Barcelona: Arthur Melo impresses in brief cameo against PSV

The Brazilian made his Champions League debut as a late substitute with an assured display.

Arthur only joined the club in the summer, but there are high expectations around him already even though he is still settling in. The move from Gremio to Barcelona was a major step up for him due to the difference in the quality of leagues as well as the cultural variances in regards to football and generally as well.

His performances have been promising considering all that because he has adjusted well to the required standard for the style of play. It appears that Barcelona’s scouts were right to pick him out as a player with the technical ability and tactical intelligence to fit the profile the club required.

Against PSV, he only came on in the 83rd minute as a late substitute for Ousmane Dembele, who put in another top performance. Barcelona were in an abnormal shape because of Samuel Umtiti’s sending off, so they were effectively in a 4-3-2 or 4-4-1 shape depending on the in-game situation.

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He complemented Sergio Busquets nicely because he provided a mobile passing option as he kept open the passing lanes in central areas through his movement. This allowed Busquets to dissect the opposition because he always had an easy pass to relieve the pressure, so they were able to combine together to provide service to the forwards even though they were a man down. The only issue with the 30-year-old is his lack of pace, but Arthur’s dynamism and composure on the ball helps nullify that.

Rakitic works well as a supporting midfielder, but he lacks the ability to dominate a game by dictating the tempo and acting as an outlet through which the team’s play goes through. It may be early days, but Arthur has the potential to take on that role. He is comfortable receiving the ball in the tightest of spaces or close to his own goal with his back turned to the opposition as well as having the vision and range of passing to read play and be multiple steps ahead of it.

Having a player who can retain possession and circulate around it under heavy pressure is pivotal in a possession-based style. Arthur’s pass accuracy was low for him yesterday because it was only 88% as he completed 14 out of 16. However, he has averaged 93.8% in the league, although that is from a total of 27 minutes. These are similar numbers to his time with Gremio as well as his pre-season games with Barcelona, and he already has an assist to his name in that limited competitive playing time.

Ernesto Valverde has opted to use Arturo Vidal as a late substitute to shore up the midfield and see out games due to his physicality, aerial prowess and ball-winning ability. Arthur could be a better option, though, due to how careful he is with the ball, which would allow Barcelona to defend with possession rather than absorbing pressure. Denying the opposition control of the ball is the best way to stop attacks, and Arthur is highly skilled at that. It’s also a potential way for the Brazilian to build up his playing time.

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Vidal would best be used in physical contests such as the Roma game from last season when the Italians bullied Barcelona. His ability to break up play could be integral in helping Barcelona navigate tough away games where teams are able to disrupt their rhythm. Regardless, Valverde has a variety of different skillsets at his disposal, which can contribute in thir own way to the success of the team.