The Legendary Old Guard, and their Continuity at the Club : 1. Jordi Alba

On the back of humiliation and traumatic defeats like the one we defeated not too long ago, the first ones to be put on the transfer list by a loud minority in the fanbase, are our 4 captains – Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, Gerard Pique, and Sergi Roberto.

Jordi Alba has never been the poster boy at this club. Albeit almost always retaining his position in the starting lineup when fit. Moreover, on the most part, he has been quite impressive. Constantly providing width with his overlapping runs. Furthermore , he came off as a highly productive attacking display last season with 20 goal involvements in all competitions. So at 32 years of age, you may begin to see some cracks – without having to look too closely.

Part of a bigger squad problem

Sometimes it’s been a case of severe positional indiscipline. Sometimes he’s almost completely abandoning his defensive duties. Thishas been the case when being overwhelmed by the opposition, displaying a degree of fragility in his mental fortitude. Then you have your occasional rookie-level lapses in concentration on the defensive end, and a handful of games highlighted by wasteful, and predictable attacking support. Does this warrant his departure from the Blaugrana?

Often used as one of the scapegoats for poor results, alongside the other 3 mentioned. During the Euros this summer, Alba was always providing sufficient attacking support, while being in pole position to make key interceptions and recovery runs with the pace we all know he has. The difference? A manager that garners respect, shows authority and sends out clear instructions to all his players.

Through various training session clips and random social media interactions, you get the feeling that Alba is doing his part in motivating and welcoming the younger players, helping them settle into the squad – making for an excellent figure to have in the dressing room. Moreover, he is, and has always played for the badge, demonstrated by his willingness to take a pay cut.

Bottom line

The verdict? Alba still has a clear role at the club, probably for 2 more years, eventually becoming a rotational player in his final year, in competition with a quality LB that we sign (hopefully).