Posted by Stephen Kuzner

By Stephen Kuzner - WFD Fan Correspondent

Here is FC Barcelona's Roster: Victor Valdes, Daniel Alves, Gerard Piqué, Carles Puyol, Xavi, David Villa, Andrés Iniesta, Bojan Krkic, Lionel Messi, Jeffren Suárez, José Manuel Pinto, Javier Mascherano, Seydou Keita, Sergio Busquets, Pedro Rodríguez, Gabriel Milito, Maxwell, Adriano, Éric Abidal. Not a long list at all. If you counted, that's just 19 players. Talk about cutting the fat to save some cash. With Champions League, the Copa del Ray, and La Liga, how are they going to manage with just 19 players? Outnumbered, will they take a stand like 300 Spartans at the Battle of Thermopylae?

What's more is that of these 19, 10 of them came through Barcelona's vaunted youth system. If anyone gets knackered-up between now and the winter transfer-window, help will have to come from the youth system. For a team playing in a lot of competitions, a lot of youngsters are going to get their chance to show their mettle. My guess is the following Barca B players are going to get some appearances in the not so distant future: Víctor Vázquez (Midfielder), Jonathan dos Santos (Midfielder),

Marc Muniesa (Defender), Jonathan Soriano (Stirker), Andreu Fontàs (Defender), Armando Lozano (Defender). Someone always seems to step-up from Barca B every year, from Pedro last year, Busquets in the 6 trophy-winning side, and Bojan before that scoring 10 goals in his first La Liga season.

What is for sure is that I don't think we are gong to see many players upset with playing time. Pep Guardiola can't fall-out with anyone. When you look at the roster you see 19 players that would start on almost any La Liga side. You can already see that Pep will get all the mileage he can out of players Barcelona has signed. Maxwell, Keita, Abidal and Dani Alves have all played the maximum number of minutes in Barcelona's games thus far this season. Expect the same for Javier Mascherano and Adriano once they get settled and Gabriel Milito as well. David Villa will share time with Bojan to a certain degree as a central striker as well as on the left wing.

Injuries and squad-rotations will also be helped by players that can fill-in at multiple positions. Most of this roster consists of players that can excel in many different roles on the pitch. Nevertheless, a squad of 19 is pressing the limits of flexible players. Right now with Puyol out the next few weeks, Piqué and Gabriel Milito are backed-up with Éric Abidal and Sergio Busquets. Marc Muniesa, Andreu Fontàs, and Armando better be ready.

The thing not easily apparent to supporters about a squad of 19, remains you'd need 22 players for 11-a-side during practice. Granted, this is great for Barca B players to get exposure quickly to the senior-side in practice, but from a pundit's point of view, I don't understand how much this affects training? Maybe it doesn't at all or just a little. I'm sure they be able to spin it as a good thing.

If Barcelona take home any significant silverware this year, it will be doing it the old-fashioned way by using homegrown players, rotating players in the line-up, relying of flexible players with multiple skill-sets, and getting the maximum out of every signing. Expect to see this affect trickle through all of football, particularly the English Premier League due to its new squad rules this year. This may be the beginning of sane frugal football.



Please send any feedback to skuzner@mail.com.