If Playing From The First Minute Can't Do Too Much, Koeman Should Give Griezmann This Role

JAKARTA - With Lionel Messi's absence, Antoine Griezmann is expected to show off against Eibar on Tuesday night. However, the Frenchman was unable to do so and Barca were held to a 1-1 draw. This is the latest setback for Griezmann.

In fact, Griezmann had a good time. He was able to score goals against Osasuna in La Liga, and broke down Ferencvaros' net in the Champions League at the end of November and early December.

However, the 29-year-old then played poorly in home matches against Valencia and Eibar. While in the Champions League, he was unable to do much when his team was crushed by Juventus 3-0.

This result is a double loss for Barca. Not only losing, they also had to give up the top position of the group to the Bianconeri. As runners-up, Messi et al could not help but face Paris Saint-Germain in the next round.

Griezmann, on the other hand, did not play a minute in Barca's recent 3-0 away win at Real Valladolid. In that match, Barcelona gave one of their best performances this season in the three-back scheme adopted by coach Ronald Koeman.

Koeman used the system again on Tuesday night against Eibar. This time it put Griezmann in the position of the injured Messi, but it turned out not to be the same.

It is true that Real Valladolid and Eibar are stylistically very different. But Griezmann's impact is also much smaller than Messi's at Estadio Jose Zorilla.

It's to the point where Barcelona fans must be wondering why the No.7 is still a starter for the Catalan team.

When he played with Messi, the two often clashed from the side of the game. Then, when Messi wasn't there, Griezmann couldn't take control of the team in the way the Argentina captain did.

Koeman has made frequent substitutions for failed strikers before the end of the game, with Griezmann having been substituted 13 times so far this season out of 17 starting. Tuesday night's match became the latest example when he was substituted on 66 minutes.

In contrast, the French striker was only included twice as a substitute. One such opportunity came when Barca crushed Dynamo Kiev 4-0 in the Champions League.

The former Atletico Madrid striker scored his team's last goal. This means that he did not enter to become a supersub, because even without Griezmann's goal Barca was already three balls ahead.

But, maybe this is a role that Griezmann can play more and more in the future. Because playing him from the first minute with or without Messi hasn't resulted in anything.