Identifying Barcelona's Plan B Next Season Under Tito Vilanova

With the new season only a couple months away, Barcelona is still searching for the final pieces to the puzzle. After suffering two huge losses against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, it is clear that the team needs something more.

Not only was the defense an issue against the German club, but Barcelona also had major problems scoring, which has become more of a problem over the past two seasons. But the club does actually have some alternatives to the normal flow of things offensively.

More and more opponents are all too comfortable to sit back and heavily defend the Barcelona onslaught. With that being the case, it may finally be time for the Catalans to recognize a plan B.

But just what—or who—is the official plan B for Tito Vilanova’s side next season? In this article we will identify what changes were introduced last year and what fans should expect from the club this time around.

The Roaming Gerard Pique

One option that slowly became obvious last season was that of Gerard Pique going forward.

The Barcelona defender is the tallest player in the squad, and that was utilized by the club, though unsuccessfully. At times Pique would roam forward and find space in the box as several balls would be crossed in hoping to take advantage of his size.

This option never seemed to be planned, but rather it came from the mind of Pique, who was trying to give Barcelona a spark.

In fact, on several occasions the roaming defender did make problems for opposing defenders. In Barcelona's 5-1 victory over Athletic Club Bilbao it was exactly this change that opened the scoring for La Blaugrana.

However, the Pique experiment is far from being a second option.

Not only is Gerard Pique not a capable finisher, but his going forward often severely hurt the Blaugrana defense. If Tito Vilanova truly wants a plan B to combat heavy defenses, it must come from up front.

Three at the Back

Another option utilized by Barcelona also involved the defense, but is much more successful than Gerard Pique functioning as a point man. In the most desperate of times, Barcelona has changed formation to allow for three defenders and more attackers.

The three-at-the-back formation came in handy this season in comeback wins such as the 3-2 victory against Sevilla.

As in the case of Sevilla, this formation allows for the Barcelona full-backs to be sent forward and join the attack to give defenders even more to deal with. But that is not always the case.

A similar move was made in Barcelona’s 4-0 victory against AC Milan in the Champions League. Though the club did not start the match with only three defenders, the back line did move to allow for more offensive attacks, which eventually paid off.

Though the three-defender formation has often bailed Barcelona out of a tight spot, it seems to be more of a desperate move rather than a true option.

Playing with three defenders also makes things really difficult on the Barcelona goal. The club struggled this season even with four defenders, and taking one away often did more harm than good.

This lineup will likely continue to be used in very desperate situations, but it, too, is just not successful enough to be Barcelona’s plan B.

Neymar

When it was announced that Barcelona had officially purchased Neymar, eyebrows were raised. Fans cannot wait to see the Brazilian link up with Lionel Messi. But can the 21-year-old actually be Barcelona’s plan B?

Neymar brings to Barcelona what the club has been missing. He is a strong finisher who has the ability to shoot from distance and pull defenders out of position. That in itself could prove to be the answer to Tito Vilanova’s problems.

With Neymar and Messi on the pitch together, defenders will likely not be able to sit back as much as in past seasons. Both attackers will demand attention, and play will be much more open than Barcelona is used to seeing.

Messi has even weighed in on the Brazilian himself.

In an interview with Marca, the Argentine stated that "I hope Neymar can make a big contribution to Barcelona's football and he can keep putting on displays like he did in Brazil. I'm certain that his signing has been good for us"

But what Neymar brings to Barcelona should not be considered as a plan B, rather it is strengthening the first option that already exists for the club.

Neymar brings a lot to the table for Tito Vilanova, but he will not necessarily change the style of play for La Blaugrana. The Brazilian will link up very well with Lionel Messi, but the same problems could still exist at Barcelona.

Is There Truly a Second Option for Barcelona

Barcelona has earned their reputation and become one of the most dominate clubs in history because of their tiki-taka style of play. And it is that style that may suggest that there is no plan B.

For Tito Vilanova to incorporate a new option in attack there would likely need to be alterations made to the system already in place. However, it is unlikely that Barcelona will add a new dimension of play because of what it will mean for tiki-taka football.

In the eyes of some, changing or adding something new at Barcelona would be to admit that tiki-taka is dying.

Adding something new means that what is being done is not good enough. With this style of play being the identity of Barcelona, the club will likely continue to live and die with only one option.

To some this idea of never changing tiki-taka is a source of pride. But for others it is seen as standing in the way of improvement.

But for now it appears as though Tito Vilanova and Barcelona will look to strengthen what is already in use at the club rather than adding any new options or dimensions up front.

Neymar will prove to be a second scorer to help Lionel Messi. Adding a new defender would likely fix the problems at the back. And making tiki-taka stronger will be the goal rather than adding something new.

Barcelona defender Dani Alves addressed the question of adding a plan B in November in an interview reported on Barcelona’s official website. This is what the Brazilian had to say.

"

Whenever we fail to win, the debate starts about whether we need a Plan B. But that makes no sense here, because we have our philosophy and our way of playing the game. They tried to bring in a big striker a few seasons ago, but though there might be plenty of quality players around, very few fit Barça’s style of play. The solution is just make sure Plan A works better!

"

This seems to be the opinion of everyone at the Catalan club. If plan A does not work it is because it isn’t strong enough. Rather than creating a second option, the club will strengthen what it already does best.

Does Barcelona have to find a Plan B? Can the club still win trophies with tiki-taka alone? Leave your thoughts and comments below.

Tre’ Atkinson. Follow me on Twitter for more discussions on FC Barcelona and all Spanish football.

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