Luis Enrique Close to Unlocking Lionel Messi-Neymar-Luis Suarez Potential

It clicked at last, and with devastating fashion. For the first time this season, Barcelona really began to transition into the way they need to play, with Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez not just the best players, but also the key ones. 

Of course, the arrows that these three fired into the torso of Atletico Madrid last weekend were loaded into the bow by the likes of Andres Iniesta and Ivan Rakitic, and their contributions should certainly not be dismissed.

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But the fearsome attacking trident that Barcelona possess came to life, working as a unit and finally showing a sign that manager Luis Enrique understands the need to make the final third the area Barcelona are strongest in on the pitch instead of just on paper.

For years, it's always been about the midfield trio of Sergio Busquets, Xavi Hernandez and the aforementioned Iniesta. But now, the most powerful segment of the team is the strike force, and Barcelona need to play in a way that utilises these three giants of the modern game.

They did this in the 3-1 win at the Camp Nou, with Rakitic and Iniesta working hard to ensure that Messi, Suarez and Neymar had the space they needed to flourish.

It seems to have been settled that Suarez will play as the most attacking of the trio (in position), with Neymar off to his left and Messi to the right.

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However, both Neymar and Messi are more than comfortable with coming inside and playing in an attacking midfield position or as the main striker.

Check out the first Barcelona goal against Atletico Madrid. Messi is around eight yards out, and his cutback is bungled by Suarez in the six-yard box. But one second later, Neymar, also in the box, has the ball and is able to slide it home.

The second goal is also a brilliant example of the way the three forwards are connecting. Messi, admittedly after handling the ball, bursts forward from deep and charges towards the box. Neymar sees what is happening and makes a brilliant run across the defence, opening up a huge gap for Suarez. 

Messi feeds the Uruguayan, and Suarez makes no bones of the finish, firing past Miguel Angel Moya and sending Barcelona into a 2-0 lead.

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The third goal also saw all three strikers close together in the box, with Messi firing in at the near post and both Neymar and Suarez lurking with menace deeper in the box.

It will be some time before we see those three players take to the field with quite the same fire-and-brimstone fury and passion as they did on Sunday night.

That's for a variety of reasons, from the brutal challenges Atletico Madrid were making, to the significance of the game, to the tumultuous week in Catalonia that the match capped off.

What we can expect is for Enrique to appreciate that by playing Xavi ahead of Rakitic, he makes the team more ponderous.

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That's not necessarily a bad thing, as some games need plenty of thought to crack. But in general, to play to his strengths, he needs the midfielders to be working hard and the strikers to get the ball quickly without giving the defence time to settle.

Thursday night's game against Elche probably won't give us a chance to find out if the coach has taken this on board from the Atletico game because Barcelona are already 5-0 up after demolishing their opponents in the Copa del Rey last-16 first leg.

But on Sunday evening, they head to north-west Spain to take on Deportivo la Coruna, and that will be a more testing tie.