3 Barcelona players who could benefit from Quique Setien's appointment

#1 Antoine Griezmann

Griezmann needs to step up, now more than ever

They say timing is everything in football, and that sentiment is perfectly fitting from Antoine Griezmann's perspective right now.

The 28-year-old forward has netted nine goals and created four more across 25 appearances in all competitions, but it's largely been a frustrating debut campaign with the Blaugrana thus far. That could all change in the second-half of this season.

With a £108m transfer fee on his back and already into his prime years, the World Cup winner hasn't exactly settled as quickly as planned. He isn't being deployed in his best position though, which goes some way towards explaining the struggles he's been forced to endure under Valverde's rigid tactics.

Griezmann's arrival was supposed to boost their devastating creative trident alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, but instead it has stifled progress while also acting as a frustrating reminder that Barca remain far too reliant on Messi.

Plenty was said about Suarez's physical decline but he was still scoring goals, linking up play well and being an influential presence in the final third. Having undergone knee surgery this weekend, he's now sidelined for four months - presumably the rest of 19-20 - and although that's a big blow, it also presents a golden opportunity.

Griezmann should now have the freedom to play in a centre-forward role. Importantly, he must prove he's their best option to replace what Suarez provides.

Whenever deployed on the flanks, Griezmann is either easily isolated or not effective enough. But under the new management, something has to change. After all, Messi can't keep doing it all by himself.