What is wrong with the guy? He always puts on a horrible lineup and barely wins the game. He never plays a full strength squad and gives way too much time for the youngsters at such wrong timing. Today's lineup vs Levante is:

Pinto
Alves - Bartra - Puyol - Adriano
S. Roberto - Song - Xavi
Pedro - Messi - Tello

& Guess what? We are down 1-0 at halftime. Our defense is so average, Puyol just got back from injury and he's already starting. No Mascherano and no Pique starting. Our midfield is horrible, also very average. No Cesc and no Busquets starting (Iniesta injured). Also Tello starting over Sanchez with this average lineup? I'm not saying he should play the full strength squad, but this is the weakest squad we have available, except for Messi. Messi can't do it all on his own. This lineup can lose to any team in the world and we already drew with the same team a few days ago...

EDIT: no surprise that we are losing due to a set piece. Our entire squad is full of flimsy midgets but he still did not buy a tall, strong CB this month. He had the audacity to say that "the third CB everyone is waiting for is Puyol coming back from injury." Like, cmon...

He's not done as badly as you suggest. Remember, Leo Messi was injured for a good 2 months, and yet you find yourself at the top of La Liga, in the quarters of the Copa, and in the Ro16 of the CL. That's good progress.

But for your criticism, I agree.

Your defense is crap. Let's admit that. If not for Valdes making some terrific saves, Atletico would be 1st and Real would be 2nd. Valdes may have cost Barcelona plenty of times in the past, but he's saved your ass countless times this season, and is showing that you might just miss him after all.

Your midfield is stacked, even without Thiago. Your offense is picture perfect as well. The problem is the playing style. Martino insists on playing a style that resembles a mixture of possession and counter-attacking. That's not going to work. It's not that the playing style is bad, no. Real Madrid are finally finding their groove with the exact same style. The problem is the set of players. Martino has a set of fairly short, but tricky players. They're not the "big" type to slam into other players to win the ball back, and neither do they pose much of a threat inside the box when a cross comes in. Therefore, this "box-to-box" style is not ideal for the likes of Xavi, Iniesta, and Messi. They fit in perfectly with the "tiki-taka" system. That's what I feel Martino should stick to. He should stick to tiki-taka, and slowly adapt it and change it as his players change. Not the other way around (he shouldn't force his players to play a different style from what they're used to playing. He should create a playing style based on his players' abilities).

There's a reason Guardiola was able to win so much in just 4 years. He had a playing style that he knew fit in with his players perfectly, and added/removed other players to adjust with it. He bought Ibrahimovic, but realized that Ibra wasn't the "ideal" Barca striker, so tried out David Villa instead, who worked out perfectly until his broken leg. THAT'S what Martino should try. Then he'll be very successful.

I'm not saying he's doing bad. He is doing very well for his first year but I'm just worried that he is going to underrate a team and play a weak squad which will cause us to lose crucial points.

The midfield is stacked but he often plays weaker players which ruins the chemistry and fluidity of passes. Our main players haven't been getting as much starts and playing time as they should and I'm afraid that will affect the team.

Martino should buy a CB and we will be a lot better. He isn't changing anything, except trying new ways to get around teams that "park the bus".

Lol, agreed. Whats make me sick about the subject, is the combination Xavi-Fabregas, it has never worked, in any style any formation, and coaches are still trying it. It coasted us 2 precious pts, for the title battle.
Alves should always play titular, Montoya is just awful comparing to Alves.
I still trust in Martino, but if he fail in CL against City, i wont predict his future...

4-4-2 : 4-(1-3)-2 : Anti parking bus and Messi markings. What did you think about it guys :) ?

Its possible for big rivals to stop Messi from scoring, as keeping pressure and closing spaces for him. And by using both zone defense and individual defense wich makes it impossible for him to drible or to touch the ball in the Penalty era.
Messi can be a real 10, and thats what we need in big games. His vision of the game is incredible, and best players of history played in that post.
He is scoring more and more, and we are winning less and less titiles. Its time to concentrate to another Messi utilisation.
In big games, you dont need to score 5 goals so better use him as a real 10 instead of a false 9.

His 'crappy line-up' worked out pretty well, in the end, no? ;)

^ Messi changed the game, when he moved to the midlefield. Mostly 4 assits.

Maybe that was Martino's plan?

Messi is smart enough, when he will have the choice between titles and goals. I know he will choose titles, he is not selfish and very smart. And i think he is already thinking of it. As in big games, it will be impossible for him to score but he can creates a lot of spaces to other players...
The actual pressure on him, everygame makes it impossible to continue the same way of playing, he is obliged to adapt.

@ Lodatz

An extremely lucky own goal from Levante changed the entire tempo and shift of the game. It crushed their confidence. Before that own goal we were barely creating chances.

@ tikia_taka

If he were to start playing as a real CAM (central attacking midfielder) then we would miss his finishing up front. That is not an option as he is the best finisher on the planet.

Against big teams, he has barely an ocasion, and he is always obliged to come to the midle to touch the ball, and he can finish as well as he will be less marked in the midle. With his accurate passes and our fast wingers. That could end high line pressure.