Taken via: AS
Barcelona played with fire against a strong Celta but didn't slip up and recorded the best start to the Liga in the club's history. Adriano opened the scoring, Bermejo pulled Celta level and Villa and Jordi Alba snatched the points.
Barcelona are smouldering, but they're not on fire; not yet. But in the season they've dazzled the least, they've managed to record the best Liga start in the history of the club: 10 matches, nine wins and a draw in the Clásico. Twenty-eight points from 30 in a relentless march at champions' pace. There are those who think that the team's run of fortune will shortly meet its end, and maybe they'll miss it later. But then, there are others that believe that with the return of Puyol and Piqué Barcelona will move up through the gears and eclipse memories of the side that started the season a little too averagely. Some say performances and results eventually catch up with each other. Others, that if this team doesn't slip up now, there's no way they will later. Who's right? Only time will tell.
The fact is that up until now, Barcelona have sped through the first quarter of the Liga at supersonic speed, only dropping points once. And they've done it with risky football; tight-rope walks lacking the control of the Guardiola era and with a more direct idea of attack, given to an exchange of blows. Their latest victim was a Celta Vigo team who gave a much better account of themselves than at the Bernabéu, responding to the Barça onslaught in the first half and controlling the game in the second. In one half the home team showed their worth, while in another they avoided a scare. In both they missed Messi, who couldn't find a goal for his newborn son and had one of his poorest games of the season. He uncharacteristically missed two or three goal opportunities and participated less than usual, finishing with knee trouble. The day that he'll never forget for the rest of his life was followed by one that he'll want to forget tomorrow.
In that first half of war cries there were three goals (two for Barcelona and one for Celta) and four fouls (three and one). Barcelona attacked fluidly but defended on a wing and a prayer. They started with three defenders (Adriano, Mascherano and Alba), later moved Busquets to centre-back and played the second half with Bartra next to a Mascherano, behind whom Celta were having a lot of joy. Those spaces, and the swift and incisive moves of Paco Herrera's men brought the best attacks, although they weren't clinical in decisive moments. A minute before Barcelona's opener, Aspas collided with Valdés in a great one on one opportunity. After the break and at 2-1, Aspas again choked in front of the keeper. Varas buoyed his team considerably, rushing out of his goal when he could. The away side had a good match and had a chance to get something out of the game until Barça's third, half an hour from the end, coming accompanied by loud shouts of offside.
Barcelona struggled to stamp their authority on the match, and didn't get it under control until that third goal. In the first half they could have scored lots and let in a few, while later they scarcely created chances. But they won, and they won because of one of their best bits of news of the season; the synchronicity of a bombastic left-side, with Alba at the back, Villa as a wide player and Iniesta inside. The man from Castilla La Mancha shone in the first 45 minutes, seeming to improve with each ball that came by his feet. The second goal came from his marvellous one-two with Villa that 'El Guaje' drove home. The first came from the right, and a pacy move between Pedro and Adriano, the Brazilian starting and finishing it. He later went off injured. Had it been a good day for Messi, Barcelona might have scored more but then again, on a bad day for Valdés they would have conceded more. The result wasn't sealed until Alba received the ball in an offside position from Villa's classy back heel and scored the third.
You can't argue with Barcelona's numbers, but only a few of their matches have gone according to plan. This wasn't one of those. They didn't dominate proceedings with force, only looking comfortable in bursts. Puyol and Piqué were sorely missed, and the league leaders secured the points thanks to Villa and the appearance of Alba on the charge. That's how Barcelona won, and that's how they're setting the pace at the top of the Liga. And for now, it seems enough.
Barcelona played with fire against a strong Celta but didn't slip up and recorded the best start to the Liga in the club's history. Adriano opened the scoring, Bermejo pulled Celta level and Villa and Jordi Alba snatched the points.
Barcelona are smouldering, but they're not on fire; not yet. But in the season they've dazzled the least, they've managed to record the best Liga start in the history of the club: 10 matches, nine wins and a draw in the Clásico. Twenty-eight points from 30 in a relentless march at champions' pace. There are those who think that the team's run of fortune will shortly meet its end, and maybe they'll miss it later. But then, there are others that believe that with the return of Puyol and Piqué Barcelona will move up through the gears and eclipse memories of the side that started the season a little too averagely. Some say performances and results eventually catch up with each other. Others, that if this team doesn't slip up now, there's no way they will later. Who's right? Only time will tell.
The fact is that up until now, Barcelona have sped through the first quarter of the Liga at supersonic speed, only dropping points once. And they've done it with risky football; tight-rope walks lacking the control of the Guardiola era and with a more direct idea of attack, given to an exchange of blows. Their latest victim was a Celta Vigo team who gave a much better account of themselves than at the Bernabéu, responding to the Barça onslaught in the first half and controlling the game in the second. In one half the home team showed their worth, while in another they avoided a scare. In both they missed Messi, who couldn't find a goal for his newborn son and had one of his poorest games of the season. He uncharacteristically missed two or three goal opportunities and participated less than usual, finishing with knee trouble. The day that he'll never forget for the rest of his life was followed by one that he'll want to forget tomorrow.
In that first half of war cries there were three goals (two for Barcelona and one for Celta) and four fouls (three and one). Barcelona attacked fluidly but defended on a wing and a prayer. They started with three defenders (Adriano, Mascherano and Alba), later moved Busquets to centre-back and played the second half with Bartra next to a Mascherano, behind whom Celta were having a lot of joy. Those spaces, and the swift and incisive moves of Paco Herrera's men brought the best attacks, although they weren't clinical in decisive moments. A minute before Barcelona's opener, Aspas collided with Valdés in a great one on one opportunity. After the break and at 2-1, Aspas again choked in front of the keeper. Varas buoyed his team considerably, rushing out of his goal when he could. The away side had a good match and had a chance to get something out of the game until Barça's third, half an hour from the end, coming accompanied by loud shouts of offside.
Barcelona struggled to stamp their authority on the match, and didn't get it under control until that third goal. In the first half they could have scored lots and let in a few, while later they scarcely created chances. But they won, and they won because of one of their best bits of news of the season; the synchronicity of a bombastic left-side, with Alba at the back, Villa as a wide player and Iniesta inside. The man from Castilla La Mancha shone in the first 45 minutes, seeming to improve with each ball that came by his feet. The second goal came from his marvellous one-two with Villa that 'El Guaje' drove home. The first came from the right, and a pacy move between Pedro and Adriano, the Brazilian starting and finishing it. He later went off injured. Had it been a good day for Messi, Barcelona might have scored more but then again, on a bad day for Valdés they would have conceded more. The result wasn't sealed until Alba received the ball in an offside position from Villa's classy back heel and scored the third.
You can't argue with Barcelona's numbers, but only a few of their matches have gone according to plan. This wasn't one of those. They didn't dominate proceedings with force, only looking comfortable in bursts. Puyol and Piqué were sorely missed, and the league leaders secured the points thanks to Villa and the appearance of Alba on the charge. That's how Barcelona won, and that's how they're setting the pace at the top of the Liga. And for now, it seems enough.
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