Pep rolled out a starting XI of:
————–Valdes————-
Alves–ElCapitan–Piquenbauer–MaxwellHouse
—–Xavi—BigYa—Keita——-
–Messi—Ibracadabra—Henry

Our lineup of starters came out and proved why they start and the Gamper was just a result of playing the B-team. We dominated from the very first moment and Xavi and Yaya quickly became the lords of the tempo of play. Maxwell and Alves gave the team width and Messi had all the time that he could have hoped for with the ball at his feet. Considering all of this was happening it might seem strange that our first goal didn’t come until the 50th minute.

The first half was great (if you’re one of us) and rather painful if you were an Athletic fan (see Paul at the Athletic Offside). With the ball careening around their box/keeper/goal we had a chance to see what we can expect in the future from our new point man.

Messi played a perfectly weighted ball to Ibra who lifted the ball with his chest around the PK spot and contorted himself to perform the first (maybe only) bicycle kick (fine it was a half bike) of the season. The fact that Iraizoz caught it and we didn’t score takes away from it a little bit, but the fact that Ibra had the steel plated brass balls to try it should give him some credit. Henry played well on his wing and showed that he communicates well with Maxwell who was also outstanding on his side.

One of the few downsides to this half was the physical play exhibited by a few of the Athletic defenders (Etxebarria) yellow in the 16′, and our own players subsequent reactions Puyol and Toure were booked at 21′ and 34′ respectively although Etxebarria could certainly have deserved a second yellow for a few of his challenges. The other is the lack of goals, we unloaded during the second half but we need to be more efficient once La Liga actually starts, hitting the post (Puyol) was as close as we got.

The second half brought no changes in the lineup but a great change in our results. About frigging time. Messi scored one with a clinical finish past Iraizoz after a very good combination with Ibra. Athletic and their faithful saw the ball sail into the net and the wind in their sails sagged before coming to a dead stop. We kept thundering on and it really became a question of how many in the 40 minutes left?

Goal #2 came from a good run on the right with Messi and Alves sharing the ball like they do so well and Alves deciding that “Fair Play” can suck it. He dove in the box and gave us a penalty. I would have liked to see Ibra take it but Messi did, and from a consistency standpoint it makes sense, he took them last year and if it ain’t broke Pep won’t try to fix it. And then we saw subs.

Bojan, Pedro, and Busquets came in for Ibra, Pique, and Henry respectively (Toure ended up playing CB). Pique got a knock on his knee that doesn’t seem serious but was still iced when he got to the bench. And for those of us who had noticed that Bojan seemed a little slower, a little clumsier, a little less sure of himself in the past two games, Bojan got himself some. A foolish (read “FOOLISH“) mistake from an Athletic defender left Bojan alone in front of Iraizoz and after dribbling the keeper he calmly walked the ball into the net. Success.

The monologue went on, but there wasn’t really anything else worth mentioning.

Player Rankings:

Valdes 7 bored The fact that he gets paid to do nothing makes me envy him…a lot. Athletic never made him break a sweat.

Alves 6.5 fit The man could run a marathon and he shows it every game. His crossing has been a little off ever since the Miracle of Stamford Bridge. He played to a higher score but if 7 is passing I refuse to give him a passing score for diving.

ElCapitan 7.5 everywhere Showed up all over the field and performed well everywhere. Headed the ball into the crossbar, shut down Athletic’s forwards, gave good passes. He’s not in the Starting XI, he IS the Starting XI

Piquenbauer 7 smart Realized that Puyol was running things and played the role of stay-at-home CB until he pushed up well in the second half. Another excellent game.

MaxwellHouse 8 smooth Abiwho? Maxwell has more than successfully covered the LB position and is earning his “Alves of the left” title game by game. And he fits like he’s been here his whole career.

Xavi 7 control Another game another solid performance. He didn’t command in the midfield as much as other times, but he knew exactly what he had to do. We’re lucky to have him

Toure 7.5 rock Athletic didn’t do anything in midfield and credit for that has to go to Toure (others too, but that’s his role). He put his seal of strength/badassery on every touch he had.

Keita 7 typical Never too much never too little. Had an injury scare during the first half but never looked back. A solid game.

Henry 7.5 communicator Had a few good runs and a few missed chances, but he helped let Ibra know when he was out of place and kept the width of play. Those details are important.

Ibra 6.5 adjusting He’s almost there, still not as dynamic as he should be and unlucky in front of goal (he should’ve had 2). But you can tell he understands where he is and where he has to be compared to the rest.

Messi 8 best He was the best on the field for our team just like we need him to be. Scored the first goal and opened the Athletic defense.

Also Played:
Bojan 7 lucky He was lucky that the defense screwed up like they did, but he finished his chance well and showed his poise. Once he gets his confidence back we’ll see him in La Liga, until then, it’s the Cup for the Kid.

Busquets 7 magnet Kept the midfield going, didn’t have the hardest time in the world, but got the job done.

Pedro inc Came onto the field. but didn’t have a chance to participate.

For me, this was the one. Barca vs Betis, in February. My review at the time was rather cranky, nattering about how we deserved better, blah, blah, blah.

But it was the one. Betis was kicking our butts all over the pitch, and were up 2-0 late in the proceedings. One year earlier, we go down….like dogs. We had a big lead in the Liga, and Messi was just coming back from playing forfreakinEVER in an Argentina match and was completely mojo-less.

And somehow, we fought back to grab a 2-2 draw, off the Eto’o brace. A penalty, and a killer goal that was classic, extraordinary, vintage Samu.

So here it is, my match of the year, in part because it’s the one cited by Guardiola as proof that this side had what it took to become Liga champions. But also because Guardiola was right. In the hindsight of 20/20, even though it was part of a clunky, funky run that saw us drop points like crazy to EE, you could always look back to this one.

Yes, it was one point. One lousy, stinkin’ point. But the way the lads, clearly tired and hagged out, fought for that point spoke volumes.

Let’s hear it, everyone. What’s your Match of the Year?

This was a statement match, everyone. And the statement is “Shut up. Leave us alone, leave our coach alone, leave our players alone. We’re in great shape and ready to contend for trophies. We’re solid, and are a united front. So just shut the hell up, and take this 6-1 dismantling with you.”

It was that kind of a party.

In 1992, the Chicago Bulls faced the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA Finals. The Bulls had Michael Jordan. The Blazers had Clyde Drexler. The competition was Michael vs Clyde. Jordan proceeded to, with the help of his teammates, destroy the Blazers in that game, just like Lionel Messi did to Kun Aguero and Atletico Madrid today.

Messi wanted this one, and his teammates wanted it for him. The result was spectacular, a match for the ages. I don’t often watch matches after the final result, but rest assured I will be pulling this one out, years hence. I’ve been watching this side a looong time, and cannot think of a more dominant dismantling of a quality side. There was the 2005 Ronaldinho 3, Evil Empire 0 shred-fest at their home which is also up there.

But this one was staggering, and could have been far worse. We basically passed the ball around in the second half, never really attacking with the energy and fire that we did in the first half.

The starting XI, which came into a loud, rocking Camp Nou, were: Valdes, Puyol, Marquez, Pique, Abidal, Busquets, Gudjohnsen, Xavi, Messi, Eto’o, Iniesta.

And you could see, right from the opening minute when they began pressuring the ball like crazy men, that they were ready to play. We didn’t know that this was going to be the match where we didn’t let the other side back into the game yet. All we knew at that instant was that the Mighty Mites were on the loose, and just like that, we had a well-worked corner. A pillow-soft Xavi cross led to a blistering deflected header by Marquez and suddenly, it was 1-0. Those wanting the early goal were satisfied, as we play a lot better leading than chasing the game.

Then the Mites were at it again, Messi schooling a defender who did the only thing he could: knock the crap out of him. A very nervous-looking Eto’o buries the penalty and it’s 2-0 before the fashionably late arrivers at the Camp Nou could even settle in.

And then came the free kick heard ’round the world, the one that shows the ruthlessness and fire of this side. Atletico were leisurely setting up, getting ready to go. But the ref was ready to go, and so were we. Messi let fly, Coupet registered his disgust by leaning against the post, and at that moment the match was effectively over. Done. Stick a fork in it.

Why? Because simply put, our back line didn’t let them play with the ball. We controlled the midfield, and when something got through, Abidal and Puyol were in the house along with Pique, who had his best match of the season. Notice how he was clearing and controlling? Man-style, yo.

Then Busquets had to go and spray paint the Mona Lisa with a sloppy giveaway that was pounced on by Maxi Rodriguez. Suddenly it was 3-1, and Atletico had the fire back in their eyes. But it just wasn’t to be. Busquets, beginning the first of many efforts to make up for his fault, kicked off a play from the back, that was Busquets–Gudjohnsen–Xavi–Eto’o.

And what a goal by Eto’o. From control to finish, he never looked jittery, never seemed ready to lose the ball in his feet. He was all assassin, and took a great chance. Yes, the pass was impeccable, but the finish was world class. And suddenly, it was 4-1.

More chances went pinging off the woodwork and feet and then, Iniesta did one of his wiggleworm runs, to unleash a quicksilver shot that pinged off the woodwork directly to a waiting Gudjohnsen, who buried it. 5-1 at the half, and this match was effectively over, right?

Wrong.

Messi took the ball, and took off. Defenders that he didn’t outrun he faked out of their shorts, until all that was left was Gregory Coupet (I warned y’all about him), who did the right thing by just running directly at Messi full-bore, leaving only one option for Messi: try a quick shot. It didn’t work, and we were all wondering how in the hell Messi didn’t convert that chance. Give Coupet a lot of credit.

Still it was as perfect a half of football as I can recall. The players all had that nervous-serious sort of look that said “I want this match. And not this match. I want destruction.” And they set about the task in a way that should have the league thinking “Anybody who comes out to play against these folks is out of their freaking minds.”

Because Atletico did come out to play, rather than packing it in. And they paid. To the tune of 6 goals that could have been 10. It was only Coupet that kept the scoreline out of the horrific category. We were a team on fire.

And what of the great Kun Aguero? Well, here’s the difference between Messi and Aguero: Messi doesn’t need to be passed the ball. He is his own offense. Aguero needs the feed. And when the other side effectively shuts down midfield and both wings, no service is possible, particularly when the back line man-marks with taller players. And so went the Lionel Messi show.

A camaraderie note: Everyone in the world noticed how pissed Eto’o looked when he was coming off of the pitch, and the good-natured shove toward the bench that he received from Guardiola. Don’t know if anyone caught it, but he and Henry shared a moment when Eto’o was coming off, that grabbed a huge grin from the Cameroonian, who after passing Henry, immediately re-applied his stone face. It was a great moment. And the warmth of the shared hug after Henry scored his majestic (not majestical, Ray Hudson you blithering, Madridista nit….majestic) goal was genuine.

An announcer note: It wasn’t until the destruction was complete that we started hearing about how this guy was missing, and that guy was missing, and the wrong kind of fabric softener was used in the Atletico uniforms, and Aguero lost his car keys that morning, and yada, yada, yada. At the end, Hudson, in trying to put this one in perspective, said “Not to take anything away from….” taking away by the very statement. Had Atletico been full-strength, we would still have won this one going away. Because it wasn’t as if they had real scoring chances that just missed. They weren’t hitting the post or just missing on through balls. They weren’t allowed to play with the ball. And when you don’t have the ball, it doesn’t matter WHO the hell you have in the side.

So Ray Hudson, you like everyone else after this match, can just shut the hell up.

Man of the Match. This a hard one. There are some perfect scores coming up in the player ratings to be sure, and there is a valid argument for two players: Messi and Abidal. Messi took the match by the scruff of the neck offensively, scoring once, setting up the penalty for another and almost scoring a third.

But Abidal took the match by the scruff of the neck defensively, something that is to my eyes more critical. We have let sides back into matches time and again with loose play at the back. But every time Atletico had some good plays and passing strung together, there was No. 22 with a strip, header or deflection. So people might shout, his haters will howl, but Eric Abidal is my man of the match today, on this glorious, glorious day.

And with that, player ratings:

Valdes: 6. He had the best seat in the house. He didn’t have to do much, except pick the ball out of the back of the net after the Maxi blast, and make that excellent save on the header off the rare Atletico corner. And it was a hell of a save, as he followed the ball beautifully. It’s a 6 only because he just didn’t do anything.

Puyol: 7. Wow. Every time we need El Capitan to step up and give us a big one, as I was saying pre-match, there he was. His role today was bull-strong right back, outlet passer and attack killer. He performed all 3 with the style and fire that we love. That diving header that shot directly to Xavi, which simultaneously broke up an Atleti attack and started our attack was amazing. Sorry I ever doubted you, El Capitan. You can tell me to shut up, too. You’ve earned it.

Marquez: 7. Nailed the header for the goal and almost got another one. Never put a foot wrong the entire match, though to be sure, all of the work was being done in the midfield. By the time anything got as far as him, it was a simple matter of collecting and clearing.

Pique: 7. Great match from the lanky one. His clearances and control were much, much better. He was playing with actual fire, and responsible for a number of excellent passes out of the back. When he’s in, he seems to be assuming that attack-starter role that was formerly Marquez’.

Abidal: 10. Is this his second one of the season? He earned 3 corners with strong offensive play, and was everywhere in the back, in full and complete control. He stonewalled everything that came near him, ran attackers down, took outlet pass after outlet pass and was a perfect safety valve. And he thinks that he needs to improve? I wonder when people are going to start giving this man a break.

Busquets: 6. He worked like a dog to overcome that bad first-half play, and almost did so. His deft ball control skills and passing grace make him, as far as I can see, our starting defensive mid of the future, and a not too distant one. He’s also a foul-drawer, something not to be underestimated as an offensive weapon, given how closely he plays to the opposition box. Alves will find the range.

Gudjohnsen: 7. This was his best performance in a Barca uniform, period. He played the entire match, and between charging the goal (really should have had a second off that rocket blast late in the first half) and being a physical presence in the midfield with his constant ball pressuring, what a match. How did Guardiola know he was ready for this kind of performance? Second half he fell off a bit, but still. Nice stuff from the Monument.

Xavi: 10. Corner kick. Goal. Pass to Eto’o. Goal. Pass to Krkic for Henry. Goal. Every pass that he made was precisely weighted. He was always in the right spot, always ready for the great pass, always ready to pressure the ball and work it loose. The game looked easy as pie for him today, and the gesture to sub him off so that he could bask in the applause of the Camp Nou crowd was a great, great touch by Guardiola.

Messi: 10. Puyol wears the Captain’s armband, but Messi was the true captain today. He let it be known right away that he was for absolutely zero bullshit out there. When he gets you down, he wants to put his boot on your throat. If you show any kind of fear, he will destroy you. He knew that by running directly at the defender, a back line already shaky, that he could work something loose. He deserved that hat trick off of what would have been a goal for the ages, but he just couldn’t pull it off. No matter.

Iniesta: 9. Sorry, but I have to take a point away for that haircut. Are lice a problem in the Camp Nou? Is he an extra in the Catalan remake of “Deliverance?” Dude. What the hell. Just kidding about the point deduction, but y’all knew that. He was everywhere, almost functioning as a Messi doppelganger. Iniesta is having his best season in the colors by a country mile. His runs make us so dangerous. He really deserved that goal that Gudjohnsen scored, but that’s okay.

Eto’o: 9. Holy crap, what a goal. He was everywhere on the pitch today. From the control of the pass to the double-deke move to the rocket shot past Coupet, this was a stunner of a goal that deserved every one of the plaudits it received. Man, what a match. When he has that look in his eye, the other defense should just agree to give us two points, just take that maniac off the pitch before he kills us.

Guardiola: 10. The exact right lineup for the exact result that was needed. How did he know Gudjohnsen was ready to deliver the match of his Barca life? How did he know that even though he was almost certainly tired, that Messi would be ready with a career-defining match? Dunno, but he did. He has the lads playing with fire, fury and precision. More importantly, the one-touch passing game is a regular menu item, not an occasional special. Wow.

Substitutes.

Henry: 9. With more time, he almost certainly gets a higher score. But I knew he was ready to go when, late in the match when Atletico had the ball, guess who our right back was, fronting the attacker? That’s right. And what a goal. He worked the ball loose, made the initial pass, made the run and finished with a laser of a shot that would have taken Coupet’s arms off had he been able to reach it. He also brought fire back to a side that was ready to just kill off the second half. His hug for Eto’o was very cool. This is a team, everyone.

Krkic: 7. The Kid was rocking today. He’s a little selfish, but that’s what goal scorers are. He’s still about a year away, but when he plays as he did today, it’s just another weapon. He is constant motion and energy, which makes it hell for defenders trying to track him. Because while you’re tracking him, the other guys are raising hell.

Keita: 5. Didn’t really have the opportunity to do much, but made a few good plays in garbage time, which was in effect the entire second half.

Where do we go from here? I don’t know, but that 1-0 loss to little Numancia seems kind of absurd to contemplate now, right? They and Racing must be damp with relief sweat that they got us then instead of now.

Folks, I’m giddy, and sorry this is longer than usual. But I think this match warrants it. We might never see better, though I hope that we do. The Camp Nou was packed. Whether that was in anticipation of this kind of effort, or because Guardiola called the fans out, saying “Hey, we’re playing our butts off, where are the butts in the seats,” I dunno. But it sure was great to hear the place rocking like that.

And that’s all I know.

It is official. The end of an era of sorts for FC Barcelona. Reads the beginning of the statement by the club:

AC Milan and Barcelona have reached an agreement in principle over the transfer of Ronaldinho to the Italian club. The Brazilian will take a medical examination on Wednesday in Milan. And let the record show that somebody is pretty excited about it.

What made the deal actually and for-real possible was Ronaldinho’s renouncing his 15% cut of the deal, which is for 21 million Euros, plus another 4 million should Milan qualify for Champions League, something that is pretty much in the “Duh!” category, even if he does a repeat of this season past, which I don’t expect.

As Txiki said, “The player will always decide where he wants to play. We can have 40 different offers but in the end, what counts is the player’s own desire.”

We were grownups about this one, as befits our gratitude to Ronaldinho. We could have dug our heels in and forced Milan to match or come closer to the 32 million offered by Citeh. We’ve all seen it recently with Hernanes, Arshavin and Adebayor. Glad we chose to man up and do the right thing.

Fiscally, the deal makes perfect sense for AC Milan, and for us. They will get his transfer fee back in shirt sales in about 10 seconds. Right now, number 10 is being worn by Clarence Seedorf. Hmmm. Wonder how those negotiations are going? Seedorf, back when this started, was on the record as saying that R10 wouldn’t be at AC Milan, since he was S10. Stay tuned for that one.

Now, this gives AC Milan an attacking force of Kaka, whose life should become easier if Ronaldinho wants to play. Inzaghi will get new life, and Pato is going to go hog wild. If he actually shows up ready and interested, AC Milan will be the favorites for the title, particularly now that they have dumped Ronaldo and his dead weight.

So what the heck happened?

This saga began, really, with introduction of a sterner, more controlled locker room. No partying, no gallivanting, etc. The players weren’t into it, Rijkaard didn’t seem to be into it, saying in effect, with a wink and a nod, that boys will be boys.

Then came the “black sheep” allegations from Edmilson, saying “Within our group of players and coaches, we have formed a family. And many times in a family there are black sheep.”

It was clear to all that Ronaldinho was the sheep in question, and it seemed that from there, things went swiftly downhill. He was injured. No, he wasn’t, he was just benched. He’ll play. No, he won’t. He wants to play, but Rijkaard won’t let me. And on and on. Rijkaard’s loose locker room seemed to bite him in the butt at the wrong time, and Ronaldinho just wasn’t the same.

So an era has ended.

FIFA Player of the Year most recently in 2004 AND 2005, accolades and joy galore.

There is so much to remember him by. Most recently, the brilliant bicycle kick goal against Atletico Madrid that made the top of ESPN’s “Plays of the Week,” the rarest of the rare occurrences for football. And it took a play by the rarest of rare players to make that cut.

The free kick that went under the Werder Bremen wall.

The shimmy goal against Chelsea.

How he turned the Evil Empire on its ear and recieved a standing ovation at the Bernabeu in a 3-0 thrashing that we delivered to them at their home.

He has been great for us. Two league titles, two Copa titles, one Champions League title, and play after play after play that featured brilliance and the sheer joy of playing the game. The smile was omnipresent, a childlike glee at things that he seemed to be just discovering that he could do.

If that Ronaldinho were still here, I would be lamenting this transfer. But as it is, I am happy to have it happen, for us and for him. He wasn’t happy with us, as we weren’t happy with him. The price that we got for him, while far below the 32 million offered by Manchester City, was in accordance with the player’s wishes. It was an act of class and style, as befits the service that he brought to us.

Simply put, as an icon, he is irreplacable. At his best, he was far and away the best player on the planet, able to beat three defenders or somehow tie the ball to his foot, ready to hit an in-stride teammate with a perfect pass.

But that Ronaldinho is, for us, long gone.

So farewell, you Wascally Bwazilian. I wish you well until AC Milan faces us in Champions League, then know that Yaya is going to put the boot in, and leave it in until Puyol comes to finish you off. And I am going to laugh.

If you shoot the damned ball where the keeper is, he’s probably going to make the save.

Make sense? Feel better now? Good.

Now. This match had the stink of a 0-0 just oozing from its pores. It was clear that Espanyol had zero interest in scoring a goal, or doing anything except keeping what they came in with. Shameful, but that’s what makes this beautiful game ugly sometimes.

And truth to tell, why should they come out to play with us? What’s in it for them except an ass-whipping? It got really bleak at about the hour mark, when it looked like the whole damned Espanyol side was on the pitch and in the box. Disgusting for us, but I reckon they’re proud. Or maybe not. Who gives a damn, really, because we should have put that match away.

Chance after chance after chance, and only once did Kameni have to do anything except stick a hand or arm out. Even then, all he had to do was fall to the turf to cover the ball. Bend it, make an extra pass, go high, do something except hit a hard, flat shot right at the keeper. It doesn’t take genius to stop those.

I knew it was going to be a draw when I saw Rijkaard’s “white flag” lineup of Valdes, Milito, Puyol, Sylvinho, Zambrotta, Yaya, Xavi, Gudjohnsen, Dos Santos, Eto’o and Krkic. Why? Where are the goals going to come from? Eto’o? Not without service, and where is that going to come from? That isn’t the game of Dos Santos or Krkic, really, which forces Eto’o to resort to parlor tricks. So. Lotta dancing the mambo in the box with the ball, few real scoring chances.

Why is Gudjohnsen’s name in bold-face? Because I couldn’t find a jpeg of a pile of shit to upload. But stay tuned for an edit. Absolute pustulence. He probably got in his car after the match and dropped the damn keys down the manhole cover. Just as I was about to say there might not be a reason to hope that he’s on the same bus out of town as “Santi Claus,” he has to make a liar out of me.

But wait a minute….there is LOTS of good news from this game.

Happy bench. Did you all see that bench shot, with the lads talking among themselves, and smiling? When was the last time you saw that?

Messi is back, on full-bore, mega-watt mojo. The difference he made in that game was unreal. But once Espanyol saw that we were going to cock up any real scoring chance he created, they just put three men on him and let the other guys screw up.

The movement is back. The passing and running off the ball were slick.

Yaya is spectacular. Those white shoes were everywhere today. He was a little gimpy in the first half, and I got a little scared. But what an extraordinary match. He gummed up the middle of the pitch all by himself. If we are to beat Man U, he has to be man-sized.

Valdes is getting it. Our high-waisted keeper finally figured out that we can pass, and stopped kicking the ball up the pitch, which is as good as conceding possession. Instead he rolled it out to a defender, who started the attack.

Milito’s on the comeback. He’s playing into being himself again which is good, because with no Puyol, we’re going to need him so much on Wednesday.

So. Yes there was a draw, which will all but mathematically do in the Liga chances for all but the most wild-eyed optimists. Even if the Evil Empire loses tomorrow, it’s still a 7-point gap with 5 matches to play (or something like that….told you all I hate math). Yes, it could happen, but the EE would have to collapse, essentially, and they aren’t going to face any teams that can really take advantage of that, except for us.

But all of these harbingers of good augur well for Wednesday, because we won’t be putzing around with Gudjohnsen or Dos Santos in the starting XI. We’ll have the real folks in there and frankly, I would give Henry the start in the middle, flanked by Krkic and Messi. But we’ll see.

So, we couldn’t finish today. Unfortunate, but Henry scores any number of those goals that Eto’o screws up. Why? Henry is a stylist with his finishes. His calculator is a little quicker than Eto’o in that he knows when to lift, loop or bend a ball. He also has the pace to create a bit more time and space to measure his shot. But he wasn’t in there. And now, player ratings:

Valdes: 4. He didn’t really do enough to get a rating. Just catch and toss.
Milito: 6. Strong play, and he kept the hatchet in his pocket, admittedly helped by Espanyol’s lack of interest in discovering the other end of the pitch.
Puyol: 8. Wow. What a match from the captain, who didn’t back out of any challenges, body be damned. Note that his two-legged challenge came minutes after Xavi backed out of one, yielding the ball to the Espanyol player. Man-sized match.
Sylvinho: 4. Some fine, fine service mixed with bouts of invisibility.
Yaya: 8. The man, the presence, the magic. That remarkable pick-pocket steal in midfield was awe-inspiring. The player didn’t even realize he didn’t have the ball for a second. He’s going to get even better? Unreal.
Zambrotta: 3. Lotta running, little result. Very solid, but we need more than solid on the wing.
Xavi: 5. Solid, solid match, even tracking back on defense. And he’s schooling on the pitch, making sure Dos Santos knew that he should have called for that header, and scored in the first half. That’s veteran mojo and a sign of some spine.
Gudjohnsen: 1. The one is just for showing up. He was terrible today. Bad passes, slow or no runs, just crap.
Eto’o: 5. Love the man, hate the parlor tricks. He should work on shooting with folks who know better, such as Henry and Deco or even Ronaldinho, if he’s still allowed near the pitch during practice. That man is a bit of guile away from being unstoppable.
Dos Santos: 2. Remember those recent matches in which he was playing so well? They were a dream. Never happened. This clunky, in-the-way kid is the Dos Santos we all remember. Welcome back.
Krkic: 7. All talent, industry and energy today. He is really, really going to be something. Our future, with he and Messi on the front line, looks bright. Imagine how it will be once those two learn to play together.

Subs:

Messi: 7. Hard for him to do wrong. He stood that match on his ear with those runs of his. He still wants to take on too much. Sometimes it’s like he only thinks of passing when he can’t run forward any longer. But he’s still learning the game, too. He’ll get better and better.
Iniesta: 7. Does it really get any better than being able to bring those two players off the bench? And I repeat: If the third sub was Henry, we win that match.
Marquez: 4. Didn’t dazzle, didn’t screw up. Just nice and solid. He’s moving really well, too, which is good to see.

Good news. Messi is BACK! All the pace and energy are there.

But I’m staggered. Wordless. There are times when you don’t know what to say. I only have one page of notes for this match, and the most prominent word is “shit.” I’m not at all sure what that says, but those who believe that in expletives lie an odd sort of elegance will find immense comfort in that delectatious four-letter dung analog.

This match was sitting there for us on a silver platter. All we had to do was tip over a team that was ready and willing to collapse. But as we have done all season, we propped them up and gave them life, and must live with the result.

I saw the starting lineup: Valdes, Puyol, Milito, Abidal, Zambrotta, Yaya, Gudjohnsen, Xavi, Dos Santos, Ezquerro and Eto’o, and didn’t know what to think. But I do know.

“Santi” Ezquerro rolled up with the reindeer and delivered a big, giant, stinking bag of shit. That Rijkaard didn’t pull him off in the first five minutes, once it was clear that he didn’t have what it takes to play in this league, should damn him and put him on the first train (not plane….he’ll need that long, leisurely trip to think about how stupid he was) out of Barcelona.

Phil Schoen said it best when he said that we looked like 11 very talented players, just out there running around. And that’s coaching, kids.

But there’s plenty of blame to go around for this one, because we didn’t play as a team. I don’t care what anyone says about individual brilliance, and who’s missing, and who’s injured and who’s pouting. This draw today came about because Recreativo played their hearts out, and played as a team. We didn’t, which means that we’ll have to pull some rabbits out just to finish second, in the automatic Champions League qualifier. Very few sliding tackles, nobody throwing themselves bodily at balls, nobody playing as if death was preferable to losing, except for El Capitan, Puyol.

Two brilliant goals by Eto’o, but so what? When he wasn’t scoring, he was shit. Everybody was holding the ball too long. Messi can be forgiven for his lapses, as he isn’t match fit, and there’s only so much that practice can do. But we squandered chance after chance after glorious chance. Was their first goal a goal? Nope. But in replay, it was evident. Live and on the field, Valdes and his knee are behind the line, so you probably call that one. And if they didn’t score that one, they would have scored another one, because that’s just how this match was.

Valdes was brilliant, and he was shit. Xavi was just….well….you know. Aside from a couple of grand, lumbering runs, Gudjohnsen was, like almost all of the rest of the fellows sharing the pitch (note the exclusion of the word “teammates”), shit.

Eto’o nailed his goal just over a minute in against a team that has trouble scoring, that is 17th place, battling against relegation. And you knew what would happen, and it did. We lost interest. You can always tell by the lateral and back passes, the leisurely trots about the pitch. And Recretativo played their stalwart little hearts back into this match, and stayed there. Put away that great chance created by Gudjohnsen (and how in the HELL do you cock that one up) and it’s 2-0. The match is completely different, because Recre isn’t Betis. The talent gap is immense. Then Dos Santos gets a great chance, and we manage to mess that one up, too.

We don’t know how to put the knife in. The exiting Ronaldinho is almost certainly happy to be gone. His soon to be ex-mates had the chance to say “You know what? We don’t need him or anyone else. We’re better than that, and here’s the statement.” Instead, they said “We don’t want the championship,” and frustratingly, so did their coach. How in the HELL do you make Dos Santos the first substitution, even if it is for Messi? Ezquerro had us playing 10 against 11 the whole time he was out there, so everybody seemed out of position, and Rijkaard let it happen. He just sat there and watched a match that by all rights, we could just as easily have lost.

In semi-defense of Rijkaard, perhaps Dos Santos was feeling that hard tackle. But he sure didn’t look like it.

That’s enough out of me. I’m sick about this one. And with that, player ratings:

Valdes: 1. Great saves, sure. But if he makes the play instead of stopping inexplicably, no second goal. Bad decisions all match. Is a keeper only as good as his defense? Not entirely. Tell me Buffon or Casillas lets the guy line up that header like that?
Zambrotta: 2. A step slow all match long. When’s that AC Milan deal happening? Not soon enough.
Abidal: 1. He had moments where he wasn’t vile. But the preponderance of evidence points to the word of the day.
Puyol: 4. He tried. Lord knows, he tried. His effort wasn’t enough, and even he was part of the Keystone Kops nonsense that was our back line today. As captain, if you have to grab guys by the shirt and say “Get your damned head in the game,” you do so, and worry about their feelings later.
Milito: 2. Again, a few good plays, but mostly a lot of scrambling around and being caught out of position. Every team that we face for the rest of this season will be telling their fastest player, “Just get the ball and run at that defense, and good things will happen.” There’s a reason Sinama-Pongolle is playing at Recre, and it ain’t because he’s a great attacker. We made him look so today.
Yaya: 4. He tried as hard as Puyol did, and probably got a little frustrated at being tackled (yes, NFL-style) every time he got the ball. But he had an erratic match, when he should have had a great one, to right the ship.
Xavi: 1. Dogshit. Bad passes, a step slow, giveaways. What, is the absense of Iniesta his Kryptonite? He’d been playing really well for a long stretch, so you knew that a game like this one was due. Bad timing.
Gudjohnsen: 2. He wasn’t awful, just mostly invisible except for that opening five minutes or so, when he was actually a reasonable facsimile of a half-ass mid.
Dos Santos: 6. Strong play, with lots of energy and effort. His pace and ball skills were much of the reason for our strong offensive play.
Ezquerro: 0. That’s right. The almighty goose egg. If one person has to take the loss, it’s this guy, for making us play a man down the whole time he was in there. When he was rolling around on the pitch from a typical La Liga foul, somebody should have just shot him. Ugh.
Eto’o: 4. Man, it’s hard to argue with that second goal. He should have been better, but when he starts pressing he becomes a more selfish player, which is never, ever a good thing. He has to learn to pass and move, but he has no confidence in anyone around him except for Ronaldinho and/or Messi, and it shows. Note how he improved when Messi came on.

Substitutes:

Messi: 4. He made a huge difference in our movement and energy. If he puts away one of those chances he had, he gets a higher rating. Had this match left me in a better mood, I might have been able to forgive the rust. Alas, no.
Edmilson: 0. Rumor has it that he came on. I saw no evidence of this.
Victor Vazquez: Incomplete. One offside, nothing outside of that. Looked better than Ezquerro, but so did my elderly grandmother, and she didn’t even play.

This just in:

Okay, as with operas in which everybody dies, you don’t want to leave the audience all cranky and stuff, so here’s some hearts and flowers.

Messi is back. Yay!
When we play one-touch, movement-based football, we are brilliant. When Iniesta and Henry return, look out.
Believe it or not, we are not mathematically eliminated from the championship. Okay, let’s assume that Villarreal and the EE win tomorrow. That will leave us nine points back of first, and three back of second (or something like that….I’m a journalist, not a math whiz.). I’m already counting the three points at the Bernabeu, which means that the EE will have to slip up twice in the six matches that will be left after Sunday. Anybody want to bet on the fact that they won’t? And we have to win out.
I know that some are saying “That team is going to lose to Man U 314-0 at home,” but hang on for a second. We always play up to a challenge. I don’t think that we think enough about weak teams to really play our best, but I believe that you will see our best football against Man U, and we will move through into the Champions League finals. Yay!

And I don’t think that’s too much to ask.

We don’t even get the joy of being second place, by virtue of Villarreal’s better head-to-head records against us, so what do we have? Is a tie really like kissing your sister? No. Hell no.

We did everything right a lot of the time. You only had to look at the sweating faces to see the industry, the effort that we brought to this match. Rijkaard came out with Valdes, Zambrotta, Sylvinho (for Abidal), Puyol, Milito, Yaya, Iniesta, Xavi, Eto’o, Henry and Krkic. The offensive mindset was apparent in the selection of Sylvinho, for his passes and forward movement rather than Abidal with his defensive pace.

I recall yelling at the television, “Quit trying to pass the damn ball into the net and take a shot.” They didn’t listen. To be fair, Getafe had some astounding luck. Abbondanzieri makes an astounding reflex save against Gabi Milito, off of a beautifully worked play. But if you shoot it right at the keeper, what do you think is going to happen? Then Eto’o bangs it off the post in a shot that he took for-freakin’-ever to get off. Dos Santos hits the post. Xavi hits the post.

And what can you say?

We end the weekend as we came in, seven points back and still in third place. We had to win this game. But there were a lot of games that we had to win. Put this much effort in against Almeria or Betis, and we’re looking beautiful right now. I can’t believe that I’m saying this, but we still have a chance at the Title Nobody Wants. Pretty scary.

A lot of the time, we were like “Dancing With the Stars,” a little too fond of holding the ball and our own fancy footwork, giving the Getafe defenders plenty of time to get in position, or gather ’round to take the ball back. The cross-pitch pass to switch play and open up a tired defense was rare, verging on non-existent. And Eto’o sucks ass as a playmaker. There. I said it. Crappy passes, crappy crosses, crappy shots. Just a big ol’ festering pile of crap. I’m sure people will gather to defend Eto’o, and (insert your deity of choice) love you all. But if he can’t play as a central attacker, then he shouldn’t play. It’s just that simple.

But the rest is good news.

Dos Santos clearly reads this blog. The drive, pace and energy he brought to the side were amazing. That juke move that he does was as sharp as it has ever been, but of course….HE HIT THE POST!!!! It was just one of those days.

There isn’t a lot to say about this one, really. We played great, but lacked that final, finishing touch. Anyone who says that luck doesn’t play a part in professional sports is smoking something intoxicating. Yes, it’s also sharper finishing. If Milito hesitates to let Abbondanzieri make a move, instead of taking the snap shot. If Eto’o makes a better finish, since the keeper was beaten. If Xavi realizes that he had more time than he thought he had. If Dos Santos doesn’t cut it as fine. But hey, it all happened, and at least we didn’t lose ground.

The Camp Nou fans were jeering, and I’m not sure that they should have been. The lads played their hearts out. It just wasn’t to be.

(Stay tuned for an earth-shattering moment.)

And now, player ratings.

Valdes. 5. Nice, solid game. No drama, just excellent keeping. He was only tested once, and passed with flying colors.
Zambrotta. 3. Was that his giveaway that led to what should have been a Getafe goal? And that penalty attempt was cheesy and low-rent. Seemed a step slow the whole match.
Sylvinho. 4. He’s played better, but was solid when he wasn’t invisible, which was most of the time.
Puyol. 10. Yes, you read right. 10. Read it and weep, argue all you want but I will not be swayed. He hasn’t played a better match all season. He was more Yaya than Yaya, more Milito than Milito, more Puyol than….well, you get it. He was everywhere, stopping every attack, always in the right place at the right time. He read the game perfectly, always ending up where the ball was. Effort, energy and every time they showed his face, you could see the intensity and focus. It was a lion’s performance, a captain throwing down the gauntlet and demanding that his teammates measure up. They didn’t, but many of them tried. Spectacular!
Milito. 3. No, you don’t get many scoring chances. But they go better if you don’t hit them at the keeper. Ditto for Sylvinho, in that he was solid when he wasn’t invisible.
Yaya. 4. He looked a little clunky today. The industry was there, but he fell into the dithering mode, with too many lateral and back passes. Yes, the man crush is still intact, however.
Iniesta. 4. Strong effort, but too many stretches of invisibility. When he’s charging forward, creating another option with his runs and passes, we’re pretty hard to beat.
Xavi. 4. Good passes and movement, but a little slow on the draw. Pressing too hard.
Eto’o. 2. In his role as wing playmaker, he was shit. In looking at my notes, I see “Yet another bad cross from Eto’o.” That sums it up.
Henry. 3. Even with that beautiful turn to set up what should have been an Eto’o goal, he just wasn’t incisive enough. There was a stretch where he could have moved to middle and became the striker he clearly wants to be, and didn’t.
Krkic. 7. The kid was crazy again today. Great play, (mostly) good decisions and passes that should have received greater reward.

Substitutes:
Marquez (for Milito): 3. Didn’t do much, didn’t screw up, either.
Dos Santos (for Eto’o): 7. I’ve said it above, and I’ll say it again: What a match he played today. Nonsense-free, movement, passing, industry, even tracking back on defense. Now that’s what I’m talking about.
Gudjohnsen (for Yaya): 3. Didn’t do much except miss a gilt-edged (note, editors at Goal.com….not guilt-edged) scoring chance to save our bacon for the second match. Yes, the Betis chance was very difficult even for a pure striker, and today’s was just part of the luck of the day. But still. Much better performance for him, though.

Four. Freakin’. Points.

Ray Hudson cracked me up with his “man of the match” debate, as if there could be any doubt. No, not Krkic or Iniesta, but Yaya. I know, I know. He didn’t score a single goal, though he came very close with his rocketblast of a free kick. But look at what happened after he left the game: two blasts off the woodwork and a goal called back for offside for Valladolid.

Yaya was everywhere, making passes, including a beauty to Xavi, starting the offense from the back and, in the midfield, hanging out the sign that read “Closed. Please get that crap outta here.” He was moving much better today, and played like a one-man wrecking crew. Yee-ha. And when he’s on, nobody has to play out of position to cover for someone else, because he is always in control. He makes a more offensive-minded player such as Sylvinho possible, and frees up Iniesta to go forward and be brilliant. Same for Xavi.

I know that it used to be a full-on man crush, but I might become a stalker. And this, with back and abdominal injuries? Sorry, what is ailing Ronaldinho again? Just asking. It’s pretty hard getting a pedicure appointment in Barcelona. Maybe Sunday was the only day available. It’s hard being a superstar, so shut up, everyone.

Seriously, the Ronaldinho thing is a bad situation. Hurt or not, who knows? But never mind that, because we’re here to exult….sort of.

This could as easily have been a loss. We got the luck that the Evil Empire used to get. They would have won that Valencia match earlier in the season, and we would have lost this one. But we didn’t, and….how you say in your country? Neener, neener.

Ball movement was exquisite, movement off the ball was exquisite, until it wasn’t. This game should have been like layup drills for a scorer who has lost his touch. Start small, and re-learn how to kick out the jams. But it became more difficult than it should have been. Anyone wondering about the value of Yaya, and why the man crush is in full effect here, needs to watch the match from when Gudjohnsen was subbed in for Yaya. Completely different. Suddenly, the back line looked old and slow, Valdes looked….but hey, his trunk waistband was as lofty as ever, and you know what? We WON!

Credit Valladolid for a plucky performance. Were it not for their keeper, and some unfortunate finishing in the first half, it would have been 4 or 5-0 before the second half even started. Asenjo played a great match, but was overcome by class, style, and a young’un named Krkic.

This was the match that we saw the promise, the bright, shining future that makes us (well, me anyhow) ready to put that price tag on Ronaldinho’s head. Imagine an assault line of Iniesta, Messi, Krkic and Eto’o coming at you? No dithering, no fooling about. Krkic plays precisely the kind of direct, incisive, smart football that is its own type of joga bonito.

I thought that when he missed those first-half chances that this was going to be a loooong day for him, but he picked himself up and kept on rolling. Krkic was spectacular today. Hope Dos Santos was watching the kid’s very grown-up display of football.

But alas, I only have one man crush to give, and not being a member of the International Man-Boy Love association, Yaya it is.

Xavi was also rocking the house today, as was the offense in general, when they weren’t mucking about with the ball. Henry, Eto’o and Krkic, all killers inside the box, makes us extremely difficult to defend. They all have ball skills, great shots and a knack for being in the right place at the right time.

Pretty tough for a Valladolid side that for a while, showed zero interest in attacking, or trying to do anything except leave with what they came in with. A point. That first goal changed everything, and opened up the match.

Yes, we were supposed to win, and we did. And the lead to the Evil Empire is now four points. Villarreal also won, so they are right behind us. But I am flush with confidence. Hopefully, we learned the value today of bright, active football, and will go forth and multiply.

And what a great weekend of footy, by the by. The most excellent Juventus/Inter match, today’s intense Arsenal/Chelsea outing, then the La Liga goodness. I’m tired. Nap time.

And with that, player ratings:

Valdes: 2. Dude, what the hell were you thinking about this match? Nothing? Just checking.
Zambrotta: 3. Rumor was that he was on the field, though he picked it up big-time in the second half. And he didn’t cost us goals, which is half the battle, as ballbeav would argue.
Thuram: 4. What a pro. He doesn’t have the physical skills that he once did, but smarts and great positional play make up for it….almost. If he leaves the elbow down, no penalty.
Puyol: 3. A curious game for Captain Courageous. Practical and quiet, but below standard.
Sylvinho: 6. When he plays like that, it makes Abidal hard to argue for. Beautiful passing, and very active in the defense. Hardly put a foot wrong the whole match.
Xavi: 6. Hell, yeah. THIS is the Xavi I like to see: strong with the ball, active, and what passing. That little flick to Krkic for the first missed scoring chance was exquisite.
Yaya: 8. He looked much better today, and played like it. He was everywhere, and his departure completely changed the match defensively for us. His pass into the box for the goal, that little lift, was perfect.
Iniesta: 8. Wow. He was a lion on offense and defense, showing Krkic how to stab a ball into an open net. He was all passes, runs and energy, and spare a thought for his durability, as well. Has he missed any time this season?
Krkic: 8. All day and all night. Even though he missed those two beauties early, his passing, running and shooting were exceptional. The way he just seems to materialize in the right spot dazzles. His holdup and pass for the Eto’o goal had me swooning.
Eto’o: 5. High energy, and that split-legged volley shot for his goal was slicker than snake snot.
Henry: 5. Motion, motion, motion. And what a pass to Xavi for that scoring chance.

Substitutes:
Gudjohnsen: 4. Didn’t have a lot of effect, just nice, solid play.
Abidal: 4. Ditto. Nice and solid. He and Sylvinho have some sorting out to do.
Pedrito: Incomplete. But he does have an earnest face.

Now. We saw two different teams today, pre-Henry and post-Henry. The first was kind of laconic, still overly fond of the back and lazy lateral pass, one of which led to the first goal, off a bad giveaway by Zambrotta.

But the second….THAT was more like it. Running off the ball, smart passing, moving forward in waves. Why did it take crisis to rouse that team from its slumber? I loved the second half, and was screaming my fool head off. I was pretty sure, once Henry came in, that we were going to come back. But luck wasn’t on our side today.

Nor was our suddenly-porous defense. To allow three goals of the type they allowed, just Keystone Kops kind of defending, with guys falling over each other, sliding past each other, only to leave a Valencia player open and taking the shot. That third goal was the killer, but even then, we came right back and tried and tried. It just wasn’t to be, however.

This is going to be mostly good, even in the face of the bad result. I’ll get the bad over with. Krkic needs to work on his first touch. He was off today. Two goals, one in the first and one in the second, went begging for lack of a more solid first touch. The second, he probably scores 9 out of 10 times. Today, he shoots it over the bar.

And Rijkaard is just a little late with the substitutions. It should have been as clear to him as it was to the rest of us that Yaya wasn’t up to snuff, and why he doesn’t start Henry is beyond me. This game is too important to trust to the young’uns. Does Henry have the same effect in the starting lineup instead of coming off the bench? Dunno, but I sure would have liked to have found out.

And Gudjohnsen was a cipher.

Now, the good:

Abidal clearly heard it from the Almeria match. He was everywhere, white shoes flashing, heading away balls, shutting down attackers, even taking a long-range shot that was just a bit off, toward the end of the first half. Excellent stuff.

Eto’o, once freed of the burden of being playmaker, really opened up with his cutting and movement. That goal he scored was a thing of beauty, the way he curled the ball. Knock me out.

Iniesta was on form as ever, and Xavi played a strong match. Milito usually nails that header that Xavi served on a silver platter. I really liked the open, flowing football that was on display here. We usually win those types of matches, going away.

And credit Valencia. They played a strong match, and had the hunger. This was their season, and they played like it. The first goal was one hell of a strike, open or not. The other two were more opportunistic, but still….well worked.

Now, we have the double to go for, and what do we know?

Yaya shouldn’t play when he’s that injured.
Rijkaard is late on the draw with subs.
Gudjohnsen doesn’t do it for this reviewer.
Henry brings energy off the bench.
Eto’o is a killer, when freed from playmaking burdens.
We need some defense/marking clinics run in practice.

Now, player ratings:

Valdes: 3. Guessed wrong twice, especially that third goal.
Puyol: 4. Got snookered a few times, and is showing his age against fast players.
Zambrotta: 1. Didn’t really have as much effect as I had hoped, except for Valencia.
Milito: 3. Two chances to score off headers, and missed. Clunky in defense. 3rd goal was his.
Abidal: 6. He was all over the place, and played a very strong match.
Xavi: 4. Played strongly, but not quite to his usual standard.
Yaya: 3. Playing hurt, wasn’t himself and it showed. We bad back folks feel his pain.
Gudjohnsen: 2. Just took up space.
Iniesta: 6. Strong match, with almost constant aggression and pace.
Krkic: 3. Sometimes, youth will not be served. Work on that first touch, kid.
Eto’o: 4. A lot of flailing in the first half, and didn’t really shine until Henry came in.

Subs:

Henry: 7. Energy, pace, drive and man, what a header for the first goal. Wow!
Sylvinho: 6. Great pass for Henry’s goal, and strong play.
Edmilson: 2. Remember what I said about the Brazlandic monument that is Gudjmilson? Okay.