Stats show Barcelona have forgotten how to keep the ball
The games where Barcelona dominated the ball are gone, where they moved it and moved it, looking for holes in the defence
In some Barcelona games this season we have seen Luis Enrique's team run after the ball more than their opponents.
At Anoeta for example, in many phases of the game Real Sociedad had the ball and Barcelona were incapable of robbing it, and therefore struggled to create chances.
Similar happened at the Parc des Princes where Unai Emery's side kept the ball away from Barcelona.
The games where Barcelona dominated the ball are gone, where they moved it and moved it, looking for holes in the defence and squeezing their opponents.
That Barcelona, led by Xavi and Iniesta, exercised a superiority that was nearly impossible to resist.
The arrival of Pep Guardiola as coach imposed a before and after on Barcelona's game. The truth is that with Rijkaard barcelona elaborated their style of play based on possession with Deco as the leader, but with Guardiola in charge they took a further step forward.
Pep did not think, even for a minute, and gave the entire weight of the play to Xavi and Iniesta, two players who were incontestable leaders in the centre of Barcelona's side.
With maestros like them and others like Busquets, Keita and Yaya Toure operating as the perfect accompaniment, Barcelona became a footballing model for Spain, Europe and the world. Nobody played like Barcelona.
In his first season Barcelona had 65.7 per cent possession on average, which became 68.9 the season after. Then in the third it was 72.7. The game which stands out most was the way Barcelona beat Manchester United 3-1 at Wembley in the Champions League final, a footballing lesson which will never be forgotten.
TROUBLE
Barcelona have been relinquishing the ball. Season on season Luis Enrique's side has less. Guardiola's fourth season saw him finish with 70.3, and Tito Vilanova's year 69.7. Under Tata and Lucho, things changed.
Under Tata it was reduced to 68.4 per cent, while Luis Enrique has recorded 68, 67.6 and 64.5 in the current season, the lowest since Guardiola arrived.
Barcelona don't have as much ball as before. Do they want it, or now they think it's better not to have it?
