Valverde's first moment of truth as Barça coach

There are always two or three moments of criticism in a season. The incredible defeat against Leganes has led Barcelona, or rather their coach, to one of those possible points of inflexion. For good or for badm what happens in the next games could determine a lot of things. Because at Butarque it was just three points which were lost, but there were also some ugly things on display: from errors due to a lack of concentration, to a lack of ambition, as if more than one player is happy with doing the bare minimum to win games. Add the fact it's now five points dropped out of six and the general feeling it not great. 

At this point, the poor form of key players, like Pique and Umtiti, is under the microscope, but it's the moment to look at he captain of the ship, who's called Ernesto Valverde. If he can't get his stars to perform, then it's expected that he can fit the new signings in and get them up to scratch, that he lets players know when they're sleeping on the job, that he has faith in the academy (for example Miranda over Vermaelen at left-back) and that, externally and internally, he let's us know where we've come from and where we're going.  

That's to say that, it's time for the manager to show his leadership skills and to put them into practice. Anyone would say that to ask for all of this is to push the demands to the limit. And it's true. But there's a reason why the Barça bench is one of the most complicated jobs in the world of football, especially since the board have delegated tasks to the manager which aren't his -- like representation and spokesman. In any case, like it or not, Valverde is facing his first moment of truth at Camp Nou.