Player Ratings Team: 8. Lost points for getting sloppy for a stretch there, but this is the kind of overall team play that Guardiola was howling about. Midfield pressure was there, as was the constant possession battle when the other side had the ball. And the help defense and set piece defending was nonpareil. Guardiola: 7. Points off for making the Marquez substitution instead of Txigrinski. Why? Because Marquez was fine, as long as he wasn’t needed. But he came up short twice on the goal. Yes, his calling out of the players had them ready to go, but given that Racing were going for balls over the top, height should have been the prescription. Valdes: 8. Excellent match, with lots of movement that epitomized the sweeper keeper aspect of our defensive approach to the game. Alves: 9. Only wallowed once today, and knee-on-knee contact was probably a legitimate cause for wallowing. But from defensive play to cross and pass after excellent pass, he was on form today, as he has been this Liga season. Pique: 9. Excellent play, though he got a little out of sorts on a couple of occasions. And he scored a goal. How ’bout that? Puyol: 10. Monster. He was everywhere that the ball was, proving that he’s still a killer in the center of defense. Abidal: 8. Got a little loose with the ball on a couple of occasions, but overall, brilliant. His sense of positioning, coupled with his pace, make him one of the best defensive left backs in the world. Keita: 9. Keiteee! Excellent match on the offensive and possession control end. You can see what Guardiola means about him getting it working right this season, and understanding what we all know, which is that the box-to-box attacker is impossible to account for. Busquets: 6. Laid in a strong start, with calm play and no mucking about, then returned to his old habits in the second half, holding the ball too long and wallowing on the pitch. Had a terrible giveaway that gifted Racing an attack. Thankfully, the defense was on the spot. Xavi: 8. Generally excellent, but had some uncharacteristic lapses in control, and a few passes that were short and slow, putting teammates in harm ’s way. They’re called hospital balls for a reason. Messi: 10. Man of the Match, going away, from scoring goals to demonstrating an understanding of his teammates and tracking back on defense. He’s about due for a raise, right? Henry: 4. Just didn’t impress today. Should have shown more committment on that perfect pass from Alves, and not much beyond that except some nice work in the midfield and on defense. But we didn’t buy him for that. Ibrahimovic: 8. Another excellent match, but he has a tendency to be stationary at times. And dude, we’re up 4-0. Get the hell off the pitch if you sprain your ankle. Sometimes, that extra running can make a Grade 1 into a Grade 2 http://tinyurl.com/klr7z2 --

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