Barcelona: Full Report Card for Every Position for January
Barcelona have had a busy January, playing eight matches during the month.
Fortunately for under-fire coach Luis Enrique, it's been a successful period, with just one loss to Real Sociedad and seven wins.
It will certainly have given the team some confidence as they go into February, which will feature the first leg of the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey and the resumption of the Champions League.
Let's take a look at the players' performances throughout January, which have been graded according to general standard of all-round performance and goals scored and assists provided where applicable.
Goalkeepers
1 of 8
Claudio Bravo
Grade: A
It was another stellar month for Claudio Bravo, who continues his assault on the Zamora Trophy.
Conceding just two goals in January means Bravo has fished the ball out of his net just nine times since the start of the season.
It's by far the best record in the division, and Bravo complements his shot-stopping with a commanding presence and ball-playing ability.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen
Grade: A
Marc-Andre ter Stegen has been as busy as Bravo's contemporary this month, playing the same amount of games—albeit in the Copa del Rey.
He only conceded two goals too, both in the same game against Atletico Madrid. In the first leg of that tie and both games against Elche, the young German was simply unbeatable.
Right-Backs
2 of 8
Dani Alves
Grade: A-
What makes Dani Alves' performances so good is that he has no genuine competition for his place, only surrendering it at the whim of the coach.
It would be incredibly easy for the Brazilian to allow his level to drop, but the fact it hasn't says much about Alves professionalism.
He was at his best in the games against Atletico Madrid, denying the Rojiblancos time and space to great effect.
Martin Montoya
Grade: C
Martin Montoya got a decent run out in January, but his appearances were mainly in the cup competitions.
Preferred to Dani Alves against Real Sociedad, we saw Montoya playing in his usual manner. Competent going forward but rarely producing an end product.
Invariably, crosses were inaccurate and wasteful, which was a pattern that was replicated in the games he played against Elche.
Douglas
Grade: D
For only the second time since his summer transfer, Douglas was given a run out. His 28 minutes against Elche was, you might think, a token gesture from Luis Enrique.
As with his Malaga debut, he was spectacularly bad.
The sooner he is shipped out the better for all concerned.
Left-Backs
3 of 8
Jordi Alba
Grade: B+
Jordi Alba played in all but one of the matches during January, missing the second leg of the cup tie against Elche.
He started the month in the worst possible fashion, scoring the own goal that handed Real Sociedad an unlikely win.
Alba followed that up with a goal at the right end in the first game of the Elche triple-header and also provided a pinpoint assist for Neymar to tap in against Atleti.
Has been steady if not brilliant this month.
Adriano Correia
Grade: B
Adriano Correia would have been sick of playing against Elche by the end of the month.
He only featured in three games during January, and all three came against the team in green and white.
At least he had a goal to show from the middle game of the hat-trick, and it was a reward for the hard work and toil that Adriano invariably shows when in possession of the jersey.
Centre-Backs
4 of 8
Gerard Pique
Grade: A
What a turnaround in fortune for Gerard Pique.
The central defender has been a massive plus point for Luis Enrique since the turn of the year, and Pique's more regular association with the shirt has brought expected benefit.
A commanding presence at the back, barely anything has got past him, and he's even got in among it at the other end.
A constant thorn in the side at set pieces, he managed to notch a goal against Elche toward the end of the month.
Jeremy Mathieu
Grade: B-
Injuries rocked Frenchman Jeremy Mathieu throughout January.
He achieved the equivalent of just two full games in January, registering 70 minutes against Real Sociedad, a 20-minute cameo against Atleti and a full 90 against Elche, a game in which he got on the scoresheet with this fine free-kick.
Marc Bartra
Grade: A-
Marc Bartra goes from strength to strength, showing just what a run of games can do for the confidence.
In the five games Bartra played during the month, Barca didn't concede a single goal, which says a lot about the youngster and his defensive partner in the centre.
He looked composed and assured throughout and even registered an assist in the 6-0 thrashing of Elche.
Defensive Midfielders
5 of 8
Javier Mascherano
Grade: B
Four yellow cards in the last five games, per WhoScored.com, isn't a particularly good statistic for Javier Mascherano to read.
It certainly shows the Argentinian's incredible will to win, but just one more caution will see him banned at a crucial stage of the season.
He continues to shuttle between the back four and defensive midfield with aplomb and can be relied upon to deliver the goods in every game.
Sergio Busquets
Grade: B
Sergio Busquets has started to function a little better again in the defensive-midfield role, going about business in his usual understated but effective fashion.
Just four goals conceded in the entire month is as much down to his protection of the back four as the back four themselves.
He got in among it for a corner against Atleti, which led to an own goal by Joao Miranda and gave Barca the advantage in the Copa del Rey tie.
Sergi Samper
Grade: D
You can't really grade a player on 14 minutes. However, suffice to say that Sergi Samper's time will come again—it just wasn't to be for him during January.
Attacking Midfielders
6 of 8
Andres Iniesta
Grade: B+
A dry month for Andres Iniesta in terms of chances created and goals scored, but it's not for the want of trying.
His ease of movement and playing intelligence remain of the highest quality, and his superb 90.6 per cent pass-completion rate, per WhoScored.com, remains one of the best in the squad.
It certainly demonstrates that while he may not have been as influential at the business end of the pitch, he's still got a lot to say in the midfield—an area where he excels.
Xavi
Grade: B+
Surprisingly, Xavi was one of a number of players who was only used sparingly throughout January.
The captain of the Blaugrana should certainly be afforded a little more respect than the one full match that he managed.
Perhaps Luis Enrique prefers using him as an impact substitute, yet gives him little time to make that impact. Thirteen minutes against Atleti, per WhoScored.com, underlines that point.
Ivan Rakitic
Grade: B+
Two assists during January is a reasonable return from Ivan Rakitic, but it's his dynamic range of passing that has really caught the eye.
A slight loss of individual form before the turn of the year has been overcome, and he now resembles the purposeful and effective midfielder Barca signed from Sevilla last summer.
One of the first names on the teamsheet at present.
Sergi Roberto
Grade: D
As with Adriano, Sergi Roberto only played in the three games against Elche during January, but he did at least manage to get on the scoresheet.
He is still finding it hard to break into the starting XI on a regular basis despite injuries and loss of form for other personnel.
Rafinha Alcantara
Grade: D
Rafinha had a super game against Elche, playing the full 90 minutes, but he was still overshadowed by the likes of Neymar and Messi, who were on fire that night.
He only managed another 45 minutes across three fixtures, so he probably needs to step up his game if he wants to emulate his older sibling.
Wingers
7 of 8
Neymar
Grade: A+
Once again, Neymar has brought everything to the party. What a start to the year for the Brazilian!
He recorded seven goals, an assist and a man-of-the-match performance against a tough Atletico Madrid side, per WhoScored.com.
It's hard to correlate the Neymar of today with the shell of a player from a year or so ago, the difference is so marked.
Take the Atletico Madrid second leg win by way of example. Last season, Neymar was writhing around at every given opportunity; this season he looks hungry, incisive and dangerous.
Indeed, behind Lionel Messi, Neymar was again the club's best player during the past month.
Pedro Rodriguez
Grade: B-
Two goals scored in January, both coming in separate games against Elche, is all that Pedro Rodriguez has to show for his toil.
That they came in the only two games in which he was played for the full 90 minutes is no coincidence.
The most he has been on the pitch in his five other games was 58 minutes, per WhoScored.com.
It's no real surprise, then, that the Canary Islander has found it hard to get into games and impress the club's hierarchy.
Centre Forwards
8 of 8
Lionel Messi
Grade: A+
January was yet another month when Lionel Messi set the standard.
He notched four man-of-the-match awards, a hat-trick against Deportivo La Coruna, the winner against Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Copa del Rey, another against Elche in the teams' first match and two goals and two assists in Barca's final match against the side from the Valencian Community.
Those two assists took him to 104 in total—just two behind Luis Figo's all-time Liga record of 106, per Messi 10 Stats Twitter account. It's only a matter of time before the Argentinian will hold yet another record.
His movement and link-up play with Luis Suarez for Neymar's first goal against Atleti was exquisite, only bettered by his pass to Jordi Alba to set up the Brazilian's second.
He's simply the best.
Luis Suarez
Grade: A
It would appear that because Luis Suarez isn't hitting the back of the net on a regular basis there is something amiss to some observers.
Those observers are conveniently forgetting that here we have a workhorse of a striker who is prepared to sacrifice individual glory for the good of the team.
The goals will come eventually. In the meantime, we should marvel at that never-say-die spirit.
He has still got into goalscoring positions, even if on the majority of occasions thus far chances have not been executed.
The Uruguayan still managed two goals and three assists in the six games he was selected for in January, playing the full 90 minutes in each and thereby evidencing his growing importance to the side.
Munir El Haddadi
Grade: C-
Not too much has gone right for Munir El Haddadi since his debut goal against Elche on the opening day of the season.
Two appearances in January, away at Real Sociedad and at Elche in the second leg of the Copa del Rey tie, saw the youngster once again fail to produce anything of note.
Sandro Ramirez has fallen away from the first-team picture, and Munir could well be following him if he doesn't make his presence count in the future.
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