CHAPTER 294: Barcelona 2 - 0 Recreativo Huelva

Alternative Title: Influential Iniesta


Barcelona rolls on. Already thought that after the phenomenal match against Bayern Munich in midweek, it was perhaps too much to hope on having another big win. Nonetheless the victory was achieved and that is what mattered most.

Positives

• Win obtained, 3 further points gained.

• Whatever happens, Barcelona would remain at least 6 points on top (pending on Madrid’s upcoming game against Valladolid).

• 5th straight La Liga win for Barça. And it’s the 7th straight win in all competitions.

• It’s the 5th straight clean sheet for Barça as well in the league.

• The 1st goal was super quick! Barcelona’s quickest goal this season if I’m not mistaken, it gave to a very phenomenal start for Barça in the game! And possibly Barcelona’s quickest goal in a long time (since perhaps Van Bommel scored against Panathinaikos back in late 2005 in the Champions League).

• Another overall excellent game from Andres Iniesta! Scored the first goal (and perhaps his latest goal for Barça in what seemed like a long time!) and the second goal came indirectly from his effort (albeit an own goal deflection). Iniesta is more and more becoming a better and crucially indispensable player for this team. Great player!!

• Henry again gave another good hardworking performance (especially the times when he played on the left wing). And not forgetting the fact that he strongly created the opportunity on the 1st goal cutting from the left side (and Iniesta came through at the right moment!).

• Victor Valdes made some good stops/saves during the game. Once in the early minutes of the 1st half that he ended up giving the corner for the opposition, and another in the 2nd half when he rushed out quickly to block during that frantic fracas in Barcelona’s goal area when the Recreation Huelva players were charging at Barça’s goal.

• Martin Caceres started and played a good full game and made some good tackles and recoveries (once when he recovered back the ball on the edge of the Barça’s line on the 55th minute).

• Bojan made a good effort on the 52nd minute (his long ranged curling effort that was saved by the keeper).

• Overall and throughout Barcelona managed to keep the game according to their tempo, pace and rhythm.

• Good substitutions made by Guardiola.

Negatives

• It wasn’t exactly a great game, especially compared in terms of making good chances and of course compared as well the game against Bayern.

• After such a quick phenomenal start to the game, Barça did not really had good chances.

• Just like in the game against Bayern, Barcelona had numerous corners but they did not really capitalize from those set-pieces.

• Valdes had ‘conceded’ a corner in the early part of the first half by coming out and barged into the Recreativo player (he could have perhaps done better I think).

• I believe there were plenty of the ball going out of bounds either because of difficult passes or over control of the ball..

• Messi lost the ball on the 54th min (giving Recreativo a break), Busquets once lose the ball on the 58th minute (giving Recreativo a freekick).

• Keita’s header on the 78th minute was just too high and he couldn’t control it.

• Messi missing the penalty. Perhaps the keeper dived the right way, still it could have been a better penalty. What bothered me though was that it seemed Messi was too hard on himself afterwards, as it seemed that miss really bothered him.