Barcelona 4 - 1 Zaragoza: Review

By: Isaiah | September 26th, 2007

I left work early today to go home and watch the Barca-Zaragoza game and I’m definitely glad I did. The game was well and truly killed off by Marquez’s first half extra time goal to make it 4-1. The other goals were by Messi (2) and Iniesta (Zaragoza’s was by Zapater). A quick stastical peak at the action:

Shots: 25 (13 on goal) to 5(3)
Possession: 67% to 33%
Corners: 12 to 0
Saves: 2 to 9

Cesar came up huge for Zaragoza, which is crazy since they lost by 3 goals, but he really did. Especially against Henry, who he stuffed something like 4 times one-on-one. Messi was the man-of-the-match for Barcelona, but really, for 9 saves you have to give Cesar his due as Zaragoza’s most valuable player, if Zaragoza really gets one for that performance. It’s always hard to tell if Barcelona was just that much better or if Zaragoza was just that much worse. The way the passes were being strung together, I’d have to say Barcelona was just that much better. The defense fell prey to mistakes in the midfield to allow the goal, but it still took a really nice strike from Zapater to get beyond Valdes (who was no slouch in goal today either).

The first goal by Messi, in the 5th minute, was very nicely created and very sweetly taken, with Messi slipping the ball to Henry who gave it right back and Messi sort of swept into the net from the top of the box, in the semi-circle. Great build up run by Messi and then a fantastic finish. Messi was running at the defense throughout the day, or at least until he was subbed off for Bojan in the 83rd minute. Then the 1-0 turned to 1-1 thanks to sloppy play in the Barca midfield that led to Zapater’s shot. 1-1 became 2-1 when Messi had a ball fall at his feet in the Zaragoza box; 3-1 was Deco playing in a gorgeous ball for Iniesta to tuck it away; and 4-1 was Marquez heading home a rebound from Deco’s well-struck freekick. By the way, the first 4 goals of the game were scored in the first 22 minutes and it could have easily been a far higher scoreline.

Two negatives from the day: the worst is easily that Zambrotta got injured, but as of now there’s no word on how badly he’s hurt. All that seems to be known is that he’s out for Saturday’s game against Levante.* The other was Toure’s yellow card; not so much the foul as the reaction to Matuzalem sort of half-riding him. The reaction was unwarranted and out of line and while I agree with the commentator that it wasn’t worthy of a red card, certainly Toure has to watch out for that sort of thing since red cards can prove very costly (think El Clasico from this past year where Oleguer got a red and, in my opinion, cost Barca 2 points since they were playing much better at that point).

Surprise: Deco didn’t get a yellow card for the first time in a league match. Only Marquez and Toure picked up yellows, which is okay, but they now have 3 and 2 respectively (one game suspension after 5), so Rafa can now be a little more careful.

The best quote from Ray Hudson came 2/3 of the way through the first half: “Defending this team [Barcelona] is like nailing Jello to the ceiling.” Tru dat, you crazy Geordie.** Of course he followed up sometime in the second half with this half-mumbled gem: “[When Ronaldinho comes back,] who do you leave out?….[I'd] drop Valdes.” His commentary partner, Phil Schoen, definitely didn’t catch that joke for a full 60 seconds. Still, Hudson’s hyperbole is out of control. Ever since “Tears the size of pineapple chunks,” he’s sorta given me the willies every time he speaks.

Great game, definitely the best so far this year and perhaps this calendar year. Even considering the 6-0 drubbing of Atletico at the Calderon…well, maybe not that good, but the first half was certainly one for the ages. The second half tailed off a bit and watching Henry pour shot after shot into Cesar’s chest just seemed gratuitous after a while. His touch still seems just a tiny bit heavy compared to what I know he’s capable of, but his passing still resembles the Henry of old; is it just his speed that’s really slacked off and little else? Am I reading too much into his inability to find the back of the net?

I know I have mentioned everyone, so quickly: Marquez and Milito were their solid selves, with only a couple of true chances getting the best of them; Abidal didn’t really appear too much in this game offensively because he was locking down their right side pretty hardcore all game, but towards the end he made some surges forward that threatened quite a bit; Deco, Iniesta, and Xavi dominated the center of the field, taking Aimar so far out of the game that at one point Phil Schoen reacted incredulously that el payaso was still on the field, though is probably more a credit to Toure than to Iniesta or Deco, who were mainly up front; and Gio and Bojan came off the bench and played solidly, if not spectacularly. There was definitely a dropoff in quality once Deco left, but Gio needs some time on the field and 4-1 was the perfect moment to put both Bojan and Gio on the field while allowing your tired starters to get off the field early.

Highlights to be added tomorrow in a separate post.

And yes, I realize this has been a sort of frantic write-up, but as the late, great Kurt Vonnegut might say: “So it goes.”

*Not a good situation, of course, but Puyol is supposed to return this weekend and Ronaldinho may also reappear in the starting lineup, though this second possibility is actually more doubtful than the first. Eto’o, by the way, has announced he’ll be back in another month. Fortunately it’s Levante and not some stronger team. Will Oleguer start in place of Zambrotta and Puyol in place of Marquez? That seems likely as Marquez isn’t a natural right side player and Oleguer did decently enough, even in attack, during today’s game.

**I had to use Wikipedia to find out what people from Newcastle are called. I prefer Newcastlian to the accepted Geordie…