Good news: I think we’re back, everyone
By: Kevin | April 14th, 2008
From the mouths of lions, no less. El Capitan, our penya, Carles Puyol, had some very interesting things to say after the Recreativo draw.
“We need to think hard about this,” said Puyol. “We do the hard part, getting a lead, and then we stop creating chances. We have to get better in this respect because when we take the lead our opponents ought to open up.”
“There are a lot of experienced players in the dressing room and we have to improve.”
Yes! The captain is calling out his mates, right? It’s as simple as that, or is it?
Victor Valdes, simultaneous hero and goat, said of the Recre match, “You can’t blame the ref.”
Exactly.
What I’m reading into this is that the boys are stepping up, and they’re pissed. Just in time, too. Eto’o is irritated that everyone is saying that Man U is going to beat us like a rented mule, then dance whatever dance the English do at the centre of the Camp Nou pitch, in honor of their 437th away goal, just in the first half.
And you can see a trend building here. Yaya says, in effect, Man U is playing strong and I’m one hurt, broken-down old puppy, but there aren’t that many matches left. It’s GO TIME, suckas!
I’m excited. I think that the players are ready for Man U, and these man-sized comments show that. In the wake of rumors about this guy being sold, and that guy being unhappy, and this guy being taken out back and shot (oh, wait….that was just wishful thinking about Ezquerro), the players are speaking as one again, and they’re all saying….(repeat after me, everyone):
We need to get shit done.
Rock.
Isaiah or I will post up the official Champions League preview, so I won’t do much other than to report on what I find to be a very encouraging sign coming from our locker room. Admission of culpability is the first step toward manning the hell up. I’m as geeked as I have been about a home/away tie as I’ve been in a loooong time.
Why?
Come on. We all watched the same Man U/Arsenal match. Think about how easily Eboue romped down the wing. Eboue, fer chrissakes! Now swap Eboue for Krkic. When those slick, one-touch passes that opened up Man U like a tin of sardines, fall to the foot of Eto’o or Henry instead of Adebayor.
I wasn’t this excited yesterday, because the news, the quiet, wasn’t good. I wouldn’t have been as thrilled had they come out and said “The ref sucks. We got hosed.” But we fessed up. And if Puyol is saying “Let’s go” in the press, imagine what he’s saying in the locker room.
And when all else fails, he’ll just get Yaya to stare at them all.
Category: Team News
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As a Valencianista, please do not take my encouragement lightly.
Win, man up and win.
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I won’t be surprised when the epic-ness of this CL tie causes the universe to implode. With Puyol et al are stirring up the dressing room, this team can be devastating!
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Are you sure it’s not just Puyol diverting attention away from the defensive follies of late? Playing a little devil’s advocate here, sure we need to finish things up when we have a game in hand, but that also means closing the door on our own goal. I’d be more convinced if Puyol called out Abidal, Milito, Zambrotta and Valdes. Regardless, it’s the captain’s job to call out everyone, so maybe he just hasn’t gotten to the back line yet.
I’ve been down with a nasty flu-bug the last few days, but the nick-name post had me laughing out loud! Thanks, it was the perfect medicine. By the way, SPF45 or Padre Pio, also known as Iniesta, ranked first in my blogpoll as the most consistent player for Barca this year. I guess no big surprise there! But statistically speaking, given that there were only 6 votes, the margin of error could be rather high.
One last thing, I had to watch the game today seeing as I was puking my guts out on Saturday, but I was really taken back by Eto’o’s second goal celebration. What was that all about? Did anyone see him shrug off Dos Santos to give Rijkaard the big high-five/hug thing? Is there meaning in this gesture, especially the shrugging off of Gio? Or was this a classic Eto’o move, that simply left Gio in his wake as he drove home his alliance with Rijkaard?
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Calderon wants Barca to win CL…huh? Apparently Calderon says he would like to see a Spanish team win and that while we may be rivals, we are not enemies. Oh, I get it! That way, if we claim the CL title, Madristas everywhere can claim their superiority over us in the league, hence their title has more meaning. NOT! Regardless, a kind, yet political gesture from the EE and their emperor.
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I did notice the Eto’o second goal celebration, Jenny, and welcome back, by the by. I think it was a refershing symbol of solidarity with an embattled coach, similar to when Messi gave the Ronaldinho “shake” after scoring a goal some months back.
Or, to play devil’s advocate, it could have been an exultant face-rubbing in, as in “see how good I am when you play me where I’m supposed to be?”
But my glass is half full, which is why I believe that Puyol is calling out the entire team with his comments. Chances come from the defense as well in the Barca system, from passes out of the back, and defenders moving forward. But most importantly, it’s predicated on ball control and offensive pressure. We don’t have a traditional back line. If it faces a lot of pressure, it will definitely concede. The front line, if we are playing as we should (Betis first half, Celtic away first half), sets things up so that the defense never really has any bother, except to clean up long shots, or passes that somehow slipped through an industrious midfield.
And note that El Capitan said “we,” rather than “they,” in acknowledgement of the defense’s role in creating chances and keeping control of the ball.
And I think that Calderon, like the other La Liga folks who have said that they want a Spanish team to win, are genuine. Nobody wants an all-English final. Every league likes to think that it’s the best, so you want the Champions League winner (a title that is, let’s face it, more valued than league victories). That’s just that player xenophobia coming out.
I don’t think that Calderon is under any illusion about this year’s Title That Nobody Wanted. Strange season.
And again, welcome back.
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This just in, from Abidal: Of late, I suck. Now, this won’t shock anyone who has been clamoring for his head for a while now, but again, it points to the kind of unflinching self-analysis of a team that has turned the corner, and is ready to get on with it. Some quotes below:
“I always try to give one hundred percent, but my performances have not been satisfactory.”
This just the hell in, right? And he’s right. He runs around like a madman, but not always to best effect. He’s like a driverless Ferrari a lot of the time.
More:
“Here they work differently, to a different rate, and it is necessary to adapt. There is also the start times for matches - sometimes ten at night - and that has an effect. I did not have any problems at the beginning, but now it has caught up with me.”
Now, for everyone thinking “poor baby, he has to stay up late,” hours for an athlete are critical. For example, I ride to and from work every day, about 26 miles each way. Nights I have to work late, say after 8 p.m., my rides home are in the toilet. Legs like molasses, etc. Leaving at a more normal time, before 6 p.m., and I’m just flying.
Another thing to note is that Lyon plays a different system, that doesn’t require as much movement of its defenders. It’s more traditional, though still aggressive. Kilometers in the legs, folks. It catches up with everyone. If you screw up and get out of position in January, you can run back. In April, you’re just dead and lack that snap.
I’m liking this trend….
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I’m just full of news today. Deco is back with the squad, with an eye toward getting some pitch time against Espanyol, really being ready for the two Man U matches. Great news, I hope. If he can get it going, we’re going to rock the house even harder.
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It just keeps coming. “Pep” Guardiola’s worldview, submitted to Laporta et al, on what would happen if he were king of the world:
He thinks our players are unprofessional, that the medicos pretty much suck, and the players aren’t adequately prepared for a grueling season contested on three fronts.
More:
Remember my cracks about team unity, maybe going on retreat or gathering for Wii sessions? It ain’t just me. “Pep” wants more quality time between the players, including meals and whatnot.
And he wants to tighten up the physical preparation with an emphasis on avoiding injury (horrors! Modern thinking about training?), perhaps even eschewing the money-grubbing pre-season tours somewhat. (Shameful!)
More blasphemy:
“Pep” wants a more balanced side. Read: We have to be able to do something other than pass the ball into the net. And further, that the 4-3-3 isn’t the be all and end all. That it must change based on what the opposition brings to the table.
Man, he’s starting to sound like me. If a side packs the midfield, leak a man out and play long ball, maybe? Just win, baby.
His coaching prospects are doomed.
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At the start of this season, I really thought we could clinch the liga. With the signings of Henry and Ablidal (Deemed best LB of 2007) it should have been easy. Can someone please explain to me why is Henry playing wing when he is one of the best Strikers of this age. Bojan is great without a doubt, but the lad is 17. He should be playing matches as a sub atleat for this season ( in n ways saying he is not good enough) but won’t henry be more uselful in the center? Bojan will be a barca great but he needs time to adjust and settle in. Let him gain experience from the elders in the team. Let him start of next season and don’t look for a world class center half because we will have him. Focus on a new replacement for Ronnie and create a stronger defence( I only certify Puyol and Milito worthy of the back line) We have a superb midfield but i don’t understand why it is not ‘clicking’. I think that it was not fair what we have done to Ronaldo Gaucho and it’s kinda sad as we put the blame on him for not perforing. I truly think we can win the UCL but we must put 99% effort into it, the league is lost! think about transfers and rebuilding after that. Eto’o is stepping up, Messi is always focused, Why can’t the rest be?? And come on guys! Silva isn’t a replacement for Ronaldino I would like to see Ribery or someone with a real eye to create plays and score goals that no one else can…
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@ Naeem: Eto’o plays in the middle when Henry is wide, Bojan plays wide on the other side.
I’m glad that Abidal knows and acknowledges the problems. I think he got away with moving forward more in France than he can in La Liga, where the pace is much higher and wing backs need to respect the counter more. The matches do start late, all part of that Spanish lifestyle. Abidal has all the physical tools.
Kxevin, I think the 4-3-3 can adapt to a sort of 4-5-1 easily if the wing forwards push back and look to counter more. The one game this season that the team really clicked was when Ronnie tracked back against Celtic, starting that counter that created the Henry goal. If Hleb or (in my dreams) Cesc play in the midfield and Innie moves to the left wing, I’d love to see Messi and Innie tracking back and starting quick counters on turnovers. Imagine how dangerous a quick counter with Innie-Messi-Cesc-Xavi and Eto’o attacking in space, with pace, with any one of those players having the ball at their feet. I could see many 1-0 leads blowing up to huge score lines.
And yeah, that is also mostly an excuse for me to daydream about Cesc back in the fold. The one that got away.
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I agree about the 4-3-3 Colin, but I think that for “Pep” to blaspheme like that….I dunno. It all sounds good and very positive, particularly the team unity stuff. You can’t force that sort of thing, but it does help to spend time together, no doubt. He, like the rest of us, sees the individuality out there on the pitch, and it ain’t cool.
Wouldn’t Fabregas be nice? The other Arsenal dude I fancy is Hleb. He’s unsettled, and wouldn’t be all that expensive. His balance and ball control are killer, even getting the crap kicked out of him in England. He’d rock as part of our formation. I think that Fabregas is just working the Gunners for more dough.
Hey, Naeem. Welcome aboard. Good to have more voices in the house. But be careful with that axe there, sir. “We” didn’t make The Gaucho show up out of shape, stay out partying, or gin up “injuries,” real or imagined, because of some slight, equally real or imagined. He’s a professional. Get out there and play, or hit the road. I’m sure that Paris St.-Germain, in selling him, said “Just you wait.” He left there the same way he’s leaving here. And good riddance.
We all admire and respect him for what he did for the Blaugrana. Nothing but love for R10, for everything. But “mes que un club” ain’t just a slogan. It’s a way of life. All for the team. We’ll probably lose some fans and shirt sales once we goes, and that’s okay. It’s all about the Blaugrana.
And we agree on Silva. He isn’t a replacement, and he’s short. Like we need one more short dude in the side.
Lord knows where that rumor came from. But I’m still not convinced that we need a direct replacement for Ronaldinho. With a Messi-Henry/or Eto’o-Krkic front line, Iniesta and Xavi in the middle, backed by Yaya and Dani Alves and Abidal on the wings, I’m pretty geeked by the possibilities.
Right on about Henry, too. He’s a central striker through and through. He finally spoke up about it in a (mostly) postitive way, saying that we won’t see the best from him until we place him in the center. Look what happened with Eto’o, once we stopped making him into a playmaker and returned him to centre forward. Two killer goals.
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Seeing photos and video clips of barca (and other world class soccer teams) I have been struck by what looks to me as sorta of 1950’s approach to fitnes/flexibility etc. The fitness regimes for a team like Barca should be space-age, Underwater-Pylometric-Pilates and all kinds of wierd shit we’ve never heard of. I get the feeling they run around a bit and do sit ups…no wonder Ronnie wants to party.
And yeh Pep, there should be at least a (strong, reliable)plan B option to the 4-3-3 (and not a 3-4-3)
…so did I miss some news..is Pep as “in” as Ronnie is “Out?”
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Not sure, IceMel. He’s submitted his manifesto, but it still isn’t sure if that move was speculative, or for-real as in “let’s start making plans.”
You are SO right about fitness. The drills they show the guys doing are just absurd. Strength and flexibility have to be part of the program. I was only half-kidding about bringing in some NFL guys. Remeber the ongoing jokes on Fox Soccer about Serie A and the “magic water.” When a guy got a knock, out would come the water bottle, as if washing the area was the answer.
Football has to join the modern era when it comes to strength, fitness and conditioning. I wrote off Giuly’s comments about that, and the difference when he went to Roma as sour grapes. Now I’m starting to wonder.
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bring back Giuly. i love that guy, even with his deficiencies — his work rate is inspiring.
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ballbeav,
I agree, Guily was like a pestering gnat along the wing that un-nerved defenses and opened up the middle. Messi certainly un-nerves defenses too…but it’s always 3 guys planted in a line in front of goal. Guily it seemed always made 2 guys have to loose their cool and sprint out to catch him like prison gaurds in a jail break.Posted from
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Ludo scored a nice goal for Roma this past week, that was typical of him: strong run, lots of effort, clinical finish. He was one player I was sorry we got rid of. He’ll run at a brick wall because sometimes, it’s not about guile.
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United States
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