 1’s capable of constantly beating his man.
- He’s adept at combinations with the full back or midfielder down the flank.
- He can freely interchange with the striker and move centrally.
- He’s comfortable in tight spaces and has perfect ball control.
- He’s a very good crosser of the ball.
- He can play intelligent through balls in for his team mates.
- He’s got insane movement into space to meet crosses and through passes.
- He’s got the finishing ability and composure infront of goal that any world class goal scorer should have. He scored his first 10 career goals from 15 shots. Insane efficiency. He rarely puts a shot of target.
- He’s strong for his size and very quick.
- He has the confidence to lead Barcelona’s attack.
These are all the makings of a Mohammed Salah-Sadio Mane type player. Whether or not he reaches Cristiano-Messi heights is a different story.
2. FERRAN TORRES.
Barcelona are very lucky. Apart from Bryan Gil and Yeremi Pino, all of Spain’s brightest young attacking talent is at their disposal.
Ferran Torres had always been linked with a move to Barcelona however City pounced first and signed him. He did impress but never really got much game time at City. He asked for a move to the Blaugrana and City gave it to him.
Ferran is a master of many trades. He was likened to Cristiano Ronaldo however he’s more versatile in my opinion. He’s like a merging of Diogo Jota and Jadon Sancho.
- He can play all across the front three.
- While predominantly right footed he’s still comfortable on his left as well.
- He has pinpoint crossing ability. His passing ability is also sound, capable of threading through balls for his fellow attackers.
- He has blistering pace. His physicality could improve but effectively he’s okay.
- He’s capable of stretching the play from wide and his adeptness at 1 on 1 dribbling means he can take out two or more players from the game.
- His movement is undefeated. Always first to a ball in the box. His 1 chance 1 goal type of play means his finishing is also sound.
- His height, control and comfort in tight spaces means he can fit the demands of any Barcelona 9.
3. SIGNINGS.
Barca need either a winger who can stretch the pitch and create or a 9 who can freely rotate with the wingers as well as drop deep to play his wingers in. It all depends on how Barcelona utilize Ferran Torres. However a constant is that whomever they sign has to have an eye for goal.
If Dembele is leaving, signing a winger of his profile is not enough. Wingers of his profile are growing on trees seemingly. They need someone who is adept at one on ones and crossing(like Dembele) but also finishing.
Ousmane’s finishing has been shoddy and it needs to be improved upon. They can also get a creative 9 but it all depends on Ferran Torres.
Erling Haaland links are nice however they are unnecessary. It’s expensive and while no one is a better goalscorer than Haaland, he doesn’t have the same on the ball ability as many others in his position.
Vlahovic is also of the Haaland mould, goals but not as involved in producing them.
My alternatives:-
- Amine Gouri. He can swap with the wide players, he can drop deep and create, he’s prolific for his level. Everything Barca need.
- Karim Adeyemi. Explosive,direct and dangerous. He can operate from wide or down the middle. He’s almost perfect.
- Alexander Isak. He’s a goalscorer. He can dribble. He rotates with his attackers. He can create from the nine role. Perfect almost.
- Gianluca Scamacca. Despite being 6'5, he’s creative, a good dribble, capable on the ball, fast and has a good eye for goal.
Barca might have to go for a Dembele esque player however, they need to find someone who can bring out Dembele’s creativity but with goalscoring. Which is why I haven’t listed Antony or Gil. Ismaila Sarr or Jeremy Doku are more suited in my opinion.
CONCLUSION.
People might think that Barca need to replace Dembele as well as sign a striker but in my opinion, Barca only need one player who can score 20 goals and get 10 assists(slight overstatement but a decent number) Whether it’s a goalscoring winger or a creative number 9 what matters is that Barca have a source of creativity and goalscoring up top.
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