Barcelona fans are feeling the pressure as their beloved team struggles to maintain their form in the La Liga. The Blaugrana suffered yet another setback as they failed to score or win their third straight game, losing out on the chance to extend their lead at the top of the table. Their latest draw against Getafe saw them play poorly once again, and fans are starting to wonder if the team’s glory days are behind them. With two tough games looming ahead, Barça needs to regroup quickly if they want to stay on top and secure their spot in the title race.
Barcelona fans would probably prefer to forget the team’s performance against Eibar on Sunday, but it serves as a stark reminder just how much they’re missing Pedri, Frenkie De Jong and Ousmane Dembélé. It’s impossible to deny the sheer difference these three players make to the Barça attack, bringing creativity, invention and poise that is sorely missed when they’re out injured. While solutions may be sought in their absence, it’s clear that the team is at its strongest when these three are on the pitch together. This season has proved that sometimes, the most valuable players are the ones who are missed the most when they’re gone. If Barcelona want to avoid any stumbles in their title race, the return of Pedri, De Jong and Dembélé cannot come soon enough.
Xavi Hernández has been under fire lately, and it’s hard to ignore the criticism being hurled at him. While we can all afford a bit of leniency when it comes to analyzing the performance of someone in charge, it’s impossible to excuse the team’s poor performance under his leadership. With three key offensive players on the bench, the team can’t seem to get its act together. A lot of this is being blamed on Xavi, and for good reason. Starting two left-backs against a back five was a poor decision, and he waited far too long to make necessary substitutions to correct his error. In retrospect, he should have made some adjustments to select a lineup that would have made sense in the first place.
Robert Lewandowski is one of the all-time greats in football. With his impeccable strike rate and clinical finishes, he has been a lethal weapon for any team he has played for. But it’s really hard to understand why he is not getting the support he deserves in the game. The refusal to give minutes to players like Pablo Torre and Angel Alarcón when the attack is looking so out of whack is sad to watch. Without the likes of Pedri, Frenkie, and Dembélé, the entire gameplan should be to feed Lewandowski with the ball as much as possible, in as many different ways as possible. It’s vital to make the most out of one of the greatest strikers of all time. But, currently, the system in place is brutally minimizing his impact, leaving him to fight against three tall center-backs throughout the game. It’s time to rethink the approach and utilize the talents of Lewandowski to their fullest potential, rather than limiting them with aimless crosses.
Xavi is the type of coach that is heavily reliant on Plan A, and when everything goes to plan his team looks unstoppable. However, when it comes to handling adversity, he seems to lack the ability and willingness to adapt to new situations. When it comes to opposing coaches making in-game adjustments or the unfortunate reality of player injuries, Xavi’s stubbornness shines through. This rigidness and inability to think on the fly proved fatal for past Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman, who started off strong but faltered due to this exact issue. If Xavi doesn’t take notice and learn from the mistakes of those before him, he may be headed down the same path. It’s time to realize that sometimes, Plan A just isn’t enough.
