Why is Barcelona not the same as last year?

Every single person that has been watching La Liga BBVA lately has been asking themselves, why is Barcelona not the same as last year? The team has the same players except for Ibrahimovic who was very successful in Italy. They have about the same number of points they had last year in this point of the tournament. They share first place with Real Madrid, but the people are not convinced, and there are many explanations for what is happening.

Barcelona won every single tournament it competed in. The team had a beautiful passing game, and everyone will agree they were the best team last year. This is one of the reasons why Barcelona can't play like last year. Every single team they play against is very well prepared and cautious. Teams that play against Barcelona prepare harder this year than they did last year. Now that they know what Barcelona does, and how they do it; other teams are able to plan well, and play better. The perfect example is this weekend's match against Almeria which ended in a 2-2 draw that cost Barcelona the top spot. Almeria played very defensive, with fast players that could counter-attack. While Barcelona had the most possession and opportunities, Almeria defended very well, and took advantage of their counter-attack opportunities. Basically, teams are more prepared and play better against Barcelona, like Atletico Madrid who beat the Blaugranas 2-1.

Apart from the other teams damaging Barcelona's game, there is a noticeable difference in the squad. The defense has been having problems with constant injuries. Dani Alves and now Abidal, have made the wings vulnerable to counter-attacks. In the midfield, Keita has been injured for a long time and Busquetes isn't the same. While Xavi, Iniesta, and Messi are still playing very well, there are two key players who made a huge difference last year; Henry and Eto'o. More than half of Barcelona's goals last year came from Henry, Eto'o, and Messi. Barcelona lost two of three. Eto was swapped for Ibrahimovic who has been having problems adjusting to the squad. Henry is aging, and his game has been dwindling. He hasn't made many appearances or goals this season. Barcelona needs to recover these players or replace them in the next transfer season. Pedro has been a strong replacement for Henry, but there will never be a player like the Frenchman.

Another reason Barcelona is not the same as last year is because Barcelona is Barcelona. I know it sounds confusing, but it's true. Because of the team's achievements, everyone is expecting great things from them. If Barcelona wins 2-0, the team played horribly. Since everyone expects that Barcelona will win each match by more than three goals, many wins aren't appreciated. The team might also seem to be playing worse because of the league table. This year they have only one point less than what they had last year. The difference is Real Madrid have been having an extraordinary season. Since Barcelona aren't dominating La Liga, people think they are playing very bad. Even though the team isn't play like last year, the team is still one of the best. They have only lost one league game in the entire season. They are in the second round of the UEFA Champion's League. The team can definitely win La Liga and Champion's League. The squad problems can easily be solved in the transfer season, with numerous rumors for Fabregas, Villa and Rooney. After what Barca did last year, how can anyone expect them to it all again the next year?