Liga Pundits articles

[Beast]

La Liga’s Good Day, Bad Day - Round 10

Good Day

La Liga Loca (and Sara Carbonero)

Simply because the bragging blog came face-to-face with Spain’s luvverliest and most legendary sports presenter Sara Carbonero after the Atlético vs Real Madrid clash.

Although this life-making moment will mean absolutely nothing to those Dear Readers outside of Iberia, it was by far the biggest footballing event on what was a less than wonderful weekend in la Liga.

Atlético Madrid

Well. They held out five minutes before conceding on Saturday night, four more than in the previous two clashes at the Vicente Calderón.

Pedro

The Barcelona forward that La Liga Loca seems to remember tipping to be the breakout star of the current campaign - possibly in its own imagination, though - popped up with two goals against Mallorca to make Pep Guardiola’s gamble of leaving Iniesta, Xavi and Messi on the bench pay off.

The Canary Islander has now scored three in la Liga as well as coming up trumps with efforts in the Champions League, the Copa del Rey, Spanish Super Cup as well as the winner in the European Super Cup.

And that means that it’s "Bojan who?" round the league leaders' parts, these days.

Felipe

Deportivo’s brilliant Brazilian was one of the best full-backs in la Liga last season, and he's on the way to repeating that feat after a fine display against Getafe on Saturday night by bringing a goal and an assist to the cause.

Málaga

In the Good Day section for a brave and plucky point away to Tenerife in a terrific tussle where Málaga came back from two goals down.

The bottom-of-the-table side still seems to have the attacking swagger of last season’s version, but the defence appears to have gone to pot.

Perhaps quite literally, judging by the back four’s performance in Tenerife’s two strikes.

Manuel Pellegrini

A supportive La Liga Loca is going to going to award the Real Madrid coach with a Good Day nomination, despite Marca complaining that “a good part of the blame lies with Pellegrini” for the late two-goal surge for Atlético Madrid on Saturday night.

Others might suggest that most teams would struggle down to 10 men against a swarm of attacks from Kun Agüero and Diego Forlán and that Pellegrini should be applauded for masterminding a 3-0 lead for his team.

But not Marca, who are just desperate to see the Real Madrid coach moved out and are being hampered in their quest by the club’s recent revival.

Perhaps the one note of criticism that the blog will throw in the Chilean coach’s direction is his insistence on having a face like thunder in press conferences, even after a derby day win in the Vicente Calderón that should have left him grinning from ear to wrinkled ear.

Sporting

Not only did the seventh-placed side take the lead in the first two minutes against Espanyol, but they hung on to it, too.

Like watching your first child ride without stabilisers. Let’s all hope there are no open manholes just around the corner.

Almería

Three very handy points for the home side, even if the tedious torture of the 88 minutes between the goals may not have been worth it from a suffering supporter’s perspective.

Robert Pires

Five goals in the last four games (in all competitions) for the zimmer frame-pushing Frenchie.

But his goal against Sevilla on Sunday night wasn't enough to prevent a 3-2 defeat in the Sanchez Pizjuán.

Valencia, Sevilla

Two home wins - of differing difficulty, quite frankly - keeps both sides hot on the heels of Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Bad Day

Luis Perea

A fine piece of dipsy, dozy defending from the Atleti stopper saw him robbed by Gonzalo Higuaín like an enormous jessy for Real Madrid’s third of the night.

Currently in competition with Pablo and Juanito for who can be the biggest blouse in Atlético’s back four. So far, it’s a close run thing.

Ezequiel Garay

Central defenders are supposed to look mean and moody and the kind of person who would happily kick you to death if it would prevent a goal being conceded.

Tomas Ujfalusi has this vibe.

The blog's close inspection of Real Madrid’s central defender on Saturday night suggests none of these attributes are possessed by Ezequiel Garay.

La Liga Loca metaphorically kicks sand in his face and runs off.

Adrián

The hopeless, hapless Getafe midfielder was booed throughout the side’s frackin’ disgraceful 2-0 defeat to Deportivo on Saturday evening.

And this may have something to do with being the son of manager Michel, who insisted on starting him ahead of Parejo and Casquero and then refused to take him off despite his constantly hoofing the ball over the bar from 30 yards.

“He played in a tough atmosphere and he didn’t hide. It’s a good signal for the future,” said Adrián’s supportive father.

Juan Carlos Mandía

Another defeat, this time a 2-0 loss at home to Athletic Bilbao, means that the Racing Santander boss is doomed. Doomed!

And that’s a bit of a surprise, as whenever La Liga Loca has seen his side, they've not been too bad.

Valladolid

Failing to beat Xerez at home can never be a good day, in anyone’s book.

---------------------------------------------
glad to see crap Adrian get his dues , stupid Michel

[Guardian]

Groundhog day for Atlético as Real dish out familiar Madrid derby pain



• Valencia keep winning. They're still fourth and David Villa is top scorer on eight. They were given a major helping hand by Real Zaragoza's decision to play with their back four right up on the half-way line, though. Valencia scored three goals that all came the same way – with a simple ball into the wide open spaces behind Zaragoza's defence. Jermaine Pennant didn't play, by the way. Alex Sanchez, though, did – the first player with only one hand to appear in La Liga.

that's amazing! I went to youtube and found a video of him. I really respect this guy, despite having this disorder by birth, he still fights for his place in the football world. Hats off!

La Liga’s Good Day, Bad Day - Round 10

Good Day


Atlético Madrid

Well. They held out five minutes before conceding on Saturday night, four more than in the previous two clashes at the Vicente Calderón.

[Beast]

WORLD CUP FAVOURITES: SPAIN V BRAZIL
Fabio Capello speaks

Phill Ball

After the Brazil v England game in Doha on Saturday night, Fabio Capello remarked, amongst other things, that Brazil were a better side than Spain and were more likely favourites for the crown in South Africa. In justifying this view, he said that Brazil were physically stronger, and that they defended better.

'Respetable', as the Spanish are wont to say when they disagree diplomatically. Fabio is paid much more than I am for offering his views, but I did decide to take time out over the weekend to watch the two friendlies, Spain v Argentina and Brazil v England, with a view to forming an opinion on who might be still there in the later stages in summer, walking out for the semi-finals, at the very least.

Not forgetting the usual suspects Germany, Italy, and a couple of possibilities from Africa, the most obvious thing to conclude is that if thinness of squads is to be a factor, England will have to wait until 2018, and only then if they manage to be picked as hosts. Capello's second-string were disappointing in almost all facets under the glare of the Khalifa Stadium's lights, and as such it might be a tad premature of Fabio to declare Brazil the favourites on grounds (partly) of their defence. If nobody attacks you - as England didn't - no wonder you look good.

The point about Spain's relative physical weakness has some truth to it, but it didn't seem to worry them too much in the European Championships of 2008. Teams whose intention it was to kick them out of their stride had to catch them first. None of them did. The only side in the last few years to raise any question marks about Spain was, oddly enough, the USA, whose simple (but fair) harrying tactics and speedy counter-attacks produced an unexpected shock in the Confederations Cup, but you could still put it down to an off-day. Argentina tried the same in Madrid on Saturday night, but still went home defeated.

Brazil looked ok in Doha, but they hardly had to break sweat. With all due respect to Darren Bent, the defences in the Premier League are still a poor preparation for a game against Brazil, scarce though the service was to him on Saturday night. In the Premier League, Bent is accustomed to his team actually having the ball from time to time, in advanced positions. It helps. He huffed and puffed, but he never came close to blowing anyone's house down. And in the second half, there was a rather amusing cameo when James Milner decided to take on Maicon - I think it was - with a little step-over and a shuffle. Oh well - you couldn't fault him for trying, but the attempted trickery would hardly have ruffled a ten year-old on the Copacabana. Stick to what you know best Jim.

So are Brazil 'stronger' than Spain, to quote Fab's actual adjective? I ain't so sure, but like the rest of the Spanish press I am equally reluctant to 'vender la piel del oso antes de cazarlo' (sell the bearskin before I've even shot the critter). The Spanish are increasingly paranoid about talking their team up as favourites, given that they've learned their lesson about this in the past, and given their unusual discipline before the 2008 competition - refusing to get carried away and actually galvanising the team with their permanent criticism of Luis Aragonés. But on Saturday night it was difficult not to get drawn into launching a few verbal fireworks, so good were Spain in general. The only cold water thrown at the sparklers were the words of Capello. The Spanish have always been terrified of his honesty, but they respect him nonetheless.

Argentina, of course, were also under the microscope. The fact that they only just qualified for South Africa has broken little ice with the general perception of them as a world force. They also have little understanding of the phrase 'friendly match'. It is an integral part of their national sporting character to be rabidly competitive, and the spirit is very much intact. Argentina don't like to lose to anyone, and were also in need of some collective therapy after the traumas of the qualifying stages. What better team to do it against but Spain, tipped by several as favourites for South Africa?

The final result, 2-1, masks the truth of a game in which Spain were vastly superior in most phases (save perhaps the beginning of the 2nd half) but in which Argentina, clearly in terminal decline, were still able to put up a decent fight. That said, a squad that counts on Collocini (who could never defend, even in his better days), Cambiasso and Gago (the former a Real Madrid reject and the latter about to become one), Heinze and Demichelis, both built for battle but for little else, will understandably condemn poor Messi to looking a bit lost. While Tévez came on and did his usual headless chicken act, only Di María really looked the part. Kun Agüero was never going to take part, but he would surely have given Argentina more edge. Diego Maradona claimed after the game that Argentina were the better side in the second half, but Diego has never been famed for his calm objectivity. They were better for about fifteen minutes, during which they scored a (dubious) penalty.

Spain, on the other hand, just continue to get better. The depth of the squad is frightening, at least in midfield. When Sevilla's Jesus Navas came on for a well-deserved debut in the second half, his immediate speed, hunger and international credentials were blatantly evident. How is Del Bosque going to put together a squad with so much talent frothing over the rim? Who is he going to leave behind? Good question. On Saturday night there was no Fernando Torres, no Marcos Senna, no Dani Güiza, no Santi Cazorla, no Carlos Marchena, no Albert Riera... do you want me to go on? Cesc Fabregas is still not guaranteed a game, and only came on for the final half hour. How scary is that? In fact, Spain's initial line-up consisted exclusively of players playing in Spain.

Spain have weaknesses in defence? Maybe. It's true that Sergio Ramos has a tendency to go walkabout when he plays full-back, and that his decision making is better when he plays at centre-half. Ramos' problem is that he thinks he's Dani Alves, and maybe Alves' problem is that he thinks he's Ramos - but let's just go with the first part. Ramos' occasional dodginess does not detract from the fact that he is a great player, and one who would breeze into any international side. If Ramos were English, he'd be the first name on Capello's team-sheet.

Carles Puyol isn't the force he once was, and even in his heyday he could be guilty of poor positioning, but he represents the old spirit of the 'furia', the idea that when the going gets tough, the Spanish are up for it. Carlos Marchena, although a more quiet assassin, comes into the same category, and takes no prisoners. Add Ramos and Senna to the mix and the side is hardly a collection of fly-by-nights. Argentina tried to ruffle them, but failed. Gerard Piqué has also emerged as a major figure, after returning from Manchester United. Raúl Albiol wasn't great in the second half, and the Argentines seemed to sense it - but the idea that Spain's defence may be their undoing this summer is still a question for the jury to consider.

They do have the best goalkeeper in the world too, just in case anyone's forgotten. Iker Casillas was substituted in the 88th minute of Saturday's game not because he was injured but because Vicente Del Bosque wanted to manipulate a situation whereby the great one could be applauded from the field on the occasion of his 100th game for Spain. Very occasionally, Casillas has been criticised for slumps in form during the last ten years, but the public fuss that has accompanied these brief periods bear witness to the scarcity of their happening. Casillas is off form? The world has tipped on its axis.

To have managed 100 international appearances in only nine years is impressive enough, but the statistics of his era make significant reading too. The win over Argentina was the 71st victory with Casillas between the sticks, beating the previous record of 70 held by Andoni Zubizarreta. The latter also holds the record number of appearances for Spain (125), but only bubonic plague will prevent Casillas from beating that figure.

The other factor that Capello forgets is that Spain's midfield functions in such a way as to take the pressure off its defence, even if it were a little creaky. Argentina looked mesmerized in the first half, only getting a breather when they managed to floor a passing Spaniard - a tactic that is still a depressing feature of the South Americans' repertoire. Xabi Alonso and Xavi Hernandez - the latter generously praised by Maradona on the day before the game - played either side of Sergio Busquets (who along with Piqué is the new golden discovery), and the threesome fed the shifting dynamics of the three players in front of them, Andres Iniesta, the excellent David Silva, and David Villa.

Even when Alvaro Negredo came on for Silva, Spain looked no less threatening. Negredo is probably well down in the pecking order for a trip to South Africa, but he still looks a classy player with a traditional centre-forward look to him. Strange that Real Madrid were so ready to let him go, although the fact that Sevilla were prepared to put €15 million down for him probably helped to persuade them.

Brazil are stronger (Capello meant 'better') than Spain? Well maybe that made the defeat in Qatar a little easier for him to take, but good though Brazil are, I saw nothing in Doha on Saturday night to suggest that they are the obvious favourites for summer's trophy. With Gerrard, Lampard, Beckham and Walcott in the mix, not to mention John Terry and Rio Ferdinand, Brazil might have been obliged to have broken a little more sweat.

Nice try Fabio. At least it got people talking. Spain must indeed continue to be self-aware, but at the moment, if I had any money - I know who I'd put it on.


----------------------
nice one from Phil

[Cule Angles]

I disagree with Fabio, I've seen nothing from Brazil to make me think they're a better side than Spain though that doesn't mean that they couldn't beat La Roja.

[Metaphysical]

I disagree with Fabio, I've seen nothing from Brazil to make me think they're a better side than Spain though that doesn't mean that they couldn't beat La Roja.

correctamundo.

[Beast]

Diego Needs More Divine Intervention

Tim Stannard

Diego Maradona's strutting, sweeping entrance into Atlético Madrid's ramshackle press room was met by a tingly rush of excitement from a posse of star-struck hacks.

As camera flashes lit up his big, beaming face, the Argentine manager marched onto the podium, leaned over the front for a closer look at the masses gathered before him, flashed the biggest of grins, sat down and began talking.

The problem was that no-one in the room could hear a word that Maradona said. And that is an unfortunate situation indeed, when it comes to the football world's biggest motormouth.

The catastrophic combination of the incompetent forces of Atlético Madrid and the Spanish FA meeting in the middle, meant that no-one had considered setting up a microphone for the post match press conference. This eventually lead to the farcical situation where Maradona was slowly buried by TV booms and dictaphones, plonked onto the table by journalists having to fight their way past short-tempered, baton-wielding security guards that are so prevalent in Spain.

But this communication chaos was par for the course for a game that was being held at the wrong stadium and in the wrong year.

Saturday night's kick-about - "the least friendly, friendly in the world," predicted Marca quite correctly - between Spain and Argentina was arranged to celebrate the 100th birthday of the Spanish FA. And this was all fine and dandy had it not been for the fact that the Spanish FA was founded in 1913 and their 75th anniversary encounter was played 21 years ago.

The game itself was supposed to be held in the larger and more luxurious Santiago Bernabeu. But that was until Florentino Pérez, in one of his typical toddler-esque tantrums, vetoed the idea due to the attendance of former Madrid president, arch enemy and FA bigwig, Ramon Calderón.

So 55,000 flag-waving, firework-shooting and totally plastered football fans of both countries gathered in the Vicente Calderón and celebrated a game between World Cup favourites and World Cup wasters.

It was a bruising battle seen by the two warring sides as one between fancy-pants ponces from Europe against simpleton sidekicks from South America. The cerebral dullness of del Bosque coming face to fat face with the d**k-sucking delirium of Diego.

For the people of Madrid, the game was a rare opportunity to catch the brilliant 'Furia Roja' in action (the national side tends to play in the provinces) as well as chuckle over the current sorry state of the Argentine team under Maradona.

And that's exactly what Saturday night's game delivered. Spain showed how they will win the World Cup - through possession football, quick passing and fantastic forward play. Argentina showed why they will be going straight out in the group stages during the flattering 2-1 defeat.

The South American side have always been a footballing combination of light and dark, the beautiful and the bad. The 2006 version of La Albiceste may have wowed their world with incredible interplay, but were still ruthless when required.

Maradona's model is a complete betrayal of what had been expected from their coach. The current Argentina team is clueless, without inspiration and extremely dirty. And not even in a good way. By the end of the game, the entire back four had been booked. Had it not been a friendly, most would have been sent off.

The attacking threat of David Silva, David Villa and Andrés Iniesta was met by brute force. And, for a period in the second half, thanks to more lenient refereeing from Alan Kelly, it worked with Argentina forcing their way back into the game with a penalty from Leo Messi to cancel out Xabi Alonso's first half strike.

But Spain are now a wonderfully resilient side who matched their physical foes by bringing on the strength of Cesc for Xavi, and the elbows of Alvaro Negredo for Silva. Vicente del Bosque's side cannot be outpassed, nor outkicked leaving the football world with a matter of months to find a way to beat them. The home team kept pressing and pushing and forced a late penalty which was converted by Alonso for his second of the game.

"They stopped a lot of our play in the second half," admitted David Villa. "But we are always going to keep playing the same kind of football and we are not going to change."

Whilst Spain had plans A through to Z in their playbook, the South American side had kick and rush. But without the rush. Maradona claimed after the game that his team "play clean football and it depends on how the referee sees things," although he confessed that Argentina "push things to the limit."

The problem, on Saturday, was that a centre-midfield pairing of Fernando Gago and Javier Mascherano left the team bereft of creativity, whilst Leo Messi was stationed on the halfway line to avoid the ankle-jabbing attentions of his Barça team-mate, Sergio Busquets, and to try and see something of the ball.

"He alone cannot lift up a side that is designed to destroy, not construct," wrote Josep Casanovas in Barcelona-based 'Sport'.

Maradona is still light years from knowing his starting line-up, never mind playing style with just a handful of games left until next summer. But the manager left little impression on Saturday night that he was concerned over such tactical trivialities. Unlike his alter-ego after Uruguay, he was calm and collected amidst the chaos around him.

Maradona is one of those figures so famous that seeing him up close and personal for the first time is an odd experience that instantly sets off a flashback of his most memorable moments.

Diego is more stocky than chunky these days, and eyes are instantly drawn to the four diamond-encrusted earrings worn by the Argentine coach - two in each ear - that go with the two bulky watches he wears (one for local time and one for Argentina).

But it is so easy to see why both the Argentine football federation and fans were willing to suspend all rational thought and risk World Cup humiliation under the leadership of the divine Diego. Maradona may well be crackers but he radiates charisma like a pulsar of pizzazz.

Unfortunately, this won't be nearly enough to prevent what could be a complete car crash of a campaign in South Africa if, between now and next summer, the Hand of God is unable to produce the kind of footballing miracle he routinely pulled off as a player.

[House of Flies]

excellent article. I think Tim has it right when he says that this Argentine team would crash in the group stages.

[Raed]

"He alone cannot lift up a side that is designed to destroy, not construct," wrote Josep Casanovas in Barcelona-based 'Sport'.

Best piece of analysis on the Argentenian team and Lionel Messi.

[yusuf]

good reads, phil ball hit the nail on the head right there in his article.

[Gnegneri]

But it is so easy to see why both the Argentine football federation and fans were willing to suspend all rational thought and risk World Cup humiliation under the leadership of the divine Diego. Maradona may well be crackers but he radiates charisma like a pulsar of pizzazz.

Got a bit of a Ronaldinhofeel personally when reading this.

[Beast]

Liga`s Local Football For Local People


This column is quite sure that the New Wembley is a wonderfully wizzy place with its comfy seats, superior sightlines and easy-access corporate troughs. But, if truth be told it's a crying shame that the stupid stadium was ever finished.

For seven glorious years, England fans from Southampton to Sunderland got to support the national team in their part of the world rather than having to make the tedious, time-consuming trip to 'that London'.

Due to the lack of an official home in Spain, the best group of players currently on the planet are still able to enjoy the fun to be had in giving the proles in the provinces a big night out with an international encounter. Well, most of the provinces, anyway.

National news was made last week, when the Basque parliament passed a resolution calling for cycling's Tour of Spain and the national football side to return the strife-torn region.

At face value, it was a remarkable moment considering La Furia Roja has not played in that rain-sodden part of the country since 1967 due to some well known local issues, even though the region's footballers have made enormous contributions to the national side over the same period.

However, the Basque parliament calling for Spain to play a game in one of its stadiums and such an event actually taking place are two very different beasts, indeed.

For Spain to play at any given ground in the country, the club who are based there has to request it, first. And there has been no indication that this is going to happen, anytime soon, with Athletic Bilbao president, Fernando García Macua, saying that La Selección's return to San Mamés for the first time in nearly half a century would be a decision made by the fans - fans that are either seeing the possibility "as a bad thing, or are just indifferent," according to Macua.

His counterpart at Real Sociedad, Jokin Aperribay, claimed that "we're open to (Spain) playing in San Sebastián, but we haven't positioned ourselves to ask for it."

The main reason for the reluctance for anyone to come forward and commit to the controversial concept isn't because there would not be enough flag-waving fans to fill either ground. Indeed, there are a number of Athletic players regularly involved in the national side, including striker Fernando Llorente who said, last week, that "I love playing for Spain and it doesn't matter where."

Instead, it is due to the very real concern that Basque separatist groups would use any Spain encounter as a platform for political protests.

Indeed, one self-proclaimed Athletic Bilbao and Spain supporter had a letter published in Marca asking readers if they could "imagine a ground full of ikurriñas (Basque flags) and fans supporting the opposition? The stadium would be full of banners going over old history."

And it's for this reason that the Basque parliament's request will never get off the ground.

No local club will go against their 'socios' and request a game, whilst the Spanish FA will never invite the controversy of playing Belgium in the Basque country when it is easier to face Venezuela in Valencia.

But the Basque region is not the only area which is a no-go one for the national side, as Cataluyna has not seen la Furia Roja in action since a clash with Italy in Montjuic, Espanyol's old home, back in 2000.

The chance of a game at Camp Nou is up there with Thierry Henry going into an Irish bar, especially whilst current Barcelona president Joan Laporta is at the helm of the Camp Nou club. "I'll fight and work to make this dream a reality," said Laporta recently, on his hopes for a free Cataluyna.

This hatred of a smothering Spanish state has always given both Athletic Bilbao and Barcelona a kind of kinship that came to the fore in their Copa del Rey final clash last season.

When the national anthem was played with King Juan Carlos in attendance, it was booed and barracked by both sets of supporters. Not that viewers at home would have known this, as the national broadcaster engaged in a disgraceful piece of Francoist propaganda by cutting away from the anthem action and replaying it at half-time with the jeers and protests removed.

The two teams met again in San Mamés on Saturday night, with Athletic looking for revenge on their Catalan rivals after the eventual Copa del Rey defeat and a subsequent loss in Spain's equivalent of the Community Shield.

And they always looked strong contenders to get some payback, as a solid start to the season saw the Bilbao club in a fairly comfortable spot in la Primera and able to unleash their hi-tempo, high balls football stylings without worrying too much about the cost of defeat.

Barcelona had to win the clash after seeing Real Madrid go top of the table after a fairly uninspiring 1-0 win over Racing Santander - an intolerable situation for the Catalan club with another edition of El Clásico to come, next Sunday.

But poor Pep Guardiola also had to take into account that his side faced an astonishingly important Champions League match against an Inter Milan side managed by the cursed - and very feared - José Mourinho just a few days later.

However the newly-bearded Barça boss claimed before Saturday's clash that "the Inter game doesn't exist, only the Athletic one." And for the first twenty minutes, his players were true to his word with the front three of Andrés Iniesta, Leo Messi and Pedro battering the wobbling Athletic defence.

However, it was to no reward, which is always a bad sign for Barcelona, a side that likes to polish off their opponents as early as possible before any nerves can set in.

The visitors had to wait until the second half for their opener, when Dani Alves found the back of the net after another exquisite pass from Xavi.

But Athletic cranked up their aerial bombardment machine and equalised ten minutes later when substitute, Gaizka Toquero got on the end of Fernando Llorente's flick-on.

"We forgot to how to deal with long balls," sighed Guardiola after the game hinting at the double failure of the centre-back pair of Gerard Piqué and Dmytro Chygrynskiy who were both at fault for Athletic's effort.

The draw has now put Barcelona on a bit of a downer as the side faces an horrendous week to come. The leg-knacked Leo Messi will almost certainly be out for the Inter Milan clash whilst Zlatan Ibrahimovic remains a doubt, having missed out on the Basque country battle. Eric Abidal, Yaya Touré and Rafael Marquéz are also on the sidelines with the 'flu.

But as the ever philosophical Pep Guardiola said, "What are we going to do? Not turn up against Inter?"

With a crunching Camp Nou clash to come - and the expected return of Cristiano Ronaldo - any talk of a return of international football to the non-Spanish bits of Spain has been put on the back-burner.

And it's likely to stay there for some time, as occasionally it is just easier to leave things as they are.

Round 11 Results

Deportivo 2-1 Atlético
Tenerife 1-2 Sevilla
Real Madrid 1-0 Racing Santander
Athletic 1-1 Barcelona
Villarreal 3-1 Valladolid
Mallorca 3-1 Almería
Espanyol 0-2 Getafe
Xerez 0-0 Sporting
Málaga 1-1 Zaragoza
Osasuna 1-3 Valencia

Tim Stannard

[Beast]

EL CLASICO AWAITS
Apocalypse Now
By Phil Ball

The trouble with the 'clásico' (Barcelona v Real Madrid, in case you didn't know) is that in the week preceding this apocalyptic fixture everything seems conditioned by its looming presence. It might have been better for the clubs themselves to have played the game on a weekend which neither preceded nor succeeded a Champions League midweek, but the gods of destiny preferred to keep things boiling over, sitting up there in the clouds this summer, poring over the fixture list. As such, it's even managed to silence the Hand of Henry controversy, by far this past week's juiciest talking point.

Nevertheless, the weekend's action in La Liga seemed to have its every action subordinated by, or linked to, next weekend's game. Pep Guardiola came in for some criticism for even fielding Leo Messi in San Mamés on Saturday night, as if he should have been saved for the two subsequent games, which were deemed more important. The fact that he went off injured then became a talking point for next Sunday, particularly given the imminent return of Cristiano Ronaldo for the big event. Messi's injury (which has turned out to be not as serious as initially thought) was only a problem in terms of the clásico, not the next few games - not even the Inter match on Tuesday. Champions League? Who cares? Real Madrid visit on Sunday.

Well - I exaggerate. But you could have been spared the thought that Barcelona's season, which may well pivot on Tuesday's game, depended more on the clásico than on beating Inter - which is obviously untrue in concrete terms, but in psychological ones it makes sense. Real Madrid have found this particular incarnation of Barça rather hard to take, especially given the 2-6 defeat of last season, and would love to exact some sort of revenge, or at least wrest back some dignity. A good result in the Nou Camp - and a draw would constitute that - might begin to turn the tide that has so fervently washed the Catalans' away in the last year and a half.

The truth is that neither side are playing particularly well, going into the game. On Saturday morning, to boot, Spain woke up to the headlines that H1N1 had hit the Barça dressing-room, with Abidal and Touré its fallen victims. Marquez was soon to follow. You could almost see the headline writers at Marca rubbing their hands in glee, almost exhorting any undercover Madrid fan in Barcelona (with 'the flu') to break into the Nou Camp and sneeze. Then on Saturday night, Athletic Bilbao recovered remarkably from the first 20 minutes of a game in which Barça ran them dizzy, slowly turning the tables on the visitors and ending up looking almost the better side.

Messi limped off after a fantastic start, but then Xavi and Iniesta came in for some rough stuff, particularly from the hound from hell, Carlos Gurpegui. A few weeks ago, he wandered down the streets of Bilbao with my son and myself after midnight, chatting away as if he were the most mild-mannered man on the planet. On Saturday night, Barça must have wished he'd been elsewhere. At one point - dare to breathe the phrase - Gurpegui put Xavi so off his stride that he misplaced a pass to Iniesta, which rolled out of play. The world tilted on its axis, rivers dried up and the stock market fell. It was the first time that a Xavi pass had not hit a Barça player since 2006, or so the story goes. Is this the beginning of the end?

Dani Alves actually scored at a point when Barça were not playing particularly well, a fact that would have knocked the wind from most opponents' sails, but not Athletic's. Indeed, with reference to my friend Eduardo Alvarez' debut quiniela last Wednesday, this was a fixture where his prediction was spot-on, although Guardiola put out most of his big guns. Not so many were rested, as Eduardo predicted - but the result was right. Rather better than the total - five out of 10, but we'll forgive him the first time. Definite room for improvement. Glancing at my own attempt, I managed six, but blew three of the five second division games. Ho hum, work another week, as my father used to say. Whatever, it will be interesting to see what is predicted for the clásico. It would take a brave person to predict a Madrid win, but such an outcome would truly put the cat amongst the proverbials.

It seems unlikely because Real Madrid are playing so poorly, and yet a haul of 28 points from a possible 33 represents their best start in 17 years. Then again, one might argue that they are only playing poorly in relation to the expectation generated around them pre-season, and the Alcorconazo, as the famous defeat to the minnows has been baptised, has managed to steal several headlines. This roughly translates, in cultural (if not literal) terms, as 'Alcorcongate', just to keep you in the picture.

Real Madrid's 1-0 win over struggling Santander did little to assuage the feeling among Madridistas that despite a whole bundle of presents arriving in the post over the summer, the absence of the biggest and best (Ronaldo) has put the other toys into the shade from where they have rarely emerged. The exception, particularly in the Santander game, was Xabi Alonso, who is beginning to approach the best version that so often lit up the English Premier League. And all this coming on the back of his two decisive goals for Spain against Argentina last week.

Elsewhere in the side, various players - Drenthe, Marcelo, Granero - continue to sow the seeds of doubt as to whether they really belong as valid supports to their galactic company, since they seem unable to pull the side together when the big names are not performing - I refer to Kaká and Benzema in this instance. Gonzalo Higuaín continues to score decisive goals, but is a much poorer team player than Raúl, for example. That one should often replace the other, and that this should generate such debate, rather contributes to the feeling that Real Madrid have not really moved on much from last season. Galácticos what? Where are they, and what are they doing exactly? Ask their manager.

On Wednesday night it will be interesting to see how many of them are given a run-out against the theoretically weak FC Zurich, particularly Cristiano Ronaldo. Madrid, nevertheless, cannot afford to do a Rubin Kazan, and talking of which, Barça cannot afford to slip up at home to Inter, a fascinating game in itself, never mind next Sunday. Inter go to the Nou Camp like some sort of quasi-Spanish outfit, stocked with players who have trod the boards of La Liga, and most of whom have experienced el clásico. Samuel Eto'o, Wesley Sneijder, Esteban Cambiasso, Thiago Motta, Walter Samuel, and Diego Milito (ex-Zaragoza) will all be there.

The other interesting fact about the Barcelona v Madrid game is that the latter go into it as La Liga leaders. Given all the wailing and gnashing of teeth at the Bernabéu, it is nevertheless a useful advantage at this stage. A draw would be most useful, but a win would potentially set the tone for the rest of the season. Barcelona cannot afford to let it happen, but it is difficult to predict at this stage, as I write this column, what effect the outcomes of the European games will have on the mood and result of the big game to come.

Not forgetting, as is often the case in these circumstances, that Sevilla are the side playing the best football in Spain at the moment, with morale sky-high and a low-key game in midweek from which they only require a point to ensure a top-of the-table finish to Group C. Moreover, they are only three points behind Real Madrid in the table and have two consecutive home games coming up, both of which look distinctly winnable (against Málaga and Valladolid). With Valencia tucked in a mere point behind Sevilla, the top four is beginning to take on a healthily competitive look, certainly more than was generally predicted at the start of the season.

Elsewhere, Kun Agüero was taking a leaf out his father-in-law's book for stretching the Spanish language to new heights, with a volley of imprecations aimed in the direction of referee Paradas Romero who had just awarded Deportivo a ridiculous penalty in the 95th minute of their home game against poor Atlético, a team for whom the fates seem to be dishing up poisonous plates on a weekly basis. It seemed to take several hours for Agüero, ably assisted by his team-mates, to actually cool down sufficiently for José Guardado to finally put the penalty away and send Atlético home pointless, just for a change. Next week they host Espanyol, in what must rank as a must-win game.

The results of this coming week look as if they may begin to shape the season to come in a more substantial way than we have seen so far. It's going to be pretty tasty, whatever happens. Book your places on the sofa, now.


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[Beast]

La Liga’s Good Day, Bad Day - Round 11

Monday 23 November 2009 11:32
GOOD DAY

La Liga Loca
There was no hot date with Sara Carbonero this week. Well, there was, but that’s a story for our grandkids. Instead, it’s a very, very, very good - nay, exquisite - day for La Liga Loca after it correctly predicted NINE out of 10 of this weekend’s Primera matches. That’s NINE out of 10.

Not only does that trigger the €1,000 bonus promised by the FourFourTwo bigwigs in the blog’s signed-in-blood contract (Eh?! - paperwork-ruffling Ed.), but it also means that all comments under the blog this week MUST be of a suitably deferential, overawed, we’re not worthy, toadying tone.

Xerez
If you told a Xerez fan before the start of the season that after 11 games, their club would be equal on points with Atlético Madrid having conceded eight fewer goals, they’d have been as happy as Maniche munching through a mountain of muffins.

As long as you’d missed out the part about being second from bottom of the table and having only managed three goals.

Málaga, Zaragoza
The point gained in the 1-1 draw from Sunday evening didn’t really do either side any good, to be fair. But you know that any half of football that had seven minutes of stoppage time without there being a serious injury had to have been top-class adult entertainment.

And that’s precisely what happened in the second part of what turned into a fantastic feisty duel between these two teams with red cards, face-clutching histrionics, outrageous diving and a stack of pushing and shoving thrown in for good measure.

Real Madrid
“More of the same at the Bernabeu,” complained Sunday’s Marca in a theme continued the next day with Roberto Palomar sighing that “being the leaders doesn’t bring happiness”.

Sunday’s front page of AS lambasted Madrid’s 1-0 win over Racing for being boring, whilst Juanma Trueba complained that “if there is a plan, then it’s not making itself clear. No player is playing to their talent.”

La Liga Loca’s message is for all these Madridista men to get over it and enjoy the fact that Real Madrid continue to play like dogs but are now top of the table. Imagine what it will be like for the Castle Greyskull club when things start to click into place.

Javi Casquero
Stupid Getafe ruined La Liga Loca’s chance for a perfect prediction sweep with a win at Espanyol, but it meant that their previously benched midfielder got to spend Sunday in a happier mood than normal.

Casquero had been left out in the cold for much of the season by Michel, but returned to the starting line-up and opened the scoring for the Coliseum club in the 2-0 win.

Andrés Guardado
With his Slash-style poodle perm flapping in the Galician wind, Depor’s Mexican midfielder had the responsibility of putting away his side’s penalty in the sixth minute of injury time in Saturday’s clash against Atlético.

And he did not fail, keeping Deportivo in a remarkable fifth place.

Mallorca
Technically, La Liga Loca could throw Mallorca into the Bad Day section for clumsily conceding ANOTHER goal at home this season - their second, in fact.

But the 3-1 win over Almería and two cracking strikes from right midfielder Gonzalo Castro sees the Balearic champs with six from six in the Ono Estadi and, suitably enough, in sixth place.

“Those were three vital points for our survival,” droned Gregorio Manzano, failing to get as excited as La Liga Loca over Mallorca’s Primera prowess so far this season.

Sevilla
Both Marca and AS spent much of their Saturday previews being all with the Harry Redknapp and banging on about Sevilla’s "stretched to breaking point", "down to the bare bones" squad.

La Liga’s third-placed side still started with Freddie Kanouté and Luis Fabiano backed up by Jesus Navas and Perotti, so it was hardly doom and gloom for the Andalusian side.

And so it proved with a handy 2-1 away win in Tenerife.

Valencia’s old fogies
David Albeda and Carlos Marchena popped up out of semi-retirement on Sunday with two cracking goals in Valencia’s 3-1 win over Osasuna. The Mestalla men have now racked up five away wins in six, meaning that they like Sevilla are in a fine position to lap up the entrails and gulp down the placenta from next Sunday's clash between Barça and Madrid.

Nilmar
A slow start in Spain from the Brazilian striker, but Villarreal’s most expensive signing is now beginning to come good with two goals in his team’s 3-1 win over Almería.

BAD DAY

Atlético Madrid
During some of Atlético’s recent defeats, the side really hasn’t been trying hard enough in the ridicule stakes. The late rally against Real Madrid never really undid the damage of waiting until the sixth minute to concede, rather than the normal first in their capital clashes.

Round nine’s 1-0 loss to Athletic was desperately eventful and in stark comparison to the last-minute own goal that threw away two points against Mallorca the previous week.

But Atlético were back with a bang on Saturday, the Rojiblancos clinging on to a point against Deportivo - before Pablo needlessly clattered into Lopo in injury time.

“It was unnecessary, it was mad, it was painful, but it was a penalty,” shrugged a beyond-caring Iñako Díaz-Guerra in AS.

Atlético are now tied on points with Xerez in the relegation zone, on their worst run for 56 years and suffering their worst start since that truly terrible side of 1673.

Diego Forlán, Kun Aguero
The former arrived in Madrid at 3pm on Friday after returning from Montevideo, was packed off to La Coruña by Quique just hours after, had to warm up for 45 minutes and was never used.

The latter had his manager’s hand clamped to his gob after the agitated Argentinian completely lost the plot when the last-gasp penalty was given against his side.

Espanyol
Not even the return of Raúl Tamudo could prevent Espanyol losing in Cornella el Prat for the second time in la Liga, this season. Here’s a rather glum Paul from Barcelona to tell us what happened in the 2-0 defeat to Getafe.

“During the week I watched Stevenage Borough vs Port Vale in a FA Cup First Round replay. It had more skill and excitement than this rubbish. Bobby Davro's Rock With Laughter was more entertaining.

"Wigan played better today than both teams. Nothing of note to report except that Getafe's second goal in the 93 minute was well-worked.

1) Forty away fans. Hats off to the bloke who stood up and applauded during the 21st-minute tribute to Dani Jarque. A class act, sir.
2) Soldado played here twice in 10 days and how he didn't get sent off twice is beyond me.
3) All those Burger King puns I had don't deserve an airing, although not due to the lack of quality on my part.
4) Did I mention that this match was cr*p ?”

-- Paul, Barcelona

Pep Guardiola
Saturday night in Bilbao saw Pep in a silver shiny suit paired with a full Brian Blessed beard. Did La Liga Loca miss the “Pep joining the Bee Gees” press release?

For those expecting to see Barcelona join their manager on this side of the blog, the point in San Mamés was neither good nor bad. La Liga Loca has a sneaky feeling that the Catalan club is about to pull off an Inter-Madrid double spanking.

Tenerife
There were boos galore when Sevilla’s second flew in on Saturday night. But José Luis Oltra, the under-pressure manager of 16th-placed Tenerife, was doing everything he could to keep both his fans and footballers on side with his post-match declaration that “I give my players 10 points and the fans 11.”

* You can can an impossibly smug La Liga Loca bragging about his prediction prowess on RMTV Gabfest, Extra Time, Sky Digital 446, at 19.05 UK time and repeated throughout the week.

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[yusuf]

thanks beast

[Gnegneri]

Gonzalo Higuaín continues to score decisive goals, but is a much poorer team player than Raúl, for example.

At least Dr. Phil has seen it as well. I liked the last year Higuain much better.


On the other hand, Higuain like he is playing now is tailor made for Diego's Argentine squad.