FC Barcelona : Ideal Starting Lineup for 2010-11 Season

The new footballing season is upon us, and with the announcement of Cesc Fabregas staying at Arsenal, the business is over for the club at the transfer market for now. The two signings this season, namely David Villa from Valencia and Adriano from Sevilla, are in my opinion nothing less than perfect for their style of play.

The manager, Josep Guardiola, has signed an extension for another year and has already made it very clear that the club objectives are to win it all again, just like they did in his very first year as a manager. Let us now discuss the most efficient starting lineup for arguably the best footballing team on the planet at present.

The formation is an attacking formation of 4-2-1-2-1.

Goalkeeper: VICTOR VALDES

There is not really any competition for this one. Pinto is a decent keeper as well but is prone to accidents, as we saw against All-Star K- League, and Ruben Mino is still very young. Moreover, Valdes has a lot of experience and has proved himself at this level.

Right Back: DANIEL ALVES

With the arrival of Adriano mainly as a cover for the careless Dani Alves, it would be interesting to see how both of them are used in the first lineup by the manager. But for this position, Alves should be the first choice because he is quick, loves to attack, and has a special ability to put pinpoint crosses into the box. He also has good chemistry with Lionel Messi on the right flank.

Centre Back: GERARD PIQUE

Gerard Pique is one of the young centre backs who has earned his place in the starting lineup due to his calm and composed performances during the previous two seasons. Some might think that he is prone to accidents and Gabriel Milito should be ahead of him because he has been in decent form after his return from a serious injury. For me, Pique is a big match player and he can only improve from here on, so his place is rightly reserved.

Centre Back: CARLES PUYOL

The skipper, the Catalan hero, and an inspiration to anyone who wants to be a defender. Capable of playing anywhere in the defensive line and should be deployed in the centre because of his brilliance in this position over the past few years, and also the abundance of fullbacks in the squad. There is no question to be raised on his spot.

Left Back: ANDRADE MAXWELL

This might come as a shock to many if he's chosen ahead of the Frenchman Eric Abidal and the new signing Adriano, but I am not one of them. He had an amazing first season for the club and has proved that he is good enough to replace Abidal in the starting lineup. Also, the Frenchman has had an injury-plagued season and a horrible World Cup, and is 30 years old. Moreover, he has somehow lost the amazing crossing ability he possessed, and when he played in a few later matches, he looked like a man who left his legs home. Maxwell loves to get forward and has improved his crossing a lot. It would be interesting to see how Guardiola uses him this season.

Centre Defensive Midfield: SERGIO BUSQUETS

I was not the biggest fan of the Catalan and initially failed to understand why was he used so much when the manager had the naturally gifted Yaya Toure at his disposal, but I will have to say that Guardiola got it absolutely correct. He has a very special ability to be in the right place at the right time and to win the ball back in a neat manner. At a very young age, he has a very special ability to man-mark important players out of the game, be it Kaka against Real Madrid in the first El Clasico of the season, Fabregas against Arsenal in the first leg of the tie, Mesut Oezil in the semifinal of the World Cup, or Wesley Sneijder in the finals. Seydou Keita is expected to provide cover for the young player in case of injury or suspension.

Centre Attacking Midfield: XAVI HERNANDES

The midfield maestro is one of the most creative players on the face of this planet and probably the engine of the best national and club teams on earth. There is no one who can dictate the pace of the game as well as create assists by providing one pass after the other, each of which looks better than the previous one, and they are almost impossible to intercept for the opposing defenders. 

Centre Defensive Midfield: JAVIER MASCHERANO

FC Barcelona's latest signing, the Argentine skipper is one of the best defensive midfielders in the world and is at the peak of his form. Just at the age of 26, has still a lot left in the tank and could be the final piece in the puzzle for the club to reinforce its midfield.

Central Striker : LIONEL MESSI

The heart of FC Barcelona, the love of Camp Nou or the Star of La Masia. The current Player of the Year is gearing up to make up for the bad World Cup (bad only because he did not win it—I think he played amazing football) and is ready to shine once more for his club. Barcelona do need his services and everyone saw the impact he can have on a game against Arsenal in the Champions League and more recently against the K-League, which looked like a stroll in the park to him. Hopefully he will have an injury-free season, as he can only get better from here. I still cannot believe he is just 23.

Left Winger : DAVID VILLA

"El Gauje" has finally arrived and will be one of the most important attacking components of the club football team this year. Coming on the back of an amazing World Cup should definitely fit the style of play, especially if he is deployed in the left, where he has tormented defenders cutting in from the edge of the box followed by a clinical finish. With Messi playing the same role on the other flank, the attack is mouth-watering.

Right Winger : ANDRES INIESTA

The hero of Spain, the match savior has time-to-time come to rescue the team, be it against Chelsea in the semifinal of 2009 Champions League or the World Cup final against Netherlands. His passing with Xavi and Messi is almost telepathic and can unlock any defense on the field. One can only hope that he has an injury-free season, as he is hard to find a replacement for.