The implicit clue of Quique Setién with the signing of Braithwaite

Quique Setién arrived at FC Barcelona a day after the club announced that Luis Suarez will be low until next May or April, at best. A few days later, the Cantabrian coach already dropped in a press conference that signing a '9' was a very feasible possibility, but finally the winter market closed without any operation.

Thus, a few days after this closing of the transfer period, another shocking news was confirmed: another long-term injury, in this case that of Ousmane Dembélé. It was then when reinforcing the lead - taking advantage of the regulations of LaLiga and the Federation in cases of long-term injuries - became a totally urgent need, reiterated by Quique Setién himself.

In several sectors of the press appeared as possible reinforcements - remember that they should be LaLiga or unemployed players - names such as Ángel Rodríguez (Getafe), Willian José (Real Sociedad), Loren Morón (Real Betis) or Roger Martí (Levante ). All of them were players of classic '9' profile. Something that, curiously, collided with the words of Quique Setién in his press conferences.

The Barça coach responded on numerous occasions about the possible signing of an attacker and the ideas he transmitted in front of the microphones revolved around a basic premise: a versatile profile striker had to be signed, who could not only occupy the battering position but that could also adapt to other areas of the field.

Finally, the chosen one has been Martin Braithwaite, a striker who in the Leganés is accustomed to being both the offensive reference and starting from the left wing pulling diagonals towards the center. In this sense, it is a reinforcement that, saving the distances, serves to occupy the positions of both Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembélé.

The track of Setién

Quique Setién has opted, so far, for three game schemes: 3-5-2, 4-4-2 and 4-3-3. The obsession of Santander to bring a player who could adapt to both the center and the band is, perhaps, a way of saying that the bet for 4-3-3 will be the base until the end of the season. The Cantabrian will bet on a system with extremes and that is where alternatives like Angel did not just fit. The arrival of Braithwaite is a trend message towards the 4-3-3 classic.