This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Last weekend, Barcelona finally clinched their first three points of the new La Liga season, and Antoine Griezmann, their new star signing, was at the centre of it all, scoring two goals and assisting one. It was a huge change from his previous outing for the Catalans and a result of one simple tweak: no Luis Suarez in the lineup due to injury.
On the chalkboard
Ever since he arrived at the club, Suarez has been a key figure for Barcelona and a regular first-team member. His influence should not be questioned as the Uruguayan has scored a total of 177 goals for the team in 248 games he played for them. Similarly impressive was his 2018/19 season, when he scored 25 goals across all competitions.
But as deadly and as influential as Suarez has been, he’s also getting pretty old. At the age of 33, he’s already lost a fair share of his intensity, pace and stamina. When we combine that with Lionel Messi, who, for all his brilliance, has similar issues due to his age, it would be wise for Barcelona to refresh their attacking trio with a slight change to the roster instead of adding their new man to the existing blueprint.
A new trident
It might seem a bit drastic at first but dropping Suarez altogether instead of just pairing him up with Griezmann would be a much better choice for Barcelona. Of course, when it comes to banging in the goals, the Uruguayan is very much still the top dog. But the Frenchman can match him in that and bring so much more to the table.
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Griezmann had a similar record with Atletico Madrid, scoring 133 goals in 257 games played. Slightly less, granted, but in a much more defensive system and a team that, in general, scores fewer goals than Barcelona. And we don’t have to look much farther than last two games Blaugrana played in La Liga for proof of this thesis.
In the first game, Griezmann was deployed as a left winger because Suarez occupied the centre-forward role. In the time they were both on the pitch, the Frenchman was clearly not as effective in his wide role. He only managed three shots and made just 33 touches in the whole game.
And what happened when he was played as the sole centre-forward against Betis? Seven shots, two goals, an assist and an incredible 87 touches all over the pitch. Not only that but he also sent two key passes and was involved in all sections of the game.
As much as Suarez was the go-to forward for Barcelona in all those years, keeping him in the lineup will only limit his new 28-year-old team-mate who has everything it takes to be the team’s focal point in attack.
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