Memphis Depay has lost gas. The sensations say it, but also the numbers. In the last six games, the Dutch international has only scored one goal, from a penalty caused by himself, against Levante. Too little for the expectations he had raised in the preseason and in the first league games against Real Sociedad and Athletic.
The former Olympique de Lyon player has been shipwrecked especially in the big games. Against Bayern, Benfica and Atlético it was practically harmless. In his discharge, it can be said that he is having little help. Without Ansu or Dembélé still in the team, with Braitwaite injured and Griezmann already at Atlético (in the first three games he had him as a teammate), he has become the main focus for the rival defenses. Too much attention for a single player.
There is a detail that is not trivial either. Memphis has played it all since the season started. In less than three months of competition, he has played eight full games for Barça and three for the Dutch national team. It's over a thousand minutes (1,080), and has left again with the Netherlands. It's hard to know if Memphis is going to be able to perform at its best if it doesn't have breaks over the season. It happens that, right now, Koeman is forced to give him all the games because he has no more forwards. Due to their good relationship with the game, the confidence in Barça is that their performance grows when they have partners who speak their language such as Ansu and Dembélé. But it remains to be seen how long it will take to see that trident and, above all, how long it will take to adapt to each other.