Barca 3-Betis 2, a.k.a. “Not as close as it seemed.”

By: Kevin | September 24th, 2008

Okay. This was a redemption match of sorts for two players who were on the outs (only one with me, it must be said): Eric Abidal and Eidur Gudjohnsen. But more on them later.

First off, as we all know, last year we lose or tie this match because we not only had bad luck and tired players, but we had complacency. You saw some of it in the stretch that allowed Betis to get right back into the match. As they got more and more possession, the defense got more and more stretched, until one of those long, high balls (as predicted in the preview) got over Caceres, and a lovely finish made things a lot closer than they should have been.

This year, Guardiola got up, the lads listened and started working again. It was looking like a tie for some time, just because of the bounces of the ball, and some resolute defending by Betis. And then the unthinkable happened: The Icelandic Monument got the go-ahead goal off of the most improbable of touches, one that was swiped at by Krkic. Gudjohnsen kept his focus, got a directed touch on the ball and it glanced in off the post.

Which brings me to the second element that seems to be hanging around this season so far: luck. Last year, that ball hits the post, rebounds away and we tie, 2-2. This year, it hits the post on the right side and goes in. Gudjohnsen gets to act like he knew it was coming and thump his chest, and Isaiah gets to hurl invective from his road trip. Lucky for everyone.

But even on the second Eto’o goal, the ball was pinging around off legs and fell to a waiting Barca foot. A couple of passes later, Eto’o does the deal.

This was, despite its nail-biting aspects, a very good match to watch. My stomach is in knots even as I type this, probably because I still don’t have last season fully out of my mind. I was expecting, right until the final whistle, for something horrible to happen.

Interesting starting XI: Valdes, Alves, Marquez, Caceres, Abidal, Yaya, Keita, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Eto’o.

Yes, the wonder of wonders: El Capitan was not in the starting side. But it makes sense. We were supposed to win this one, and why not give Caceres a run out to see how he does? The more critical match is in a few days, against the hated Espanyol. I expect we will see Henry and Puyol then, but until then the Catalan media will have a field day, no doubt.

Again, the work rate this season is exemplary. We want the ball, all the time, and will apply pressure until we get it. It allows the defense to play up, because the offense and mids are trying to gangsta the ball. It works, but it requires energy. The players seem to have it in abundance, so far. As I’ve said before, rotation will be critical to be able to keep that program going.

Now, about those goals. The first was just crazy. Lackadaisical play results in a corner which we almost clear, but for Yaya’s high boot. Keita kind of turns away instead of manning the hell up (not that I would have stood my ground in front of that rocket, either) and Valdes is, rightfully, livid. If everybody stays put, the ball gives Keita an instant, but temporary vasectomy, and it’s still 2-0 good guys.

The second goal was just a very pretty play that came about as a consequence of that high line. An absolutely perfect pass came down on the wrong side of Caceres, who I’m sure was thinking that he wouldn’t want to test his luck a second time by getting physical inside the box. An exquisite finish beats Valdes, and that’s all she wrote, right?

That would have been true last year. This year, suddenly, they started playing again. Once the energy came back, that third goal was inevitable. I’m sure that none of us expected it, particularly when Krkic messed up that glorious chance (um…bend the ball, young’un. Have Henry show you how tomorrow). But then, and I’ll say it again just because it’s kind of cool to say, Gudjohnsen saved the day. Who among us ever thought we’d be saying (or typing) those words. Let’s let them sit by themselves for a bit:

Gudjohnsen saved the day.

There are dark sides to this victory, however. The defense gives up way too many set pieces. Give an Atletico or Espanyol that many, and we’re going down like a musclebound swimmer wearing ankle weights. That has to be worked on. There is a crazy tendency to play around with the ball instead of just whacking it up the pitch and letting things resettle. Milito was very good at that. “When in doubt, whack it out.” That’s a sound policy sometimes.

Also, we still take the foot off the gas. The desultory opening by most of the lads in the second half allowed Betis back into the match. If we play the way we did in the first half, it’s 3 or 4-0. I’m sure that Guardiola will be talking about that aspect at practice tomorrow.

But enough of that. Now for player ratings:

Valdes: 6. He made some great plays, including that charge out of the box to intercept the Betis pass, and a couple of nice stops. But he got caught out a little on that second goal. Perhaps there was nothing he could have done, but give yourself more of a shot by staying home. The best keepers expect players to make shots such as the one that beat him. Caceres had the angles cut off, and pretty much the only available shot was the one that he took, a very difficult one. That first goal, he set the wall up right and everything, but Keita was thinking of his boys.

Alves: 6. Better, but still not the right back we bought. But man, that pass for the third goal….wow. And he took his first free kick for us, that had the keeper beat, except for that damnable post. He was much better on defense today as well, and was a lion in battling for possession. When he learns how to play with the others, it should make us unstoppable. Oh. Mr. Alves. How in the slow-roasted, brimstone-laced hell did you miss that shot at the end of the first half? Just asking.

Marquez: 5. Solid, though he had a few giveaways, and got absolutely smoked on a pass over the top. Note that the same play in the second half finds Caceres right there, leaving the defender a crazy tough shot to make. It’s only bad shooting that kept that ball out of the net, because his getting beaten like a gong on Chinese New Year left Valdes dead to rights. Whew! His lack of pace is a liability, and his balls out of the back aren’t the same quality as they were, which makes one wonder why the hell he’s in the side, except for some veteran stability back there.

Caceres: 7. Even though his man scored the goal, you have to love the play from this guy. Not a wrong move the whole match. Even the goal was the result of perfection. If it takes perfection to beat him, we’re in good shape when he’s in there. He’s very good at figuring angles and getting there. He also runs balls down and covers ground like a gazelle. He’s going to be a very good one. And the nerve of the kid! That play in the box was about as perfect a tackle as you’re going to see.

Abidal: 9. That’s right, 9. Abidal haters will say this is unjustified. He had one bad play the whole match, when Betis lofted a high ball over the top and he had to chase back. But off of a set play, he had help in the house, so he was saved. He owned his man the second half, and owned the wing the whole match. Betis didn’t even try attacking up that wing any longer, Abidal was so strong. He made runs into the box, and had a really nice give-and-go with Messi that went unrewarded. This is the best match that I have seen him play to date. That’s two in a row. Pretty soon, people are going to stop calling for his head, though I did see a comment in the preview that tried to lay blame for the second goal on him. Not hardly.

Yaya: 4. Shake off the rust, dude. In the first half, he was all stud, winning ball after ball after ball. You’d hear the announcer say “And Yaya wins another ball,” as if it were commonplace. And it was. But his panicked high boot created the chance, and his lack of match fitness showed. Once he got a step slow from being tired, Betis were creating attacks from his lunging for a ball and getting caught out of position. Like the Lord, Yaya giveth, and Yaya taketh away. Oh, and the rumble is back. That free kick he earned with that shambling, rumbling run of his early in the match was a riot.

Keita: 6. Solid. Very solid. He was so close on some of those runs, as the presence of Yaya allowed him to free his offensive player inside. He’ll learn how to close the deal, and we will gain yet another attacking option. His aggression and movement are a boon in the midfield. Again, we will be the immense benefits from this player down the road. I hope fans are patient with him.

Xavi: 7. A very solid match. From another player, Xavi’s performance is a higher grade, but his general excellence is responsible for his own grading curve. He hardly put a foot or ball wrong all night, but wasn’t as decisive as we need him to be. He was a bit late on that run in the first half, just missing the pass for the sure goal. But these are quibbles. He was very, very good, and so intelligent with the ball.

Iniesta: 6. He wasn’t allowed to be the difference maker this match, but he had some very good moments. I want him, however, to stay on his feet. He does too much falling down and looking at the ref. Increasingly, those plays are going unrewarded, and he will acquire a reputation. But notice how the attention that he drew on the left freed up space for the other players. He was getting two, even three defenders, as Betis were determined not to let SPF 45 pick them apart again. Well, he didn’t, but…

Messi: 9. Our little Argentine did. He was on fire this match, with passing, movement, playing defense and chasing back. This is the Messi that we all want to see. His energy and pace were shredding Betis. He was the assist man on both Eto’o goals, with precisely weighted balls. That first one saw him give Eto’o the ball in a spot that allowed Eto’o the ease of control that facilitated the killer shot. The second ball as well had the exact right amount of pace on it. Too little and the defender gets to it. Too much and Eto’o can’t. There was only one moment that he should have passed instead of shooting. His pass would have been a sure goal. If he makes that pass, he gets a 10. He is also learning that the chaos that he creates needs to be capitalized upon with passes instead of shots.

Eto’o: 9. Who else screamed like crazy at that first goal? That was classic Eto’o, even if it was a little high for comfort. He controlled that ball, made two lightning-quick moves and pow! The second goal was more of a sitter, but we’ve all seen players miss those. He was also all over the pitch again, chasing back, running at the keeper to hasten his play and just being an overall demon. He didn’t look all that happy on the bench after he came out though, did he? Couldn’t tell if that was because of the play on the pitch, or because he wanted more time. Hopefully it was the former. The rapport between he and Messi is amazing to watch.

Substitutes:

Gudjohnsen: 8. That’s right, 8. Suck it up. Was his goal lucky? Somewhat. But the concentration required to make contact and steer the ball in the generally right direction weren’t luck at all. And outside the goal, he was always in the right place at the right time, a stabilizing force that took passes and slowed the game down, because he knew that time was more important than one more completed pass. It was an excellent stint from the Monument. Let’s see more of that, please.

Busquets: 5. Solid, very solid. Didn’t have to do all that much, because he came in when our feathers had come back up.

Krkic: 6. Shooting practice, young’un. Shooting practice. If he bends that ball instead of shooting it directly at the keeper, he has a goal. But he was pace and energy, a nigh-constant presence in the box. He’s learning to move without the ball, and his understanding with Xavi is growing by leaps and bounds.

(this is a new one)

Guardiola: 9. Great substitutions. How he knew which players to put in was beyond me. But think about it. He put it two youngsters and an Icelandic Monument. And it worked. Did he know they were due, or did he just get lucky? Either way, he coached a hell of a match, even haranguing the guys into getting back to work.

We could have used Hleb in this match. He probably would have come in instead of Gudjohnsen. Of course, then we might not have nailed the game winner, but still. He’s still about two weeks out. He was hurt a couple of weeks ago, and the word was 4 weeks on the sick list.

Next up, and very stern test in Espanyol at their stadium in the Barcelona derby. Stay tuned.