How Barcelona Are Preparing for Life After Carles Puyol

"Time and tide wait for no man". Barcelona Captain Carles Puyol might do well to digest those words and let them sink in for a minute or two.

Whilst a Blaugrana side devoid of their Catalan tour-de-force is an unpalatable prospect, the fact remains that the punishment inflicted upon Puyol's ageing limbs is becoming ever harder to overcome in a timely fashion.

Given his own desire to carry on playing until he is 40, Puyol would be wise to consider a more peripheral role in the months ahead.

Were Barcelona adequately covered in the position, Puyol is wiley enough to know that more regular omissions would not only be for the good of the team, but also for the longevity of his own playing career.

Yet herein lies the problem.

At the time of writing, Barcelona just do not have the required standard of defensive personnel on the roster to allow Puyol that luxury.

How else do you explain the reticence of Tito Vilanova in not promoting Marc Bartra—for example—to a regular first-team starting berth?

It's a lack of trust in the Barcelona youngsters that is becoming a thorny issue for the Barca faithful used to the club promoting from within La Masia.

There would appear to be a perceived lack of quality in this area of the team which threatens to derail Barca's immediate ambitions.

So how are Barcelona preparing themselves for the inevitable—the day when Carles Puyol hangs up his boots?

Presently, the focus is on one player in particular—Paris St Germain captain Thiago Silva.

There's certainly no doubting the Brazilian international's credentials. Barcelona themselves saw first hand the quality that the player brings to the position during their Champions League Quarter Final encounter.

Marseille's Joey Barton, never short of an opinion or two, was suitably impressed.

La Blaugrana are playing a very dangerous game here, however. By throwing all of their eggs into one basket, they run the risk of losing any other targets they may have identified.

A case in point is that of Jeremy Mathieu of Valencia. 

Barcelona were interested in his services according to the player, yet as he told L'Equipe (h/t goal.com), he was not their first choice and therefore subsequently decided to renew his contract at Los Che.

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"I am very happy, it is all done, I have renewed for Valencia.

Barca were interested in me, but I came in fourth or fifth on their list.

I could have waited, but I had to show respect towards Valencia."

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There have been other names mentioned as potential replacements for Puyol, but Vilanova is adamant that Thiago Silva remains his number one choice, per AS (h/t Inside Spanish Football).

Silva's agent is equally as sure that his client is going nowhere.

According to Tuttomercatoweb (h/t goal.com), Paulo Tonietto cannot see the player leaving PSG.

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"Is it true that Thiago would be willing to shrink his salary just to play at Barca?

That possibility doesn't exist, Thiago will not go to Barcelona.

Will he stay at PSG? Yes, he will continue his career in France, with or without Ancelotti."

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Unequivocal and to the point.

Such an impasse threatens to destroy Barca's season before it starts. They simply cannot contemplate starting the season by utilising squad members as a "stop-gap".

Adriano, Alex Song and Sergio Busquets have all assumed the position at one time or another, but none of the three is a natural, commanding centre back in the Puyol mode.

Further, Puyol also offers a presence as an attacking threat from set pieces if required. 

Javier Mascherano has converted to the position in some style but one would also have to acknowledge his limitations and shortcomings in the role.

The fact remains that he is a defensive midfielder by trade—a position he plays for the Argentinian national team—and therefore should not be considered as the long-term replacement for Puyol.

Perhaps a change of formation would be the order of the day?

A 3-5-2 might see Puyol's partner-in-crime Gerard Pique assume sole defensive responsibility in the centre.

He would certainly need to up his own game as he was somewhat of a liability at times last season for Barca, but a slight change of role and positioning could be the key to solving the problem for Tito. 

Pique has also—as he did for Spain against Nigeria in last weekend's Confederations Cup match—played on the right side of the back three.

However, this once again leaves the central defensive area vulnerable, and even though Sergio Busquets played there in the same match for Spain, he would face much stiffer tests in La Liga.

Further, Busquets is much more effective as a defensive midfielder placed just in front of the defence.

Whatever the machinations, keen followers of Barcelona will point to a "Groundhog Day" of sorts. The scenario playing itself out at present is a replication of circumstances from 12 months ago.

During the year since, Carles Puyol has been on the injured list for more weeks than he has played.

Surely with the benefit of that hindsight Barcelona can foresee what might happen in the next 12 months, can't they?