Team Focus: Is Barca's Start Superb or Suspect?

Over the summer much was made of how Barcelona would adapt to life post Pep Guardiola; the popular opinion being that while the players and the style would remain the same, the attention to small but significant details that Guardiola was famed for might start to slip.

There was certainly evidence to back that belief in their crazy 5-4 win at Deportivo La Coruña last weekend as despite a blistering start and another ridiculous hat-trick from Lionel Messi, they continually handed the initiative back to the Galicians by conceding four highly avoidable goals.

However, on the face of it Barca’s start to the season has been excellent. A 100% record against anyone not called Real Madrid has given them 22 from a possible 24 points in the league and already an eight-point advantage over their greatest rivals. Meanwhile in the Champions League, qualification is almost assured with three wins from three.

Going forward it is the same old story; Leo Messi breaking records. The little Argentine is now within four goals of Pele's record for a calendar year and already has 15 for the season. The return to form of Cesc Fàbregas in recent weeks has also provided a timely boost to back up Messi's heroics, whilst Pedro and David Villa’s comebacks from the injuries that plagued them last season has provided a depth in attacking areas that was lacking.

However, the major questions have come in defence. Most would recognise that Vilanova has been incredibly unlucky to lose his only two centre-backs in Carles Puyol and Gerard Piqué to injury, but questions must be asked of the club's transfer policy that was so focused on signing versatile players capable of playing in multiple positions that they went for another holding midfielder turned centre-back in Alex Song, rather than signing a natural defender.

That combination of events has often forced Vilanova into fulfilling his mentor's prophecy that Barca would one day play with a team full of midfielders as Song and Javier Mascherano have lined up alongside attacking full-backs. Further forward Messi is spending as much time in the central areas as in the opposition box, as he drops deep to combine with Iniesta, Xavi and Fàbregas.

The problem, though, is that doing so has resulted in Barca's worst defensive run since the Guardiola era began. In all competitions so far this season Barca have conceded 19 goals in 13 games, an average of 1.46 per game compared to just 0.75 goals per game last season (48 goals in 64 games in all competitions).

A closer look at the statistics though highlights that the problem may not just lie in the defensive areas themselves but in the protection they are receiving in front of them. In the league the Catalans have conceded an average of 9.3 shots per game on their goal - a significant increase on the 7.3 they averaged last season. Moreover, whilst remaining in the bottom two in the league for all of tackles, interceptions and fouls made simply due to the amount of time they have control of the ball, their numbers in all three categories have fallen so far.

Fouls have remained almost exactly the same at 10.6 compared to 10.7, but successful tackles made have fallen from 19.9 to 17.8 and there has been a significant drop off in the number of interceptions made with just 11.4 a game compared to 19.1 last season.

With Barcelona’s percentage of possession remaining almost exactly the same too (69.7 % compared to 69.3%) this means that when opposing teams do get the ball back they are finding an easier route to goal than they have previously.

Deportivo’s first goal on Saturday was a classic example of this, as despite being 3-0 up away from home Barca were very easily exposed at the back from their own corner. Although the decision to give a penalty for Mascherano’s challenge on Riki was almost certainly the wrong one, the opportunity arose because the Depor man was bearing down on the Barcelona box with the visitors chasing to try and get men back in position.

After the 2-1 win over Celtic in midweek Vilanova was quick to point out the misfortune he believes his side have had at times as the Glasgow side’s goal came virtue of a fourth Barcelona own goal of the season. While individual errors have also accounted for the number of goals they have conceded, there is a balance that the rookie coach has yet to strike between feeding his front players and protecting those charged with keeping the opposition out.

The return of Piqué, Puyol and possibly even a new centre-back in January should certainly help, but, until then, at least they still have Messi to rely on.