Barcelona: Are Barca producing shaky wins or a solid start to the season?

Barcelona have had their best ever start to a season, taking 34 from a potential 36 points in La Liga. However, is all as good as it seems?

Barcelona sit at the top of La Liga with a four point cushion over Marcelino’s raging Valencia. They sit ten points clear of both Madrid clubs. One would consider this a dream start; I do too. However, and I am not being pessimistic here, there are a few concerns that I have with Barca’s performances in the ongoing season. These concerns are, almost unnoticeable at the moment, but if left unchecked, they could prove costly in the latter stages of the season.

Barca were struck an enormous blow with the departure of Neymar. Many wrote the team off and predicted a mediocre season for the Blaugrana. However, come November and the team is flying, unbeaten in all competitions. Valverde has steadied the ship with flexible and more experimental tactics than his predecessor. He has managed to create a solid back four, who’ve let in just four goals in the Liga and one in the champions league.

A leaky defence was one of the major problems for Barca under Enrique. Valverde is also a lot more experimental in his tactical approach, playing a 4-4-2 formation alongside the usual 4-3-3. His use of Paulinho and even Alcacer has been commendable.

THE PROBLEMS

So, coming to the worrisome bit. In certain games, the team has switched off for periods as was showcased in the 2-0 win against Bilbao. Barca went missing for most of the second half and Bilbao dominated everything but possession. Even against Leganes, the most recent fixture for the club, Barca were matched if not bettered by their opposition at the Butarque. This is what is the gist of the above point. The team cannot switch off for prolonged periods as they’ve occasionally. This could cause problems against organized and energetic teams that they may encounter later on in then season.

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While they’ve been good at the back and solid elsewhere, as well, Barcelona just don’t dictate games anymore, like they used to. They dwell on the ball and  look comfortable on it but they don’t play the  mesmerizing football the of Pep days. Far from it. While this is not a definite problem, it reveals a marked change in the club style. Certain games have almost been boring to watch. Again, this may not matter too much to the pragmatic result seekers but it may to those who care about club identity.

Lastly, the over-dependence on Messi has been worrying. With Neymar gone and Luis Suarez enduring a torrid spell, all the pressure has been on Messi. He has delivered, nonetheless. However, if the Leganes game was a sign, then Suarez is back to his goalscoring best and can relieve some of the pressure off of Messi. This is only a sign, however.

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CONCLUSION

Barcelona look dominant at the moment. It seems like no one can stop them right now. However, the true tests are coming up now. Juventus and Valencia beckon Valverde’s men who’ll need to prove themselves against the best teams.