Victor Moses to Barcelona: So improbable, it just might work

The reported interest of the Catalan giants has
taken everyone by surprise, but it's so bold and
daring that it might be the perfect solution to a
problem position this season.
Life comes at you quickly. So too does football, as
any goalkeeper will attest. Six months ago, Victor
Moses ticked West Ham United on the list of sides
he'd represented in the Premier League,
That number stands at five, and the question was,
who would be number six?
The turnaround in fortunes, from being the
talented-but-not-quite surplus to team staple has
been sudden, but even though Antonio Conte
insisted on having him as a part of the squad, it
was not always on. As a matter of fact, Moses
started none of Chelsea’s first six league games;
the Blues have won every game since, and the
Nigeria international has flourished in an
unfamiliar wing-back role.
While he has taken his chance admirably, his rise
has exploited something of a squad imbalance.
The lack of an attacking full-back at Stamford
Bridge, as well as the specialist nature of the
wing-back role, has allowed him learn the position
without pressure.
Victor Moses | EPL stats 2016-17
Cesar Azpilicueta has been pressed into service
as part of the back three, and has been excellent,
while Branislav Ivanovic has been on the wane
over the last two seasons. Ola Aina is promising,
but on the evidence of their League Cup loss to
West Ham in October, he is nowhere near ready
for the first-team.
This makes the reported interest of Barcelona
interesting.
On some level, it is tempting to be cynical and
chalk it up to the machinations of the player’s
agent. It is smart too: the Blaugrana also lack a
specialist right-back, and have been forced to
make do in that position since Daniel Alves got
bored and packed off to Turin in the summer.
Moses doing his Barcelona prospects no
harm at all.
Midfielder Sergi Roberto has filled in for the most
part, but after an initial period of promise, his
discomfort has led to a significant amount of
wobbling. Barca’s decision to return to their old
haunt in Sevilla for another right-back has not
panned out either: Aleix Vidal has not taken to
Camp Nou in the manner that Alves managed, and
now seems permanently consigned to the back of
the closet.
Victor Moses could be the third Nigerian to
turn out for Barcelona, after Okunowo and
Amuneke. Interestingly, all three wide
players.
Clearly, there is an opening there. The question is
whether Moses is the right shape of peg.
The answer to that is, as one might guess, maybe.
There are a number of factors to consider, not
least of all tactical concerns. One thing is
undeniable though: with Guardiola’s Barcelona,
Moses would struggle to play at full-back. Under
Enrique, the five-time European champions are
more direct from back to front, and require less
ball retention at full-back than they once did, and
that Alves provided.
Their build-up is also more based around the wide
areas, as the absence of Andres Iniesta has made
them easier to press centrally. This new wide
focus would certainly be to Moses’ advantage, as
he would not necessarily be required to pinch
diagonally infield, and can concentrate on hugging
the touchline like he does at Chelsea.
His physical attributes have also brought the best
out of Pedro so far this season, allowing the
Spaniard to play between the lines, confident in
Moses’ ability to cover the flank. One could
envisage a similar relationship with Lionel Messi
down the right side. Alves provided more assists
for the five-time Fifa Ballon d’Or winner than
anyone else in his time at the club - a good
working connection with Messi is the key to a long
career at Camp Nou.
If the interest is indeed concrete, it is easy to
appreciate in terms of his offensive attributes:
Moses is quick, direct, superb with the ball at his
feet and a proficient crosser of the ball. On the
defensive side of the spectrum though, there
requires a bit of a leap of faith.
His application to his wing-back re-education has
been remarkable, of course, and Conte has
praised his work rate and tenacity defensively.
However, with Chelsea fielding a bach three, there
has been little call for the 26-year-old to defend
inside his own box, or to drop behind the defensive
line to cover the back post.
These basics of full-back play do not come
naturally yet - a wing-back, especially in a back
three system, is not simply a full-back who
attacks. The requirements for both roles are
markedly different, and it is not certain that
Moses will pick that up.
It is even less so that, at Barcelona, and with the
pressing nature of their need, he will get the time,
patience and specialised coaching needed to
make this transition. As stated earlier, the
conditions at Chelsea conspired rather fortuitously
in his favour, but as is evident with Aleix Vidal, the
pressure to perform is always high at Camp Nou.
However, it is worth noting that Alves was not
always a great defender. In truth, he was viewed
as something of a defensive liability early in his
Barca career, and was frequently targeted by
Cristiano Ronaldo during Clasicos.