THE FRENCHMAN MUST RETURN TO BE CENTRAL
Barça's 'problem' with Koundé that must be solved this summer
Published:28/02/2023 - 18:04h
Updated:28/02/2023 - 22:27h
FC Barcelona signed one of the most promising centre-backs in Europe, but has had to use him all season as a winger, a minor drawback, but one that still needs to be solved
In the list of signings more ilusionantes of the past summer in the FC Barcelona, Jules Koundé only will have been surpassed by the arrival of Robert Lewandowski to the Camp Nou. The central French had been of the best defenders of all LaLiga in the last two years and the possibility to add it to Ronald Araújo thrilled to a lot of culés, that saw a jump of evident quality in defence.
The ex Seville dressed of Barcelona with an agreement until 2027, but to the few weeks there was a change that few expected: Koundé had to be lateral. The no arrived of César Azpilicueta in summer changed completely the planning of Xavi for this position, and until the last day of market is that the Barça could close the contracting of Héctor Bellerín that sacked less than six months afterwards.
The low level of the ex Arsenal and Real Betis, added to the big level showed by Andreas Christensen, did that the technical body culé trusted the one of Paris to be the carrilero right-handed headline of the new project. Koundé Already knew this position, but the reality is that it is a central of all the life and his limitations in attack, and in some shrinkings, have finished creating a 'problem' inside the club.
A player that arrived by 50 millions to the Barcelona entity would have to be being taken advantage of in the place where better play, and that is a mission that have in the dispatches of the Barça for this summer. Mateu Alemany And his team of work need close the signings of a Pavard, Meunier, Dalot or Foyth that allow to Xavi join one of the most dominant couples in defence that can have in Europe.
In the poquísimos minutes that have had available, Koundé and Araújo have showed that the speed and portento physical of both is lethal in front of the rivals and with the necessary continuity would be an authentic safe of life. However, so that this suceda has to arrive a side that can be headline from the first moment, and that Jules was his alternative, to the equal that Sergi Roberto.
The prejudiced of the equation
Although all depends on that the Barça attain to close an operation of first level, but also to a reasonable price, the union of Koundé and Araújo would leave 'orphan' to a Christensen that has been of the best of all the season. The Danish has been the mate of the Uruguayan, as well as of Marcos Alonso or Eric García, and except some punctual case has answered with performances that many not even had in the libreto.
However, the new role of the French defender like central headline would leave yes or yes to the Nordic like the first acting of the defence. The ex Chelsea does not have the possibility to play in another position and his next season could be marked for generating high competition so that the already mentioned couple keep in his higher level, and do not relax in any moment of the following campaign.
The numbers are, but fault something more
The level of Koundé like right side can not be criticised in almost any moment, because the reality is that it is not his natural position, such as it happened in the final of the World-wide in front of an inspired Ángel Gave María. In League the defender has played 15 of the 22 parties of the season and has kept an upper half punctuation to the 7 points, as 'Sofascore'.
In spite of evidenciar a fault of offensive virtues, the Parisian has fixed them to him to add two assistances and have a percentage of passes that brushes 90%, having besides 0.7 of intercepciones by party and 1.2 successful entrances in each meeting of the Spanish championship. The problem has been when it feels out of place and finishes losing the balloon, almost 10 times by each crash, according to the skilled place in statistics.
What better illustrates this last point was the eliminatory in front of the Manchester United in the Europe League. In front of the English the French played two of his worst parties like culé adding until 17 losses of possession, and having doubts of when happen to the attack, when retreat with the extreme or simply like being a better alternative for his mates to the hour that it was necessary to win the party in Old Trafford.
His performance is not being catastrophic, but neither spectacular, and this is something that the Barça himself needs. The investment that did was for this, no to have a right side of 6 points and that when pass to the attack deliver more doubts that certainties. His place in the field is at the side of Araújo and from there can be one of the three or five better of all the staff.
