[Goal] Spanish Debate: Barcelona's Ideal Formation
Spanish Debate: Barcelona's Ideal Formation
Thierry Henry's apparently unhappy with Barcelona's approach to the Beautiful
Game. The squad as a whole, meanwhile, has found itself on the receiving end
of two consecutive Liga defeats. Is the time ripe for a change?
Allegedly, Thierry Henry is far from happy with the state of play at Camp
Nou. A Barcelona-based journalist contends that the Frenchman is a fervent
advocate of the blaugrana's switching to 4-4-2, with 4-3-3 beginning to get
on his nerves.
Of course, the story originated in Marca, on whose payroll are at least a
couple of people who would delight in spreading discord about the Catalan
side. But Henry, it has to be said, has not been at his best since arriving
in Barcelona, and it's certainly true that he never played under such a
system at Arsenal.
Combine with that Barcelona's rather questionable form at times this season,
and perhaps there is a case for suggesting that it's time for coach Frank
Rijkaard to reshuffle his pack.
The State Of Play
At the moment, 4-3-3 is synonymous with Barcelona. Any football fan can
envision a blaugrana lineup: Puyol marshalling the back four, a defensive
influence ahead of him, Iniesta and Xavi to either side, and finally the
likes of Messi and Ronaldinho flanking Samuel Eto'o.
It's an enduring, distinctive style, and it often works. Against Celtic in
the Champions League, for example, the flexibility afforded by such a style
became apparent, with players given free reign to pull the opposition out of
position and take advantage of the many resulting gaps.
However, it has its disadvantages. Teams that deploy more than one defensive
midfielder can often crowd out the more inventive Barça players, deny them
the chance to use their imagination. Ronaldinho struggles when people get up
close and personal, while Lionel Messi is double-marked by almost every team
- one covering his outside run, the other watching out for a cut inside.
Frustration then sets in, and what should be a free-spirited approach to the
game becomes instead clunky and disjointed. This may not happen often, but
when it does - and it most often does away from home against the Liga's
scrappier teams - it's disastrous.
The Alternatives
There is perhaps a case for change - not all the time, admittedly, but in
certain situations. One such situation could be when Henry is included in the
starting line-up.
Against the more hard-to-beat teams, Henry's allegedly favoured 4-4-2 could
see him at his best. It was in such a system that he arguably had his best
days at Arsenal; certainly he spent a long time in a 4-4-1-1 and did well,
but working alongside the likes of Bergkamp, we saw the Frenchman shine.
Of typical note was the ability of the midfielders and his strike partner -
who often played a more withdrawn role - to provide him with a through ball,
either on the wing or right through the middle. Henry's positioning, and to a
slightly lesser extent his pace, allowed him to make the most of it.
Still, this was down to Henry's virtues on one side, and the Premiership
style on the other. The English league is fast and furious, and often the
opposing defences would push up more than their deeper, more ponderous, but
arguably better-positioned Spanish counterparts. So, it may be that only
against the more attacking ones, or the sides that are a goal down and
chasing the game, such an approach would work with Henry.
But putting side for a moment the idea that Henry must be accomodated at all
costs, 4-4-2 still looks somewhat alluring. It would add a sense of
regimentaton and toughness that has all too often been missing from the
midfield this season. That alone could see the balance tipped.
Misfits
Yet if such a change is forthcoming, certain players could find themselves
cast out. In a two-up front situation, should Henry wish to be accommodated,
it may in fact be in a supporting role, as Eto'o has made himself all but
undroppable. Similarly, Leo Messi is so integral to Barcelona's play that he
may earn a wing spot to the exclusion of more natural midfielders.
That would certainly lead to some unhappy faces on the training pitch, with
Ronaldinho perhaps chief amongst them. And it is not clear that the 4-4-2
will suit the likes of Xavi, Deco and Iniesta. An attempt to keep people
happy will probably result in a narrow diamond shaped midfield, with a
complete loss of width. Unless Barcelona find Roberto Carlos and Dani Alves,
it will once again be more of the same - people crowding in the middle as
they do now.
As things stand, the balance of Barcelona's squad is such that a change of
approach could simply mean that too many big names are sidelined - just as
would be the case if Madrid, for example, sacrified a midfielder for a
striker.
Instead, then, merely adjusting the 4-3-3 may be preferable. But even at
that, certain players may find themselves sidelined. One possible idea would
see Iniesta move up to occupy the left-forward position, which would, again,
see Ronaldinho on the bench. Iniesta has already deputised up front this
season, and he is to be commended for providing some rather superior link-up
play: surely Henry could do such an influence at times.
The Dangers
Of course, such drastic changes do not come without their costs. Despite
everything - two consecutive Liga defeats and a massive gap at the top of the
Liga - Barcelona are not doing badly, and no doubt the current system is
partially to thank for that. The blaugrana remain in three competitions off
the back of their current form, and with their style of play often attractive
as well, the time may not be right for a change.
Plus, it needs to be remembered that Frank Rijkaard doesn't have the best of
recent track records with regards to tinkering. The Dutchman has shown a
distinct lack of innovation when it comes to finding solutions to what is now
a very predictable brand of football.
In the end, it's something that could give the coach more than a few
sleepness nights. Above all, he has a large, all-star squad that he must keep
happy, and unless football becomes 15-a-side, he'll have trouble doing so
whatever the formation.
He is unlikely to trade in his 4-3-3, come what may, even if Monsieur Henry
gets even more unhappy. So what can he do? Given Messi's injury - and what he
will have seen against Villarreal - he could drop both Ronaldinho and Henry
(both of whom looked lethargic), pick Bojan and Iniesta to support Eto'o, and
use Edmilson, Xavi and Deco in midfield. Less lethargy, fewer big heads, more
honest effort on the pitch!
Ewan Macdonald, Goal.com
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