FC Barcelona Frustrating in 2-0 Champions League Victory over Viktoria Plzen

There are few things more enjoyable than watching FC Barcelona play when they're on form.

But then, there are few things more frustrating than watching Barcelona when they seem intent on wasting chance after chance, trying desperately—in some bizarre homage to Arsenal—to create the perfect goal instead of electing for the more straightforward route.

That being said, there were still moments in Wednesday's 2-0 victory over Viktoria Plzen at the Camp Nou where the Catalans were at their vintage best.

The rapid-fire passing movements, never scuppered by poor touches or too much time spent on the ball. The passes pinballing around the opposition's defense, which often looks helpless to do anything to change their predicament as mere spectators to some enthralling performance going on around them.

All those eye-pleasing aspects were on display Wednesday night against Czech side Plzen, but there was a pervading sense of waste.

So much delicious technical skill, but no killer instinct. I counted at least two clear-cut chances for Lionel Messi five feet in front of goal that the Argentine somehow scuffed wide.

His excellent free kick at the death of the first half notwithstanding, which rocketed off the far post, Messi was far below his illustrious expectations on a night when he looked to pick up a slight ankle knock toward the end.

He did have his moments, though—per usual—it's tough not to show some brilliance when you're that talented, combining intelligently with Andres Iniesta (scorer of the first Barca goal) around the edge of the attacking third. The duo's passes were well-timed, their runs intelligent and darting.

There simply was not much Plzen could do when faced with such breathtaking industry.

And these were no lightweights, either. It is no easy feat to gain access to the Champions League group stages, and the Czech side took out a very good Anderlecht side in the playoff to earn their way.

Boasting six current members of the Czech national team—which will play in Euro 2012 should it defeat Montenegro in an upcoming European playoff—Plzen did manage to dictate the play for a 10-minute spell in the first half, where they managed to avoid the swarming beehive of a pressing scheme enacted by Barcelona, and actually played some impressive football.

Yet during that 10-minute spell of increased productivity, they managed not one attempt on goal. A tribute to Barcelona, even with a makeshift central defense of Eric Abidal and Javier Mascherano, but those two had their colleagues to thank as well.

Not too often would one expect a forward to embark upon a 40-yard dash back into the defensive third to deter an oncoming attack, but there was David Villa, superstar striker, doing his defensive duty.

Those kinds of efforts make quite a difference.

Plzen, a team chock-full of senior internationals, made to look so...ordinary, so pedestrian when compared to a team of Barcelona's swashbuckling class.

The Catalans have a habit of making their opponents look as if they're playing in mud, as they dart about the Camp Nou pitch with often joyful abandon. When they're on, there is no side quite like them.

Any team looks a tad less impressive when faced with the prospect of playing the reigning European champion, but I am always struck in watching Barcelona at just how thoroughly mundane they make their opponents look.

Opposing teams look direct, unimaginative, and plodding against the Spanish ingenuity they face. It's only logical, I guess, and it's certainly no knock against a side like Plzen. They had some very good players; it's just tough to shine when you're surrounded by 11 (well, maybe Victor Valdez doesn't count) diamonds.

When Barcelona's defensive midfielder, Sergio Busquets, is lobbing brilliant chips up and over the defense to play in Lionel Messi, you begin to wonder if there is one player in the side who isn't inordinately gifted.

Even when Barcelona are on the back foot, so to speak, they never lose their cool. And they never seem to put themselves in compromising situations. Eventually, they re-emerge from their brief hibernation.

They often say that it is impossible to maintain a level of genius for a prolonged period of time. Perhaps that adage helps explain some of the lulls that pervade certain Barca performances. But to their credit, they always seem to find a way to rediscover their illustrious sheen.

On Wednesday, it was David Villa who hammered home the second goal in the 82nd minute, almost as if he were releasing more than an hour's worth of pent-up frustration in that strike, so wasteful had Barcelona been in front of goal. It proved to be enough.

And if Barcelona gave any lesson on Wednesday, it was just that. They are prone to the same lulls as any side, but you'd be hard pressed to find many rivals who possess the same ability to find victory even when they're not at their considerable best.