I’ll be curious to see how Abidal will play in the central role. He’s played everywhere on the defense for Les Bleus, so I’m pretty comfortable with that notion.

Isaiah is on the preview case, I’ll be doing the review. But I’ll say this: We’d better put the boot in early, and often. Two goals before halftime, and we’re home free. I’d figure out some way to get Henry, Krkic and Eto’o out there, with an aggressive Iniesta pushing up from midfield. Not quite a 4-2-4, but no screwing around. I’ll leave the rest to Isaiah.

the league has listened to Betis’ appeal and has temporarily suspended the stadium ban, meaning that Barca will play at Betis home stadium, and the game will be open to fans.

waiting for the preview on this game, kxevin and isaiah! only 24 hours away…goodie!

I would agree with that “glue” evaluator, Jenny, but I would add Yaya to that mucilage. Krkic hasn’t had sufficient time to be considered adequately sticky, yet.

Cruyff is speaking out of his butt about Rijkaard. Note the silence from Laporta and, more importantly, Txiki (okay, as an aside, I want a name like that. It’s SO cool. It might just be the “x” sitting at the beginning there, or the fact that it’s such fun to say, but there it is.).

If we don’t get silver this season, Rijkaard is going down faster than a low-rent ‘ho. The Copa can be forgiven, since that’s a consolation prize, and a way for teams on the edge to winnow their way into Europe without having to worry about beating up on the big boys, who don’t really take it all that seriously. He’s probably even relieved to be out of the Copa.

The league and Champions League are a whole ‘nother matter. I say he has to win at least one, but probably both, to keep his job. Further, if Villarreal leapfrog us, finishing second to the Evil Empire, and we don’t win CL, Curly Top will be run out of town on an besplintered Catalan rail, and Barcelona vendors who sell funky, verging-on-ugly sportcoats will weep into their Barca Chips.

Impossible, you say? Don’t forget that Villarreal have the advantage of not being us or the Evil Empire, so they don’t get teams’ best games. Look at Almeria. They tied us, then went down like dogs to Osasuna, a side below them in the table.

Villarreal, on the other hand, is just another Liga side. Teams will play hard against them, but not all-out. Henry was right. No more losses. Even ties are unacceptable. Puttin’ the boot in against Valladolid was one of life’s great “Duh!” moments. Betis will show how serious we are about this championship thing.

What helps is that Villarreal have a tough run of matches coming up: Atletico, Sevilla, Almeria, a respite with Valladolid, then Betis.

The EE get: Sevilla, then away to Mallorca, then Murcia and Racing and Bilbao.

We have: Betis, Getafe, Recre, Espanyol and Deportivo. Ouch. In addition, we have the Schalke matches in the Champions League mixed in there.

Now, if it comes down to the last two matches, I like our chances, v Murcia and Mallorca.

And again, thanks for the kind welcomes, everyone. Isaiah has set up a brilliant space for us all, and I’m just happy to be skating along on his coattails.