Is Cesc a problem for Barcelona? I think he has been the last two season, but going forward he will not be.
I believe Cesc was brought in to replace an aging Xavi, but Xavi just refused to get old. I can't blame, Pep, Tito, and Tata for continuing to use Xavi as their best MF option. He's played at a high level for all three.
With Inesta in his prime it was difficult to start Cesc in the MF where he is best used. The first season in Barcelona this wasn't a big problem because he was often hurt or one of the other two were. The last two seasons it has been a problem.
It seems liked when Cesc started seeing the pine too much immediate media links had him very unhappy with his place in the team. Under Tito Cesc began to be used as a forward and even down the middle when Messi was out of the team for rest.
This strategy worked in the first part of the 2012-13 season where Barca didn't lose a match. I think it worked as long as the side Barca played was soft or slow. Issues with this lineup style appeared when Barca got smoked in a first leg tie against AC Milan in the Champions League. Cesc just didn't have the pace to cause Milan problems which allowed them to squeeze Messi and press Barca high up the pitch.
Leg 2 Cesc was benched and Barca pulled off a come back winning 4-0.
Again this lineup reared it's ugly head when Barca decided to roll with it against Real Madrid in the Copa Del Rey Semifinal leg 2. Same type of results, but it was too late to bring David Villa on and Cesc off as the tie was already over.
Over the summer rumors abounded about Cesc wanting to leave. He committed to the club, but I think not after some promises were made. In the early part of the season Cesc played well in the MF and the team rotated very often with Xavi and Inesta.
Barca seemed to be at their best when Alexis, Messi, and Neymar started upfront. Then for some reason in key ties down the stretch Barca used Cesc upfront. They even moved Neymar to the right where he hasn't been good, and benched Alexis and Pedro.
I thought the lesson should have been learned in the first leg tie against Atletico in the Champions League. With Cesc in the front line Barca trailed, but when he was subbed off and Neymar was moved to the left the team came alive. It was so apparent, but in the following match he repeated the same front three.
Totally baffling when this lineup was again used against Real Madrid in the Copa Del Rey final. Every match saw Cesc subbed off in favor of an attacking option.
Did Tata start Cesc because the powers at be at Barca forced him too? I wonder if that is why he has put up little fight to keep his job and why he seems disinterested in being the coach.
Barca whipped Osasuna 7-0 just weeks before the seaosn fell apart starting Pedro Messi and Alexis upfront. They seemed so dangerous playing with three true attackers, but abandoned this thought when it came to the key matches down the stretch. It's just puzzling.
I believe Tata can't manage the ego of Cesc and feels obligated to play him in the big matches. I also feel he does get pressure from key members of the Barca front office to play him because they want to keep him in the club going forward.
It's the only explanation for the horrible decision to use that lineup when the past showed it didn't work. Xavi is likely to need to rest more in the coming year. Cesc fits nicely in the MF and that's where he should stay. Should he leave the club? No, but the Barca attack must always have three true attacking threats upfront to work, or they will struggle to keep space as they have more recently.
