It's back!
For the last couple of weeks I have been a bit lazy to tell the truth, and haven't published an update on the B team since the 2-2 draw with Albacete.
However, it appears I haven't missed any good news over that time.
With that being said, here's a bumper edition of the Barcelona B update!
Match Summaries
Barcelona B 1 - 1 SD Ponferradina
To end 2010, the team had what appeared to be an easy game at home against the team who lie 20th, Ponferradina. However, football is never that straight-forward. The away team showed a lot of drive and determination to pressure all over the field, not allowing Barcelona to impose their infamous possesion game.
This did not faze the Blaugrana though, as they pinned the visitors back as time progressed, but were too sloppy to capatilise on any openings they created. That was until the 80th minute, where Carmona played a slide-rule pass to Soriano, whose shot was only parried as far as Saul, who made no mistake with the finish.
The joy was short-lived as with the very next shot, Ponferradina equalise through Javi Lopez. This meant that Luis Enrique's team finished 2010 in 6th place with 27 points.
U.D. Las Palmas 2 - 2 Barcelona B
After finishing 2010 with five consecutive draws, Enrique's men headed to Las Palmas hoping that 2011 would bring a change in fortune. Unfortunately, that was not the case.
Despite starting as the better team, the Blaugrana failed to take any of their chances, a mistake they would soon regret as Las Palmas went one up, after a delicate chip by Javi Guerrero. Even after that goal, Barca were the better team heading into the break 1-0 down.
The second half was much the same as the first in the sense that Barcelona continued to dominate. However, the players must have changed into their shooting boots as they equalised on 74 minutes through Soriano's header. Las Palmas tried to reply instantly and were caught out as a result as Edu Oriol showed that his team can also score with a chip over the keeper too.
This was not the end of the scoring as the B team conceded late on once again. A corner was whipped in, and Samuel rose highest to power home a header past Masip. This gave Las Palmas an undeserved point in a game which they were dominated from start to finish and meant that the B team had drawn in each of their last six games.
Barcelona B 1 - 2 Girona F.C.
Coming off the back of six consecutive draws, the Blaugrana looked to see off mid-table Girona at the Mini-Estadi. However, their performance was poor and a draw would have been a lot more than they deserved.
Luis Enrique's men were unsurprisingly dominating in possession, but were much like our Champions League opponents, Arsenal, as they failed to create any clear-cut chances with it. Girona had previously failed to register an away win this season, but with the home side failing to do anything threatening with the ball, they sensed their luck was about to change.
The second half brought more chances for Girona, and in the 71st minutes they go their just desserts, with Tortolero bundling the ball home after a free-kick. This goal seemed to momentarily wake up the team as Soriano crashed a shot off the crossbar. Then as Girona seemed certain to win by a goal to nil, Soriano popped up again to score in the third minute of injury-time with another header.
But for what seemed to be the millionth time this season, they could not hold on, and conceded in the fifth minute of injury time after yet another lapse of concentration, as Despotovic restored Girona's lead. It was a game laden with errors for the home side, and Girona profited greatly from it.
Match Highlights
BARCELONA B 1 - PONFERRADINA 1-Liga Adelante jornada 17(19-12-2010) (via zoneviral)
2ª División 10/11 - 18ª Jornada - UD Las Palmas vs Barcelona B (2-2) JAVI GUERRERO y SAMUEL (via sertrual)
FC Barcelona B 1-2 Girona 8/1/11 (via LigaAdelante)
League Table
Top Scorers
Jonathan Soriano - 9 goals
Nolito - 7 goals
Carlos Carmona - 3 goals
Players to Make the Step Up
Even after the results there is more bad news as Oriol Romeu has broken his meniscus bone in his right knee, so will be out for 3-5 months, effectively ruling him out for the rest of the season. Also injured is Christain Tello with a grion strain, although he is only expected to be out for 10 days. Better news is that Marti Riverola has been loaned out to Vitesse who coincedentally are managed by former Barca player, Albert Ferrer.
However, with Betis upcoming, I would like to see top scorer, Jonathan Soriano given a game. While I know that the game is important, he has been in good form as of late, so imagine what he could do to teams when Xavi et al are supplying the passes. I also like Nolito, and would love to see him play a part on Wednesday, against a team he has already scored past.