Barca and the Mona Lisa

To me criticizing Barca right now is like trying to find things wrong with the Mona Lisa. It's not because I'm a die hard fan, but when you basically win the league in the first 15 weeks, are favored in the league Cup and are a solid favorite in the UCL how can you be super critical of this team, considering their overall results over the past 5 years. They've had three draws and a loss over the past few months I'm ok with all of it. Why? Staying undefeated in the league would have pushed them to have to play down to the wire and added a distraction to the season they don't need. Also, drawing to Real on the Road in the Copa where you get an away goal is not terrible. Drawing to the traditionally third best team on the road isn't the worst thing. Drawing a home leg against Malaga is ok as long as you win the tie and they did. Losing to Real Soceidad is not the best thing, but it only happened after going a man down. I also think it is well documented that this time of year the pitches are in bad shape and most sides don't go out of their way to have them fast for Barca. The weather is cold, and the grounds are hard. It isn't exactly ideal conditions for a pass heavy team like Barca. So my major critique right now is that the current line up with Inesta on top as a striker may need to change against the top sides. I realize that they are trying to find away to get Cesc, who has been top notch, on the pitch. Against weaker competition the link up play between Inesta, Cesc, and Jordi is impossible to deal with. It causes the right side to really open up and has made it easier for Messi to function through the middle. Lately though the better teams have been pressing this lineup up high, policing Messi and causing Inesta to drop back into the defensive half. This makes it tough to spring the counter which is why it's usually so dangerous to press Barca up high. Teams don't respect Inesta as a dangerous counter attack striker, so they are pressing way up high and daring Barca to find a way through while surrounding Messi with defenders. The solution to me is simple. Put Villa back up top and put another legit striker on the pitch. That causes teams to have to park the bus allowing Barca to wear them down and control the ball and the game. I think more consideration has to be given with teams willing to press Barca up high. The line up just can't be rolled out there the same every time. Some tactical decisions have to be made in these key ties coming up. I look at how Valencia changed strategy when Villa came in and suddenly Barca looked like their old selves the final 15. They just ran out of time.