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Spanish Inquisition: The Many Heads of Barcelona’s Hydra
Goal.com's Cyrus C. Malek argues that with their squad, this year's Champions League is Barca's to win...
15-Apr-2009 3:21:49 PM
Unsurprisingly, after a 4-0 thrashing of Bayern Munich in the first leg, Barcelona sealed their passage to the Champions League semi-finals with a businesslike draw in the second leg. Once again successfully navigating the quarter-final stage, Barca have equalled their run in last year’s competition, this time to face Chelsea in the semis instead of Manchester United. Unlike last year though, when the Blaugrana drew 0-0 in the first leg before falling to United 1-0 in the second, it is difficult to see any side standing in Barca’s way of winning it all this year.
“Barcelona are the best team in Europe,” declared Toure Yaya shortly after dispatching Bayern at the Camp Nou last week — a rare instance of self-indulgence from a Barca player this season. Usually press conferences involving Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola or Barca players this year have been treated with a fair measure of humility — always reminding us there was still much work to be done and that they have not yet achieved their objectives. In that interview, Toure would go on to declare that despite the advantage, the Bayern tie was not yet out of reach for the Germans (although for all pragmatic purposes, it was signed, sealed, and delivered), but the ‘best team in Europe’ comment still caught enough ears to make the headlines.
What is even more impressive is that Toure is not simply touting his team and boasting after an isolated match in which Barca slotted four goals past a difficult opponent. The fact is that the defensive midfielder is dead right. At this moment in time and for much of this season, Barcelona have been the best team in Europe. And they don’t look to be relinquishing that status until they formally claim it with the Champions League trophy in Rome.
It is difficult to remember a team with the balanced weaponry of this year’s Barcelona squad. Even in the Ronaldinho years it was somewhat straightforward as to where the danger would be coming from — stop the Brazilian and Barca became far more manageable to defend against.
This year however, first-time coach Pep Guardiola has created a monster akin to the dreaded beast in Greek mythology — the nine-headed Hydra. Barcelona can beat you from almost every position on the pitch, and every player in their starting line-up can be lethal.
The most pivotal signing came in the summer addition of Dani Alves who has revolutionised the role of the right back from the classic pick-the-time-to-come-forward defender to a marauding come-at-them-full-throttle attacker. The dimension Alves brings to his side is invaluable and the primary reason he is able to come forward with such reckless abandon is partially due to the central defenders’ willingness to slide over, but more credited to the Brazilian’s outlandish pace. In a straight sprint, Alves’ speed makes him one of the fastest players in world football — his closing speed (that is, his quick bursts when latching on to a long pass or tracking down a loose ball) may make him even faster. Alves opens up an entire half of the field for Barça, allowing the right-sided winger to pinch in closer to goal and await the stinging cross that is sure to come from the Brazilian’s mercurial boots.
Eto’o has been in the Barca squad for a number of years now and actually looked to be headed for the exit in the Ronaldinho, Deco, Rijkaard, Edmilson, et al. exodus that preceded this season. While the Cameroonian striker was best known for making noise in front of microphones, this season Samuel has enjoyed a renaissance and has been making noise in front of goal on his way to netting the title of La Liga’s presumed Pichichi.
After considerable growing pains in his first season at Barcelona, Thierry Henry seems only slightly less dangerous than at his Arsenal best. Owning the left wing, Titi has made a habit out of taking defenders on — and more often than not, beating them. Fitting perfectly into Guardiola’s attacking trident, the Frenchman has seen his career blossom once more. A few years ago when Arsenal faced Barcelona in the Champions League final in Paris, Henry had it all to do up front. Now wearing the blue and red of the Blaugrana and one of the Hydra’s many dangerous heads, Henry looks well on his way to getting his Champions League trophy.
Coming off their Euro 2008 win with the Spanish national team, Xavi, Iniesta, and Puyol bring their championship-winning experience to Barca in brilliant fashion. As he is for La Roja, Xavi is the architect of Barcelona’s offence — the engine that powers the attack - cruelly picking apart opposing defences as a child picks the legs off of an unfortunate insect. In a style all his own, Iniesta darts through the midfield relying on his quick changes of direction to out-wit defenders. Puyol is the rock of the back. As the Blaugrana captain, he lays the foundation for his team and this season in particular, Carles’ tackles are made with authority and split-second timing. When he spent a few weeks injured, Barca were an entirely different side in defence without him.
The rest of the back line and defending midfield — Abidal/Sylvinho, Marquez/Pique, and Toure/Keita complete the defence, but all are so equally comfortable on the ball that none are a liability — so comfortable in fact that they allow Barca to hold the ball almost indefinitely. The truth is that the back line is so rarely called upon to play traditional defence because Barca’s best defence is its offence; Barcelona push up so high and spend so much time in possession, opposing teams are rarely given the opportunity to attack and when they do, they are closed down with the utmost haste. Abidal/Sylvinho are cautious going forward, always conscious of their defensive responsibilities, Marquez serves as a second leader in the back while Pique has been playing years above his age, and Toure/Keita provide superb link-up play between the defence and attack — both are capable and from time to time do not hesitate to treat themselves to a goal either.
Valdes is the only real liability in defence. His most notable errors include gifting the ball to Ivan de la Pena in Barca’s defeat to Espanyol at the Camp Nou and being embarrassed by Juninho’s free kick in Lyon. Nonetheless, he remains an adequate keeper and, to his credit, does pull off a spectacular save now and again.
Oh yes, Messi. They used to say a player the likes of Maradona would never be seen again, but now they say another the likes of Messi will never come to pass. He is undoubtedly the best player in the world and he is only getting better, becoming much better at discerning the times he should take on an entire defence on his own or use his team-mates to surgically cut through it. But unlike, Ronaldinho who made Barca tick, Messi is more like icing on the cake, for the Blaugrana squad is deep enough, that he is not so much a linchpin as he is the greatest luxury.
Bojan, Busquets, Hleb, Gudjohnsen, and Caceres would be undisputed starters for other teams and with that, Barcelona’s feared Hydra becomes complete. With the way the Blaugrana squad has been performing, the Champions League seems more a probability than it does a possibility and if they do not win Europe’s coveted trophy this season, it will be some injustice. For as this Madrid-leaning columnist will be the first to admit, they are the best team in Europe.
Cyrus C. Malek, Goal.com
“Barcelona are the best team in Europe,” declared Toure Yaya shortly after dispatching Bayern at the Camp Nou last week — a rare instance of self-indulgence from a Barca player this season. Usually press conferences involving Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola or Barca players this year have been treated with a fair measure of humility — always reminding us there was still much work to be done and that they have not yet achieved their objectives. In that interview, Toure would go on to declare that despite the advantage, the Bayern tie was not yet out of reach for the Germans (although for all pragmatic purposes, it was signed, sealed, and delivered), but the ‘best team in Europe’ comment still caught enough ears to make the headlines.
What is even more impressive is that Toure is not simply touting his team and boasting after an isolated match in which Barca slotted four goals past a difficult opponent. The fact is that the defensive midfielder is dead right. At this moment in time and for much of this season, Barcelona have been the best team in Europe. And they don’t look to be relinquishing that status until they formally claim it with the Champions League trophy in Rome.
It is difficult to remember a team with the balanced weaponry of this year’s Barcelona squad. Even in the Ronaldinho years it was somewhat straightforward as to where the danger would be coming from — stop the Brazilian and Barca became far more manageable to defend against.
This year however, first-time coach Pep Guardiola has created a monster akin to the dreaded beast in Greek mythology — the nine-headed Hydra. Barcelona can beat you from almost every position on the pitch, and every player in their starting line-up can be lethal.
The most pivotal signing came in the summer addition of Dani Alves who has revolutionised the role of the right back from the classic pick-the-time-to-come-forward defender to a marauding come-at-them-full-throttle attacker. The dimension Alves brings to his side is invaluable and the primary reason he is able to come forward with such reckless abandon is partially due to the central defenders’ willingness to slide over, but more credited to the Brazilian’s outlandish pace. In a straight sprint, Alves’ speed makes him one of the fastest players in world football — his closing speed (that is, his quick bursts when latching on to a long pass or tracking down a loose ball) may make him even faster. Alves opens up an entire half of the field for Barça, allowing the right-sided winger to pinch in closer to goal and await the stinging cross that is sure to come from the Brazilian’s mercurial boots.
Eto’o has been in the Barca squad for a number of years now and actually looked to be headed for the exit in the Ronaldinho, Deco, Rijkaard, Edmilson, et al. exodus that preceded this season. While the Cameroonian striker was best known for making noise in front of microphones, this season Samuel has enjoyed a renaissance and has been making noise in front of goal on his way to netting the title of La Liga’s presumed Pichichi.
After considerable growing pains in his first season at Barcelona, Thierry Henry seems only slightly less dangerous than at his Arsenal best. Owning the left wing, Titi has made a habit out of taking defenders on — and more often than not, beating them. Fitting perfectly into Guardiola’s attacking trident, the Frenchman has seen his career blossom once more. A few years ago when Arsenal faced Barcelona in the Champions League final in Paris, Henry had it all to do up front. Now wearing the blue and red of the Blaugrana and one of the Hydra’s many dangerous heads, Henry looks well on his way to getting his Champions League trophy.
Coming off their Euro 2008 win with the Spanish national team, Xavi, Iniesta, and Puyol bring their championship-winning experience to Barca in brilliant fashion. As he is for La Roja, Xavi is the architect of Barcelona’s offence — the engine that powers the attack - cruelly picking apart opposing defences as a child picks the legs off of an unfortunate insect. In a style all his own, Iniesta darts through the midfield relying on his quick changes of direction to out-wit defenders. Puyol is the rock of the back. As the Blaugrana captain, he lays the foundation for his team and this season in particular, Carles’ tackles are made with authority and split-second timing. When he spent a few weeks injured, Barca were an entirely different side in defence without him.
The rest of the back line and defending midfield — Abidal/Sylvinho, Marquez/Pique, and Toure/Keita complete the defence, but all are so equally comfortable on the ball that none are a liability — so comfortable in fact that they allow Barca to hold the ball almost indefinitely. The truth is that the back line is so rarely called upon to play traditional defence because Barca’s best defence is its offence; Barcelona push up so high and spend so much time in possession, opposing teams are rarely given the opportunity to attack and when they do, they are closed down with the utmost haste. Abidal/Sylvinho are cautious going forward, always conscious of their defensive responsibilities, Marquez serves as a second leader in the back while Pique has been playing years above his age, and Toure/Keita provide superb link-up play between the defence and attack — both are capable and from time to time do not hesitate to treat themselves to a goal either.
Valdes is the only real liability in defence. His most notable errors include gifting the ball to Ivan de la Pena in Barca’s defeat to Espanyol at the Camp Nou and being embarrassed by Juninho’s free kick in Lyon. Nonetheless, he remains an adequate keeper and, to his credit, does pull off a spectacular save now and again.
Oh yes, Messi. They used to say a player the likes of Maradona would never be seen again, but now they say another the likes of Messi will never come to pass. He is undoubtedly the best player in the world and he is only getting better, becoming much better at discerning the times he should take on an entire defence on his own or use his team-mates to surgically cut through it. But unlike, Ronaldinho who made Barca tick, Messi is more like icing on the cake, for the Blaugrana squad is deep enough, that he is not so much a linchpin as he is the greatest luxury.
Bojan, Busquets, Hleb, Gudjohnsen, and Caceres would be undisputed starters for other teams and with that, Barcelona’s feared Hydra becomes complete. With the way the Blaugrana squad has been performing, the Champions League seems more a probability than it does a possibility and if they do not win Europe’s coveted trophy this season, it will be some injustice. For as this Madrid-leaning columnist will be the first to admit, they are the best team in Europe.
Cyrus C. Malek, Goal.com
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