Roberto Mancini Sacked: The Verdict

Roberto Mancini's sacking might seem harsh to some, but it was something we all knew was going to happen eventually. The biggest hint was Txiki Begiristain and Ferran Soriano's appointment to the higher administrative positions. City are building something big, and this was something they needed to do. 

Mancini achieved a lot at the Etihad, winning those trophies he loves to speak of, and also bringing some magnificent players to the club like Yaya Toure and David Silva. From his point of view, City have been extremely harsh-they've fired a man who's built one of the best squads in the world.  Mancini doesn't deserve how he's been treated, but he will almost definitely find another job, probably at Monaco. Football, however, isn't as simple as that. Man City know that at times they might have to be harsh on employees, but they've made the decision that benefits the club. 

Mancini's 3rd full season in Britain has shown his limitations. His man-management is absolutely awful, he comes across as cold and distant, like Fabio Capello. His public criticism of players showed how he was trying to deflect attention from himself and put the blame on the players. He fell out with Joe Hart, ruining his confidence, Vincent Kompany, for committing the sin of representing your country, Samir Nasri for being Samir Nasri, and Joleon Lescott for no reason. Few would be too upset about him leaving, with the players appearing uninspired of late, as though they didn't want to play for him. Compare that with the love shown to Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford this week or Chelsea players pining for Jose Mourinho's return to the club. 

Begiristain and Sorriano have looked at other issues too. Mancini has a terrible record in Europe, never crossing the last 8 despite having 5 title winning sides in England and Italy. City had a difficult group but were absolutely destroyed in the Champions League. If you want to be as good as them, you must beat them. Experience wasn't an issue- his team is loaded with trophy winners. His biggest problem however, is in the transfer market. Mancini complains about the board not giving him the funds to bring the likes of van Persie, Hazard, De Rossi and Martinez in the summer, but City anyways had a fantastic squad, and they still spent 48 million on players Mancini no doubt had a role in picking, like Maicon. Does he need massive spending every single summer to win ? With FFP coming in soon, City have shown a desire to curb their spending and break even. Under Mancini, who struggled to get the best out of his players, that's not possible. 

Manuel Pellegrini is one hell of a manager. City are lucky to have found him. He has the ability to extract every little bit out of his team. Villareal and Malaga have both done brilliantly under him, while his reign at Real Madrid saw the team win 96 points but fail to win the title because Pep Guardiola had such a brilliant team they would destroy a best-of-the-rest line up. He will bring stability and tactical nous to the club and will gel with the players and directors. His appointment could have been handled better but it makes sense. He will bring out the best of the team and give young players a chance to play the Spanish way, as Begiristain and Sorriano want. Based on his ability and Ferguson's absence next season, City will be favourites for the title and will do better in Europe.

Manchester United Defeat Shows They Are Some Way From Their Best

This has been an interesting week in football. Ajax and Juventus won their respective league titles while Barcelona are almost there in La Liga, as are PSG. Bayern Munich and Manchester United already won their titles in what has been a season which has lacked a proper title race. Despite the dominance of these teams, there is hardly any dispute which teams everyone is talking about: Bayern and Dortmund, the Champions League finalists and by far Europe's most impressive sides this season. The likes of Barcelona and United are somewhat off the pace, and that sounds like something we never thought we would say.

I heard Gary Neville talk about how Sir Alex Ferguson would have watched the Germans this week and would be delighted. "Why ? Because Ferguson loves a challenge. He would look at those sides and wonder how he can bring United to that level."

Ferguson has spoken all season about how this is one of the finest United teams of all time. He has statistics to back him up. For most of this year United have been chasing the points record and are the 1st ever side to win 25 of their first 30 games. They were desperately unlucky against Real Madrid because of that rubbish Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir (where does UEFA find these people) and in Ferguson's opinion they possess tremendous depth. Ask any supporter, however, and they will talk about how happy they are to be Champions, but know this season promised so much more. 

Defeat to Chelsea tonight means Ferguson has been out-thought by Rafael Benitez for the 3rd time this season. Ouch. They were outplayed by Manchester City in the derby and in the end could not overturn the deficit against Real. The season has gone from treble-hopes to double-hopes to points record-hopes to well, nothing more than the title. This team has been fantastic this year, but compare them to the energy and flair of Bayern and Dortmund, they pale in comparison. Even Barcelona are a step ahead. 

Being the best in England means a lot to Ferguson after last season's finale. However, if there is 1 record he covets more than any, it's Bob Praisely's 3 European Cups. He's always spoken about how United should have won more European Cups, and at 71, knows if he wants to equal Praisely's record, he hasn't got much time. This team is the one which has to get him that trophy, he can't build another. The process started 2 years back, when after getting hammered by Barca Fergie realized it was time to move on from his best team ever- the Cristiano Ronaldo and later Wayne Rooney inspired side from 2006-2011. In came the youth of David de Gea, Phil Jones and the relatively older Ashley Young. Next summer came Alexander Buttner, Robin van Persie and Shinji Kagawa. It's clear to see what's going on. de Gea replaced Edwin van der Sar, the legendary stopper who retired at the end of that season, Jones and Chris Smalling, brought in earlier, are expected to inherit Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic's positions. Kagawa was brought in to provide guile and to give the club the option of playing a specialist in the whole in the 4-2-3-1 formation. The team is in transition, and the fact that it keeps on winning is down to Ferguson's man management and the experience of the likes of Giggs, Scholes, Rooney and Ferdinand etc. 

But despite that, the fact that this is a relatively weak United side can be disputed. They continue to win games mechanically, and they possess 4 players from this year's PFA Team of the Season. Yet something feels incomplete. They get outplayed in midfield very often and have struggled at periods in every game this season. You don't associate that with the team of 1994, 1999, 2008 or 2009. Evolution, rather than revolution is needed. Listening to Ed Woodward say this will be a quiet summer is scary considering City will spend heavily this summer and Jose Mourinho will probably return to Stamford Bridge. Woodward is a Glazers man, hence my belief that when he talks about not investing in the team, he means it. Ferguson knows he needs to buy, yet his targets are in the wrong areas. Robert Lewandowski isn't needed desperately, neither is Asmir Begovic or Angello Ogbonna. Midfield is the priority, both in the middle and out wide, where Nani and Antonio Valencia are both expected to leave. Few United fans will miss Nani, while Valencia's form has plummeted and he is a one trick pony. Watching Anderson today made me certain he too should be shown the door, and with Paul Scholes and Darren Fletcher all but done, it will mean central midfield is a genuine concern at Old Trafford. Man City and Chelsea both overran Michael Carrick and his midfield partner, be it Giggs or Cleverley. A new midfield enforcer is needed, with the likes of Kevin Strootman and Ikay Gundogan (what a player he is !) linked with the club. Out wide Wilfried Zaha has already been snapped up, yet that's not enough. James Rodriguez too should be considered while Angel Di Maria's lack of consistency should rule him out. The biggest wide player wanted though, is a boy from Madeira. 

Cristiano Ronaldo will be the heroic signing United fans will happily take in exchange for some level of affection for the Glazers. His name is still sung every week, and is the biggest name on the market and would be a deal perfect for both sides. Ronaldo is someone who needs love and affection and will get that at the Theater Of Dreams. He speaks of it like his own family, while United would get one of the greatest players of all time who will take little time to adjust. The only issue is if his fee would stop Ferguson from plugging in the gaps in the middle. 

I don't rate Tom Cleverley as highly as others. He's definitely talented, but is already 23 and I doubt he will ever be as good as Scholes or Keane. He seems like someone who could stay at the club for his entire career and could turn out to be a pretty big star. Yet I believe he loses his way when the going get's tough and doesn't dictate play enough. Better players are available in the market and a midfielder is desperately needed. Next season should also see Jones become more of a regular with Vidic's injury issues and Ferdinand's ageing. Jones and Evans could be United's next great pairing and Alex Buttner deserves more chances instead of Evra. Unless Ronaldo is possible, another striker isn't needed unless Ferguson really wants to let Rooney go. This team showed against Real that they aren't too far from the top, but they need reinforcements in midfield to rise to the standard of Guardiola's (in August) Bayern.

Manchester United vs Chelsea Preview

With both Sir Alex Ferguson and Rafael Benitez taking a swing at each other in Friday's press conferences, you know that it is on. There is no way in hell Ferguson will let Manchester United start as slowly as they did at The Emirates last weekend. He's been out-thought by Rafa earlier this season (twice in fact) and he won't accept another defeat. This is probably the last time Benitez will manage in English football for a while and Ferguson would like nothing better than to play a part in ruining his mortal enemy's Stamford Bridge mission and his legacy in the British game. For Rafa, this game is massive. They have the upper hand in the table when it comes to points, but have United, Spurs and Everton left to play. By no means are they assured a place in the Top 4.

From Ferguson's point of view, the game is about trying to stop Hazard, Mata and Oscar. In the FA Cup replay he made Michael Carrick track Juan Mata, tell Phil Jones to stop Ramires bursting forward and using Tom Cleverley tucking in from the left to contain Oscar. The plan ultimately failed as the midfield lacked creativity (though this was their 2nd game in 3 days) and they gave all the initiative to Chelsea, who probed and probed and eventually scored. They will try and block all room between the lines, so expect Phil Jones to start. I expect and hope Michael Carrick is benched- he's playing through injury and needs a rest. Ferguson will also worry about Ashley Cole overlapping, but knows Antonio Valencia generally likes facing the former Arsenal left back. Rafael probably won't be rested just yet and those two will play together on the right. The left back position could see Ryan Giggs playing in a narrower role, allowing either Azpillicueta or Ivanovic time on the ball. Neither are quite Roberto Carlos-esque.  His next dilemma comes upfront because Robin van Persie is in top form but deserves a rest at some stage, Javier Hernandez has a great record against Chelsea and Wayne Rooney is also available. Of late Shinji Kagawa has received game time as Ferguson begins planning for next season. It will be interesting to see what front 3 he uses. 
Likely team: de Gea, Rafael, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra, Valencia, Cleverley, Jones, Kagawa, Rooney, Hernandez.

Benitez has it easier. Demba Ba will probably get the nod over a strangely prolific Fernando Torres upfront, while Hazard, Mata and Oscar will all start. Ramires' energy has caused United numerous problems in the past 3 seasons, and he will line up alongside John Obi Mikel in all probability. I however think David Luiz will be better suited to this role as he has a better passing range and can be a threat from set plays. This man has scored 2 important goals for Chelsea against United in the past, and is technically far superior to Mikel. John Terry was left out in midweek and may be a surprise starter. Benitez must worry about fatigue, his team have a ginormous game against Spurs in midweek, their 63rd game of the season, meaning they play Thursday, Sunday, Wednesday and then Saturday again.
Likely team: Cech, Azpillicueta, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole, Mikel, Ramires, Hazard, Mata, Oscar, Ba.

This game will likely be decided by which team is more up for it. United have little left to play for and Chelsea are exhausted and know they have an even bigger game in midweek. Benitez's previous game at Old Trafford was decided by his excellent use of the bench, while United too possess great depth. I see them being pumped up for this game and starting of well, but Chelsea have the ability to put them to the sword. I expect a draw, either 1-1 or 2-2. This fixture is generally dramatic and exciting. Will we see another great game this Sunday ?

Jose Mourinho: Is The Special One Getting Ready For A Special Homecoming ?

The second ITV aired Jose Mourinho stating "I want to be where I am loved, I am loved in England", Chelsea fans were anticipating something spectacular. The fact is, the entire Blues empire was built by Mourinho, winning their first league title in 50 years (and breaking the points record). The team he worked with has remained the spine of their best era: Terry, Lampard, Cech, Cole, Drogba and Essien. Only 1 manager has won the title since he left. Only Avram Grant has come anywhere near winning it- and that was with Jose's team. His team made Sir Alex Ferguson sit through 3 title-less seasons. His reputation was bulging when he arrived, when he left it was up there with the finest. 

The only problem was the man who brought him there in the 1st place. Roman Abrahamovich is not your normal football owner. This man has little to no interest in finances. The team is his toy, something he wants to use for enjoyment, but he has another agenda. This team is what he wants to be known for. It is a symbol of power, of prestige, just like his yachts. Profits matter little to him. Just like Qatar, he uses football to enhance his image. It's like a King's castle. He wants Chelsea to be a global empire like Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester United. He wants the best players in the world and the most stylish game. The lack of stability doesn't affect him; he wants his club to be in the news and he wants to be shown to be in power. No manager can overpower him at his plaything. That is where the problem comes in. 

Mourinho might be the greatest coach of this century (though Ferguson, Guardiola and Ancelloti might disagree) but he's a bit like Mario Balotelli. He relishes controversy and confrontation. One of the reason's his teams have been so successful is because he's an expert at deflecting attention from them. Before, after and during a game he wants people to be thinking and talking about him. His ego requires him to constantly hog the limelight, be it criticizing referees, undermining star players or even courting other clubs while criticizing the media. His entire reign at Real was poisoned by his constant reference to the Champions League as 'the 3rd' as in a record 3rd title for him rather than 'the 10th' as in La Decima for the club. Even on the night they were eliminated, he spoke about going to a club 'that loves me'. His statement deflected attention from the fact that he missed his chance at both the above mentioned records. 

His playing style is also stated to be a problem. But Mourinho is unfairly criticized for that. He isn't exactly Pep Guardiola, but isn't as defensive-minded as people think. Last season his  side scored more goals than any Real side has ever done. His starting line-up incorporated Di Maria, Ozil, Ronaldo and Benzema. His Inter side also played aggressively. The problem is people remember him only him for Inter's 'parking the bus' strategy at the Nou Camp once. That was out of necessity. Don't forget Inter won the 1st leg of that tie 3-1 and could afford to do that. He likes pace on the counter-attack and will bring defensive stability back to the Bridge. He will enjoy having the pace of Hazard, Mata and Oscar playing behind summer signing Radamel Falcao (it's practically a done deal). Mourinho will also bring tremendous PR. Rafa Benitez reign has highlighted a gap in communication and has harboured a toxic atmosphere at the club. Jose in, all that rubbish out. 

Whether he and Roman can sort out their differences will be the key to his appointment. Michael Emenalo and Ron Guorlay will remain in high administrative positions at the club. The club follows a system commonly found in Europe: managers come and go, but the rest of the club remains stable. Chelsea might have gone overboard with the former but the fact remains Mourinho has always had problems with hierarchy. He will want control but must accept a compromise. His desire for big signings will be met, and this is definitely a marriage made in heaven. Ferguson with United, Guardiola with Barcelona, Klopp with Dortmund, Mourinho with the Blues,

Liverpool and the Suarez conundrum

One of the main causes for the sacking of Kenny Dalglish last summer was his handling of the Luis Suarez racism case. By throwing all his support behind the Uruguayan and after the humiliating handshake fiasco at Old Trafford, Dalglish ruined Liverpool's name. Part of this season's job was to recover the reputation of the club, on and off the field.

Suarez remains a troublesome, controversial individual. His behavior last season wasn't helped by some ordinary finishing, with the striker seemingly confused about his role playing behind Andy Carroll. This is the same man who will forever be remembered as the man who stopped Ghana reaching the World Cup Semi-Finals (becoming the first African team to do so) by blatantly handling the ball on the line in the final minute of extra time. Yet he's shown signs of improvement, collecting just 2 yellow cards since January. His football has been absolutely outstanding, and he could probably nutmeg a mermaid. For a large part of this season he's carried the club through, then struck a deadly partnership with Daniel Sturridge. He's been one of many players to have improved significantly under Rodgers. Just as people were slowly warming to him, he admitted to diving to win penalties. As the anger to that died down, he bit Branislav Ivanovic, something which has earned him a 10 game suspension and ruined his image even further. His season will be remembered for that. 

Yet despite having the obvious issues he does, Suarez is genuinely loved on Merseyside. This might be the worst team the club has had since Shankley took over, and in a group of mediocre players, Suarez stands out. He could walk into any club in the world, and has been rumored to be one of Pep Guardiola's summer targets in Bavaria. The fact is his goalscoring record is beaten only by Robin van Persie and his overall contribution to Liverpool's game is fantastic. On the field he stands above the rest of his squad, a player with rare amounts of ability stuck in a transitional side attempting to get into the Europa League. Liverpool supporters genuinely know they owe much to him for staying this long at the club. 

Up until January, he was the club's only striker. His form would practically decide just how far Rodgers would be able to bring about progress. For the first half of the season they seemed to have improved only a little, with young players like Wisdom, Sterling, Shelvey and Suso all giving their all in the league. You couldn't say this was a better team than the one he inherited, though. The whole process required time and investment, the latter not provided in the summer. The fact remains after spending 22 million in January, we can start to see where Liverpool are going and what Rodgers wants. He does have an eye for a player, with both Sturridge and especially Phillipe Coutinho impressing. The team has versatility in attack, and the midfield is slowly getting the hang of Rodgers' version of Tiki-Taka. They won 6-0 at Newcastle last weekend, which prompted questions about whether they could survive without their No 7. The immediate answer is no.

But Liverpool are planning for the long term and the owners, despite their significant investment, seem more like Stan Kroenke than Sheikh Mansour. Liverpool must spend what they earn, and clearly they need to improve a lot this summer. Hence the rumor they will listen to offers above 40 million for Suarez this summer. The decision seems logical; Suarez clearly won't accept a long wait for Champions League success, not even qualification, but success. He's clearly good enough, and has enough suitors more likely to win. Also, he's probably sick of English football, sick of the controversy and the FA's biased decision-making. Him moving would provide funds to sign the likes of Christian Eriksen, a graduate of the Ajax academy which means he will clearly fit in nicely, and the new center-backs Rodgers needs. Without Suarez, he may give Sturridge the chance to play through the middle more, and can reinvest in another striker to support him. He hasn't got as much backing as maybe he would like but still he must over time restructure the squad to play his way. A lot of signings are necessary, as January showed. It might lift all the attention the club get from Suarez's controversial nature, and it's extremely important for Rodgers to decide whether or not his best player will ever mature like Wayne Rooney has. This is a big summer for Liverpool, one in which atleast 5-6 signings are required. Selling Suarez will hurt the supporters, but reinvesting the money quickly will help bandage the wound. 

Juan Mata is the Player Of The Season- Not Bale, Not Suarez, Not Van Persie

Scene: FA Cup Quarter-Final Replay between Chelsea and Manchester United. Chelsea's triple threat behind Demba Ba have struggled to influence the game against United's reactive midfield selection. Playing for the 2nd time in 48 hours, the teams have delivered a drab, boring and extremely tactical game. Suddenly Juan Mata moves deep, away from Phil Jones, Michael Carrick and Tom Cleverley's careful supervision. He receives the ball and looks up. He then plays one extraordinary ball over the head of Rio Ferdinand and Demba Ba finishes with an equally brilliant finish. With 1 pass, Mata had completely opened up United and provided a moment of class which no one else on the field can provide. Ba gets the plaudits for his finish, but wants to talk about Mata's pass. 



A Real Madrid youth player, Mata left the club looking for opportunities. He find one at Valencia, playing along with David Silva and David Villa. After both left the club, it was clear Mata would also take the next step in his career, signing for a Premier League club. A major target for Liverpool and Arsenal, he ended up signing for Andre Villas-Boas at Stamford Bridge after Chelsea's late bid succeeded. He scored on debut for Chelsea, and for most of AVB's time at the club, he was their best player. Slightly sidelined by Roberto Di Matteo's tactics towards the end of the season, he still finished with the Fan's Player Of The Year award, a maiden Champions League medal and the FA Cup.

After playing in both Euro 2012 and the Olympics, Mata started the season slowly, outshone by glamour signing Eden Hazard, who had had a full summer's rest. After Chelsea requested Vicente Del Bosque to give him an international break off, Mata kicked on. His form improved magnificently, with the performance at White Hart Lane a particular highlight. Hazard had been shoved out left, Oscar out right. Goals against Arsenal and Manchester United followed. Nobody at the Bridge could doubt who the main man was. It was the Matador. 

18 goals in all competitions is phenomenal for a player who usually drifts out wide or moves deeper to collect the ball. The sheer volume of playmakers possessed by Spain has caused Mata to be ignored a bit. Nobody has created more goals than him in the league this season (10). At the hub of  the new Chelsea, Mata has provided creativity, technical ability and vision which hasn't been provided by any other player in the Abrahamovic era. Not a showoff- he rarely performs any tricks-or much of a dribbler, Mata allows his fellow attackers to provide the direct running and physicality. He specializes in picking out a pass. Any Chelsea spell of possession usually has him in the thick of it. His performances have come despite playing in a team very much in transition, with 2 managers with varying approaches and despite the fact that both Ba and Fernando Torres have been rubbish. Imagine what he would have done if Van Persie or Falcao were at the end of his crosses. He avoids controversy, allows people like Hazard to hog the limelight and just gets on with it. Averaging 2.7 key passes per game in the league, he has virtually been Chelsea's only consistent performer this season. Despite the punishing schedule and the fact that he had no  summer break, Mata's energy has never declined. Unlike Robin Van Persie, he hasn't had a Championship-quality team around him. In fact, minus him, this might be Chelsea's worst team of the 21st century. Unlike Gareth Bale, his brilliance hasn't come in just half a season, it's been from start to finish. Unlike Suarez, he doesn't bite people and his humility is admirable. He's outshone Hazard anyways.  



The frightening part is that he's still only 24 and if Chelsea do get Falcao in the summer, Mata's service will not go as wasted as this year. He's taken over from Frank Lampard as Chelsea's main man in the middle of the park, and with both Hazard and Oscar having a season under their belt next term, the sky's the limit for a player who's just born in the wrong time when it comes to his national team. At a time when English football is bombarded with other Spanish passers like Santi Cazorla and David Silva, Mata shines above the rest.

What's next for Barcelona

In the aftermath of Bayern Munich's outstanding display on Tuesday night, the talk of the end of Barcelona's 'era of dominance' surfaced. The talk is simply crazy- this team is breaking La Liga records this year and might win the title this weekend and have still reached the semifinals of the Champions League and the Coppa Del Rey. All this despite Tito Vilanova and Eric Abidal being seriously ill and Carlos Puyol suffering an injury-ravaged season. The team still possess the best player in the world, an immensely talented midfield and an academy filled with future superstars. However, you cannot overlook the fact that Barcelona have been awful throughout the knockout stages and were soundly beaten by Bayern. Change is required, though it has to be carefully carried out. 

It's clear this Barcelona team are declining and need re-energizing. Their problem has been the fact that the players brought in, mainly not La Masia graduates, haven't been integrated into the Barcelona system well enough. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Alexis Sanchez, David Villa, Alex Song and Cesc Fabregas(yes, a La Masia graduate, but still...) have all struggled since moving. Barcelona's style has been developed by the likes of Johan Cruyff and Luis van Gaal and perfected by Pep Guardiola. The fact is the likes of Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Pique and Busquets have been at the club since they were old enough to kick the ball. They have spent their lives being educated in the system. Barca's large quotient of academy graduates has for years helped in establishing an identity to the club and the players understanding has helped them immensely. Yet is it slowly becoming a problem ? As the likes of Puyol and Xavi age, Barca suddenly feel weaker. Andres Iniesta is a player of tremendous quality and if he were playing in a different team he would be appreciated even more. Yet slowly both him and Messi especially seem to be carrying Barca. Teams have slowly countered their Plan A, and they lack a proper Plan B. This is where the problem comes in. When an Ibrahimovic is brought in to add a different threat and a different option, the players suddenly become uncomfortable with it. It's hard for an entire team to adjust when they have been playing the same way for years. Zlatan came in as a superstar; here there was an established order. After playing together for years, Barca's players knew who was the best: Messi. The team channeled the game through him and looked to him when struggling. Psychologically having someone new like Zlatan felt like a trespasser. Many others have suffered a similar fate. Sanchez and Villa were the heroes of their clubs. At Barca they struggle to fit in. It's like trying to walk into a big family and find room. 

When Thomas Muller headed in the opener on the night, a big question popped up. Why in the world was Dani Alves, a tiny full-back marking 6 ft 2 Dante ? Was their such a chronic lack of quality center-backs to face possibly Bayern's biggest set piece threat ? Many will point to the absence of Puyol, Mascherano and Adriano but Puyol is well past his prime (Angel Di Maria ended that debate in the cup semifinal last month) and the next 2 are converted center backs and neither is dominant in the air. Why Alex Song was signed will remain a mystery when the likes of Thiago Silva and Daniel Agger seemed likely to move last summer. Barcelona's defensive weakness has been covered up by their attacking might. They're pressing high up the field has dropped this season and as their defence has gotten more exposed, they've conceded more(almost every game nowadays). A new center-back is desperately needed, as might be a right back with Alves' rubbish defending. He too has had a terrible season and with Jordi Alba also being an extremely aggressive full-back, Barca have been exposed. Victor Valdes' decision to leave is more confusing from his point of view than the clubs. Let's put it simply: he's prone to shocking mistakes, isn't dominant in the air and inspires little confidence in his team. Over the Guardiola years he had little to do, but this season has been exposed. David de Gea and Michel Vorm both are clear upgrades. 

Another problem is squad depth. The fact that Messi was woefully unfit and still made to play reeks of Wayne Rooney playing against Bayern in 2010 with a clear injury. Sir Alex Ferguson went and addressed United's huge reliance on Rooney and Barca need an upgrade to their bench. Bayern signings last summer gave them the depth to rotate and keep everyone fit and fresh. Sergio Busquets, one of the world's best players, played with an injury. Andres Iniesta must be exhausted after 5 heavy years of competition. Xavi is ageing. Yet you look at the reserves and besides Fabregas($45 million man yet not trusted in the big games it seems) Barca have little. Song is wasting his time and Thiago is young. Their superstar midfield must be tiring heavily. Besides Messi, the forwards too, are disappointing. Alexis Sanchez isn't consistent enough, Pedro is chosen because he fits into his role perfectly but isn't as gifted as his teammates, Villa has had injury issues and Tello is not ready. It's interesting how Gary Neville remarked PSG have the better forwards. The likes of Neymar and Isco would be welcome into the team.

Another is mentality. To put this in context- Busquets hase won 2 Champions Leagues, 4 league titles, 2 Club World Cups, 2 European Championships and a World Cup. His teammates have won even more. Keeping them all motivated will be difficult. In Munich they seemed tired and at times the drive seemed to be missing this season. Ferguson has always spoken of wanting hungry young players in his team-players who want to win more than the rest. Robin van Persie has been that this season. Perhaps a fully recovered Vilanova can bring the energy back. A long summer of self-reflecting beckons, and if the board are upto it, a summer of reinforcements. Barca need a Plan B and they need to refresh this summer. 

5 Possible signings:

• David de Gea- Goalkeeper, Manchester United (20 million)
• Neymar- Forward, Santos (40 million)
• Mats Hummels- Center-Back, Borussia Dortmund (25 million)
• Christian Eriksen- Playmaker, Ajax (15 million)
• Ikay Gundogan- Holding midfielder, Borussia Dortmund(12 million)