FC Barcelona - Elche | La Liga Matchday 18 | Sun 5th January 2013

Alexis on fire

Let's not forget about Pedro's great match today. Very unselfish match by him, and got a goal and an assist to boot.

Well Pedro himself could have scored a hat-trick with the chances he had.

danyjr wrote:

He was a happy squirrel today. Probably imagining the double digit scoreline had Messi, Neymar, Alves and Busquets started.

Harmonica wrote:

billy_gr wrote:wtf??? iniesta needs to exercise his shooting

Was this first Barca game you watch?   

well it makes me wonder every damn time

Alexis

Pretty ballsy on Tatas behalf to not start Neymar with Messi on the bench.

Can some one bring that thread back up from last year that revolved around if we would ever have a attacking player other than Messi hit 20 in a season? I would like to look at our players stats and compare them to last year. Feels like everyone is more active scoring this time around

windkick wrote:Pretty ballsy on Tatas behalf to not start Neymar with Messi on the bench.

Can some one bring that thread back up from last year that revolved around if we would ever have a attacking player other than Messi hit 20 in a season? I would like to look at our players stats and compare them to last year. Feels like everyone is more active scoring this time around

All competitions right now:

Pedro 15
Messi 14
Alexis 11
Neymar 11
Cesc 9

Last season at 6th January (after 18th La Liga game):

Messi 36
Villa 8
Fabregas 7
Adriano 6
Xavi 6

Adriano and Xavi being our 4th and 5th best scorers was just bollocks and Villa and Fabregas barely started important games anyway. Now we have Neymar, Pedro, Alexis and Messi firing. Which is how it should be.

The Franchise wrote:Game has become a training match, players now passing up chances for tap ins.

But, I am quite upset by our defensive gameplan. The first say 25 minutes was a poorly excuted pressing game. Alexis running from centerback to leftback, forcing Montoya out to pick up the leftback if Alexis cant make it and then forcing Bartra out to pick up the winger...this terrible organisation made the chance where they hit the post.

If we going to press, its going to have to be with Xavi coming out of the midfield because Cesc doesnt have the mobility to press two splitting CB's. Then Song and Iniesta straight up into the midfielders. The way it currently is, is a mess.

After that terrible mess, we stopped pressing and let them have the ball in their half and they had it quite alot. Didnt look good for us either because they found a couple of ways to move Song out of position and get in space.

I think part of it is because of the couple of important and demanding matches coming up next week so the intensity wasn't quite there. The defence wasn't playing a high line - difficult to see on TV but it looked to me like Barcelona were not really pushing. Frankly, while Elche have some long spells of possession in the first half, they were mainly in their own half, not causing much threat to Barcelona.

futbol wrote:

danyjr wrote:

He was a happy squirrel today. Probably imagining the double digit scoreline had Messi, Neymar, Alves and Busquets started.

I'd still reserve my evaluation of Martino's capability to manage a big club for a later date. City and Atlético matches are going to be huge for him. No point in raping scrub teams if you can't beat the real guns.

***************
On performances:

I think Montoya has got a very good work rate, comparable to that of Alves. But his touch has been consistently poor. I used to rate him a lot when he was younger but I'm starting to doubt the La Masia graduate. Some poor crosses too.

Bartra, for all his composure on the ball, he does mistakes and they can be costly. I'm not very positive about how he would measure against a top team. Perhaps that is why Martino only fields him against inferior opponents. His aggression and heading is something Piqué should learn from but he does commits to doing something before fully evaluating his surroundings. Like you see him for 15 seconds just watching the ball without looking back to see what is going on behind him. Not good.

Pedro and Alexis were having fun and playing well. One would hope these guys carry on their confidence once Messi arrives and don't look for the Argentine as soon as they receive the ball. Iniesta was also good. And Cesc had his fair share of GOAT moments and also some sloppy play. How typical eh...

In his post-match press conference, Martino spoke about the match and Alexis before discussing the return of four-time Ballon d’Or winner, Leo Messi.

“It was a good match, except for their chance in the first have, we didn’t give our opponents an goal-scoring chances. When the team is playing well, making great plays in the attack, with variations and control, the managers look for the places where we are most permeable and in this case, we played very good in defense.

“We are on a good run of form.  There is still a lot we can improve upon, especially because we’re entering a difficult part of the year where the games are decisive and the littlest of errors or fault in form can leave you out of the title run.”

Martino went on to discuss the match of Alexis, Pedro, Cesc, Jordi Alba and others.

“We see Alexis in training and we know he’s very good at taking free kicks.  Awhile ago he shot one in and we thought that maybe it was time to give him a go, because when Messi, Xavi and Neymar are they, they hardly let him have a chance to take them.  So today, when I saw him step up to take the free kick, I said to the lads on the bench that this was his last chance and he nailed it.  That made me very happy because the players, along with their quality, are daring and I like it when they get their rewards.

“I cannot talk about [Cuenca’s] options because he’s still in the final stage of his recovery.  This week or the next we will return to normal training and depending on his recovery, we will see what possibilities he has to go out on loan.

“What Jordi Alba gives us is what all the backs give us, it’s just that some don’t have this attacking prowess that he has as part of his game that he learned in his past life as a winger.  We have what we need, depth at the backs.  We have very four very good players.

“Alves came down with flu-like symptoms and didn’t begin training until Saturday.  Tomorrow he will probably train normally and we’ll evaluate his status on for the match against Getafe or Atletico.

“I am reluctant to give more importance to one particular individual, but Pedro would win over any coach.  He always provides a solution for the team, even when he isn’t a starter.  It’s necessary that he gives us assists, goals, plays well with both legs and is generous with his teammates…He hurts us a lot when he is out of the line-up, but Barcelona has very important players and that always leaves some great players on the sidelines, but that doesn’t mean their contributions are forgotten.

“Messi is fine, he trained very well and looks good both physically and mentally.  His participation in the upcoming matches will depend on how things go on a daily basis. He has to recover mentally as well, like he has a head injury.  Sometimes you have a little fear and when you overcome that then you can play.  Physically he’s fine.  His return is imminent, but we will not put him out unless he’s in top condition, if not completely confident.  He’s made a great effort to get to this point and all we need to do is have a little more patience and give him more time.  With the best player in the world we will be better, never worse.

“We have many intelligent players and Cesc is one of the best at understanding how to play the false nine.  He is a great enabler, he always finds the right spaces to set up a goal.  It’s fortunate that Barcelona have players like him.”

Martino concluded by discussing next weekend’s match against Atletico Madrid and if he will do rotating against Copa del Rey opponent, Getafe in midweek.

“I haven’t decided who will be in the starting eleven in Wednesday’s Copa match, which is also very important.  Although, the one of Saturday will be one of the best matches of the season, but we will not change the way we prepare and think about Atletico until we have Getafe behind us. I know that when I announce who will play there will be criticisms and such, but like every manager, I will decided what I think is the best possible line-up.

“I think Messi will be available against Atletico, but we’re not going to put out players who are still in recovery against a team like Atletico.  We know how important the match is, they are on a great run of form and have options to win not only La Liga but the Champions League as well.  Despite what Cholo says, if we put a spy in the locker room, I’m sure they think the same.  The team is destined for great things.

“I can’t guarantee the rotations, but I think we should be in better shape at the end of the season than we were at the end of last year, when the team suffered a lot injuries and setbacks.  I hope we don’t suffer the same fate again this season.  I think our best is yet to come.”

from here

About Alexis freekick from "totalbarca" translation :

“We see Alexis in training and we know he’s very good at taking free kicks… but when Messi, Xavi and Neymar are in, he rarely gets a chance to take them. So today, when I saw him step up to take the free kick, I said to the lads on the bench that this was his last chance and he nailed it. That made me very happy because the players, along with their quality, are daring and I like it when they get their rewards.”

Look at the differences in translation of same phrases.  

Fantastic stuff from Alexis, Pedro and Cesc in this match.