Nelson Haedo Valdez
I forgot to post this yesterday. Go me! Austin’s quick hits on the weekend that was in Spain…
Round 7 of the Primera Division saw Real Madrid go top of the table after Valencia suffered their first defeat at the hands of FCB. Villareal did have a chance to go top for the first time in their history, but failed for the seventh consecutive time after drawing with Hercules in the Monday fixture.
So Real is on top with 17 points, and Villareal, FCB and Valencia all have 16 points.
At the bottom, Osasuna, Depor and Zaragoza are keeping spots warm for a couple of Segunda Division squads.
Saturday’s Games
Atletico Madrid 2, Getafe CF 0
Los Rojiblancos continued their good start to the league season with another home win. It didn’t even matter that Diego Forlan was on the bench and Sergio Aguero didn’t make the squad, but Simao scored off the goalkeeper on a free kick to get things going. Diego Costa converted after good build up play to finish the job.
Barcelona 2 – 1 Valencia
So I missed the big match between FCB and Valencia. How, as a burgeoning La Liga correspondent, could one do this? Two things possibly explain this dramatic oversight: for one, watching Barca can sometimes be too much to bear. They can be oh-so-irritating in large doses. Plus, I was earning precious points with the Mrs. that will pay off in the future. I’ll leave it at that.
To atone, I read up on match reports and watched highlights once home. Pep Guardiola took a gamble on Xavi’s fitness—I’m hearing that his legs might be approaching Ledley King levels of unreliability—and was handsomely rewarded. After FCB were dominated in the first half and down 1-0, Xavi set up Andres Iniesta and Carles Puyol, handing Los Che their first defeat in league or European play this year.
Valencia did push mes que un club, mind you, but Xavi’s influence and the crippling pressure took its toll. Despite losing the Two Davids in recent months, this club showed that they may be able to hang in the title chase for a while (and not finish in third, 28 points behind).
Couple of notes:
Villa, who could have had 2 or 3 goals, could not get one past Caesar. His form has not been stellar, and Barca will need more from him to win trophies this season.
Pablo, who was terrible for Spain against Scotland (see comments here), scored the opening goal for Valencia and should have made it 2-0 but was denied by Valdes.
Málaga 1 – 4 Real Madrid
After Barca’s game ended, Real took the field and dispatched Malaga with 2 goals each from CR7 and Higuain.
From the highlights, Real dominated the first half, hitting the woodwork twice and converting twice, once from Ronaldo to Higuain and then Oezil to Ronaldo. They continued their dominance in the second half as Oezil won a PK, which Ronaldo converted. A Malaga consolation goal was answered by Higuain who dispatched a layoff from Ronaldo.
After watching this match and the Depor match from two weeks ago, I fear for AC Milan in midweek. (Which of course means that Real will crash back down to Earth.)
Sunday’s Games
Deportivo La Coruña 0 – 0 Osasuna
I cannot believe I did not bet this game, by far the easiest over/under game on the board the entire season.
As for the match, I have no comment. It would have taken a large sum of money to do any research on this game.
Levante 2, Real Sociedad 1
Levante had the run of play in the first half but were relegated to long range shots that didn’t really test the Sociedad GK. Things changed at the hour mark as a Levante corner kick was thumped in by Asier Del Horno (remember him, Chelsea fans?). This was followed by a breakaway, which was converted by Caicedo. Sociedad grabbed one back with 10 minutes to go but there was to be no equalizer.
Mallorca 0 – 1 Espanyol
Mallorca couldn’t build on the momentum of their epic result against FCB before the Interlull and were subsequently undone by a first half PK from Luis Garcia. Despite having a man advantage for 65 minutes, Mallorca lacked the shape and intensity that have seen them get a draw at home against Real Madrid and a draw away at the Nou Camp. The result sees Espanyol climb to sixth place.
Racing Santander 1, Almeria 0
In a lively match with chances at both ends, only one goal was scored, a wonderful strike by Pedro Munitis, who I didn’t realize was still playing. At the other end, Goalkeeper of the week has to go to Diego Alves, who kept Racing from racing away with the match with several acrobatic and well positioned saves.
This match also featured a donkey of the week nominee in Markus Rosenberg. After having a decent run of it at Werder Bremen, he was atrocious in front of goal, missing from headers, square balls and bombs just inside the 18. Yikes. Outside Mid, thoughts? What am I missing?
Athletic Bilbao 2 – 1 Real Zaragoza
In an attempt to broaden my La Liga horizons, I watched the replay of this match Sunday afternoon. I’d seen Bilbao a couple of weeks ago against FC Barcelona in a match where their work rate kept the Blaugrana at bay for about an hour before fatigue and a red card undid them. I hadn’t seen Zaragoza this season but had read several articles on their problems to the start of the season, so I wanted to see with my own eyes what kind of quality they had.
Let’s just say this was a match between an average team and a team in complete disarray.
The ESPN crew—which was Joe Tolleson and Shep Messing—started the broadcast with a stat that most of the goals conceded by Zaragoza came in the first 30 minutes. What happens? The Lions of Bilbao jumped out to a 2-goal lead within 25 minutes thanks to a sweet opening goal from Andoni Iraola after a poor clearance and another goal for Fernando Llorente, who transferred his fine form for country to his club team.
After this, Zaragoza, who started poorly, fought back a little, but they had poor team shape and committed lots of fouls, with very little edge in their attack.
The second half was very choppy as Bilbao couldn’t deliver the real knockout blow and Zaragoza chased the game in vain with little more than a couple of long range shots and several crunching fouls. They were able to grab a late consolation goal, though even that result flatters them.
Couple of player notes:
Llorente had a strong match, constantly testing the Zaragoza back line and forcing the goalkeeper into a couple of tough saves. As a target man (TACTICS!), he’s in sterling form and the rumors continue to swirl about a possible transfer to Real or Barcelona.
Gaizka Toquero for Bilbao was a constant menace on the right flank early on, providing several decent crosses. He switched to the left side for the last 10 minutes or so of the half but was not as effective and not really a factor at all in the second half. He was subbed with 20 minutes to go.
Markel Susaeta, the #14 for Bilbao, was quite impressive. Nifty footwork and a sweet assist on the second goal.
Ibai Gomez, a 20 yr old attacking player making his debut for Bilbao, only lasted three minutes after sustaining a serious injury. Sadly, we won’t be seeing him for a while.
Adam Pinter was a big fat hack for Zaragoza and deserved to be sent off early in the second half, while no player really stood out for Zaragoza at the attacking end.
Finally, I know NY Kid has a weekly acronym that I can’t quite work out, so I’m going to go with something a little more direct. Dive of the week: Braulio for Zaragoza. He was not even touched and acted as if his leg was broken. I’m still trying to find a highlight package with the incident. Just trust me.
Sporting Gijon 2, Sevilla 0
Sevilla took a step backwards after great week before the international break. Gijon struck early on Gaston Sangoy’s well placed header, and despite Alejandro Alfaro having two decent chances to equalize, the second Sporting goal on a delicate flick by Diego Castro Gimenez early in the second half killed off the game. From there they closed out the win and picked up three big points, which took them from the relegation zone to mid-table.
Monday’s Game
Hercules 2-2 Villarreal
A match filled with 4 goals and three red cards that I could not watch to job requirements. About 25 minutes in, Hercules went up through Nelson Haedo Valdez—looking great since leaving the Bundesliga—but were pegged back quickly by Joan Capdevila. Then it gets interesting. Trezeguet pokes one in with 5 minutes to go in the half. Shortly after, he got 2 quick yellows (one can only assume for industrial language) and was off just before halftime.
Now, with the man advantage, you’d expect El Submarino Amarillo to thrive, but they didn’t score until the hour mark through on-loan-from-West-Brom midfielder Borja Valero. With about ten minutes to go, Villareal had two men sent off in 2 minutes and finished with nine men against Hercules’ ten.
The match finished in a draw and another chance goes begging for the Yellow Submarine to sit atop La Liga.
Jozy Watch:
on the bench and was an unused substitute. Based on previous matches, he will probably start and get significant minutes in Thursday’s Europa League match.
La Liga Links
Eduardo Alvarez shares his thought on the end of the Raul era at Real Madrid [Soccernet]
Barca not accepting new members? Seems strange to me. [FCBNews]
Finally, for those keeping score at home:
Favorite candy: Plain M & M’s
First car: Manchester City Blue Caprice Station Wagon, with the seat that faced out the back window. You know you’re jealous.
Favorite Superhero: Batman
Ta Ta.
GSTGC = goal-scorer to get carded. The first season I was doing recaps, it seemed like there was always at least one guy who would have a goal AND a YC (for something other than celebrating the goal) and it became a thing.
Also, Caprice Station Wagon? That’s big pimpin’
Particularly in Manchester City blue.
@ austin: Sorry, just saw that bit about Rosenberg. Um, he’s Swedish? Really, he was pretty productive for Werder, perhaps he just didn’t wear his Concaves for that match.