Why 30 Goals Is a Realistic Aim for Barcelona's Neymar in 2015/16 Liga Season

Neymar's goalscoring output at Barcelona in 2014/15 placed him in the very top echelons in terms of strikers at the club.

With 39 goals in all competitions per WhoScored.com, the Brazil captain has gatecrashed a select group that previously only included Samuel Eto'o, Rivaldo, Ronaldo "O Fenomeno" Nazario and Lionel Messi.

Barcelona's official website detailed Neymar's prolific campaign that took him past the seasons-best 36 scored by both Rivaldo and Eto'o during their times at the club.

Maintaining such a hit-rate over the course of the coming season could prove difficult, although not impossible, and much will depend on the continuance of a blossoming professional relationship with striker Luis Suarez and Messi.

When the three were in tandem in the second half of last season, some of the football played was poetic.

All three exponents consistently delivered on a weekly basis, whether by scoring themselves or setting up others.

It was conceivably Neymar's breakout season in Blaugrana after flattering to deceive in his first campaign.

The player we witnessed right from the start of 2014/15 was the one we were more accustomed to, playing with confidence, intelligence and quality throughout.

Before Suarez had even got into his stride, however, the Brazilian had shown how important he would become over the course of the season, scoring eight times leading into an El Clasico clash against Real Madrid where he would add his ninth from an early Suarez cross.

Direct running, and at pace, is always going to unsettle opposition defences that are loathe to dive in and risk a card. It is exactly that skill that Neymar possesses and when given half a yard, he will unleash goal-bound exocets.

His goal against Paris Saint-Germain in their second Champions League group game is a case in point. Stand off him at your peril. 

Although 30 goals might be seen in some quarters as a failure of sorts, given that improvement is always desired, opposition teams will also improve defensively and devise methods to countenance Barca's immaculate attacking play.

"Parking the bus" is a catch-all phrase for overly defensive opposition, but we may see a lot more teams playing in this manner during the coming season to save themselves from an inevitable hiding.

More teams will double-up on Neymar too, showing him down channels he won't necessarily want to go. 

"

"I want to keep on doing the things that I have been doing, to win titles and to achieve my goals." - Neymar

— FCB (@AddictedToBarca) July 28, 2015"

To that end, the Brazilian and his colleagues will need to up the ante themselves and work harder and faster to find space in which to work most effectively.

The 122 goals via all three players in 2014/15 is a preposterous total but does still provide a benchmark for which to aim.

If the front three are able to come anywhere close to those numbers again, we can be assured that the Catalans will have had another trophy-laden season.

How Neymar can ensure a continuous personal supply is by playing a slightly different game to that which he's been used to. Hanging on the shoulder of the last defender and getting on his bike earlier in any move forward and giving himself an even better chance of regular goalscoring opportunities will be key.

A preference for dropping deeper than is necessary to forage for scraps is not needed. Barca are well-stocked in the midfield areas with high-quality exponents able to deliver balls in behind with pin-point accuracy.

As a poacher rather than creator, Neymar is more than capable of reaching the 30-goal mark.