The cobweb of Bordalás traps Barça

It took nine years for Barcelona to lose again in Getafe and four to know defeat after a window of selections. The worst game since Koeman sat on the Barça bench does not differ so much from others that Barça have choked on in recent seasons when possession does not flow. The difference is that then Messi or Luis Suárez appeared to unblock him with a flash and this time the captain was present in body, but not in soul, and the Uruguayan is scoring in the ranks of a direct rival such as Atlético. Bad business if you already drag these problems at the beginning of the course.

The hangover of the international break left the first public pulse between Griezmann and Koeman. The Frenchman, emboldened by his two goals, demanded to play where he likes best; and the Dutch coach picked up the glove: “The coach is the boss.” At the Coliseum, Koeman was able to rotate and rotate, but he kept Griezmann. How did the Gaul respond? As he has been doing since he dressed as a Barça player: without hardly appearing in the game.

The last straw for the ‘7’ is that neither is he right. Between De Jong, Dembélé and Pedri they put together the best counterattack for Barcelona in the entire first half, pim, pam, pum, and the canary left Griezmann – who had thrown a great uncheck – face to face with David Soria. The opportunity that in Atlético he got one hundred and one times. With the left and also with the right, which is where control fell in Getafe. And yet this time he failed her. To the Madrid sky.

It was Barcelona’s clearest opportunity in the first 45 minutes, although not the one that came closest to ending in a goal. Before, a good combination between Pedri and Dest had ended with the American winger finding Messi in the front of the area. A classic captain’s move, like his definition looking for the thread to the short stick uncontrolled. He tuned the ’10’ so much that he went from adjusting and his shot was repelled by the post.

It would have been too much of a reward for Barcelona and an excessive punishment for Getafe, who took over the game for half an hour. Pressure ‘made in Bordalás’ that bothered the Barça exit, very thick in circulation. Nor did the local team materialize their dominance in dangerous occasions, beyond two shots without danger, one at the hands of Neto and the other directly deflected.

Only in the last stretch of the first half did Barça resemble what Koeman is looking for, who had opted for Pedri and Dembélé to give Coutinho and Ansu Fati rest. The Canarian midfielder won more opportunities improving every play that passed through his boots. The French extreme, as it happens to Griezmann, is a case worth studying.

Rogue penalty

The passage through the changing rooms benefited the Getafe de Bordalás, the LaLiga team that best manage the times. His players understand perfectly when it is time to go to the ground, exaggerate an elbow, delay a throw-in or scratch the shin guard of an opponent without the referee noticing. In an exhibition of these faculties, those of the other football that he would say, Djené decided the balance of the match.

It matters little that the Togolese is central, because in the Barcelona area He took De Jong a penalty fox, thirty-year-old forward. He didn’t even need to control the ball; just put your body in and feel the breath of the Dutch, wallow. Enough to slip it to Soto Grado on the pitch and De Burgos Bengoechea in the VAR in a play that did not represent a danger for Barça. Kill Neto from 11 meters.

With no pulse for the comeback, Koeman sought to revitalize his team with Ansu Fati and Coutinho. In a new vote of confidence, he kept Griezmann on the field. Neither those who arrived nor those who were already embarrassed the Bordalás cobweb, who caught every visiting possession with astonishing ease. Yes, Cucurella could score after driving from the center of the field, but his shot was centered.

With only 10 minutes to go, Koeman used up his cards. This time I did withdraw Griezmann. Also to De Jong. He Trincao overflow could still pose a threat, see Braithwaite with the ‘9’ from Barcelona … Anyway. The comparisons are odious and the decisions of the Barcelona directive in the market, disastrous. Between Neto, the crossbar and the lack of aim prevented the ‘Cucho’ Hernández from giving Barça the finishing touch on two occasions without it being around the tie. Only at the end, and on the rebound, he almost got it on his own Djené.

The worst version of Koeman ended with his first defeat on the Camp Nou bench. Despite everything, with seven points and one game less than most of their rivals, Barcelona remains three behind the leadership shared by Getafe thanks to the defeat of Real Madrid. You know: bad for many …