Grading Luis Enrique's First Few Months as Barcelona Manager

When Luis Enrique came home to Barcelona, the reaction to his appointment was mixed to say the least.

For those supporters tired of Tata Martino's long-ball game, having an ex-captain back as manager was manna from heaven. 

A player steeped in Blaugrana despite his association with Real Madrid, Lucho understood perfectly the ethos of the club, and the way in which Barcelona should play. 

Something that Martino perhaps never truly got to grips with.

On the other side of the fence were those who scrutinised Enrique's managerial credentials and were left distinctly unimpressed.

Steering a Barca B side to record-breaking heights while Pep Guardiola was in his pomp as head of the first team counted for little.

Barca's official website were even proud to announce that Enrique had only won one more game (17) than he'd lost (16) while at AS Roma. A seventh-place finish was never going to be good enough for the Italians and so it was that Luis Enrique parted company after just a season.

To Celta Vigo. Where he lost 18 and won 15 finishing ninth.

So how has Luis Enrique fared in the first half of the season? Let's take a look.

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Squad management: C

Lucho's lack of managerial experience at the highest level is clearly evident in his team selections.

Twenty-four games in charge, 24 different starting XIs. That's not only unprecedented, but must be a worry for the players, fans and the board.

There are elements of a team that every manager won't be entirely happy about and will change accordingly, but to tinker with personnel in every single game speaks of a manager out of his depth and not confident in his squad.

A squad that is decidedly unhappy with their manager.

According to Jose Felix Diaz of Marca:

"

The fallout from the visit to the Bernabeu has been messy for Luis Enrique. A number of the dressing-room heavyweights were none too pleased with some of his decisions in Madrid.

There are misgivings within the squad, particularly about the line-up chosen for the 'Clasico.' The word on the grapevine is that Lionel Messi took a dim view of what unfolded.

Tension was in the air throughout the following week and while some unwary people assumed Barca would cruise past Celta, this turned out to be way off the mark.

The Galicians didn't reinvent the wheel. They simply did what they have done in all of their previous away games: play good football. That's the long and the short of it.

[...] To make matters worse, by bypassing the midfield, the club's hallmark in recent decades, Enrique risks alienating the Camp Nou crowd.

Direct football, in which patient build-up is thrown out with the bathwater, doesn't go down well at this club; even more troublingly, the coach has already avowed that he pays no heed to criticism.

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Trying to integrate Luis Suarez into the front three to make a cohesive trio is also becoming problematic for the manager, and it's only thanks to the goals from Messi and Neymar that this particular problem has been overlooked.

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Results: B+

A mixed bag of results certainly, but ultimately Barca are still alive in every competition at this point.

The win against Paris Saint-Germain in the final group-stage game of the Champions League was probably the Catalans' best result, given how much was riding on the outcome. While PSG weren't at their best, this shouldn't take away from the final score.

That win and other notable results—Valencia away and Sevilla at home spring to mind—have been tempered, however, by disappointing defeats to Real Madrid and Celta Vigo and goalless draws against Malaga and Getafe.

Having not conceded a goal in the first seven games, Barca have been brought back down to earth with a bump. Already relying on other results to go their way in the league, a tough draw against Manchester City blocks Barca's progress in the Champions League.

More fighting spirit and desire need to be shown in every game.

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Performance: B

There is definite room for improvement in Barca's level of performance. Too many times already this season we've seen a lacklustre Blaugrana that seem happy just to amble through games more in hope than expectation of a result.

Away against Almeria is a prime example of the insouciance shown by the players and the win in that game was hard on the hosts who deserved something.

The zip and pressing game that had been Barca's hallmark has been seen in patches, and when the players click, the Catalans still look unstoppable. A manita against Sevilla is a perfect example of what we can expect when the Blaugrana are on song.

In summary, Lucho has done OK but there is room for improvement certainly.