Barca have been ‘dry’. The reason? The team and Lewandowski miss Dembele
It is a fact that Barça is not going through its best moment. In the last league games, added to the elimination of the Copa del Rey, they make it clear that Xavi Hernández’s team is going through a big ‘jam’ in both the creation zone and the finish zone. If in the creative part it is clear that the team is missing Pedri and Frenkie De Jong, the matter is even more obvious in the last third of the field, in the “meters of truth”, where you have to get off balance and score goals . Robert Lewandowski feels very uncomfortable on the pitch, he can’t find scoring opportunities, he has no partners to give him scoring opportunities and he feels frustrated. But why?
Ousmane, key in Barça’s goal-scoring drought
The answer to the temporary ‘drought’ now plaguing Barça has a first and last name. It treats of Ousmane Dembélé. Since the winger was injured, Barça has lost his tusk. And Lewandowski is less Lewandowski. On the other hand, according to statistics, only Dembélé is able to activate the Pool and pull out his best version. The formula is clear: Ousmane provides the poetry and Robert collects the royalties. Numbers sing. First, they have generated between two to 5 goals for the team. Secondly, Dembele is the best assistant for the Pole, having given him up to 3 assists. Third, ‘Lewy’ Ousmane has also provided 2 assists.
Dembélé brings out the best version of Lewandowski
And finally, the most devastating data remains, which makes it very clear that the Ousmane-Robert partnership is the most productive for the culé attack. With Dembélé on the field, Lewandowski has scored 22 goals in 23 games, with a goalscoring average of 0.96 goals per game. On the other hand, without Dembele in green, which is exactly what is happening now, Lewandowski has only scored 5 goals in 13 games, dropping his average to 0.38 goals per game. Also in the chapter of the ‘expected goals’ the balance goes to Dembélé’s side. With him the margin is 16.08 in 23 games. Without him only 6.78 in 13 games.
Xavi has many reasons with Dembele
The data does not explain football, but it does help to understand some game situations. The first is that Dembele is an unbalanced player, able to create danger himself and attract defenders, something that frees Lewandowski and makes him less scrutinized to do damage in the area. The second is that when Xavi Hernández always emphasizes Dembélé’s leading role, he is full of reason. Barcelona misses him. And Lewandowski too.
Source: Goal