Carlos Vela Scouting Report V Barcelona + Fans View [Link Fixed]

Picture From Deportes

Welcome to the second in the series of “Scouting Reports” on Carlos Vela, Young Guns has been following the progress of all our young players currently out on loan this season and we will continue to do so, you can read the first of the scouting reports on Carlos Here.

Last week Vela started against Sevilla in a very big match which they unfortunately lost but this game was one of the biggest in the young Mexicans career, Barcelona V Osasuna, Henry V Vela, an exciting game in prospect and a learning curve for Carlos, he will be with Arsenal next season and needs to get used to playing in front of huge crowds in big stadium with a huge audience.

The Teams

Barcelona

Valdes
Zambrotta- Thuram – Milito- Abidal
Iniesta – Marquez – Deco
Messi – Henry – Bojan

Osasuna

The first 5 minutes were cagey, naturally Barcelona were on the offensive, Messi and Deco looking to get things going for the Catalan outfit, and it was Messi who had the first chance, linking up Henry he arrived in the box but couldn’t keep his shot down and fired over, Vela was then at the heart of Osasuna’s first chance playing Sola in which a chip ball, who rolled the ball into Plasil who shot just wide.

Plasil then found himself in the box with a good chance, but the experienced Milito and Thuram snuffed it out, and end to end first 10 minutes.

A long ball then picked out Bojan Krkic who weaved inside and shot low, but Ricardo was equal to it, the passes were not quite sticking for Barca on the waterlogged pitch in what was becoming a midfield battle.

The excellent Messi started the brightest of them all, his ball to Deco on the edge of the area showed great vision but the Brazilian born Portuguese international shot wide, Marquez’s high tackle of Plasil brought the game to a brief halt, the the Czech furious the Barca midfielder was not punished

Vela then darted to the touchline to keep in loose ball but at full stretch he struggled to get any direction on the ball and it went straight to Thuram who cleared, The Catalan side were dominant but without creating any clear-cut.

Juanfran was then booked for a late tackle on Marquez, and the rain began to pour heavier, but Barca where starting to find there range, Henry starting a move, feeding Messi, before arriving in the box and his bullet header was well saved.

But Osasuna came back, Vela had now switched to the right, he burst past Abidal and keeping the ball in expertly slide a cross low into the area Thuram just got there ahead of Sola.

Two more Barca chances, followed, a excellent run and skill from Ineista found him one of one with the keeper but from a tight angle he clipped it over the keeper, but it was cleared on the line for a corner, Milito headed it wide.

With 30 minutes gone, it looked only a matter of time before Barcelona capislied on there dominance, but credit to Osasuna they battled and defended bravely, Ricardo then saved a header from Henry after Deco’s freekick which was again cleared.

Carlos then had another touch, the ball coming to him after Iniesta miss-controlled, be Abidal came crunching in, and won the ball, Osasuna were again looking for Vela, sensing he would be the best chance of a goal, but excellent Barca defending again frustrated the travelling side.

Barca pushed for a goal before half time, Bojan’s low effort was well saved by Ricardo, and then Messi danced inside two players and on his weaker right foot drilled it wide, Flano then headed a freekick over, but was injured when stand in skipper for Barca Valdes came out and flattened him

With the final action of the half, Barca should have been ahead, Deco weaving his way through before laying the ball across for Bojan who missed an open goal.

A really fustrating first half for Barca as they tried to open Osasuna up, but also a fustrating first half for Carlos, who only saw the ball on rare occasion’s in a half where his side battled and were lucky to be level.

The second half gets under way with Barcelona on the attack, after a slow buildup, but a misplaced pace allowed Vela the chance to bring it forward, he raced past two players, before Abidal came across and fouled him, Punal overhit the freekick.

Vela agin broke away, leaving Deco and then Henry for dead he couldnt control the ball but it ran kindly for Osasuna and Plasil found Sola who should have played the unmarked Carlos in, but shot high into the stand, an even start to the half.

Carlos had then returned to the left, and recived the ball from Plasil, but his final ball wasnt there and Zambrotta was able to clear, Osasuna were fantastic at the back, really well organised, but on set-pieces they failed to mark Barca, Milito heading into the side netting from a corner.

Vela was coming into the game more and more, coming back to help out his defence as well as looking to get people in, his link up play was great, if only they could find him more Osasuna looked like they could snatch a lead., Zambrotta then kicked Carlos down but the freekick was wasted.

Henry was lacking the killer touch, with Ronaldinho warming up on the touchline, Barca were again victim to the excellent defending of there visitors, Messi and Abidal with long range efforts, blocked and cleared, the home fans were becoming fustrated.

With half an hour left, Carlos’s friend and fellow countrymen Giovanni Dos Santos was ready to come on, replacing former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry, who looked a little dissapointed to be withdrawn.

Vela then had the ball again, driving at Iniesta and Deco he went past them but there was no final ball and Barca won it back, he then got the ball back, raced down the touchline but his cross was straight into the keeper’s arms.

Ronaldinho replaced Messi, with the pair having a kiss and cuddle beforing coming on, into the final 20 minutes, it was anybodys game.

Deco then blazed over when he was played in by Ronaldinho un marked on the edge of the box, and Dos Santos suffered from the same fate as Vela, excellent in possesion but could not pick out the final pass.

Giovanni then came close, drilling a left footed shot into the side netting, as we entered the final 15 minutes, Osasuna were on the attack, launching the ball into the box but nobody was there to get on the end of it, Carlos had now switched and was playing a “number 10” role behind the strikers, but still failed to see any of the ball.

As the rain thundered down, Ronaldinho went down in the box twice on both occasions demanding a penalty, then Osasuna got a free kick after minimal contact from Abidal, Vela slipped, battered bruised and dirty Carlos battled on, and Sola’s goal bound header was stopped expertly by Valdes.

On 84 minutes Carlos was replaced by Hector Font, a decent night’s work from Vela, he ran the channels and wasnt afraid of the occasion.

But harshly, Barcelona snatched all three points, Giovanni’s skills on the left, he pulled it across to Iniesta his shot was blocked, and it ran straight into the path of sub Xavi who thumped it in to the roof of the net.

Walter Pandiani came on for Osasuna but it was not enough despite a stunning long range effort from Azpilicueta, which was saved by Victor Valdes.

After the game i caught up with a couple of Arsenal fans who also watched Vela, a London Gooner, and a German Gooner to get there opinions on all things Vela

Article By – J.Sanderson + A.Zimmerman With Thanks To Matthew