Koeman has learnt from his mistakes unlike his predecessors at Barcelona

If one were to talk of turnarounds, Ronald Koeman’s term at Barcelona would be a good starting point. The progression of the season has been unique in its own fashion.

In terms of pure performance, the season started in the most inconsistent way possible. Every now and then, the side came up with a powerful display that rattled the world. The first game against Juventus was the peak of the same, showing that there is some real potential in the dressing room of Barcelona. However, each of these stellar showings was followed by the lowest of lows. Equally frequently, the Catalans put up toothless performances that offered barely any competition. Pundits across the globe have brought up the point of inconsistency dozens of times.

But lo and behold! Look at what Barcelona are now, and the change is absolutely unbelievable. Consistency stands out as it has never shone before. Confidence exudes from every player In abundance. The Blaugranas have transformed into a machine that can detonate any opposition at their doorstep. Moreover, the side has now gone nine away games without dropping a point!

If Ronald Koeman has gone from a villain to one of the most loved coaches by the fanbase, he has surely done something right. Something right with hbis decisions, and his approach to games. And that is exactly what sets the Dutchman apart from his predecessors — his ability to learn from mistakes.

The largely forgettable 4-2-3-1

Oh, that 4-2-3-1, that dreaded formation that never seemed to go away. Though it was the idea that the Dutchman first arrived at the Caml Nou with, the games made it clear that it was not made for Barcelona.

While it not only clipped off the freedom from the veterans by placing them on foreign grounds, it had problems at much more elementary grounds. In a highly technical and organised league like La Liga, the formation just was not right. It made the side toothless against low blocks. Moreover, Barcelona did not have the players to fit into the winger’s profile, nor did they have a central striker of the required pedigree.

The differentiating factor

Barcelona has often favoured coaches with little to no experience in hand. On some occasions, the aforementioned gamble has reaped the rewards in diamonds. However, in some cases, such personalities never settle in and ultimately end up crushed under pressure. Many times, it is the stubbornness, close-minded approach and lack of flexibility that is their undoing.

When Ronald Koeman arrived, he arrived with the club legend tag. The quality on one’s resume possibly provides them a few months more to prove themselves at the club they once graced. His personality gelled with the dressing room like none other, and the players were behind him right from the get-go. Something Quique Setien failed to achieve in his entire tenure!

Setien was not a man who was radically different from Koeman in the fact that both were extremely rigid as to their philosophy. However, it was this close-mindedness that saw the end of Setien. While the former boss was meant to bring colour back into Barcelona’s football, he barely succeeded.

However, it is not something new with managers of the Catalan club. One reminisces the end of Luis Enrique’s tenure, just a season after his treble win. The now Spanish national team coach was constantly criticized for mismanagement of his resources. He prioritized the UCL and single-handedly conceded the league in a season where Barcelona’s midfield was visibly declining. Though his mistakes were brought up several times, even by media outlets, his reluctance to be open saw the end of him.

Ernesto Valverde did not have a very different fate either. After giving up healthy leads in two successive seasons, the manager just couldn’t accept his flaws. He continued to field a side filled with veteran players, totally ignoring the value of the youth who had impressed. And it was the veterans’ psychological incompetence at that time which showed him the door.

The Dutchman was initially reluctant to change. His press conferences oozed overconfidence in a system that clearly didn’t work. Matchday substitutions did not make sense. Barcelona was so unpredictable, one wouldn’t put their money on either side.

Over time, however, Koeman started being more flexible. His gradual shift back to a 4-3-3 brought back life into a seemingly dead side. Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and many others were suddenly revitalized. Frenkie de Jong began running the show like never before.

Most importantly, the coach also undid his mistake of going for the big names by default. Koeman must be applauded for his faith in youth, and they have not let him down. By trusting Pedri, Oscar Mingueza, Ronald Araujo, and Ilaix Moriba more recently, the manager did away with players like Samuel Umtiti, Phillipe Coutinho, and Pjanic, who one would have thought would be up the pecking order.

Koeman did not stop there either. His growth as a manager is worthy of a book in itself. As he progressed down his path, he stumbled across a novel idea of a 3-5-2/3-4-3. It was an approach that demanded three centrebacks from a side that was already short-staffed at the position. However, it was the only gamble that could surprise Sevilla. And oh boy, it changed Barcelona’s fortunes for the season.

One week later, Barcelona had destroyed Sevilla’s entire season. Both in the league and the cup, the Catalans were unstoppable. They made the long trip to Paris to give the French side a heart attack by playing some of the best football they have this season. Most recently, a 6-1 demolition of Real Sociedad attests to the fact that none of those is luck. This is football, this is Barcelona. And this is now Koeman-ball. And oh my, isn’t it beautiful.