5 tactical changes Ernesto Valverde has to make for FC Barcelona to win the treble
Back in 2017, when it was announced that Ernesto Valverde would become the manager of Barcelona, supporters of the club had mixed opinion about the former Athletic Bilbao manager. Some said his tactics were too defensive while others said defensive tactics are exactly what Barcelona needed then.
Fast forward in 2018 he has presented 3 trophies (1 La Liga, 1 Copa Del Rey, and 1 Spanish Super Cup) to the Camp Nou but not the one that fans have craved the most for i.e. UEFA Champions League.
Under Valverde, Barcelona played 68 matches in total, winning 47 of them, drawing in 15 of them and losing only 6 games.
He had started this season with a bang winning all the matches up till the draw against Girona. Since then Barcelona hasn't won a single match which has forced Valverde to change his tactics. After coming to Barcelona and the quality of squad that the club has, he was forced to change his usual defensive, counter-attacking tactics to attacking, possession-based football.
There are still some changes that Valverde must make to guide Barcelona to a treble-winning campaign. Below are the 5 tactical changes that are required the most :
#5 Start Nelson Semedo more often
After Dani Alves left Barcelona there was a huge question about who will play in his position. Sergi Roberto is a versatile player and has played in almost all of the outfield positions. So Barcelona deployed Roberto in his position. He played the whole 2016/17 season in the right back position rarely getting a chance to play in his natural position i.e. central midfield. Then Luis Enrique left and came Ernesto Valverde, who knew that Roberto alone could not play in that position and bought Nelson Semedo, a natural right back from Benfica.
But Valverde still started Roberto leaving Semedo on the bench.
Very seldom Semedo got a chance to start. And whenever he got his chance to start he played with all his heart and hoped Valverde would start him more often. Valverde still starts Sergi Roberto in the majority of matches and lets Semedo play by bringing him off the bench.
All respect to Sergi Roberto, but the Portuguese deserves more playing time as he has all the qualities which every right back should possess i.e. explosive runs, good dribbling skills, dropping back to defend and others. Though Roberto too possesses these qualities, Semedo is more skillful since he was playing in the position since the beginning of his career.
So Valverde must start Nelson Semedo more often.