Barça was also dead in 2013 and 2014. Problem now is that this team lost their identity, renounced what made us great, our midfield. And there's one man to blame this on.
Flavia, I get you.
But...
Think about it this way:
In 2013 we were also at the end of one cycle, but things were somewhat repairable.
2013, our team had problems, but our core players were:
Messi, best player in the world aged 26
Pique 26
Busi 25
Alba 24
Iniesta 29
Masch 29
Alves 30
Summer of 2017, the same problem, but:
Messi aged 30
Mascherano 33
Pique 30
Suarez 30
Iniesta 33
Busi 29
I will expand my idea.
Imagine that our team faces an end of cycle in 3 different eras.
Imagine a core of team (something like Messi-Xavi-Iniesta)
1. imagine that they face an end of a cycle aged 25, 25, 25
2. imagine that they face an end of a cycle aged 30, 30, 30
3. imagine that they face an end of a cycle aged 35, 35, 35
If a club is at the end of one cycle, when your core players are aged 25, you can survive with a minor overhaul, like a new coach, some new tactical ideas and 3-4 fresh players to shake things up.
If a club is at the end of a cycle with key players aged 30, things are way harder.
Also, if players are aged 35, you are dead, there is no way back.
Also, imagine that our team faced an end of 1st cycle when core players were aged 25 and we "survived" that era with a minor overhaul.
Now, 5 years later, we are in the same problems. This time, you can't apply: but we had the same problems 5 years ago.
Well, yes, we had the SAME problem, but our core players were aged 25 then and they were able to turn things around. When they are aged 30, things are way different.
Also, when players are aged 35, you can't apply: but we did the same 10 years ago. Well, they were aged 25 then, not 35.
So, in 2012 or 2013, the club was in the same situation, we needed a change.
But our core back then was: Messi 25-26, Xavi 31-32, Iniesta 28-29, Pique 25-26, Busi 24-25.
Players are not robots. They deteriorated both physically and mentally since then.
For example, Messi and Iniesta during the last overhaul and this summer, 2012/13 and a summer of 2017 (5 years difference):
These are not the same guys anymore (and now expand the same thing over 10 players who were in their prime back then and who are way, way older today and in 2017/18):
** I am NOT saying that we should sell Messi or Iniesta, of course.
The point is that if our core pulled it off back then, it doesn't have any resemblance with a current era when they are all aged 30 or 33.
