Barcelona concludes the first period of the season with a dominant display, heading into the international break with a confidence-boosting performance and plus 3 points in the pocket. After a forgettable season start against Rayo, the Catalan machine has evolved into an unstoppable force, blasting through La Liga opponents with magisterial ease, and Elche was not an exception in this line.
Of course, excuses can always be found, but it would be so unwary to let that early red card erase the merits of the Blaugrana. This game is ruthless, as how we could also experience not too long ago, if you make mistakes, you will be punished for it. And now, we’re the ones to exploit this sudden advantage and finish off the hopes of a struggling Elche side.
With a grand total of 25 shots and 4.1 xG, our attacking superiority was unquestionable, continuously disrupting Elche’s diminished defensive structure, but what is more impressive is that we only conceded just one shot in the whole match – take into context the numerical superiority though. Our fluid offensive play worked beautifully, and individuals flourished in the well-oiled setup.
The lion’s roar was heard in Camp Nou loudly as Memphis Depay celebrated his return to the starting lineup with a goal, an assist, and a worthy performance. Alongside Lewandowski, he was able to unlock his greatest skill and it has borne fruit. His goal highlighted his game well: in a tough situation, with his back to the goal, made a humiliating turn on the defender and blasted the sitter in the back of the net.
Speaking about Lewandowski, with each passing game, I’m losing words to describe his greatness, but just one quick stat about him: 11 goals in 8 games, savour it.
The midfield’s performance though deserves to be spoken about: Pedri’s effectivity combined with such elegance is a genuine joy to watch, how he controls the ball and orchestrates the play is a thing of beauty. Meanwhile, Frenkie has produced a solid game despite playing in his unfavored lone pivot role, recycling possession several times and helping the buildups essentially from a deep position.
And, to conclude, Baldé’s performance was enough for me to irrevocably accept him as the first-choice left-back. With 2 assists to his name, he seemingly cemented his place in our starting lineup, now Spain next? If he continues like that, perhaps we may see him in the World Cup as well.
To conclude, we have much to be proud of regarding the game and this whole introductory period of the season. Let’s hope that our players perform well at their respective national teams, come back strong, and continue the great form where we left off.
