Barcelona Blog: Will Lucho be Pep II?

Caleb Cousens takes a closer look at the appointment of Luis Enrique at Barcelona and questions if he can replicate the success of Pep Guardiola.

Cules are cautiously optimistic. A year of no silverware is never a good thing for a club of ’s pedigree, but when it is followed up by the sort of summer that the Blaugrana had, then maybe reinventing the club that has come to represent the beautiful game is exactly what is needed. Any comprehensive look forward has to begin by looking behind. Let’s take a quick peek at last season and then shut the book on it.

2013/14

It was a year of debacles both on and off the pitch. New manager “Tata” Martino took the reins and instantly began trying to change the style of play, preferring a more direct approach with long diagonal balls trying to hit the opposition on the counter attack. His reign began with questions on how much Messi influenced the decision, which was not the right way to start at a new club.

Club President Sandro Rosell resigned following the total nightmare of a transfer that saw Neymar join the Spanish club in the perpetual, “Mine is bigger than yours,” transfer battle between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. This same transfer led to FIFA banning the club from buying players for the next two transfer windows, a ban which is (thankfully) lifted at the moment pending ’s appeal.

Add to all of this the fact that lost to domestic rivals Atletico in both the UEFA Champions League quarter finals as well as in La Liga (a race that went to the final day of the season.) They also lost to Real Madrid in the final of the Copa Del Rey which capped off a pretty horrific campaign for a club that is expected to be world beaters year in and year out.

Lionel Messi

The world’s best player was off colour at various points throughout the season and had a tough campaign. That statement should be prefaced with the huge, ginormous asterisk that the little magician still managed forty-one goals and eleven assists in forty-three starts.

This was a tough season personally for Messi as he lost Tito Vilanova, who had been an important figure in the star’s life since he joined the club at 13 years of age. Tito played a key role, along with Pep Guardiola in giving Messi the freedom he needed to thrive. To pretend that the manager’s premature death after a struggle with throat cancer would not affect Messi would be disingenuous.

Messi’s off field distractions continued when he and his father were accused of tax fraud to the tune of 4 million Euros. The case continues to drag on with the Spanish court seemingly intent on prosecuting the Messi’s.

Phew! There you have it, a Coles Notes version of ’s 2013/14 season. But don’t fret Cules! There is good news… a new chapter is beginning… the age of Lucho!

Luis “Lucho” Enrique gets the unenviable role of already being compared to Pep Guardiola. Enrique follow’s Pep as the only other Barcelona coach who has previously been captain of the first team and head coach of the B team of the club. He is a club legend and he has what it takes to get the best out of his team, something that no manager has been able to do since Guardiola left. It is important to note that this was the primary reason that Pep decided to leave the club in the first place.

The forty-four year old was a versatile midfielder and attacker during his playing career and he made 300 appearances for in an eight year span. He has coached Roma and Celta Vigo since leaving the helm at Barcelona B after three seasons in charge. He likes his sides to be versatile and to be able to alternate between different styles of play, something that is needed for a Barcelona side that has been too predictable in recent seasons. By all accounts training sessions under the new manager have been more intense than they have been in years and this coupled with the elongated summer that Barcelona’s Spanish contingent had might create a perfect storm for Lucho this season.

The board has been eager to make changes to the club and has given Lucho the ability to sign the players he wants. If you have been out of the loop, here is a look at the club’s transfer activity:

Ivan Rakitic’s arrival is arguably the most important one for the club. It is a sign of Lucho’s commitment to giving the opposition’s defense fits with multiple styles of approach from midfield. He will provide Lucho with a different look for the Blaugrana midfield as Fabregas heads to .

Rakitic and Suarez’s additions provide Barcelona with some more direct options, bringing another dimension to the club’s attack that has seemed lethargic at times over the last few campaigns. Rakitic provides unpredictability, the Croatian is just as likely to try his luck with a long ball or shot from long range as opposed to passing the ball around the box as Barcelona are wont to do. Last season with Sevilla, he scored twelve goals and added ten assists and had more key passes then any midfielder. He and Suarez will be able to speed up the pace of the game when needed and provide a more direct line to goal.

The two new goalkeepers will be a breath of fresh air after having to watch Pinto between the sticks for much of last season. This is no disrespect to the braided-pony tail wonder but, in my opinion, he was never of calibre. In ter Stegen and Bravo, have a great pairing. These goalkeepers are excellent shot stoppers but, perhaps more importantly, they can provide the team with accurate distribution from the back. The era of the sweeper-keeper has begun.

From a personal standpoint, what excites me most about Lucho is the focus on youth that he will bring back to the club. He played a key role in developing players like Rafinha, Deulofeu and Bartra, and the fact that he has brought the two former back from loans has to be an exciting prospect for Cules. Both players will provide some competition and depth in their positions and you cannot underestimate the effect that young talent that is eager to prove can have in a long campaign.

It is reminiscent of Pep Guardiola, who brought up a number of B players to the first team. These included Pedro and Busquets who are still mainstays. Do not be surprised to see some of the current crop of B players getting chances this campaign as well. Players like Grimaldo, Adama, Alen Halilovic and Munir El Haddadi could all feature. Watch this space for updates on these players and Barcelona B as well.