Facing the Bats

Playing against Barcelona is an event for any team, but this week, Valencia had something more important to be concerned of, financial crises! Lot of talks, the bank says this, the board says that, and of course “Marca” create something else, a big mess that I hope it ends fast, being an admirer of Valencia football club, I wish it end without turning Valencia neither to become a Leeds United, nor a Chelsea.

Another notable argument this week was that Valencia has to play two games without the normal 48 hours separating them, which I admit not fair, there was a rumor that Barcelona declined a request to delay pushing the game forward, now I have mixed feelings about that, as I mentioned Valencia has all the right to complain, but also Barcelona has to put the club interests over anything else, there are Barcelona fans who booked to intend that game in the stadium and they may have a plane to catch the next day (Sunday), so its not fair also to tell them “we are sorry, welcome to Barcelona, have a nice tour but the game is delayed, hard luck!”, the only ones who are responsible are the ones who planned the fixtures this way in the first place, so we have a clear conscious.

TO THE GAME!

Valencia:

Valencia Visits Camp Nou after gathering 8 wins, 3 draws and 2 defeats, parking at the third spot in la liga (Valencia Liga stat here), with a moral boost after confirming qualification to the next round in UEFA CUP.

And as Walid noted last night, Valencia coach rested the key players in the UEFA CUP game to keep them fresh for Barcelona Battle.

Unai Emery, Valencia coach, has all the reasons to suffer selection headache, Marchena booking and Alexis extended injury arrived at the worst moment, added to Edu injury picked last week, Things turned to be more complicated and more uncertain, How will he approach this game?

I think normal healthy Valencia would have made an attempt to cause surprise trying to play an open game and test Barcelona defense, the same as I explained in Sevilla game when I mentioned the Broken Bridge strategy, but with the kind of injuries they suffer, I cant see them able to do so, which means, they will go for another option that they have all the requirements to apply. I call it "The sponge", closing defense and dragging Barcelona to go all out attacking, absorb them in the traffic in front of the box then counter attack on the flanks using Joaquin and Mata, beside that Fox David Villa!


As a Tactical structure, Unai used Two-men central midfielders ten times and he used three central midfielders three time based on the opponent he face, he will no doubt feel so worried regarding the defense structure so I think he will end up using three central midfielders, with two players on the flanks in a 4-5-1 tactical structure, a sneaky Sponge.

While picking the players of the back line, he will decide one of three options to play beside Albiol as a central back, either Helguera, or Maduro, or Moretti.
1) Helguera is an expired card in my opinion- even though its still a possibility;

2) Moving Moretti to the center and having del horno as a left back may double the gamble, a risk that Moretti may flop as a central back – he is not stable even in his position on the left, and del horno lack of games may smash his performance on the flank, remember the monsters he will have to face!

3) Maduro to play beside Albiol with Moretti on the left to monitor the Alves-Messi invasion, if I would have been Valencia coach, I would take this less risky gamble, that’s how my logic tells, but my feelings say he will have a Moretti-Albiol partnership. Miguel on the right back is out of question.

In the midfield, the old guards Baraja and Albelda will act as permanent defensive midfielders, Fernandes is the third when the team defend, and a play maker when the team attack, Joaquin and Mata on the flanks penetrating deep, and Villa the striker we know.
Their strength is no doupt the high technique Trio Villa – Joaquin – and Mata (one of the season’s discoveries) on the counter attacks, supported by Fernandes, and Miguel if possible. Aside of that, we may only need to watch Baraja long shots.



I think one of the main weaknesses of Valencia is their inability to keep focused and dictate the momentum during the 90 minutes, they are more like waves of good moves and minutes of low concentration, against Barcelona that’s a suicide.



Valencia 4 - Numancia 0 - video powered by Metacafe

More Valencia Highlights ( Here )

Barcelona

After the win against Sevilla this is the next challenge and it will be a different kind of games, with Eto’o out and Iniesta still on the treatment table, the usual unpredictable Guardiola will have the joy to generate another unexpected selection, but hey lets admit, it always work!

Again, even though I belong to the rotation school I will stick to my policy in this mini league against the other top four, play the best selection! And for me the best selection is the one that won the game against Sevilla, so I recommend it without any changes if possible, not possible!

The back line is the same with Alves – Pique – Marquez – and Puyol.
If Guardiola will remain faithful to the 4-3-3, then Yaya – Keita – and Xavi are my choice, unless if Pep prefer Gudi runs over Keita Clashes. Forwards are Henry – Messi – and (Oh My God!) on the left!
Alright it’s either Hleb on the left, or Bojan.

But if you ask me, I will change that 4-3-3 a little, being a mean guy I will abuse the lack of security Valencia feel in the middle of defense.
And being radical, I will wonder what will be better? Keeping Villa away from the ball or keeping the ball away of him? If I can’t guarantee marking Villa out of the game all the game, so why not trying to keep the ball out of his reach? Possible?

I will play a 4 – 1- 3 – 2, same Defense mentioned above, Yaya as a defensive midfielder , with Gudjhonsen, Xavi and Keita behind Henry and Messi. Why?

While moving forward, the defense triangle of Pique – Marquez – and Puyol take place behind Yaya who park his tank in the circle; Alves moving Forward to be the forth Midfielder opening the flank on the right, in the box we test the shaky defense where Henry drive Albiol to the blind spot, Messi move out of the box and every time we move forward, either Gudjhonsen or Keita penetrate inside the area, now in my humble estimations Valencia defense will not handle two men in the box of Henry and Keita/Gudi physical size and moves, with Messi Hovering like a bee in and out, spreading terror. May be their only choice will be early fouls on the edge of the Area, where Alves and Xavi can seal the deal.


That’s when we move forward, now the moment we lose the ball, having the trio of Gudi – Xavi – Keita in the midfield will cause traffic and slow down Valencia counter attacks with Gudi helping Alves on the right controlling Joaquin, and Keita Dealing with Mata on the left, Xavi monitoring Fernandez movement, then Villa will be isolated between the defense and Yaya if he dare to drop deep to receive the ball, suffering already from tight marking applied by Pique all over the pitch.



This kind of pressure will earn us another advantage, forcing Valencia players to pass the ball to Albelda to build the moves, a player who is suffering already when it come to ball distribution, so we can benefit from that, shacking the systematic method Valencia use moving from defense to offence.

My only concern will be having Busquets and Yaya together, with Henry on the left flank, as I mentioned before this is a recipe for troubles. No matter how much we like and support Henry, but if in a match like this with Eto’o out, Guardiola still doesn’t trust Henry as a striker then he better sell the guy and let the Miami plans go to hell.

Last but not least, in this game against Valencia we will have a very decent representative in the stands, Kevin, our friend here and on “The offside” is there to watch the game, I prepared this Preview and checked the offside but he hasn’t post anything yet to link it here, but I will keep you updated, though you all know your way there.

Enjoy the game Kevin and be our throat supporting the guys and our eyes scanning the event and the game, I hope you get a seat close to Guardiola Bench incase he needed any tactical help, you are our man of the moment.

A doze of improvement:

Everything a player do on the field demand and suck energy, not only running, tackling and other obvious attributes, but also the mental part of the game including positioning, communicating and finishing. Why am I saying so? Again, Henry!

Recently his finishing is not the best, luck may play a part, lack of games or wrong position. But I suspect that age is starting to shrink the cycle of his boosting energy he needs to accomplish a complete physical demanding move during the game, including running on the left, cutting in, exchanging passes, dribbling(or desperately trying to do so) all that physical job burn fuel, leaving nothing for the rest of functions needed including finishing. So what?
So he may actually be the target man we are seeking! I think Henry now can add more to the team if Guardiola help him to make the last switch in his career, something similar to what happened when he moved from Juventus to Arsenal moving from Left wing to open striker. It’s the right time now not to switch from the left winger he has never been (successfully) to a striker, because people will say, Ramzi, he has always been a striker! What I mean is” striker-in-box” without the need of running around covering wide spaces, his Physical characteristics, intelligence and positioning added to his finishing can work well for that role of course he move out of box to open spaces but that’s deferent and less demanding physically, this position attributes are independent of the league style, so unlike the wingers, Target men (strikers in box) have it the same, and it may even be easier in Spain than England, where Defense have the methodology of guarding a target man in their genes.

Below I post The Mini league Bulletin board, Enjoy the game!

Ramzi Tanani