5 things Barcelona got wrong in 2017

2017 has come to an end with its share of surprises, disappointments, joys and sorrows for FC Barcelona.

This year brought another managerial change with Ernesto Valverde replacing Luis Enrique as the manager of Barcelona. The Spaniard stepped down with the Super Cup and Copa Del Rey trophies, ending a three-year tenure with nine trophies in total.

Ernesto Valverde has proven worthy enough, as Barcelona lead the league table and have qualified as winners of their Champions League group under his tutelage.

However, their exit from the Champions League last season, failure in winning the league and certain transfer decisions have raised eyebrows. The club has made a fair share of mistakes and failed to address some important issues this year. Let's have a look at them.

---

#5 The La Masia situation

La Masia - The Heart Of FC Barcelona's Youth System

In recent years, La Masia, Barcelona's famed youth academy, has come under scrutiny for its decreasing contribution to the first team at Nou Camp. Barcelona seem far from the club they used to be before - a team that boasted 8 to 9 homegrown players in their starting XI.

Much like Luis Enrique, Ernesto Valverde hasn't improved the condition of youngsters at Nou Camp. He sent Munir El Haddadi and Sergi Samper on their second loan spells this year. Wouldn't it have been good to grant the youngsters their deserved first team opportunities?

With the likes of Sergio Busquets, Iniesta and Suarez underperforming at present, wouldn't it have been a good choice to play Oriol Busquets, Carles Alena and Abel Ruiz and allow them to prove themselves?

Barcelona, however, have been reluctant about giving them a shot at it and using the likes of Paco Alcacer, Andre Gomes and Arda Turan, who have failed to live up to the expectations at Nou Camp.

Lack of opportunities compels players to switch clubs, which will certainly harm their youth academy. And should that continue, it won't be long before the Cules see their talented starlets departing the club in search of playing time, much like Thiago did in 2013.

#4 Failure in improving the squad

Andre Gomes has failed to reach the expected levels at Nou Camp

Ask yourself. Does the current squad of the Catalans resemble the one they had nearly a decade ago? Most certainly not. There's so much work to be done, yet the Barcelona board doesn't seem to be too bothered.

Let's start with the defence. The Catalans are yet to find a worthy successor for the evergreen Dani Alves, with Sergi Roberto competing against Nelson Semedo and filling in as the makeshift right-back at present. Coming to the centre-backs, Samuel Umtiti and Gerard Pique are lacking good back-ups with Vermaelen failing to impress and Mascherano approaching the twilight of his career.

The midfield area needs to be given crucial attention because it has always held paramount importance in Barcelona's style of play. Andres Iniesta is already 33 and the officials have failed to find a worthy successor for the Spanish wizard.

They failed to land major transfer targets, while the midfielders they signed last year have failed to match the expected standards. With the current crop of midfielders including Gerard Deulofeu, Denis Suarez, Paulinho, Aleix Vidal, Barcelona are not the force they used to be in the Guardiola era.

The Blaugrana had a chance to make amends in January, but they opted against signing any player in the transfer market. The incompetent transfer decisions are showing their after-effects at present.

The unimproved squad takes us to our next point that is...

#3 Messidependencia

Leo Messi is carrying Barcelona on his shoulders

The term 'Messidependencia' is related to the habit of Barcelona and Argentina relying on Lionel Messi to deliver the required goods for winning games.

The below-par midfield and the underfiring Suarez has constituted to Lionel Messi carrying the Catalans on his shoulders once again. The Argentine demigod is undoubtedly the greatest player of this generation and it is natural for any team to depend on him, given the abundant goals he scores for his teams.

But considering the stature of Barcelona and their history, is it right for the club to rely continuously on the Argentinian to deliver? Considering the current scenario, the Catalans are close to being called 'the Lionel Messi team', much unlike what they were nearly a decade ago.

The Argentinian rescued 29 points for his club with 48 goals last season in the La Liga and Champions League, better than any other player in Europe, highlighting his importance at the Nou Camp. As of late, Messi has scored 14 goals in the league, just 1 less than Suarez, Alcacer, Paulinho, and Deulofeu combined.

These stats prove how over-reliant Barcelona have become on Messi. However, with the degraded quality of the squad, even having Messi in their line up hasn't quite helped Barcelona these days.

When it comes to games against big clubs, all the opponents have to do is neutralise Messi's threat, which is key to winning games. Real Madrid, Juventus, Valencia and Atletico Madrid are the only elite clubs Barcelona has faced since June. In the 6 games against them, they have won only once, drawn thrice and lost twice, in spite of Messi's presence.

Also, if Leo Messi gets sidelined with an injury, do the Catalans have adequate provisions that will win them games in his absence?

If Barca truly want to be great again, they need to get rid of the Messidependencia and up their ante by shouldering equal responsibilities as soon as possible.

#2 Wasting too much time behind Coutinho

Barcelona failed to sign Coutinho this summer

Barcelona failed to sign Coutinho this summer, after having four bids rejected by Liverpool. Apart from the transfer failure, they will also rue the time they frittered away in their attempts to land the Brazilian.

The Catalans lodged their first bid worth £72million on 21st July which was rebuffed by the Kop. The second bid of £90million came three weeks later on 9th August. Despite Liverpool repeatedly stating their adamance in retaining Coutinho, the Catalans lodged a third bid worth £118 million on 19th August.

Don't you think it would have been better had Barca turned their attention towards other alternatives instead of wasting nearly a month behind Coutinho? The after-effects of the saga were visible when they failed to land Angel Di Maria on deadline day with a £36 million bid, falling short of the mammoth £72 million PSG quoted for him.

Had they turned their attention towards the 29-year-old earlier, they could have succeeded in signing him for a lesser amount. Also, Di Maria would have been an instant fit at Barcelona, given his creative style of play and experience in the league. If not him, they could have looked at Mesut Ozil, who was keen on a transfer with just a year remaining on his contract back then.

With Barcelona again rumoured to be courting Coutinho in January, let's hope they don't commit the same mistake in the upcoming winter transfer window.

#1 Letting Neymar leave

Neymar was deemed as the worthy successor to Leo Messi's throne

2017 witnessed the most expensive transfer of all time when Neymar joined Paris Saint Germain in a record €222 million deal. But, were the Catalans right in letting the Brazilian slip through their fingers?

Consider this. Since 2004, Barcelona has needed a torch-bearer to guide them to victories. First, it was Ronaldinho and then Messi, under whose reign the club has overseen two treble-winning seasons.

Neymar was roped in to carry on the tradition; to replace Lionel Messi in the future. But, with the Brazilian embracing the exit door, the search for a worthy successor to the Argentine demigod has started again.

The aftermath is clearly visible now. PSG are scoring belters week in week out while Barcelona are struggling to amass the usual tally of goals. With Neymar's departure and Suarez's lack of form, Messi has once again found himself being burdened with goal-scoring duties.

During the Neymar years, Barca were relaxed even when Messi was sidelined, thanks to the Brazilian skipper who always took the mantle and guided the club to victories. In doing so, he had proven himself as the perfect man to take the throne at Nou Camp in future.

Considering that La Masia is no longer producing the class of players like it used to, it will be an uphill task for the Blaugrana find a player worthy of filling the Argentine's boots. It remains to be seen whether or not the club will find a worthy successor for their ageing king.