WHEN Barcelona are missing one man, they are not the same side; when they are missing just one piece of the jigsaw, they are considerably weakened.
Not quite a spent force, obviously – but still not as strong.
But I am not talking about Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta or Xavi Hernandez.
No, the man I am referring to is Carles Puyol.
The long-haired Spaniard is not as gifted as some of his team mates. He does not perform the same magic on the ball or draw gasps of surprise with his killer passes.
But, without the defender, Barcelona are not the same side. They are not as strong.
For all the quality they have; for all the truly brilliant players in their ranks, he is as important as anyone.
And there is one simple reason for that – he is a leader.
On the rare occasions when Barca find themselves under the cosh, he rallies the troops.
If they need kicking into life during a game, he gets them motivated. Messi provides the magic, Puyol takes care of the mundane.
At Manchester City, they have Yaya Toure and Vincent Kompany to perform the same role; they are two men who can inspire, cajole and lead. Manchester United have Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs.
The two sides who were promoted from the Championship this season had them as well.
Cardiff City had Craig Bellamy – look how many times he came to the fore when he was needed, he could have been the most influential player in the division – as well as the likes of skipper Mark Hudson.
For Hull, people like Paul McShane and Robert Koren were the driving force.
All successful sides have them.
No matter how many skilful players you have in your ranks; how many men who can win matches on their own with a moment of outstanding brilliance, you will always need leaders.
And that is what should be at the top of Billy Davies' shopping list this summer.
He needs a player – or even more than one – who can steer the club through stormy waters; who can ensure there are calm heads in periods of pressure or expectation.
In the past, Paul McKenna was that man. The little midfielder was Forest's leader on the pitch in more ways than one.
He made Forest tick when he was on the ball – but it was his encouragement, his instruction and his leadership that made him so important to the team.
Those qualities are why Davies brought him from Preston to Forest.
Those same attributes are why Brian Clough took John McGovern with him everywhere he went, from club to club.
Forest are in need of additions in several areas; there is more than one position in which they are lacking.
In fact, they require strengthening in defence, midfield – on the wings at least – and attack.
Not major surgery, but a reasonable number of new additions, even just to replace those players whose loan spells have come to an end.
But the one thing they need more than anything is a leader – a new McKenna.
I hope Chris Cohen and Danny Collins do not take this as an insult, because it is not meant to be. Both men can lead and inspire – but they seem to be of the sort who lead by example.
Through their own determination and commitment, they encourage others to follow suit.
Both can have a key role to play next season. Cohen, in particular, has become an integral figure at the club and I hope he remains so for many years to come.
But there is a difference between that and being the sort of man who knows when to give the teams' tactics a little tweak, to see a problem that needs addressing out on the pitch and do something about it.
Every side needs somebody who knows when to encourage one of their team mates or when to give them a boot up the backside; when to tell them to pick somebody up or to get at a weak point in the opposition defence.
The issue for Davies is that I am not sure such players are ten a penny these days. They are hard to come by.
Perhaps it is a generational thing – it could be the way that players are mollycoddled from the moment they sign up to a youth contract now.
The money involved now is such that, from the moment they put pen to paper, they feel like they have made it, because the money starts rolling in.
Even 18-year-olds who are on the periphery of the squad can be earning £5,000 or £6,000 a week at Championship clubs.
Whatever it is, natural leaders are not so prolific in their number any more.
At Forest, as well as McGovern we had Larry Lloyd and Kenny Burns at the back.
We had Archie Gemmill in the centre – and he may have been small, but he was a passionate, fiery, driven little so and so on that pitch, let me tell you.
The team was full of inspirational characters.
And character is the one thing that can help any side make the leap from being good, from having potential – to being winners.
Forest have plenty of players who can create, who can make the team tick, who can provide the magic.
But they are still missing the general to lead them into battle.
If Billy can find one of those, it could be the most important signing he makes this summer.
