There are many opinions as to why Barça find it so difficult to win away games. Is it the system? Is it the player’s attitude? Are the players not good enough? I decided to look at the league games from last season and this season so far, and I discovered a remarkable statistic.
Of twenty-five away league games since the beginning of last season Barça have won nine, drawn eight and lost eight. What is remarkable is the difference when Samuel Eto’o was in the starting line-up. Due to injuries Eto’o has been limited to starting only seven of these games, but of those games Barça have won six (Celta 2-3, Racing 0-3, Recreativo 0-4, Real Sociedad 0-2, Atletico 0-6 and Nastic 1-5) and only lost one (Villarreal 2-0). Without Eto’o the figures look horrible: won 3, drawn 8, lost 7. Eto’o scored five goals in those games, a decent return but not enough on its own to make such a difference. So what does Eto’o do that’s so important?
The answer is very simple, he pressurizes the opponent’s defence when they have the ball. If Barça are going to play with their 4-3-3 system away from home this pressure is vital to the team. If the opposition defence have time to think, they have time to pick out team mates running into the spaces that Barça inevitably leave due to the defence playing up the field. As a result the defence has to move back to cover these spaces and the midfield also has to move further back. When Barça recover the ball the distance between midfield and forwards is too great, how many times do we see Xavi or Iniesta sending a thirty yard pass to one of the forwards who immediately has two defenders on him and ends up losing the ball? This doesn’t happen in home games because the opposition usually only comes to defend and Xavi and Iniesta find themselves much closer to the attackers.
It wouldn’t be fair to blame Thierry Henry for not being Eto’o. Henry has other characteristics but he doesn’t pressurize like Eto’o does. If we add to this Ronaldinho’s lack of defending it causes problems. I always felt that Saviola couldn’t play in the same team as Ronaldinho, and I’m beginning to think the same about Ronnie and Henry, at least with this system. If the forwards don’t pressurize the team will have to revert to a more defensive formation.
Thierry Henry is best suited to a counter attacking system, he needs 30 or 40 metres in front of him whereas at the moment he only has ten or fifteen. Think how David Villa plays for Valencia, the team plays much closer to their own goalkeeper than Barça, as a result Villa can use his speed and intelligence to make 30 metre runs onto long passes out of defence. So far this season Valencia have won five out of six away in the league. Henry could do the same for Barça but the system would have to change radically. I could see a defence of four with three midfielders in front of them, I would give Ronaldinho a free role in midfield similar to how he plays for Brazil. Up front I would play Messi and Henry, with Messi playing slightly behind Henry, but both players having freedom to move anywhere. This would mean an end to the wide forward positions that have been used for so long.
The current system is working at home, so I would change nothing for home games. I also think that when Eto’o returns the team can play 4-3-3 away from home, but not with Henry and Ronaldinho both playing. Would this lead to boring football? I don’t know, but it couldn’t be much worse than watching Barça play away at the moment. Compare Barça’s three goals scored away to Valencia’s twelve.
So what do you think? Would this be a betrayal to Barça’s style and tradition? Or is it the only way to make the signing of Thierry Henry work? At least Eto’o will be back soon.
13 responses so far ↓
Joachim Draget // Nov 12, 2007 at 17:19
Great article! I agree and is looking forward to Eto’o’s comeback!
I’ve always preferred Eto’o before Henry, and so far we’ve all seen what Henry has accomplished. Over the summer I thought he had to play as a replacement for Ronaldinho on the left, maybe with Ronaldinho as a leftee on the midfield. Eto’o is the number one in front and a true goal machine. Henry has had a couple of 100% chances through on goal in EVERY match this season, but have only netted five (three of them in the same match)…
Why mess with a attacking threesome that works?
Blaugrana // Nov 12, 2007 at 18:57
Incredible article nic,but ever since barça went out of champions league prematurely,threw away the la liga,and got thumped out of copa del rey in 1 season,i believe there is a tide of change creeping in. the sacrifice of our fantastic style of play has
blaugranafan // Nov 13, 2007 at 4:47
I agree that the 4-3-3 is much more effective when Eto’o is in the lineup, but I’m not so sure it’s because he is that much better at pressuring opposing defenses. I’ve actually seen Henry do a fair bit of running at opposing defenders in recent games. I think it’s due more to what you implied elsewhere–that Henry is better suited as a player with space in front of him where he can use his speed. I think the “Eto’o effect” (better away results with Eto’o in the lineup) is due more to Eto’o’s uncanny ability to find space and move in channels. He’s also a far better passer in close situations than Henry is, and he is a clinical finisher. I don’t think anyone ever claimed Henry had a superb goals/shots ratio, but Eto’o certainly does.
I think a 4-3-1-2 actually works better given the attributes of Barca’s players. I don’t like Ronnie on the wing, to be honest. And like you said, Messi can play second striker–his preferred position.
Eloy Basilio // Nov 13, 2007 at 13:17
Sorry for my english, but im from Spain and only know a little, but i have to say something.
The best pressure of Barça was when Etoo, Giuly and Deco are in the team. Etoo and Giuly made an incredible pressure in the top, Etoo is one of the best doing it, Henry only make a little. Giuly help a lot too, and with Etoo the spaces in the attack were better because they move a lot of. Deco is an other important part of the 4-3-3 system because Xavi have problems to recover the position, and Deco are very agressive in the middle. Now we havent Etoo and Deco and i suppose that when they come back the things will be better.
Nic // Nov 13, 2007 at 15:13
Hi Eloy, Your English is perfectly understandable and your comments will always be welcome.
I was going to mention Deco but I thought the article was long enough as it was. I also thought to mention referees who may be more lenient with opposition defenders when they are playing at home than when they play in Camp Nou. This means they have more freedom to mark the forwards aggresively. But I stand by the main point that without Eto’o and his capacity to pressurize, Barça struggle with the current 4-3-3 system playing away. Without Eto’o the team should change formation to adapt to Henry’s qualities.
e10 // Nov 14, 2007 at 5:41
I agree with Joachim & blaugranafan, i have also always preferred Eto’o over Henry.
I think that when Eto’o gets back and into form everything will fall into it’s place and Barca will return to winning ways.
And over the past 2 games i am not happy with Messi trying to dribble everybody on the pitch. I believe that Messi is a ball hog.
Also i just can’t wait till Ronaldinho hits a long reign of form.
Titi186 // Nov 14, 2007 at 21:44
e10 your Messi point is sooo valid at the moment. Most Barca fans have their heads high in the clouds thinking Messi can do no wrong but his dribbling, as great as it is, is doing nothing away from home and he needs to link up better with the attacking player. At home the opposition backs off and he can have more space however away from home they surround you and close him down and I think that he was lucky to stay on the pitch as much as he did against Getafe. I think I will start an online petition for people who think 4-4-2 should be used away from home !!
e10 // Nov 15, 2007 at 5:11
Please start that petition.
I think that will be a very good idea.
Barca are tactically wrong away from home, this 4-3-3 tactic works at home dur to opposition backing away from players because they know what will happen if they commit themselves to getting the ball.
4-2-2 perfect for crucial away games.
Chris // Nov 15, 2007 at 8:11
Hey guys. I’f been a big Barca fan for 10years now. Currently, i have to say that there’s definately a problem in the team’s performance playing away from home. I wouldn’t wanna stress on the recent Gatafe game as i noticed that the whole team never really recovered from their champions league game against Rangers,earlier on. overall,from my point of view, there’s a huge teamwork problem especially noticed in the front line and the combination of Henry, Ronnie, and Messi just has to go.Put his goal scoring history aside, people seam to forget that Henry plays more like a winger and often drifts to the left.That is his prefered style of play. we often see Henry doing that in Arsenal. In FCB, the game is more towards short passing,rather then Arsenal’s direct style of play and this formation definately needs a player like eto. Eto on my point of view is a more aggresive dribbler and has better refexes in the box compared to Henry.Henry on the other hand would do perfectly fine if he had atleast 30 metres infront of him and ofcoz that has to be on the left park of the field. The main problem now is…. is there another Eto in Barca?We need that fire in the box.I hope Rijkaard changes the current formation as quick as can be. I pray the best for the team.
e10 // Nov 15, 2007 at 10:52
I mean 4-4-2 is perfect for crucial away games
Aliu Sisu // Nov 15, 2007 at 11:27
barcelona can still make it, i wishes the good luck*.
slinsky // Nov 18, 2007 at 21:38
i hate myself and you are a sucker
kawandinho // Feb 5, 2008 at 18:56
great article the points are true about Eto’o putting pressure on the opponent he and larsson did this very well back in 04 wich is one reason why barca was so powefull and dominant . that stats done lie
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