5 games of "La Liga" down for tonight with four matches full of goals.
Here is a quick summary of events, results & the scorers.
(photo: Negredo - elmundo.com)
ATHLETIC DE BILBAO had their winning streak stopped by a very
impressive SEVILLA FC who beat them without any doubts 0-4.
Sevilla FC has a splendid & well balanced side that will certainly
be up in the classification table giving both Barça & Real Madrid
a tough time.RENATO started things off with a great free-kick
in the 5th min to put Sevilla ahead. ALVARO NEGREDO then
scored in the 20th min to later have KANOUTE score the 3ºrd goal
for Sevilla in the 45th min to put the "cherry" on an excellent 1ºhalf
performance.
The 2ºnd half saw Bilbao organize itself somewhat but Sevilla was
soon in the groove & again scored in the 75th min via JESUS NAVAS
from a Negredo pass.
(photo:Benzema/el.mundo.com_efe:Victor.Lerena)
REAL MADRID defeated TENERIFE 3-0 but it was a bad &
disappointing game from Madrid. The team starting line up had
5 changes from last time (Pepe, Xabi, Drenthe, Raúl & Benzema)
& as one could expect so much changes does not help settle the
team at all. So much so, that the 1ºst half Real Madrid had no
idea of what it was doing & allowed Tenerife to have its chances
& grow in confidence. Believe me, everyone watching was
baffled at what was going on with Real Madrid, one wonders
at times if Coach Pellegrini really understands what he
wishes from his team.
The second half saw Ramos (injury) & Granero substituted, to
have Lass Diarra again go to the right back position & thus allow
Kaká & Guti a place in the midfield, this changed things. With
Kaká on the ball things flowed & the team found purpose, so
much that BENZEMA scored twice ( 47th & 58th min) with a header
& later from a defensive mistake. Then in the 77th min KAKÁ s
scored a great goal from outside the box…SEE VIDEO:
Tenerife had more chances in the 2ºhalf & could have scored had
not Casillas made a couple of great saves. Real won but Tenerife were
brave & at times unlucky.
Some observations; Roanldo looked a bit “piss-off” with his
substitution & it is hoped that it won’t bring any mid to long
term "problems". Defender Pepe looked very good & he is a
definite asset to the team. Overall, the Real Madrid “machine”
still isn’t working 100% & doubts exist in the way Pellegrini is
managing the squad with so much changes that gives the impression
he is attempting to make everyone happy but that is hampering the
building of a team, a solid team with clear ideas.
(photo: elmundo.com_ap_sergio.torres)
FC BARCELONA seems to be having a parallel history with its rival
Real Madrid, they managed to win away to MALAGA 0-2 but played
way below their level. The only reasonable way to explain it maybe
that Barça had their heads in Champions next week.
Malaga was dominant early with Barça uneasy in its defence & then
having bad luck when Thierry Henry pulled a muscle & was taken
off. His substitute IBRAHIMOVIC came on & scored in an opportunistic
fashion in the 39th min that settled his team down a bit.
Malaga continued with its confident & good play as they took the
ball away from Barça & pressured them on all fronts. Barça Coach
Guardiola had to bring on the proven & solid defender from his rest
to ensure things: PIQUE. It seemed to work as he scored Barça
second goal in the 59th min & put some order back into the defence
& into Barça ´s touch game.
These two goals seemed to psychologically affect Malaga who must
have felt that all their hard work & opportunities meant little as
tonight was not their night. This allowed Barça to regain the control
of this very awkward match & they ensured the result till its finish.
(photo: Pablo Hernandez/ellevante.com)
VALENCIA CF managed to turn around its game against ATLETICO
DE MADRID & then see it draw 2-2. Both are going through a
"crisis", but Atletico is nearly "terminal" as they had Valencia on the
ropes nearly "dead" in the 1ºhalf & allowed Valencia to stand up &
score two goals in 2 minutes that complicated Atletico´s game,
until the sky opened up for a last minute equalizer.
SERGIO AGUERO scored early for Atletico in the 6th min when Valencia
was a disaster in defence & ready for the picking. Then Aguero missed
a certain goal & Forlan was unlucky as well, two events that Atletico
would pay dearly later & take it all unnecessarily right to the edge.
Suddenly everything changed, Atletico collapsed in defence & PABLO
HERNANDEZ scored a great goal in the 24th min to equalize to see
DAVID VILLA put his team ahead - a knock-out punch!
Atletico recovered slowly from here, they "bettered" their play
in the 2ºhalf, had numerous chances & were unlucky not to score. But
they were paying the price of not "killing off" the opponent when
they were on their knees, as Valencia was the first 23 minutes of this
game. Then a MIRACLE, MAXI RODRIGUEZ equalized in the last
minute.
Atletico Coach Tomas Abel grabs oxygen but may have his days
numbered as the next match will be Champions & a loss there
may put another nail in his future. Valencia Coach Emery saved
himself tonight, but just, as he is also on a very fine line & may fall
off at any moment,there seems to be a "dressing room revolt"
at Valencia. Emery substitute decisions & conservative
tactics are being questioned & tonight the Atletico draw maybe
questioned as another wrong decison by taking off a midfielder for
a defensive player.
But the big worry, almost panic is the "slow death" at Atletico
if things do not radically change, even if they managed to pull of
a last minute draw tonight. Tonight´s result gave Atletico
oxygen, but that is about all - until the next game! Tweet
No comments:
Post a Comment