Barça cruised to an easy win against weak opposition tonight in the Spanish Cup. Goals from Thierry Henry, Eidur Gudjohnsen and Bojan Krkic now make the return leg at Camp Nou on January 2nd a foregone conclusion. Alcoyano lasted twenty-five minutes before Barça scored with their first decent move of the game.
Barça played with a front three of Giovani dos Santos, Henry and Iniesta, but Iniesta moved back to help in midfield and popped up all over the place. Gudjohnsen played in midfield with Xavi and Toure. However, at first the formation did not seem to be working, and Barça only created danger from a Marquez free kick. Albert Jorquera playing his first game in goal of the season made an early save from a header from the edge of the area but after that he was pretty much untroubled.
Barça played badly until they took the lead in the twenty-fifth minute when Xavi flicked Gudjohnsen’s pass into the path of Henry who held off his marker before sliding the ball past the Alcoyano goalkeeper. After this Barça settled down and took control of the game. In the 42nd minute Gudjohnsen nearly made it 0-2 when he hit the post after exchanging passes with Xavi.
Bojan came on for Henry at half time and nearly scored at the beginning of the second half when he volleyed Xavi’s free kick onto the crossbar. The only bad news for Barça was the injury to Giovani who had to be stretchered off after a challenge from Carrion. Marc Crosas came on in his place which meant Gudjohnsen moved furthur forward.
Alcoyano were reduced to ten men in the 81st minute when Bauxauli saw his second yellow card. Barça got two goals in the dying minutes to make the scoreline a little more respectable. First a penalty was awarded for something nobody saw at a corner, unfortunately the TV replay didn’t clear up what happened but I think there must have been a handball. Gudjohnsen took the penalty and scored but the ref made him retake it as someone had encroached in the area. Guddy changed sides but sent the keeper the wrong way again.
In injury time Carrion was sent off for a nasty tackle on Bojan who was unhurt. In the 95th minute Bojan scored the third getting on the end of another assist from Xavi. Not a great deal to say about the individual performances but Xavi had a good game creating the game’s best chances, and Gudjohnsen showed an excellent workrate.
Barça: Jorquera 6, Oleguer 5.5, Marquez 5 (Abidal m67, 6), Puyol 6.5, Sylvinho 5.5; Xavi 7.5, Toure 5.5, Gudjohnsen 7, Giovani 5 (Crosas m59, 6), Henry 6 (Bojan m45, 7), Iniesta 6.5.
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7 responses so far ↓
Blaugrana // Nov 14, 2007 at 3:10
Nic call me pessimistic, but according to your report and ratings barça are stil not looking 2 good away and may be in grave danger,even though they won against a segunda B3 side.
Titi186 // Nov 14, 2007 at 15:04
I know you are usually a good website with fair views but sometimes your rating system bewilders me. Henry, scores a typical Henry goal with a delightful through ball and you give him a 6. Bojan, as talented as he could be, couldnt hit a barn door yesterday and you give him a 7. In the first minute he came on he had the easiest chance a person could have and missed. But still he is given a 7.
Iniesta, who is looking like out answer to Cesc Fabregas plays two delightful through balls at pace, which I might add Ronaldino seems to have forgotten how to do without trying to beat his man five times which is WHY Ronnie and Henry will NEVER work Ronnie plays TOO SLOW FOR HENRY, gets a 6.5. Two assists for Iniesta and he gets 6.5. But still Bojan gets a 7.
As many a goals Henry scored with Arsenal his game was based on quietly moving around for 90 minutes, then in one moment of genuis waiting for the pass of Hleb or Cesc and running and scoring. That is his game. Just because he doesnt run around like a clown for 90 minutes like Ronnie doesnt mean he is playing badly.
Look at Messi against Getafe. He tried to beat 3-4 people and failed evey time when the only chance of the ENTIRE GAME for Barca was when Iniesta played a quick counter-attack ball to Henry and he was unluckly not to score. Unless Ronnie and yes even Messi start to play more quickly for TEAM (Messi is quick but sometimes needs to look up every now and then to pass) it makes Henry signing more pointless and even Eto’o will struggle to improve the team when he returns as he will find that his team-mates do not provide service to him.
Barca needs to sell Ronnie and have Henry-Eto’o-Messi in a 4-3-3 or in my opinion hve the dream 4-4-2. The midfeild has an anchorman to protect the back four with Xavi and Iniesta playing in centere midfield to sometimes track back and sometimes play through balls. Messi with his intelligence and abilitly to create space for others can play just behind the front two of Henry and Eto’o. See below to know what I mean:
——-Toure——–
Xavi——–Iniesta
——Messi———
Eto’o——-Henry
Nic // Nov 14, 2007 at 15:33
Hi Titi, thanks for your comments. I gave Henry a 6 because apart from the goal I thought he did very little. Bojan got a seven because he got a goal, hit the bar, and provoked both sending-offs. I don’t deny I have been disappointed in Henry and it does seem that the system doesn’t suit him. I agree that the 4-4-2 system might work better away from home, and also that Ronnie and Henry don’t work together, for more on this theme see my article http://fcbnews.com/why-barca-suffer-away-from-home/
Titi186 // Nov 14, 2007 at 21:40
Nah I understand where your coming from but take it from me who watched practically every Arsenal game for years Henry will only become the player he was in a 4-4-2. Unless he changes you will have to lower your expectations accordingly. Unless Rijkard realises that the system especially away from home needs to change then Barca will struggly away from home and Henry will continue to dissapoint you.
… and I thought Henry hit the woodwork just as Bojan did and provoking pathetic second division tackles hardly adds up to a better taing. Henry , against Juventus a couple years ago (I was there at Highbury
in the UEFA) got two Juve players sent off but that doesnt give people a better rating.
Nic // Nov 15, 2007 at 0:40
Titi, I think you are revealing your true self now
Could it be that you are more of a Henry fan than a Barça fan? Nothing wrong with that mate but I think you are the one who is guilty of bias.
Having said that, whenever I see someone else’s rating system after a match I always disagree with something, it just goes to show we all see different things in a match, and disagreeing on who is better than who is one of the great arguments we all enjoy so much as fans.
Whatever the case, here’s hoping Thierry can find some of the old Highbury magic and thrill us all.
e10 // Nov 15, 2007 at 5:15
Titi186, i disagree with you in that Barca should sell Ronnie.
I am aware that he is not in the greatest form at the moment but sooner or later we will seeing the old legendary Ronaldinho.
He justs needs time.
I am certain of it.
Titi186 // Nov 18, 2007 at 1:53
Now now Nic how did you possibly come to that conclusion
It is true my heart lies with Arsenal and Henry but I am also a Barca fan in England I have a membership and hope to visit Spain to watch a match someday as I live in London and I struggle with education fees at the moment. I have been watching Barca since even before Ronnie arrived so I would hardly call myself a Henry follower but I know how I can seem like that. I just dont feel you realise what kind of talent you have on your hand and are making him look like a second rate player at the moment.
Unless you are willing to accpet that you have to play a 4-4-2, and yes e10 even keeping Ronnie and not selling him, then you WILL NOT get the Henry of old. The choice is yours… you could always sell him back to us of course lol! But seriously that is what all Barca fans should consider not just jump on Henry’s back when the chips are down.
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