Rising stars or eternal promises? The Barça expects their 'wake up'

Between the doubts and insecurities of Joan Laporta and Ronald Koeman, the first team of the FC Barcelona filled of youngsters to contest the meeting in front of the champion of LaLiga. Óscar Mingueza, Ronald Araujo, Sergiño Dest, Nico González and Gavi were headlines while Ansu and Riqui helped going out from the bench.

It seems that there is consensus in the barcelonismo with regard to the need to grow with the youngest footballers. They, in addition to the signings that the club can make of face to the two following windows, have to lead the next project of the Barcelona club. Surely it was not headed by Koeman but, for the moment, on him will fall the responsibility to do mature to all the youngsters talentosos.

Problems of face to the rival arch

Any team that aspires to the title, approaches to the 90 goals in the season… Is possible, without Lionel Messi, that the Barça attain it? Complicated if, besides, top forwards like Ansu, Dembélé and Agüero, more Braithwaite, have started the campaign of drop by injury, and Luuk of Jong and Demir hardly are fulfilling his process of adaptation to the team.

From this same perspective, is possible to understand the complaints of Ronald Koeman in front of so much absence. If there is not leading, resort to the midfield players with the idea to approach to the contrary goal through the pass between lines. In front of the Athletic of Madrid, Memphis Depay commissioned of the attack and five means by behind him: of entrance, with Sergio and Nico, in the double mediocentro, and Frenkie of Jong, Gavi and Coutinho, in the mediapunta.

In case of not being able to play with 4-3-3 plays with another system, but the most important is to keep the same idea: do with the possession of the balloon and play to the attack. With regard to the first, the Barcelona picture took out a positive note. It won the possession of way sobrada –with 69%– and offered good figures with regard to the weight in the team of his midfield players. Nico and Gavi added numbers stood out in the first part, with 41 and 43 actions, respectively. But the less visible was Frenkie of Jong, with alone 18 interventions in the first part.

Second line

Frenkie Appeared sorpresivamente in the minutes 28 –the big occasion of Coutinho-, 30 –did not arrive to a left of Memphis– and 37 –could not finish a centre to the first stick of the same Memphis–. Like sucedió in front of the Benfica, the Dutch showed his skills for this function but also, as in Give Luz, Koeman delayed it: in Portugal, to the 33 minutes; in Madrid, to the rest.

Coutinho Also saw active, with two finish dangerous in the minutes 28 and 60, but stepped less area of what the team needs. Only in two occasions (before being substituted shortly after the hour of party), after a deep pass of Sergio to the that did not arrive (21') and in an action with Giménez in the beak of the area (49') in which it asked penalti. By his part, Gavi arrived very little. It appeared in the first attack of the Barça, stepping area to the 3 minutes, but could not take advantage of a deep pass of Memphis. Afterwards it did not appear until the 40… Has his explanation: Gavi was more a third midfield player –with Sergio and Nico– to facilitate the exit of the balloon that no an applicant to forward.

Oversights in the defence

A little experienced defence involves delicate errors that affect directly in the result. Ronald Araujo allowed him to Joao Félix receive, turn and launch to open field to Lemar. By his part, Sergiño Dest destapó in attack and neglected of important way the defence. The repliegue defensive had big deficiencies… Served the table to the so many of the Athletic.

Find solutions

Although it is necessary to award him big responsibilities to The Masia by the incredible talent that has contributed to the first team, will have to deploy an arduous work of preparation, as they have to compete with staff very upper and, the Barcelona, has to compete in front of them and show the level expected. Like this then , it will depend on they keep to the "young promises" or form to the future stars.