Barcelona’s problems from back to front persist

Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images

Still a lot of work to do...

Another day, another wasted opportunity, and this one is almost unforgivable.

Cadiz came into this match having conceded 15 goals in their last four games and were ripe for the picking.

This should’ve been a game where Barca not only earned all three points, but did so whilst racking up the goal difference too.

It was absolutely certain that the Andalusians were going to come to Camp Nou and defend for their lives, so why is it that even with some of the players we have - Griezmann in particular - we are unable to make the pressure count?

Photo by Manuel Queimadelos/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

We had the chances to put the game to bed before half-time and were it not for the offside flag, the second half would’ve been a formality.

That it wasn’t owes more to Barca’s lack of incisiveness in the final third than anything else.

Leo can’t do it all on his own, so when the opposition employ the low block and 10 men behind the ball, others have to step up.

Pedri was unbelievable again, ditto Sergino Dest and Dembele showed flashes again too. The Frenchman’s final ball or finish is often wasteful and if he could just improve on that aspect he’ll be some player.

At least he tried. What on earth was Antoine Griezmann doing all afternoon? He’s either incredibly good or unbelievably bad, and for this game it was one of the latter performances.

That’s simply not good enough for a World Cup winner commanding a King’s ransom to play for the best club in the world.

Photo by Alex Caparros - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images

His countryman, Clement Lenglet, can sit on the naughty step with him too. Rarely troubled for 87 minutes of the match, in the one move where he needed to stand up tall, Lenglet just threw a leg out.

That’s not defending. Where’s the heart of a lion, man? Get to the ball first, clear it into row z if needs be. Don’t just stand there and flick a leg, which doesn’t even make contact with the ball anywhere.

It was a rotten way to end the game, but Barca have to get used to opponents coming to soak up pressure and then hitting them with the sucker punch.

It’s happened too many times this season already, so perhaps Ronald Koeman hasn’t cottoned on to the fact that whilst the game is still needing to be won, keep subs to a minimum.

Culers have every right to be furious, particularly after Atleti’s surprise loss, though the one saving grace is that there’s still enough of the season left to make amends.

Just not if Barca play like they did on Sunday.

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