Alex Song to Barcelona

Off to Catalunya..

Arsenal fans were dismayed when Alex Song was sold to FC Barcelona, because he was arguably their best creative player throughout the previous season.

Alex Song, whilst being a defensive midfielder garnered 14 assists for Arsenal in the previous season, many of them eye-catching through balls and lofted passes. He is one of the few tough tackling midfielders left, in an age where the classy regista is back. However, he is certainly one of the more unique players. There has hardly been any player that could play the Makelele role and the Pirlo role with as nonchalant ease as Song has done over the past season.




He has played at center back, infact he made an appearance in the team of the tournament in his first AFCON playing as a centre back for Cameroon. But, at Arsenal, his primary job has been of  a holding midfieder. It could be argued that he is not the greatest of shielders of his defence as evidenced by Arsenal conceding 49 goals the previous season. His positional inconsistency can only be completely assimilated in a 4-3-3, with an almost fluid midfield three. In any other formation, his defensive postioning would be caught out as it was at Arsenal this season past. There is only one other major club that swears by the 4-3-3, FC Barcelona.

Why Barcelona bought him:

It may be very simply down to his verstatility. When Seydou Keita left, a replacement was needed and so names such as Javi Martinez and Song were considered. One could argue that Barcelona have rarely shown interest in central defenders recently, preferring to deploy Busquets and Mascherano when injuries have forced their hand.

In the Busquets role

Alex Song's appeal lies in the fact that not only he is a physical presence, but is a capable footballer too,good on the ball and creative when needed to be. He can play center back, defensive midfield (Busquets role) and may even deputise in a No 8 role. Barcelona have rarely been associated with non ball playing centre backs even when it could be argued that they have needed them. They have instead compromised with technically gifted midfielders and domination of possession. Song is the perfect antithesis to the current mould of Barca players, he can pass like them but he can tackle and be far more aggressive and battling than the other Barca midfielders who, it can be argued lack the sheer bloody-mindedness which comes naturally to players bred in the physicality of the Premier League.

In a three man defence

Also, he could be a perfect fit for a 3-4-3, as in a three man defence his aggression and tackling could be highly useful in dealing with any counterattacks Barca may have to face. Another aspect of his play is his capability to pick out wingers making runs behind the opposing full backs, like his passes to Walcott the previous season. And wingers like Cuenca and Tello getting more game time, this may add another dimension to Barca's play.

First Impressions:

Song started the game at the weekend against Valencia in place of Sergio Busquets and gave a good account of  himself, playing short neat passes and fitting in seamlessly with the Barca players. His first start was however marked by a few adventurous balls and stiffer challenges than what we have come to accept from Barcelona.

Tito Vilanova, though Pep's understudy is certainly a different manager than Pep and it would be foolish to assume that there shall be no changes. Alex Song is an aggressive addition to what is seen as a side lacking a backbone. While Pep was busy fretting over what more his players could have done when they lost to Chelsea in the CL, Tito may have realised that midfield steel was missing and with Alex Song, you can stop counterattacks and have the spark of creativity that could win you a game. Worryingly for Sergio Busquets, he is simply not creative or tough tackling enough and he may see his role being lessened over the course of this season.

There is also another thought process at play here, Pep Guardioa as a player was a deep lying playmaker not unlike Busquets, and having been mentored by Johann Cruyff, he wanted football to be played the beautiful way.

Vilanova was a midfielder too, but one who couldn't break into the first team at Barcelona unlike Guardiola. He spent his career playing in the lower Spanish leagues and this may have led to him developing a more aggressive and functional form of the beautiful game. Only time will indicate the enormity of this influence.