Barca 2-Mallorca 3, a.k.a. “Too much ugliness all around”

By: Kevin | May 11th, 2008

Must look good in blue and red, great first touch mandatory. Must be a team player and a fast learner. Patience and ability to learn new systems is essential. Catalan skills desired, but not essential. Please apply to:

Pep G
Camp Nou
Avignuda Aristides Mallol
Barcelona, Spain

All replies kept confidential.

Well, who could see this one, eh? Yes, that light at the end of the tunnel, that we were watching for 65 minutes, turned out to be a train. Who knew? Well, typically of this snake-bitten season, we all did.

And it all began so brightly. I was full of optimism. I thought for sure the lads would put on a display of blaugrana pride that would make everyone, for an afternoon, say “Well, the season was a clunker, but man, look at ‘em!” And for a while, they did. Even the Laporta haters had to admit that the side’s bright spots shone like glimmering diamonds. And slowly, the cheers began. And it was really cool. The ugly, ugly mood that was evident, even via broadcast television, seemed to dissipate.

And if the Nou Camp has been emptier, I can’t remember when. And there was an unease in the air, like people waiting for something bad to happen. The reception for Rijkaard was mixed, but the derision hurled at certain players was like adding insult to injury. They are professionals and have pride, even if they didn’t always play like it this season, or even this afternoon. As Rijkaard said, post-match:

“I cannot be happy about anything. I am only a small part of things. It has been a sad night for the team and for me,” he continued. “The result does not change anything.

“The players were prepared for an atmosphere like that. It was a shame. A sad night. We saw in the stadium what we had expected beforehand. There was a negative energy from the start.

“I did not expect the end of this season to be quite so unbearable.”

The look on Rijkaard’s face after that third Mallorca goal sums up the season. It was pain, agony, sadness and unfortunately, inevitability. He could see it coming, just like we all could, even as we hoped that it would somehow be different.

I am disappointed in my on-site blaugrana brethren. Support the side. Yes, we’ve been shit for so much of this season, but still, come out for the colors. Grumble among yourselves after the match, but support the damn side, or stay home. You hate Laporta? Send him nasty e-mails. The players faces were grim and irritated looking, as if they were going about a distasteful task. And frankly they were, playing for a bunch of vicious ingrates. If you don’t like it, stay the hell home. To show up and heap scorn is just a bullshit move.

Yes, there was a match played. I can’t even say that it was much different from the way things have usually gone this season, except that the collapse was accomplished in less time today, so fate is getting more efficient at ripping my heart out. I still want us to win, even if there’s nothing to show for it, nothing to be gained by it. Just once, I wanted to see smiles on the players faces.

Lots of ball control to little effect, few good shots on goal, you all know the drill by now. This time, I’ll let comments in the player ratings speak volumes.

So here goes:

Pinto: 5. Made some great saves, and had an all-around good game. The athleticism on the consecutive saves in the first half demonstrates that he deserves a good look. He midjudged the second goal, similar to the Valdes miscalculation of the ball’s flight against Celtic. But I wouldn’t mind giving him another run-out. He looked much better than his first outing.

Puyol: 8. Everywhere, everything, all the time. Diving, running, coming up to make outlet passes, the living, breathing personification of effort. Even the defensive lapses that allowed the goals weren’t really his. Can’t fault him for much, really. But that’s typical of the captain.

Zambrotta: 3. Not much to report. Thankfully, he can already speak Italian.

Abidal: 5. Better and better all the time. Yes, Webo was his man and his marking was curiously loose. But I put that down to miscommunication. It looked as if he thought Thuram was going to make the long clearance when the latter was trying to clear it to him as an outlet. Weird. But his pace is once again beginning to show, and he hardly put a boot wrong. Why a 5? Because he joined the malaise that let Mallorca back in. Still, he’s on the “keep” list.

Thuram: 6. Again, a professional’s game. He was a one-man defense on that second goal, with the off-balance header to try to clear, then what I think everyone except for Abidal thought was a clearance to him to start things going the other way. Even Webo seemed surprised when the ball fell to him, and he had all day to shoot. He still scuffed the shot, but got lucky. Typical. If Thuram were a couple years younger, he’d definitely be on the “keep” list. But he’s moving on because like all pros, he understands his competitive level.

Edmilson: 1. Mostly invisible, except for one good tackle and a lot of bad, from nutmegs to the double yellows. He’s on the “good riddance” list.

Yaya: 5. He was trying hard. I don’t think he’s healthy. He was rather erratic today, and in the wrong spot more than he usually is. Sometimes, you can see that he runs like a man with a bad back. But he had a few very fine runs, including a link-up with Henry that almost resulted in something good. Definitely on the “keep” list. If his health isn’t too much of a problem, he will become one of the best blaugrana holding mids ever. That’s right….you heard me.

Deco: 3. Very fitful. Mostly invisible. I want to believe in him, that he can return to the form that made him so valuable for us. He keeps showing flashes, well-timed passes, nice runs and good movement. Then he just vanishes without a trace, only to re-appear in the form of a late tackle or silly yellow card. That chat between he and Guardiola should be interesting. He’s on the “pending” list.

Henry: 8. Wow. He seemed to tire in the second half, but his industry, effort and style were in full flower today. Both goals were his, really. The first came off a fairly lucky bounce that was a reward for Messi’s effort, resulting in a lovely curled goal that brought back those Arsenal glory days. He put that shot in the one window that rendered the keeper helpless. Exquisite finish. The second goal was all his, from the tackle that prised the ball loose, to the pickup and delicious lob pass to Messi, whose blast fell to Eto’o. Henry, in the last few matches, has played his way onto the “keep” list.

Messi: 9. Yee-freakin’-ha! What a player, what an effort. Like Puyol on the defensive end, he was omnipresent. His pace and explosiveness are back as well. Somebody pinch me….he’s going to get better? He took a lot of hard fouls in the first half. Hopefully, he’ll learn to adjust his playing style to absorb some of those blows. You can already see him anticipating them and picking up his cleats. When we get more dangerous on free kicks, those kinds of fouls around the box will stop happening. Do I even have to say it? Hell yeah, he’s on the “keep” list.

Eto’o: 1. He played his way out of town today with an ineffective, petulant, pouting display that almost justified the whistles whenever he touched the ball. What was with that nonsense after he scored the goal? As I said above, it’s garbage for fans to do what they did today, but it’s unacceptable for a professional to show how much it is getting to him. Yes, his was a meaningless goal for a passel of ingrates. So what? It’s still a goal, even if my grandma could have pushed that shot in. I don’t understand him, and I don’t care where he goes. If he’s in the colors next season, I’ll find it a bummer.

Substitutes

Krkic (for Deco): 3. Very ineffective outing for Krkic. Definitely on the “keep” list, but let’s feed him some good stuff in the off season, and get some meat on those bones.

Dos Santos (for Messi): 3. About 30 seconds of energy, then proceeded to show why current thinking is that he’s available for the right price. And yet the movement with and without the ball, and the flashes of talent show why a loan might be best. If he develops into something good, we can always grab him back. On the “provisional” list.

Oleguer (for Zambrotta): incomplete. Part of the train wreck. How’s the hand? Good. Use it to wave bye-bye.