Barcelona video of the year!

You understand the need to have someone in front of Messi, but it has to be a powerful player like Llorente or Cavani, as well as Sanchez/Villa. Sanchez and Villa can naturally play as second strikers, but they won't be CFs who push and stretch defenses. Villa/Sanchez have to be paired up with Cavani/Llorente, in front of Messi who will play in the whole. Messi and Cesc switching between false 10 and 9 isn't ideal for me, and it doesn't get the best out of either player (or the best for the team). If there's a powerful CF, he absorbs the opponent's CBs to him, and he naturally pushes them further and further back, giving Messi and Iniesta room. Sanchez will play beside the CF in front of Messi. People will complain about this 4-4-2 diamond because of it's lack of width, but with Iniesta always stretching left, Sanchez going out wide often, and with two attacking fullbacks, that won't be a problem.

I know, but bear in mind Messi hasn't been playing as a false 9 either, lately. Especially in the last few months or so, Pep has moved Messi further back. Messi doesn't start high then drag the CBs out of position by moving back. Messi simply stays in a deep position, and he ends up getting marked by the CBs as well as the DMs. It's why Sanchez has played a sort of dual role between RW and CF. Because Pep also sees the need to have an attacker in front of Messi. Right now, Messi gets marked by 4 players constantly. Play a CF in front of him, and Messi will more or less play in his same position (not false 9, but an "everywhere" position), and he won't have to deal with more than 1 or 2 players at a time. Then there is the obvious benefit of having a powerful CF: he pushes defenses further and further back, which is crucial in giving Messi and Iniesta the space in between the lines that they thrive on.

Almost impossible we will see this lineup, I'm just saying it's what I would do. Bear in mind we aren't there during training sessions, we don't know the players' fitness levels. Yes, Afellay has been injured for 6 months, but he was given the green light two weeks ago, and prior to that, he had been doing full time group training for another two or 3 weeks. Basically, he's been training at the highest level of training for about a month now, which is enough time to regain fitness. If fitness isn't the issue, then might as well play him, because there is no pressure. The league title is decided, he can play it almost like an intense practice match, which I'm sure he has been doing a lot in training.

Oh man, I'm so gonna miss The Ultimate Game so much! I've been playing it since Pep's first season here, back in www.FCBTransfers.blogspot.com

Pinto
Montoya-Bartra-Mascherano-Adriano
Fabregas-Keita-Afellay
Pedro-Messi-Tello

Pinto plays to get minutes to satisfy him, and to prepare him for the Copa final. Bartra plays because Pique isn't available, and Puyol absolutely needs a rest before the Euros. As well as Xavi, which is why Fabregas plays (who also needs to pick up form for the euros, and clarify what role he will be playing next season). Afellay plays instead of Thiago because Thiago is already assured of his place next season. Afellay isn't, and he needs to play the remaining games in order to raise his market value and hopefully ensure that we get some kind of cash for him. Pedro instead of Cuenca because I feel as if Cuenca's has proved his worth this season and I am pretty certain he has earned his place in the squad next season. Pedro needs to play to see whether he's good and we should keep him, or if not, in which case he also needs to play to raise his market value. Tello hasn't gotten consistent starts, and now that there is much less pressure, we need to start him for the remaining matches to see what level he is at, and whether or not we should loan him out or keep him next season.

Moving Messi? Nope. He'll play almost at the exact same spot. The only difference is that on paper, it will be called the "10" position, rather than the "false 9" position. The only difference on the field will be that Messi won't have to deal with oppositions' CBs, and will have more space between the lines. A CF will be just as good for Messi as a whole, as it is for Barcelona.

We have a lot of quality forwards, but they all have very similar qualities. It can make us predictable and much easier to defend against. If we want to give tight defenses more things to think about, and give us a higher chance of breaking through the buses, we need a forward with different qualities from what we already have. We can't always go for the good wingers and midfielders. Neymar wouldn't have done much vs Chelsea. We need a CF like Cavani or Llorente.

He didn't stay because of the reasons he said: he is completely drained. If he's telling the truth, then he made the right decision. Because, as Pep said in his press conference, it wouldn't be fair to the club and to himself if he stayed, knowing that his heart wasn't really in it. He specifically said that time has taken away his immediate passion, and he needs a break to regain it.

Don't know if Pep will ever coach Barca again. Cruyff never coached Barcelona again after leaving, although the circumstances were different. Cruyff had even worse health problems, and after leaving Barca, he never coached again. Also, he didn't leave on his own like Pep, he was fired, and that always takes away from the likelihood of someone's return... Right now, I would say that I expect Pep to one day seek a job with FC Barcelona. Whether it's for a coaching role or not, I couldn't say. But I don't suspect it. I think one day we'll be seeing Pep running for presidency actually. I think that will be his ultimate ambition, after he satisfies his coaching curiosity. And think about that, it will be freaking epic. Born in the city, goes from ball boy, rises up every level of the youth system, plays for the First Dream Team, becomes captain, comes back to coach the youth team, then coaches the first team's Second Dream Team, then finally goes on to become the President of the club. This man IS Mr. Barcelona. There is not another human on earth who knows the club as well as he does, and not a single human who is as big a fan as he is. Oh man, I'm crying again :( .

Nah, Tito and Pep belong together. It's going to be Xavi and Puyol. And I'm betting any money that in 15-20 years, we'll be seeing Sergio Busquets taking the reigns!

It still hasn't completely hit me that Pep Guardiola won't be in charge next season. It just doesn't feel like his term here is over. I still believe that I will see him, talking in press conferences, awesome suit and all, being a badass, for the next 100 years. I knew Pep would leave eventually, but I honestly thought we would get one more year out of him. It hasn't occurred to me yet that he might never again coach us. But if the man must leave, then I can only thank him. He is my hero (even though I often disagree with him :p), and he is the greatest coach in world football. I wish him well in all his future endeavors, and I hope that one day, hopefully in the near future, he returns home. Home, not only as in the city, but home to his club. Maybe one day he can coach us again (although probably not), maybe he can be president of Barcelona, maybe a director. Maybe just a fan. He will always be a fan, but it would be doubly awesome to see him often in the Camp Nou, watching our games. This is the end of an era. No, that doesn't mean the end of this squad's abilities to win trophies. With Tito, we have the potential to expand and even improve our football. We can become better. But this is the end of Pep's Dream Team era. The end of the treble era. The end of the manita, 6-2 era.

Good luck to Tito, he is a great choice by the club, and I have a feeling we're going to be enjoying ourselves :). Just like Pep said in his first press conference as first team coach: "Fasten your seat-belts, you are going to enjoy the ride!"