Post Match Reactions: Levante — Barcelona AWAY (La Liga)
Hey everyone, this match was very worth talking about because I saw a lot of positive things on Valverde’s part as well as few of the players that deserve to be recognized.
First off, the lineup. Was a bit of a shock to see three CBs and no RB since the news of Semedo’s injury became known after the lineup was out. Speculation emerged about whether Alba was going to play in midfield (spoiler: he’s there a lot every game xD) or LB, and who was to play RB. When the game started both of those questions got their answer. Alba played as he always does, but the RB situation was new. Dembele had extra defensive duties tonight and operated as RWB (same as Alba but on the right side) which essentially means a player has to assume a dual-role. More on him later. The decision made sense when it became clear that Semedo wasn’t going to play, and with SergiR still not match fit, Valverde didn’t have a RB at his disposal. Dembele is not a defender (even got a yellow for very poor decision to tackle, which isn’t a criticism as much as an example of certain skills he doesn’t possess because again he is not a defender) so Valverde opts to put an extra CB for stability in the back. Barça played a 5–3–2 formation in defense and 3–5–2 with the ball as Dembele and Alba pushed up the field and we stayed with three at the back. Valverde confirmed post game that this set up was a result of Semedo’s abrupt injury, so naturally Barça had a slower start to the game, but grew into the game by the end of the first half, and took the game where they wanted to during the second. With the lineup and formation out of the way, let’s talk about the players.
Dembele was given another start today by Valverde in a role that’s usually filled by a key defensive member. If this was the Dembele from the beginning of the season, he would have been left on the bench. It is clear just how much he has improved, especially in terms of his consistency. He has deservedly earned Valverde’s trust and today, he took one for the team. His role up the pitch was sacrificed and he had a relatively quiet game, but still performed the duties Valverde needed him to do. I think we will see him benched in one of the upcoming games since he has had continuous starts, but that would not a sign that he is not performing well or that Valverde is unhappy with him, but that he has earned rest after several good performances.
Another player that just continues to impress me is Vidal. What a signing. His tireless presence all over the pitch makes me feel proud that he is one of ours. He’s very intelligent and that’s allowed him to develop a great understanding with the team in such a short time, especially Leo and Saurez. His eagerness to push up the field when Barça is in possession or on the counterattack adds an extra dimension to our attack. No other midfielder in the team has the presence in the final third that he has.
His presence in the final third isn’t just a cameo. Take a look at Messi’s second and third goals. For the second goal, Vidal notices Messi is behind him when Suarez is on the ball, and splits off to the right and occupies two defenders leaving Messi unmarked.
For Leo’s hat trick goal, Vidal is there to provide the assist.
Vidal is similar profile to Paulinho, but the difference is that he is twice the player. Vidal’s purchase is one that I am very glad we made. He’s a veteran, yet eager to continue winning. His experience in Europe is needed after the departure of Iniesta, and we’ll see him feature in our big CL games in the second half of the season for sure.
Speaking of veterans: Pique. After a subpar start to the season (and he wasn’t the only one), he has gradually improved his form. In the past month, starting with the Villarreal match, he has had continuous, good performances. I am not expecting him to stay at this level for the remainder of the season. He is about to be 32, so it is good enough to know he still has it in him. Lenglet also did not disappoint. Vermaelen didn’t have a great game, but it’s unfair to criticize a player that almost never plays but is expected to fill in at a moment’s notice. It’s not easy, at all.
In midfield, along with Vidal, Busquets had a good game for me, also set up Messi’s first goal. Was pleased with him. Rakitic didn’t have a bad game either. His role doesn’t really allow him to shine, he does the dirty work, which apparently includes playing RCB xD. Coutinho came to relieve Vidal, and had a good cameo. Signs he is better suited for midfield? (insert Grinch smirking gif here).
Couple of things to notice from this average position map of the game. First, the pattern that Rakitic continues to start on the same side of the pitch as Dembele, perhaps to help cover defensively. Secondly, notice Vidal is ahead of all other midfielders. This is an *average* position map, it is not our formation. Vidal played on the left, but due to his contributions in the final third, his average position is pushed in front of Busquets. Rest of the lineup is as expected, the three in the back, Alba and Dembele performing as FBs and Messi and Suarez leading the pack.
Speaking of them, both of them had good games. For Messi, that’s a bit of an understatement. I continue to expect the world of him and he continues to go beyond my expectations.
Finally, Valverde. Sure, some of his decisions such as not choosing Aleñá over Denis can be irritating, but it’s been established that he is not Pep and taking risks is not a specialty. An away game to Levante, the only team to defeat Barça in the unbeaten season? It’s obvious he will go for players with more experience to get the job done. Of course I would have preferred Aleñá, but I think a lot of fans choose to ignore his positive decisions and focus on the negative. Barça has improved compared to the start of the season. We are now two away games in a row with a clean sheet, and that deserves credit. We’ve scored 9 and conceded 0. Valverde also deserves credit for how he’s handled a lot of players. Yes, Rakitic plays too much. No, he doesn’t deserve to be untouchable. But while that should be criticized, Ernie’s handling of Vidal, Dembele, Semedo, Arthur, and Malcom should be praised. Coutinho was having a below average run of games. Barça fans wanted him dropped, what happened? He’s been dropped in favor of Dembele. Vidal has gotten much more playing time compared to the start of the season, and so have Arthur, Semedo, and Malcom although the latter two are injured currently.
Overall, I really enjoyed this game. These big away wins are very good for morale, and even Pique addressed that post game. This was a longer piece than usual, thanks for sticking around to the end. Love y’all.
Visca el Barça,
BarcAddicts
