Six things Xavi must do to save his Barcelona job: From unleashing Lamine Yamal to finding a role for Joao Felix

Xavi received praise for his inventive 4-4-2 formation deployed for the second half of last season. And rightly so, the system made Barca a more compact presence, a team harder to play through, while also keeping them fluid enough in attack. It was the perfectly balanced system to get the most out of an imperfect squad. But that was a year ago, and Barca aren't the same unit. These days, they lack confidence, and miss the influence of Sergio Busquets in the middle.

However, while they're thinner in the middle, they are blessed with more creative talent on either wing. For Xavi, that might mean a switch of system to get the best out of his squad. Perhaps a 4-2-3-1, or even a more classic Cruyff-ian 4-3-3 could make the most out of his attacking talent. Right now, there are a lot of imperfect fits in a system that is looking more flawed by the game. It's time for the manager to switch it up.

Barca's biggest strength last season was their ability to keep the ball out of their own net. Yes, Robert Lewandowskiu's goals made a difference, while the influence of Ousmane Dembele can't be ignored. But it was their water-tight rearguard unit that carried them to an admittedly ugly La Liga title.

There was a sense, at the end of the campaign, that the Blaugrana had been lucky. Marc-Andre ter Stegen's league MVP-winning season was a statistical anomaly, while there were certain areas of overperformance all over the pitch.

Still, that fearsome back four of Jules Kounde, Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen and Alejandro Balde was by some distance the most effective in the league . Yet, curiously, Xavi has been reluctant to put all four on the pitch at the same time in optimal appearances.

Kounde has been swapped with Araujo, likely to keep the former happy. Christensen has been in and out of the line=up. Injuries have been a mitigating factor here and will continue to be with Balde's hamstring tear. But it's time to stop messing around with his side's biggest strength.

Lewandowski had basically won the Pichichi by January last season, the former Bayern Munich man proving in emphatic fashion that he could do it in another league. Since the second half of last campaign, though, Lewandowski looks a different player. He's a languid presence, a player who touches the ball less and doesn't look comfortable when he has it.

Lewandowski still has eight goals to his name in La Liga but that's not enough for a player who will feel he could have doubled that number at this point in the season. Perhaps these are the signs of a player declining. Maybe those "LewanWASHEDski" tweets are true.

But it's more likely that this is a player who has dropped off slightly and doesn't quite have the usual swagger about him to get back to his normal levels. Even the elite finishers sometimes lack confidence. It will require a rethink in structure - and solid man-management - to get him back to where he can be. Xavi simply has to trust a player who can still be one of the best in the world.

There was a genuine argument to be made, for some time, that Yamal should be protected. With Barca on a roll - or, at least, not in total crisis - the teenager seemed to have the luxury to grow into the side. But now, there isn't room for a rest. Yamal, quite simply makes Barca better. Although Raphinha has scored and assisted at a better rate, Yamal's creative chops, and inherent sense of unpredictability, make him a must-play entity.

The Lionel Messi comparisons are both hasty and unfair (if inevitable.) But here is a young player who can, as Xavi said "mark an era" in Catalunya. He needs to be trusted to do just that. How that looks isn't quite clear. Yamal can't start every game, but he simply has to be in the starting XI for the big ones. He's arguably the only match-winning talent that Xavi has at his disposal right now.

Easier said than done, right? Felix has now played for nearly 10 different managers for club and country. None of them have been able to define an exact position. He had been used as an attacking midfielder, winger, false nine and solo striker, without finding a spot he truly excels in. There is something to be said for versatility, but for a player of his natural talent, Felix needs to be molded and refined. It's difficult to ask Xavi - a tactically limited coach - to embark on that lofty task.

But it could be key to keeping him in a job. In this case, the relentless injury issues for the Blaugrana could be an ironic advantage. Xavi is effectively reduced to three centre-midfielders: Frenkie De Jong, Ilkay Gundogan and Pedri. That leaves plenty of room to find a role for Felix, either as a roaming No.10 or inverted winger. Perhaps he could also have him operate as a second striker to feed Lewandowski - a player consistently starved of opportunities in the final third. Whichever way it's configured, a fit, firing and well-used Felix can be a game-changer.

Why, exactly, did Barca sign Vitor Roque? After three full weeks in Catalunya, the thinking behind bringing the Brazilian in now remains unclear. So far, he's been working on limited minutes, and trying to make the most out of half-chances. It was widely assumed that he would be a back-up for Lewandowski, but he has spent a chunk of his minutes sharing the pitch with the striker. And even when deployed without him, Xavi has routinely stuck his big-money teenager on the wing. On Wednesday evening, he was omitted from the side altogether.

The result is a player who looks out of touch, struggling to find his way in his new surroundings. This is no new concept, of course. Vinicius Jr was regarded as a flop at Madrid for nearly two years. Very rarely do big-money Brazilian teenagers make a splash as soon as they arrive. Still, it is Xavi's job to get his young star to find some form, ideally by playing him in the right positions to get results. He's arguably too good not to; he just needs time.