Everything Happens for Good

From the most beautiful offence in Europe, Barcelona in the recent past has slowly transformed into a highly effective defense. How much of this was contributed by the lack of form and understanding of their recent players is the only matter of question. Certain injuries also have added to the recent state of affairs - mostly of the talented Lionel Messi.

It came as a surprise to a lot of people across the world that Barcelona with their ultra talented line up won nothing the last season. They played bad at crucial games and juncture and looked like a completely spent force. So naturally everyone expected things to turn around this season. From the administration front all efforts were taken to plug any weakness in the side. Yaya, Abidal were brought inorder to plug the defensive holes. Henry was brought so that the Champions League title come visiting back again.

Heaven O' heaven, you can plan as much as you want, but somebody else will be controlling things around. The season started with all kind of things. Barcelona suddenly forgot to win at away grounds. Home teams which were afraid of Barcelona's offensive even in away matches now looked to hunt them down. They may not have hunted them, but surely maqny have hurt them. Above all Barcelona saw their arch rival crowned as winter champions with a seven points lead, in which the old fort of Nou Camp fell to the Mardid attack.

Maybe the loss against Madrid came at the right time. Barcelona looks more determined now. They look like they have decided to drop the non performers from the side. I haven't seen this Barcelona side use their grit to overcome an opponent. Earlier they depend only on their flair. But the Sevilla tie in Copa Del rey was an exception. They planned, executed and fought the opponent with perfection. They might have become a little less attractive, but they are still as effective as earlier.

All the hardcore Barcelona fans will be wishing the team come back to the earlier style. But I believe the pattern for sometime will remain the same. They might add some flair with Messi coming back. But still they will be looking to grind the results. As I believe "Everything Happens for Good".

A Job Well Done ; Barcelona-0, Sevilla-0

In a match where Barcelona were prepared to defend and attack on counter, a goal less draw looks as good as a win, particularly when you proceed for the next round of Copa Del Rey. The defending champions could not break down the Barcelona defense and had to exit the Copa del rey race much earlier than they expected. All across Barcelona forums and blogs there is a sense of disappointment in the way Barcelona went with the Job. But Let me congratulate the team and their coach for a job well done. They planned this two legged tie well and executed it to perfection.

Sevilla started the game brightly with a wonderful attack on Barcelona Goal mouth which should have (on any other day) resulted in a goal. Daniel Alves one of the best Left Wingers in the game, provided a inch perfect cross to which Chevanton could not make a decent contact. A goal there should have changed the game towards Sevilla. The first half had few chances and the only one clear cut chance was the early mentioned one. In the third minute Iniesta did well to advance from a Gudjonsen pass only to shoot wide of the post from outside the Goal post. In the 19th minute Iniesta made another wonderful run(this time inside the box) off the wonderful work by Henry again to shoot above the crossbar from a very tight angle. In the 23rd minute Sevilla missed another great chance to score a goal when Fabiano headed wide from a Chevanton Corner. He should have at least tested the Goal Keeper as he has done the difficult job of climbing above the defense.

For Barcelona the only good chance came at the 32nd minute when a poorly taken Alves free kick found Giovani. Giovani after the initial acceleration fed Henry with the perfect through ball, but unfortunately he shot wide. I though he took the shot too soon. Till that point the Barcelona team never forced the Sevilla keeper, De Sanctis to make a decent save. that honour went to Eidur Gudjonsen when he forced the keeper to make his first save from a long range shot.The keeper did look like making a mess of it.

In the second half it was clear that Barcelona were prepared to defend their lives out.But effectively they shut down the Sevilla attack completely. Sevilla were forced to retort to long range shots to find the Goal. In the 82nd minute daniel Alves looked to surprised valdes with a free kick, it dipped and Valdes was indeed surprised, but was saved by the crossbar. The arrival of fresh legs in the form of Bojan and Deco didn't change anything. Then in the 85th minute Navas scrambled the ball into Barcelona Goal, but to be adjudged offside rightly. In the injury time Bojan and Iniesta forced two good save from sevilla Goalkeeper.

Barcelona team can consider themselves to have done a very good job. there were some nervous moments, especially the Navas Goal. They could do well without those nervous moments. henry looked more comfortable when he is in the left side and Iniesta (who was the best player on the field) did well but need to improve on his scoring ability. With Messi going to return soon we might be able to turn the tables pretty soon.

Chevanton Chance and Subsequent Iniesta Shot

Sweet HeadAches

With the 4-0 away victory against Murcia, the spirits should be high in the Barcelona Camp ahead of the second leg match against Sevilla. In the form of the away Goal, Barcelona has a definite advantage in this tie. But as we have seen in the past barca also has a disastrous tendency of folding down at the crucial juncture. How much inspiration can be taken from the Murcia match will be another question, especially considering that we managed to lose to Madrid after an excellent away win against Valencia.

With that sense i will prefer the team start the preparation a little cautious. In the match against Madrid we could not carry the excellent form of the previous match because there were too many changes in the side. In this match also there will be some changes, especially centre forward position. I will come to that a little later. I expect Thuram to be replaced by Milito, apart from that and the Centre Forward position, there should not be anymore changes. Gudjonsen and Xavi looked good in the midfield role and should continue there. Marquez is the only choice available for Defensive Midfielder role. Don't even think of putting Iniesta there, especially in a match against Sevilla. Zamrotta should be the out and out choice for Right Back.

But the most significant of changes will be in the forward lineup. Many says in the forward position Rijkaard is facing a problem of plenty. Is he? I don't think so, that is the reason why I have titled the article as "Sweet Headaches". For the last two to three matches, Henry is our best player along with Marquez. Saturday he was marvelous. Many attribute his sudden change in the form to the prolonged rest he got during the injury. I do believe that rest might have done him a world of good, like in the case of Eto also. But I don't think that is the only factor contributing here. From the last two matches he is playing in a position which he was so used to at Arsenal. In Arsenal he may not have been playing so much to the left, but a little close to the centre. In the initial time in Barcelona, he donned the role of a Centre Forward and literally failed. But when he moved back to his natural position, because of Ronaldinho injury - he started giving the glimpses of old Thierry Henry. So Rijkaard should prefer him to stay at the front left. Now the question is that who will play the Sole Centre forward role. If you look at the option

1) Gudjonsen - He looks settled in the Midfield.

2) Ezquerra - He also prefers either of the flanks.

The only option left here is the two kids - Giovanni and Bojan. Out of these two, Bojan looks like a more natural Centre Forward than Giovanni. Now if you add the two injured players - Messi and Ronnie, none of them can don the role of a natural Centre Forward.

I believe that Rijkaard will move Henry to the centre of the plot. I totally disagree with that, he should move Bojan to the centre and have Iniesta at the right. Many may not agree with the my views, many believe that since Barcelona forward players interchange their position very effectively in the course of a match - they can start at any place. I don't agree with that. They all prefer to start at their favorite places. Maybe and I hope and pray, Henry proves me wrong if he is moved to that position. But I believe like a Centre back, the Centre forward is also a specialist position. Nobody can even think of pulling a defender back to open up space like Eto did in last match. Saviola would have fit to that position - but he is not here.

Now coming to the Sevilla side, watch for that Brazilian duo - Fabiano and Alves. they have hurt Barcelona in the past and could hurt us tomorrow. With the 2-0 loss at Bilbao, their spirits maybe a little low. So take the attack to them early. And like the last match Barcelona should defend up front, the forward line should keep on putting pressure on their defenders.

On the organization front Barcelona is contributing more to the society by means of tying up with United Nations Refugee agency (ACNUR). The formal agreement will be signed on January 22 in Geneva. This is in addition to the agreement with UNICEF. "The two bodies will unite their efforts to help work together with their respective programs and to build common initiatives that try and bring a new quality of life to child refugees. A delegation from the club's Fundaciò, headed by President Joan Laporta, will travel to Geneva to finalise the agreement in the ACNUR headquarters. The former Portuguese Prime Minister, Antonio Gutérres, will receive the delegation as his role as head of the agency." - FCBarcelona site. For the Barcelona fans these are moments of pride and honour. When almost all the clubs are running after money and more advertisement, Barcelona still care to look into the more complex social and economic issues related to the society. The founders of the club will be proud to see that the younger generation still believes in the purpose of this great club. And these measures are truly the one which makes Barcelona - More Than a Club.