Monday 15 December 2014 16:24, UK
Luis Enrique has been shuffling his pack more than a croupier at a casino this season.
The Barcelona boss has fielded 22 different line-ups in 22 games this season. This suggests to me that he still hasn’t found the right formula at Barcelona. Collectively the team are not gelling to maximum effect and they are getting good results because of individual brilliance rather than great team work.
In the four games where Barcelona have dropped points (Getafe, Real Madrid, Celta Vigo and Malaga) only one other player bar Lionel Messi scored – that was Neymar with his goal against Real Madrid.
The Barcelona boss has fielded 22 different line-ups in 22 games and this suggests to me that he still hasn’t found the right formula at Barcelona
As a team, they are still too reliant on Messi.
Unless he comes out and saves Barcelona, they lack the required ideas to break tight defences down.
This shows a lack of work on the training ground to impose different ideas on the team. There’s too many tactical changes by Enrique and the players have looked very confused about what is required of them.
Meanwhile, I was very impressed with Villarreal’s victory over Atletico Madrid. They’re a team I like a lot.
Madrid looked tired. They had moments in the match where they played with their usual high intensity but the pressure didn’t last as long as it should have.
Villarreal were fantastic. So much work has been put into that team and it was great to see Luciano Vietto score. He hadn’t been taking the great chances created for him by Bruno, Manu Trigueros and Denis Cheryshev in recent weeks but he finally got it together against Madrid, who lost for the first time at home since March 2013.
GUILLEM ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS
Spanish No.1?
David De Gea was outstanding yet again for United against Liverpool. I can’t believe he’s only got three caps for Spain – surely Del Bosque will have him as his number one from now on? Ollie
GUILLEM SAYS: Vincent Del Bosque is trying to ease David De Gea into the first team, he calls it the “sweet transition” from Iker Casillas to De Gea. Casillas has been outstanding in the last three months . He saved a penalty at the weekend – the 11th of his career – it came at an important moment in the match.
De Gea obviously was fantastic against Liverpool and it’s great for Del Bosque but it’s not the time for De Gea yet. Casillas has won major honours with Spain and you have to respect that. De Gea will become the No.1 but not until Euro 2016.
Torres to Atletico?
Mario Mandzukic is proving to be a decent replacement for Diego Costa at Atletico, so why is Simeone looking at bringing in someone like Torres or Podolski? Is it purely for back-up? Lauren
GUILLEM SAYS: Diego Simeone needs a back-up for Mario Mandzukic – he can’t do it all. Raul Jiminez is not adapting at the rate that Simeone expects and Alessio Cerci wants to go back to Italy.
Fernando Torres definitely wants to go back to Atletico Madrid and the club also want him, but there is a problem as he can’t go on a second loan this season. That means Chelsea will allow Torres to leave for a small transfer fee but Atletico won’t pay a penny. If Chelsea want to get a transfer fee, they won’t get it from Atletico. Due to the money he earns, Torres and Chelsea could negotiate a pay-off and he could leave on a free. That could be negotiated.
City in for Gimenez?
I’m hearing a lot about Jose Gimenez at Atletico, and it sounds like both Manchester United and Man City are interested in him. Would he be a good fit for the Premier League? Andy
GUILLEM SAYS: Atletico have four outstanding centre-backs - Gimenez, Emiliano Velazquez (on loan at Getafe), Diego Godin and Miranda – and Gimenez only played one game last season but he’s already played four this season. If he feels he can play first-team football at Atletico then he won’t move, but he is ambitious. Both Manchester clubs are interested but only one offer has been made from City which was 20 million euros, but it was rejected.
