Barca 4, Wisla Krakow 0, a.k.a. “This could be the start of something big”

By: Kevin | August 14th, 2008

This picture was chosen for a very good reason, one that is as good as any to start this match report with: Henry and Eto’o.

The months have gone, Eto’o was put up for sale, and Guardiola said that Henry would be his main man. Cules cried foul, everybody beat up on Kxevin for daring to suggest that maybe, for certain reasons, Guardiola was right. The battle lines were drawn, and it was an either/or.

When the ball dropped, Henry and Eto’o said no, it’s both, suckas, and we’re gettin’ in that ass.

The two strikers, one an actual striker on the pitch, the other a hell-raising left winger, were brilliant, accounting for three of our four goals. More important than the goals was how the goals were scored.

The first was a beautiful weave between Henry and Eto’o that paralyzed and confused the defense, leaving Eto’o’s movement wide open for the exquisite pass from Marquez. And then there was that side foot pass from Eto’o for the cheeky Henry lob. Like a home run hitter who got all of it, or Michael Jordan in his prime, Henry struck the ball and turned away. He knew it was in the back of the net.

In both instances, there was much love for the other one. Last season, Eto’o and Henry, when confronted with each other, looked as if they’d rather be selling Euro beers on Las Ramblas than playing with the other one. I don’t know what Guardiola did, but if those two are as serious about playing together and learning to play together as they looked in this match, some scary shit is brewing, and our left side could instantly become as potent as the right.

This new Barca team is about two things: movement, and controlling the midfield. Those who know Guardiola from his playing days know that this latter thing was expected. 99 percent of matches are won or lost in the midfield. That was the reasoning behind the Keita and Hleb signings. Both retain possession, both are offense-minded.

Movement off the ball was spectacular, which enabled one-touch passing of the type that makes the lads look infallible. Make no mistake, Wisla is not a bad side, and this was the kind of match when a team rolls into the Nou Camp ready to play for a draw. Last season, we would have obliged them, standing around, playing ticky-tack ball and not utilizing any off-the-ball movement.

Not this season.

In this match, every player was a scythe, slashing at the wheat of Wisla’s negative intentions. The first goal was as inevitable as a two-hour Catalan lunch break.

Another good thing: Guardiola is involved, and the lads might not like being yelled at like the B teamers, but they’d better get used to it. Pique wasn’t immediately ready, even though he knew he was to go in for Alves. Guardiola let him have it a bit. Puyol let a ball go out of bounds instead of running it down. Guardiola let him have it. Yaya was getting ready to enter as a sub, and Guardiola dashed over to give him a few smacks on the cheek as if to say “Yo, it’s go time.”

This coach is the goods. The Rijkaard days of a languid, almost stoned bench approach are gone. This is a full-on demanding fiend of a coach, and I like it.

You can see it in the way the lads are playing this season. Almost every ball is being contested, particularly in the midfield. Players are running passes down, and the effort is there, as it has been all preseason.

And now, for the goals:

1. Henry and Eto’o weave, Eto’o breaks into the open and Marquez lays on a corker of a pass. Eto’o does the business like a banker at 4:59 p.m. on a Friday. Let’s go.

2. Henry battles for possession of the ball, wins it from two defenders and lays a ball to Xavi, who rips it into the corner. Xavi gave credit where it was due, immediately dashing over to Henry. Great goal.

3. Iniesta’s slide rule pass finds Eto’o, who one-touches a side foot to Henry who simultaneously controls it, dribbles the keeper and tosses in an exquisite lob. This is what Barca signed. Hopefully, there’s more of this to come.

4. Iniesta’s hard work opens up space for a great through ball to Eto’o, who finishes with a lovely flick around the outside of the keeper. Again, a vintage Eto’o goal.

This team would not have lost 1-0 to Manchester United, kids. I can say that without a shadow of a doubt. Movement is what obliterates negativity. We didn’t have it last season, we have lots of it this season, and I’m excited.

And now, for the season’s first grades:

Valdes: Incomplete. Now, this isn’t because he played poorly, it’s because he didn’t play, really. That’s good.

Alves: 8. Offense, offense, offense. His passing, ball control and ability to constantly get the ball into the box was a delight. When the lads learn to play with him, great things are going to happen. Eto’o and Henry better get those heads in shape. Some of those Alves balls were crying for someone to put a head on them.

Puyol: 5. El Capitan has been better. I didn’t like how he got in Abidal’s way on one play, conceding a corner, then yelled at Abidal. Abidal had the ball and defender covered. By coming over, Puyol disrupted that control. Abidal reacted in the expected manner, as in “What the hell did I do?” Very nice of Keita to just come by and tap him on the back, like “Screw that, there’s work to do. Let’s go.”

Marquez: 6 He got outpaced a few times, but oh, that ball for Eto’o. Yow.

Abidal: 7. Didn’t notice him the entire match. With Abidal, that’s a good thing. Lots of pace and energy, and covered everything that came his way. Stayed at home more, which makes him a much better defender.

Keita: 6. As a defensive mid, he makes me pine for Yaya. He passes back too much, which stops the movement and the offense. He has to learn to keep his head up, and move the ball forward as Yaya does. He likes to shoot, too. When he finds the range, those bombs are going to fall into the box for somebody to clean up.

Xavi: 8. Man, oh man. What a match. From the goals to the passes to the constant, constant movement. He’s just taken what he did at Euros and brought it home, now that he’s freed to advance and make things happen. Between his passing and his shooting, he is a delight. That free kick for the Henry header was magisterial, to use a Ray Hudson superlative.

Iniesta: 8. Again, SPF 45 is bristling with Euro magic. He was all energy and aggression, laying on pass after lovely pass. The assist for the last goal for Eto’o was a thing of beauty, as was the one-touch pass to Eto’o for the Henry goal.

Pedro: 3. His energy was good, but he was pressing way too hard. I don’t know if promotion is in the cards for him, but if he keeps being as frantic as he was, it sure as hell won’t be.

Henry: 8. No, he isn’t a left winger. But he’s one hell of a threat. When Eto’o drifts to the left, it is going to draw at least four defenders, two for him and two for Eto’o. This will free up the likes of Xavi, Messi, Iniesta and Alves. His energy and pace were present in abudance. He was very, very sharp, and that goal was vintage Henry.

Eto’o: 9. Almost a perfect match from the Cameroonian striker. There were a couple of balls he should have moved to instead of waiting for them to come to him, but those are quibbles. When he is moving on and off the ball like that, he makes a convincing argument for being the best striker in the world.

Substitutes:

Pique (on for Alves): Incomplete. Didn’t do much, didn’t screw up.

Yaya (on for Pedro): 7. Vintage Yaya. He came on, and the midfield was on lockdown. More importantly, I don’t think he made a pass that wasn’t forward, always with his mind on getting the party started.

Hleb (on for Henry): Incomplete. It’s hard for a player to come on with a few minutes left in the match, and do much.