Almost holding the Catalans at home..

By: Javier | December 23rd, 2008

Blah. So my Christmas wish didn’t come true. However, we didn’t get our asses handed to us when we faced Barcelona last Sunday. Being at home we usually have a pretty good advantage to whoever were playing (If you forget that start of the Atletico game..).

Villarreal 1 - Barcelona 2
Cani (48) Seydou Keita (54)
Thierry Henry (66)

First Half
Were off to the races with the number one team in La Liga. First half started out well. A couple of chances for both Villa and Barca. None really troubling either keeper.
Now I remember from earlier comments about our team being older, and how we need to keep up the shape and what not, well, I can’t help but see how true that is with each game passing by. Pires I’m looking at you. The first half I almost noticed nothing being done by the Frenchman. Sure a few nice touches but nothing to fancy. We need more then just passes coming from a forward/midfielder. Thats where the magic starts and if we don’t have anything going on there then I have no idea how were going to score goals. Villarreal goals usually come from corners, or break aways from our forwards. IMO we need more improvement from our midfield if we want to be deadly in all positions. That way we can score more from the ways we are already good at.
January is coming up, which means transfers. Who knows, maybe we’ll get lucky. We hold off Barca till the end of the first half. A good start against the Catalan giants if I do say so myself.

Second Half
Cani opens up his first La Liga goal on Barca. Quite impressive if I do say so myself. Amazing pass up by Rossi to Cani. Goes off and puts it right in over the keeper. Nice goal.

Now I’m not that into Barca’s new team this year. People like Hleb and Keita are guys I never heard of or seen them play. So seeing a goal scored from Keita was odd and kept my wondering if they really score goals like this. By “goals like this” I mean leaning a good 45 degrees and somehow heading it in the back of the net. So this is the Barca that everyone is terrified by? Well, I can see why >_>. Our small 15 minute celebration of beating the Catalans ended then and only resulted with more disowning.
Henry is still awesome. Last year I hear he wasn’t as loved in Barca, but coming off a hat trick two games ago must still be giving him the edge. Great cross in and little touch finish by TT.
Now we finally got a break. Horrible challenge made by Pique (0_O when the hell did they get this guy too??) resulted in a Red Card in the last remaining minutes. Now this would be our chance to strike, but its pretty hard doing that when your facing Puyol and Marquez. Actually thats quite impossible to even think we could just “fly” right by. These guys are hard ass players, and will not let you get by the last line of defense without a fight. Besides, Puyol is a beast, he scares me.
Ah. Pires. Our last attempt on goal from the Frenchman and flings one right over the bar. I think that was our one registered “shot on goal” asides from the one goal scored.
Great game, but the flaws of Villarreal are slowly being shown to everyone in La Liga. Barca takes the 3 points and goes on their continuous winning streak.

La Liga
5th place. At least it was kept warm from previous holders Atletico. Now I wouldn’t so much as worry about our placement now, seeing as were not even more then half way done with the season. From 2nd place were only two points behind. Which is not even close to impossible to jumping right back up.
Pellegrini’s article on ESPNsoccernet was quite nice for Villarreal fans everywhere. Bringing up confidence and assurance that Villarreal is far from over.

Holiday break is coming up, which gives a break to all of us.
From the Villarreal Offsides I wish you all a Merry Christmas/Hanukkah/Boxing Day/Kwanzaa/New Years or any other holiday you celebrate.

Vamos Villarreal!!