Watch out the wounded Lion!
Its punishment day, doomsday, and the day the wounded beast will make a huge chaos. It’s the day where Messi tears in Sevilla will tear whatever cross his way. It’s the day where Puyol will make them pay all. Find yourself a shelter. Call your dear ones and say:”I love you” as you may not have another chance. Spend all the money you have eating all the unhealthy food you hesitated to eat before, as it won’t make a difference. Do you have any odd fantasies? Like driving your car backward across the city, or slapping a wrestler living in your building and run, or telling your boss at work that he is a …. Well, I guess you can do it now. As there is no day after tomorrow.
Well, not really. I can understand that the players will be extremely motivated in this game. But I want it to be for the right reasons. It’s not a game for revenge; it’s a game to comeback. We don’t need to win this game to prove a point as we don’t need to prove anything. We don’t need to win this game to win a mental championship against the team that knocked us out of the cup. We need to win this game to stay ahead of the team that’s following us in the Liga. This may prove being a very important week. Real Madrid will play Athletic, one of few teams who can upset Real Madrid this season. And we must be prepared to get advantage of Real Madrid defeat. Or at least we need to make sure that we stay ahead if they won.
It will be wrong to step into the field with a revenge sour taste in our mouths. This is a game against a strong team; we need to be extremely focused. If we became as obsessed in scoring early as we did in Seville we will face the same faith. If we played in tranquility we will control, and we may score early as well. We need to play exactly for the three points in this game, not for three goals or more. The way approach the game differs between the two cases, and we need to be smart, not overemotional. The respond to losing the cup is winning the league, not defeating Sevilla. It’s the matter of employing an upset to serve a long term objective, not a silly target.
What makes this game more difficult is the fact that Sevilla will not be stressed about this game. They will be focused, confident, and extremely motivated. They know we need a win, and they will try to use that against us. And we already know that they have the team that can upset.
But we are talking about Barcelona here, the best team in the world. I do not expect anything but a win. I am not that demanding to ask for a high scoring game where we win by five or six. It may happen, and I will be glad about it. But the most important thing is to get the three points.
How will we play tonight?
I don’t think we will change our system or our approach. But we need to customize it a bit. First let’s start with the lineup. My favorite lineup is the following:
Valdes, Alves, Puyol, Pique, Abidal, Busquets, Iniesta, Xavi, Messi, Ibra, Henry.
There is a reason why I didn’t pick Pedro over Henry. The previous game against Sevilla sparked my deepest concerns. Ibra and Henry are not synchronizing as I expected when we brought Ibra to the club. If we want to hope that we win the Champions’ league this season, the understanding on the field between the two guys must improve. Anyone who followed my Articles or my comments on various Barcelona communities knows already that I am a Pedro fan. But there are times where we will need Henry in the house, especially in the advanced stages of the Champions League. The two players need to know when they are both needed in the box, when Henry need to open to the flank, when Ibra has to pull his marker to the left opening a whole for Henry to penetrate into the box, Henry need to read Ibra movement outside the box and get advantage of it, and so on. Against teams like Chelsea and Liverpool to name some this understanding is crucial. We need to force them to achieve it sooner rather later. I hope we start that now.
In a previous discussion I mentioned how I feel we can beat the system Sevilla use during their defensive status (4-2-3-1). If you missed it, it’s as simple as this:
“Against a 4-2-3-1 system (when Sevilla lose the ball) we had to switch to something closer to 4-1-3-2 that turn practically to 3-1-4-2 when Alves moves forward. The four players behind Henry and Ibra (Iniesta-Xavi-Messi-Alves) will stretch the field. Ibra and Henry can then dance between the center backs and the holding mids (Duscher and Romaric) keeping them busy (Exactly as Negredo did for Puyol and Pique which left Abidal and Alves Isolated on the flanks to face Navas and Adriano pace). With Henry and Ibra doing the job well, out of sudden the game dynamics will change. Iniesta on the left will have only one player (Right fullback) to beat, which will force Navas to move deeper for the cover. Alves will force adriano to move back as well for the same reason (helping his fullback) and Messi will be able to penetrate into the box receiving the ball behind the defense, as the only player who can track him in this case will be renato, who is busy with Xavi. Our defense will have it easier, so Pique could leave Negredo for Abidal and Puyol and assist Busquets as a deep holding midfielder. You dominate the game, and the goals eventually come.”
We need to try that because we will face lot of similar situations this season. Besides, Abidal need to use his physical dominance when he stops Navas. Here, I am not talking about fouling the guy, nor trying anything opposes the fair play. But it’s also naïve in a way to get involved in a race competition with the guy throughout the game. Position yourself well and you will always run between the guy and the ball. Light legal body contact causes enough friction to slowdown Navas pace, and forces him to make more effort in a physical battle that will exhaust him physically and mentally. Navas is talented, skillful, and fast. But he is also fragile. I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t start this game as he may not be capable of playing two demanding games in a row.
On the other flank, Alves needs to do what he masters most: Moving the flank battle to the opposition half. This is the first time Adriano forces Alves to defend. Usually when we played against Sevilla last season, Alves stubbornness in attacking forced Adriano to withdraw and help his fullback rather than trying to be efficient offense wise. If our two fullbacks do their job well, the game will be in safe hands.
In the midfield, the trio is improving with every game they play. It’s still not perfect as sometimes they doesn’t time their movements accurately. We are creating a windmill process where the three players switch positions continuously so they avoid tight marking. Busquets is the holding midfielder once, then he moves forward with Xavi covering behind acting like a holding midfielder before Iniesta take the turn, and so on. That’s a big thing if we can master. And I will be monitoring this one with lot of hopes, as I’d been doing since the beginning of the season.
Messi is passing throw a very important year. This is the time when he has to become the true leader of the team. There are high demands that he need to mature faster than he dribble, and that’s fast. The more he improves his decision making the better player he will become. This comes with experience, and experience needs time. Something we don’t really have. He needs to know when he dribbles and when he passes. How to be more playful with the game tempo. In brief, when to do what. When Ibra moves more in the midfield, the likes of Messi needs to move more into the box. Three players supported by Ibra must be more than enough to do the playmaking on the ball. He need to move in front of the ball. One of the problems against Sevilla in the last game was that we had lot of players behind the ball. Messi, Iniesta, Xavi, Busquets, Alves and even Ibra were most often in the guild up zone. It doesn’t work. Trust your teammates and position yourself upfront or open to the flank. Let them carry their responsibilities, and they will put more effort in that.
If Messi need to run into the box more often then what will we say about Ibra? He must insure more presence in the box no doubt. He likes to touch the ball as often as possible which always drag him toward the ball. But that’s not helping. Not only the offense threat decline but also the playmaking become more complicated. When Ibra move forward he stretch the playmaking/offense area vertically. He also decrease the quality cover of the defense toward their midfield. When Ibra move toward the midfield more often the area where the ball is moving get too crowded. And the defense line of the opponent get less threat to mark, so they focus on creating a cover. That’s why, even the objective Ibra seeks from moving to the midfield (Enhancing the playmaking) end up with an opposite outcome. Ibra contribution on the edge of the box only proves quality when Messi and Henry operate behind him through penetrating into the box. Strangely, till now Pedro was the player who took advantage of Ibra movement. Even more than Henry who is supposed to be the other experienced forward that we have.
This game will prove being a milestone in the season. Soon we get Keita and Yaya back. And maybe soon Milito come back to his form and Chegrnskiy start contributing more positively. Things sound promising for the near future. But we need to make sure we don’t make it hard for ourselves. A win today, put us one step closer to the Liga title especially that we are in the middle of the competition already.
I can hear the hymn in the stadium, I can hear the roaring of our wounded lions in the dressing room, and I can feel you Chanting: Visca el Barca!
Waleed Said,
hmmm I understand ur reasons behind starting Henry, and they make a lot of sense but tomorrow, "and particularly tomorrow" I dont want to see him in the starting line up not before the first hour or so. Pedro need to get some experience as well and he can keep their left side busy like hell.
regarding Ibra, I really want to know is it his tendency to drop into the midfield or is it Peps orders? he's been doing it ever since his first debut in Blaugrana shirt, and I'm not a tactician, hell no! but I dont see we have any shortage in midfield domination or play making, when where looking for a replacement for Eto'o since the last season we where after a tall strong target man, it was Pep first words after he took over the bench, so this issue has been confusing me for sometime now. Maybe he just cant resist the joy of tika-taka,
Posted on January 15, 2010 at 6:26 PM
Waleed Said,
* he can keep their right side busy..
Posted on January 15, 2010 at 6:41 PM
Ramzi Said,
Ibra needs some more time. Eto'o had a slow start with the club as well. its predictable. I dont think there is a problem in Ibra moving out of the box as this is also one of the reasons we bought him for. He can create a station, get the ball, protect it, pull the defenders out creating space for other players to penetrate and then make an assist. We've seen it happening this season. So its also a plus. But the point is to know when to do what. Thats something that Ibra and the rest of the selection will improve the more they play together. "When to do what" is an interrelated mechanism that link the whole selection in a synchronized dance. Too early to expect them to master it. Ibra still ask people how to reach the Camp nou everytime he has to go there. And his teammates still doesnt understand his jokes. When they get used to his sense of humor, then we can demand perfection.
So far, he scored and assisted enough goals to consider his start as being promising. Every striker flop in a game or two, Thats why we need to judge him based on the overall output, which is good so far.
BTW, I replied your comment on "Kaka: Real Madrid dream, Milan's nightmare".
Posted on January 16, 2010 at 4:44 AM
Ramzi Said,
Oh and regarding Henry, most likely Pedro will start instead. But as you already know, I dont usually try to guess the coach approach but what I wish to see.
You will most probably get your wish though.
Posted on January 16, 2010 at 5:06 AM
Waleed Said,
well Ramzi, you won!! and Henry had a spectacular match and had tried his best to link with Ibra. Pedro had them exhausted and torn apart and he had advantage of it, what a touch, as if he faces the likes of Palop 10 times a day!
it was close to perfect, people now will think twice before getting into our way,
only one note: Abidal is the man peroid.
waiting for your review.
p.s. thanks for your very much appreciated reply
Posted on January 16, 2010 at 3:41 PM
Waleed Said,
regarding Ibra I can say if he only scored his very easy chance we would have seen another Ibra,
Posted on January 16, 2010 at 4:07 PM
Ramzi Said,
More than welcome Waleed.
The review will be up tomorrow. Its 2 am here and I think I will write about the number of rebounds and blockshots Messi did if I start writing a review now.
Posted on January 16, 2010 at 4:52 PM
adal Said,
Zlatan's performance has been a dip lately. Too bad for him.
Look forward to the review.
Posted on January 17, 2010 at 3:16 AM
Ramzi Said,
I will cover that as well Adal. IN the following article that will cover the three games we played against Sevilla (So the match review will be included). Will be published today.
Posted on January 17, 2010 at 4:04 AM