Arthur Melo: Mastering the Concept of Space-Time at Barcelona

There was an idea at Barcelona; players imbibed the concept of controlling space all across the pitch. Pep Guardiola was so obsessed with it that he even trained his players on how to position themselves for defensive throw-ins to constrict space for the opponents to work with.

It laid the foundations for a revolution where controlling space became a key tactical aspect - be it in attack or defence - through intelligent positioning. It is how players with mastery over the ball in tight spaces became crucial to a team's ability to not only circulate the ball but also mount attacks.

There is perhaps no better midfield that defined this in our generation than Barcelona's midfield of Xavi, Sergio Busquets, and Andre Iniesta.

Busquets' guile, Xavi's sublime orchestration, and Iniesta's artistry on the ball - synchronised as if it were one mind - produced moments of magic that saw Barcelona win innumerable trophies.

Football is defined by eras and time takes special care to ensure such domination is fleeting in the grand scheme of things. Still, despite Xavi's departure and Iniesta's decline, Barcelona still managed to continue winning, albeit in Spain only as they struggled in Europe.

With Iniesta also riding off into the sunset (or sunrise, considering he moved to Japan), the Camp Nou needed a new class of players to step up - one which La Masia wasn't able to provide.

The onus fell on Lionel Messi and Busquets to carry on the traditions of the Cruyffian philosophy that had since lost its way after entering a revolving door for managers.

Barcelona have been crying out for the next Xavi... And they may have found a potential replacement

Ivan Rakitic and Philippe Coutinho arrived but neither fit the mould of the traditional Barcelona player. Instead, they fit into the puzzle of the current system that is a lot more direct than one based around possession.

While their contributions continue to be sporadic with highs and lows, Cules have been impressed by another player who has taken up the mantle of flying that Barca flag in midfield, stamping his authority on the game with a remarkable consistency that belies his young age.

Arthur Melo. 22 years old. A ready-made Barcelona player. One who did not graduate from La Masia.

The line between order and chaos

Once in the headlines for the wrong reasons after he was pictured in a Barcelona shirt while he was still under contract with Brazilian club Gremio, Arthur has slowly but surely proved why the club were right to spend big on the midfielder.

A £35.5m fee was negotiated to ward off interest from a Premier League club and Arthur was on his way to the Camp Nou. Of course, he didn't walk into the starting lineup but there was something about him whenever he came on.

He brought a measure of control, a sense of order to the chaos in Barcelona's midfield, with his quick-fire thinking and calm under pressure.

One of his best qualities is dealing with pressure from opponents and it was heartening to see a 22-year-old dominate the midfield third with such ease.

"He's one of those players that we say has Barça DNA. He has all the qualities needed to be a success and if he's given games, I think we're looking at a player that can mark an era at Barcelona." - Xavi on Arthur

In isolation, he has the ability to create his own highlight reel; what with his slick drop of the shoulder, his twisting movements, his sudden change of direction, an ability to caress the ball with both the inside and outside of his boot... A snake charmer of sorts, making the ball dance to his tunes.

What made Busquets the best in his role was his ability to think two or three steps ahead. He could read the opponent's mind and move the ball even as he received it for the next action - a simple pass, a quick dribble, a pirouette, or a back-heel.

Arthur and Sergio Busquets - a midfield partnership in the making at Barcelona

Arthur seems to be developing that same sixth sense. Put him in a midfield alongside Busquets and, suddenly, Barcelona not only control the midfield but they also liberate each other and the attack.

The Cruyffian way involved opening up the pitch to create space. This is where the positioning of Arthur and Busquets helps each other.

They provide an outlet for each other and it is no wonder then that the two are among the three players who pass the ball the most per 90 minutes (the third being Rakitic).

Busquets is no longer burdened with the responsibility of linking defence and attack. Arthur's uncanny ability to make defenders gravitate towards him and then release his teammates is now a key ingredient in how Barcelona get the ball out of their own half.

His passing range is not just restricted to backwards or sideways passes. He gets quite busy in midfield and will always look to find the best option to pass the ball too.

While most players get a leg massage after games, Arthur probably requires a neck massage considering his head is constantly swiveling to find a teammate.

142 - Arthur Melo attempted 142 passes against Valencia, the most by a player in a La Liga away game since Xavi Hernandez vs Levante in November 2012 (148). Reference. pic.twitter.com/jYspVgc28f

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) October 7, 2018

For what it's worth, Arthur has already learned to master the concept of space-time at Barcelona. Teams have tried to press him while blocking passing channels and he still creates new avenues to move the ball into to create other opportunities.

As a result, Messi, who had often been guilty of dropping deep to help initiate attacks, can now spend more of his time in the final third. Rakitic is also able to get into the box as a result and he's taking more shots on goal than he did last season.

The key to Champions League glory?

Barcelona's biggest failure in the past few seasons has been their inability to get past the quarter-final stage of the Champions League. Up against superior opposition, they have collapsed - sometimes tactically, other times physically.

Arthur's introduction into the team may help solve that. He has played against two physical teams in Tottenham Hotspur and Inter Milan and come out on top in both.

Two teams who were intent on either pressing or kicking the new kid on the block were bested by Arthur's innate 'Spidey Sense' to escape trouble.

Arthur has looked unplayable in the Champions League

A number of teams are in transition this season, Barcelona included. For the first time in a long time, there is no clear, outright favourite for the Champions League.

Real Madrid's unreal dominance may even come to an end following the departure of their biggest star and primary goalscorer.

But Barcelona are one of three teams with a perfect record in Europe this season so far (apart from Borussia Dortmund and Juventus).

It's still early days but Arthur's encouraging showing in midfield could be key to unlocking the door to the latter stages of the Champions League for Barcelona.