Barcelona players question Koeman's 4-2-3-1 formation
According to Catalan program Què T'hi Jugues, some Barcelona players believe the current system used by Koeman is rigid and lacks flexibility during games.
According to the journalist, Adrià Albets of the Cadena SER Catalan radio program Què T'Hi Jugues, some Barcelona players are beginning to question Ronald Koeman's 4-2-3-1 formation, especially his rigidity and insistence on the system instead of being more flexible and implementing tweaks during games.
The information, obtained from sources close to players, as explained by SER, represents the first crack in the Barça dressing room with the Dutch coach, who until now seemed to have convinced his players of the need to go from a 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1 that had the potential to protect the team and make it more compact.
Koeman has maintained several times throughout the season that the system is non-negotiable and, although in other stages of his coaching career he has used other systems, for example with the Netherlands he played with a midfield three of De Jong, De Roon and Wijnaldum, he has kept his word and Barça have not moved from the system. There have been games, however, like against Juventus in Turin, where Barça basically played a 4-4-2 with Pedri and Dembélé occupying central positions and Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann in attack.
Confidence in the system, like almost everything in football, will be based on the club's upcoming results. With four defeats in LaLiga, and a Barça that ended up as a shambles in games like the Clásico defeat to Real Madrid, Alavés away or Cádiz last Saturday, everything is still in doubt. The losses have made some players and fans question the current system implemented by the former Barcelona player.