In Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid, Valencia have an example to follow if they want to break free of their traditional position as Spain’s Arsenal. Atletico used to be in a similar position, but their achievements in both La Liga and the Champions League demonstrates that the iron-tight-grip Barcelona and Real Madrid have on the league can be broken. In Simeone’s first full season at the Vicente Calderon, Atletico finished third – behind the usual pair – on an impressive 76 points. And, despite losing to both clubs in the league, Atletico beat their arch-rivals in the Copa del Rey final and snapped their losing mentality. Valencia must do the same this season.
Peter Lim has added firepower to the squad, bringing in young, developing talents like Rodrigo and Andre Gomes, and has solidified the defence with the signings of Nicolas Otamendi and Shkodran Mustafi. The club even made a profit thanks to the sale of Jeremy Mathieu to Barcelona. Valencia now need to establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with, as Atletico did in their first season under Simeone.
It’s been a good – if a little inconsistent – start to Valencia’s campaign. Los Che sit fourth in the league, a couple of points behind Atletico, but Nuno’s side should be even higher. Surprising defeats to Deportivo and Levante cost them valuable points, as did draws against Real Sociedad, Athletic, and fellow-Champions League chasers Sevilla. In their seven victories so far this season, Valencia have scored exactly three goals in each game, and have conceded one at most – including a 3-1 win over Atletico at the Mestalla.
Results last week meant that, for the first time this season, the top three from last season were the top three this season. It’s imperative that Valencia continue to put pressure on the Madrid teams and Barcelona, who they host on Sunday, which makes the task easier said than done. Barcelona destroyed Sevilla last week, offering them little possession and having enough time to celebrate Lionel Messi breaking Telmo Zarra’s La Liga scoring record.
Valencia don’t have a habit of giving Barcelona easy wins. The Catalan club have won seven games since the start of the 2008/09 season – the first under Pep Guardiola – and Valencia have picked up all three points just the once. Importantly, that was the last time the teams met, as Valencia ran out 3-2 victors at the Camp Nou. Plus, in four of the last five Barcelona wins, one goal has separated the teams, and Valencia have held out for a point on four other occasions.
Otamendi and Mustafi have looked strong at the back so far this season, but they face their toughest challenge in the trio of Messi, Neymar and Suarez, who scored his first first-team goal against APOEL in the Champions League. Rodrigo and Paco Alcacer have also been anonymous at times, which is disappointing considering the excellent start they had to their campaign. The duo must be at their best if Valencia are to win this crucial game.
CAN GETAFE STOP ATHLETIC AND ADURIZ?
Getafe used to be one of the more boring teams to watch in La Liga, however, over the past couple of months, the club has turned itself into one of the more formidable mid-table outfits. Cosmin Contra’s side have had a mixed record over their last five matches, but both losses – to 1-0 to Atletico and 2-1 to Villarreal – have been tight and the team deserved three points against Elche. Getafe’s last two victories came against northern sides, Deportivo at the end of October and Real Sociedad a couple of games before, and it’s Sociedad’s Basque rivals, Athletic, who visit the Alfonso Perez this weekend.
Athletic are in fantastic form at the moment, picking up 11 points from their last five matches. Before their last game, Ernesto Valverde’s side had been relying on keeping things tight at the back and scoring one goal – they held Celta and Valencia, and won 1-0 against both Sevilla and Almeria. Last week, however, Bilbao looked much more dangerous in attack, and much of the credit must be aimed at Aritz Aduriz.
The veteran striker looked unplayable against Espanyol, as his team ran out 3-1 victors. He opened the scoring in the 29th minute, leaping high to head Susaeta’s corner and, thanks to a deflection, sending the ball into the bottom left corner. Aduriz demonstrated another reason he’s crucial to Athletic’s attacking for the next goal. He used his size to control a long ball – holding off his marker – turned and cut inside, before releasing a through ball which Borja Viguera neatly slipped past Kiko Casilla. His header marked his fifth of the season – in ten games – and again raised questions about Athletic’s overreliance on him. At 33, he’s no spring chicken, and he’s already suffered a couple of hamstring injuries this season that have kept him out for sustained periods.
The form he and Athletic are in, it’s difficult to imagine them not picking up all three points. As good as Getafe are, the team still lack goals and are over reliant themselves on the creativity of Yoda.
There have been rumours this week that Lionel Messi is seeking an end to his time at the Camp Nou. Frustrated, and feeling targeted, by his ongoing legal struggles surrounding his tax problems, there have been reports from ‘friends of Messi’ stating that the diminutive striker is open to a transfer from Spain. Coming just a month since he marked a decade featuring for the club’s first team, is his time at the Camp Nou almost at an end?
It’s become clear over recent months that he’s not quite at the same level he was just two years ago, during his record-breaking 91-goals-in-a-year run in 2012. So, what’s changed?
There’s a desire that’s lacking – he doesn’t have the same motivation. It’s not the humongous wage packet that drives him on, but the accolades and trophies. And how do you rediscover that in a player who has already been the central figure in an era-defining side, and who has already won Champions Leagues, La Ligas, and countless individual honours? And it must be frustrating for him to see Cristiano Ronaldo – there is a legitimate rivalry, even if it was created by the media – in such a rich vein of form and picking up trophy-after-trophy in a superb Real Madrid team.
Messi’s game has also changed in those two years. He used to dart past defenders, pulling off the most amazing dribbles and making knots out of his markers. He doesn’t do that as much as he used to. Those little flicks are blocked, he’s kept on a leash and refused even the smallest of spaces, and he’s not able to have the same influence that he once had. Perhaps it’s because defences have wised up, or because he’s the central striker rather than cutting in off the right flank. Either way, he’s not having the same success.
The one force that was still driving him was the chance to better Telmo Zarra’s La Liga goals record. The former Athletic Bilbao hit-man struck 251 times in his career – and reached that number in fewer games than Messi. Against Sevilla, Messi had the chance to surpass Zarra.
The Argentinian striker struggled to make an impact in the opening minutes, as Sevilla kept tight at the back and offered little space for Barcelona’s front three to exploit. In the 21st minute the visitors conceded a free-kick on the edge of the box. Up stepped Messi. The wall jumped and Beto stretched to reach as far as he could; it mattered little, as the ball tucked into the top-left corner, and Messi celebrated his 251st goal in La Liga.
With the record equalled, and 69 minutes remaining, he smelled blood and the chance to score more. It came from a lightning-fast counter-attack. He charged through the centre, knocked the ball out to Neymar, who quickly produced a short cross to the back-post, and Messi burst ahead to reach the ball before Suarez and push in the record-breaking goal. 252 for Messi.
He marked the occasion with a classic Messi goal. He cut in from the right-flank, dribbled along the edge of the box – dodging challenges and tackles – did a quick one-two with his Brazilian strike-partner, and curled the ball into the bottom-left-corner to get the match-ball.
After the match, which finished 5-1, the Barcelona players tossed him in the air as the Camp Nou honoured his amazing achievement. It was like the old times again.
SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP
POINTS FROM THE PARTICK/ABERDEEN GAME
Derek McInnes has tinkered with his formation numerous times this season, and on Sunday he favoured a return to the 3-5-2. With Shaleum Logan suspended, Niall McGinn stepped into the space on the right flank and had to do double duty in the right wing-back role. Jonny Hayes did the same on the opposite side. Using this formation should have, on paper, meant that both Hayes and McGinn could offer help in defensive situations and service the strike duo of David Goodwillie and Adam Rooney. That wasn’t the case.
Hayes, in particular, often found himself stuck in a defensive position, and, considering his most useful asset is his blistering pace, he couldn’t make those attacking charges over a 70-yard distance. This had consequences that limited the Dons up front. That space on the left side had to be filled by Adam Rooney, dragged out from his central position, so he could assist Hayes in creating some width and potential chances for the visitors.
And, of course, this had further negative effects for Aberdeen. With Rooney not always in position, Goodwillie was often isolated in the centre, and he struggled to make an impact on the game. He wasn’t the only one. Cammy Smith and Peter Pawlett didn’t create many chances, and this limited the amount of chances Aberdeen created. If not the penalty, the Dons wouldn’t have taken the three points.
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It would be unfair to suggest that the Dons’ limited effect in offensive situations was all down to their formation. The Partick defence were solid throughout. It’s not often that a compliment can be aimed at the traditionally clumsy Thistle back-line. However, the introduction of the consistent Frederic Frans has made an immediate impact. In the three matches he’s started – against Aberdeen, St Mirren and St Johnstone – Partick have conceded just one goal – and that was the penalty that Abdul Osman handed to the Dons. And it wasn’t just him who impressed. Daniel Seaborne looked good and Paul Gallagher pulled off a couple of decent saves to stop Aberdeen increasing their lead.
Unfortunately for Partick supporters, as solid as they now look in defence, they look toothless in attack. The Jags had no shots on target, and Craig Doolan was isolated throughout the game. Even during spells when they pressed the Aberdeen defence, they offered little end product and James Craigen sliced their best chance in the game. It’s becoming a common problem for Alan Archibald’s side. In their previous five Premiership games, Partick have scored in just two – in a crucial 1-0 win over St Mirren and in the thrilling 3-3 draw against Hamilton.
ARE DAVID MOYES AND REAL SOCIEDAD PERFECT FOR EACH OTHER?
David Moyes and Real Sociedad have one thing in common: both tasted the big time and both have suffered since. The club from San Sebastian reached the Champions League just over a year-ago; but then dropped to 7th last season, and now they hover precariously above the relegation zone. Sociedad have sold Asier Illarramendi, Claudio Bravo and Antoine Griezmann to the Madrid clubs and Barcelona, and are struggling to find any form. The Scottish manager, on the other hand, took on an impossible task by replacing the irreplaceable Alex Ferguson and didn’t see out the season. His big chance had come and gone.
And let’s not forget that Moyes did a brilliant job at Everton. When he took the reins Everton hadn’t finished in the top ten since 1996. Although the Toffees came close to relegation in 2004, the club kept confidence in him and he rewarded them with a 4th place finish – they would have reached the group stage of the Champions League had it not been for some questionable refereeing. From 2007 to 2013 the club finished between 8th and 5th – he turned them into consistent top-four challengers despite lacking the budget. He had an eye for finding talents at a lower level and bringing them in on the cheap – Joleon Lescott for £5 million, Mikel Arteta (from Sociedad) for £2.5 million, and Tim Cahill from Millwall for £1.5 million. Sociedad could offer him the same chance in a warmer climate.
There are the obvious disadvantages going against him. The outstanding one is that he can’t speak Spanish. This means he can’t give in-depth team-talks – although that doesn’t seem to be an issue so far. Inigo Martinez has said that the Scotsman has demonstrated his desire, asking for 100% from the side, and that has inspired the players during training. This has been a big problem for Sociedad. Under Jagoba Arrasate the Basque club looked uninspired, often lacking the inspiration to drag themselves out of a difficult situation. Getting the team’s head in order should be the main priority, and for good reason.
Despite losing Illarramendi, Bravo and Griezmann, the club have retained most of the players who helped the club reach the Champions League. The talent is still there. Perhaps no player better represents their plight than Carlos Vela. The former Arsenal winger was in tantalising form last season – he was one of the best players outside of the top three – scoring 16 league goals and making 12 assists. He was crucial to Sociedad’s attacking play. In this campaign, however, he’s notched just two goals. Vela’s drifted in games, looking anonymous, and he needs a manager who can push him to regain that form and demonstrate why the Gunners’ fans were thinking about bringing him back to the Emirates during the World Cup.
Moyes’s league debut comes against Deportivo, who are on the same points as 15th place Sociedad – there are five clubs on nine points. The promoted side have been abject at times, and couldn’t even score past Cordoba. Sociedad did defeat Atletico before the international break, reminding fans that there is still quality in this team, and Deportivo offer Moyes the chance to make it back-to-back wins and bring some confidence back to the Anoeta.
CAN ROSS COUNTY ESCAPE THE RELEGATION ZONE?
Perhaps the most surprising display in the Scottish Premiership so far this season came at Rugby Park in the last round of fixtures. Ross County scored three first-half goals against Kilmarnock and looked good doing so. It means Jim McIntyre’s side have picked up four points in their last three games – a tight 1-0 loss to Aberdeen and a 2-2 draw against St Mirren – and are on level points with the Buddies, and just two behind Motherwell.
This weekend they are playing St Johnstone, who are still struggling thanks to a lack of goals. The Perth club have scored just ten league goals this campaign – two less than their opponents – and still haven’t solved the problem of replacing Stevie May. Despite their attacking woes, Tommy Wright’s side are still solid enough in defence, having conceded 16 – one less than Aberdeen. All this probably indicates that the match is going to be a tight one, with one goal enough to separate the sides.
If County take all three points, it’ll lift them out of the relegation zone and above Motherwell – depending on how the Steelmen get on against Inverness. It would also put them within touching distance of St Johnstone, and, if they can keep a run of form going, they could avoid what looked like certain relegation.
An 89th minute strike from Virgil van Dijk secured a crucial three points for Celtic that sends them to the top of the Scottish Premiership table heading into the international break.
The Bhoys suffered a troubled start to their campaign under the management of Neil Lennon’s replacement, Ronny Deila, being knocked out of the Champions League in qualification and suffering losses to both Hamilton and Inverness.
However, their situation had improved in recent weeks; victories against an in-form Kilmarnock and Inverness putting them in touching distance of the top spot.
The visitors had gone behind in the 26th minute thanks to a catalogue of errors from Lukasz Zaluska that led to Adam Rooney finding the net from close range.
The lead was short-lived, however, as Stefan Johansen capitalised on some poor defending from Mark Reynolds and managed to equalise from a difficult position.
The game was more tempered in the second-half, and Deila’s side were reduced to ten-men with ten minutes remaining; skipper Scott Brown seeing an undeserved second yellow after Niall McGinn hit the deck despite not coming into contact with the midfielder.
The Dons pushed for a late winner, but the determined Celtic defence held out, and van Dijk’s late goal snatched the win.
A raucous reception greeted the kick-off as Aberdeen attempted to recapture the performance that had made them the only team to defeat Celtic last season.
The home side started the better, finding space on the left-flank and making an early penalty claim. Peter Pawlett burst into space and tried to cut inside; Brown put him under a small amount of pressure and the Dons attacker fell to the ground under the slightest of contact. Referee Allan Muir called for a goal-kick as the ball ran out.
The Dons suffered an early-blow, as the influential Willo Flood pulled up, meaning he had to be replaced by another former Celtic player: Barry Robson.
Celtic settled into the game and began to control possession, while Aberdeen tried to hit them on the counter-attack, utilising the pace of Jonny Hayes and Pawlett.
Anthony Stokes came close to opening the scoring after some clever movement from John Guidetti opened up space on the left edge of the box. However, Stokes’ tame effort ended up trickling past the far post.
Zaluska has been criticised for being hesitant during his spells between the Celtic sticks, and a couple of errors during a promising spell for the home side ended up gifting the Dons a 26th minute lead.
First he dropped the ball after a simple header that shouldn’t have tested him; then he caught a shot from Andrew Considine, but again he failed to hold onto it, releasing the ball at Adam Rooney’s feet. The imposing Aberdeen striker’s desperate attempt nestled into the corner of the net, and Pittodrie erupted as the Dons took the lead.
Virgil van Dijk almost equalised minutes later, his header forcing a good save from Scott Brown – the Dons keeper; not the Celtic skipper.
As Zaluska handed Aberdeen a goal in the 26th minute, ten minutes later, Reynolds did the same for Celtic. The Dons defender intercepted a through ball from Stokes, expecting it to roll-out for a goal-kick and keeping Johansen trapped behind him. The Celtic midfielder, however, managed to slide-tackle the ball and squeezed it past Brown from a difficult angle.
Johansen had another chance moments later; a thunderous effort that cannoned off the palms of Brown, and one that proved to be the final decent chance of the first-half.
Brown had to save a hard shot from his namesake as the match restarted. Celtic kept Aberdeen pushed back into their half in the opening minutes of the second-half, as the home support demonstrated their frustration at their side’s failure to retain possession.
Niall McGinn capped off a better spell for Aberdeen with a curling effort that just skimmed over the crossbar. The Aberdeen attacker then had another chance minutes later, cutting inside from the left and smacking a shot off the post.
For Celtic’s dominance in possession, and Aberdeen’s brief moments pushing into the visitor’s half, there were opportunities were rare in the second-half. Guidetti, the on-loan Manchester City striker in fine-form, had had no shots on target by the 70th minute, and looked no closer to adding to his impressive tally of five goals.
Aberdeen applied pressure on Celtic around the 75 minute mark. The Dons passed the ball around, looking for an opening, and Zaluska had to be on-guard to push a header out for a corner.
The visitors resorted to some desperate defending in order to attempt to clear the box. David Goodwillie, on for the goal-scorer, Rooney, did well to force another corner from Emilio Izaguirre.
Celtic were reduced to ten men in the 81st minute as Brown brought down Niall McGinn as he attempted to cut inside. The Celtic skipper was rightly frustrated, as he’d not touched the downed McGinn.
The Dons put Celtic under the cosh in the final minutes, and Deila’s side had to block at least four shots on goal in a one-minute spell.
Then, with one minute of normal time remaining, van Dijk entered the Dons’ box for a corner. The former Groningen defender found himself unmarked, and looked comfortable as he side-footed the cross into the net.
ROSS COUNTY CAN TAKE THEIR CHANCES
Ross County’s promising performance against Kilmarnock offered signs of hope to their supporters that the Staggies might be able to stave off relegation. Because while St Mirren are struggling for goals, that doesn’t seem to be the issue for Jim McIntyre’s side. Three goals scored at Rugby Park demonstrated that.
Killie had created more opportunities to take the lead prior to Graham Carey’s 33rd minute strike. Fault for the goal lies at the feet – or the hands – of Craig Samson. The Killie keeper flapped as Carey’s long-range shot bounced off the crossbar, then off his back, and rolled over the line.
The Staggies then increased their lead seven minutes later: Michael Gardyne charged along the left-flank, held off his marker, and remained composed as he slotted in from close-range. And that 40th minute strike wasn’t the final goal of the first-half. Carey’s corner reached the far-post and, unmarked, Paul Quinn volleyed the ball past an infuriated Samson. The second-half was a non-event, as County looked content to keep their comfortable lead.
Ross County didn’t create that many chances against Kilmarnock – 11 shots compared to the 14 their opponents had – yet Jim McIntyre’s side converted half of the shots they had on target. There are also the stats from their 2-2 draw with St Mirren a couple of weeks ago. Against their fellow strugglers the Staggies had just four shots in total – a 50% conversion rate. If County can continue to score against the teams in the bottom-six – although an ill-timed international break could ruin their momentum – they might just avoid the drop.
LA LIGA
BALE NEEDS TO EARN STARTING SPOT
Carlo Ancelotti doesn’t have a huge team. Almost all of the players in the starting eleven have established their places – Ramos, Marcelo, Kroos, Modric, Ronaldo, Benzema and James – but one name that isn’t a certified starter is Gareth Bale. The Welshman struggled to make an impression after his signing – his transfer fee putting him in the same bracket as Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t help – until his magnificent solo-effort against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final propelled him onto the front-pages of the Spanish papers. He further cemented his position by scoring in the Champions League final, making sure that his name will be remembered as part of that ‘Decima’ side. However, an injury earlier in the season again reminded supporters that Madrid boast another fantastic attacking midfielder: Isco.
The Spanish midfielder arrived at the Bernabeu in 2013 but failed to establish a place in the team. However, during Bale’s spell on the sidelines, Isco has made the most of his time on the pitch and suddenly there seems to be another selection dilemma for Ancelotti – although it is one that most managers would love to have.
Isco is a more versatile attacker than Bale, and can fit into any role in the midfield except a defensive one. And like the former Tottenham star he’s got pace and the dribbling skills to make it count – and perhaps better distribution – and, again, like Bale, the best example of this came against Barcelona. The former Malaga midfielder charged down a clearance, refusing to relent, and forced mistakes from both Dani Alves and Andres Iniesta, before collecting the ball and combining with Ronaldo, James and Benzema to create the third goal – the moment highlighted his best attributes.
There’s also the fact that Isco offers Ancelotti another formation and more balance. With an extra midfielder, the Italian can use a more traditional 4-4-2, with Benzema and Ronaldo as the front pair – this worked wonders against their Catalan rivals. With Bale, however, the team shifts into a 4-3-3, with Ronaldo and himself on the flanks and Benzema in the middle. There’s also the question that, with Ronaldo in such amazing form, is there the need for ‘Ronaldo-light’ in Bale?
Bale made just 24 passes in the 90 minutes and created just one chance (FourFourTwo Statszone)
The returning Welshman started against Rayo Vallecano last weekend, and wasted little time in making his presence felt.
Ronaldo slipped a through ball to Toni Kroos, and the German placed cut a cross through the six-yard-box. Bale burst ahead of his marker and slid the ball into the net to hand Madrid the lead after eight minutes.
He almost created a couple of chances to add a second. The former Spurs midfielder cut back after speeding past his marker and sent a grounded cross into the box that was cleared first-time. He then attempted a long through-ball, with Ronaldo in space, but over-hit his pass and sent it out for a goal-kick. Another attempted cross was blocked and pushed out for a corner minutes later. Sergio Ramos thighed – if that’s a term – the ball into the net (his 50th goal for Madrid) and increased the hosts’ lead.
Bueno reduced the deficit minutes later. Keylor Navas – replacing Iker Casillas – tossed the ball out to James on the edge of his box. The Colombian tried a short back-pass, ignoring the three Rayo players surrounding him. The ball never reached the keeper. Bueno nipped into its path, didn’t rush as he rounded the isolated Navas, and tapped into the empty net.
Isco made his presence felt after the second-half kicked-off. Running around the pitch during his warm-up, the Bernabeu cheered at the sight of their Spanish midfielder.
Isco made 12 passes in his 20 minutes on the pitch and made one assist (FourFourTwo Statszone)
Goals from Kroos and Benzema put Madrid three clear by the time he came on as a substitute just before the 70th minute mark. Isco made an immediate impact as he slid a through-ball ahead of Ronaldo, a pass that became an assist as the latter curled a shot underneath Alvarez for Madrid’s fifth and final goal.
The 5-1 scoreline didn’t represent the match. It wasn’t a classic Madrid performance, and Los Blancos seemed to lack the balance – especially in midfield – that Isco provided during his spell as a starter. Bale offered little contribution outside of his goal, not creating any good chances and at time wasting possession. If the Welshman aims to retain his place in the Madrid team, he needs to improve.
SOCIEDAD ENJOY THE ‘MOTHERWELL’ EFFECT
There aren’t many comparisons to be made between the towns of Motherwell and San Sebastian. The latter is a stunning coastal city in the Basque region of Spain with a history that dates back as far as the Roman times; the former remained a small hamlet until the Industrial Revolution and has been nominated as one of Scotland’s ugliest towns. One thing the areas do have in common, however, is their football clubs and their surprising results at the weekend. The Steelmen have been abject in recent months, leading to Stuart McCall handing in his resignation. Their dismal form came after successive seasons ending in second place – an impressive achievement considering McCall had to replace his better players each summer. Coming up against league leaders – at the time – Dundee United, most expected the Well would be decimated, as they had been in losses to Hamilton and Dundee. Instead, a crucial three points lifted the manager-less club up the league.
About 1000 miles south of Fir Park and Real Sociedad hosted the champions at the Anoeta. Before this weekend, both clubs also shared similar problems.
The atmosphere inside the Anoeta turned hostile during Arrasate’s time in charge, and the match against Getafe exemplified this issue. A thunderous ovation greeted Hervias’s late strike – one that seemed to indicate all three points were heading to Sociedad – but familiar problems resurfaced and the visitors capitalised. The defence didn’t do enough as Yoda found space on the edge of the box and curled in an equaliser. Minutes later he added a second, tapping in from close-range; the Anoeta had descended into silence after the first; the home support were enraged after the second.
There are also the scoring problems. Vela contributed 16 goals last season; so far this season he’s scored once. It’s the same issue at Fir Park, as McCall’s replacement has to solve the issue of John Sutton. The striker notched 22 crucial goals as the Steelmen finished second; this season he’s scored twice.
And then there’s the absence of Claudio Bravo. One problem for teams like Sociedad is that the World Cup is like a commercial for the big clubs. The Costa Rican keeper’s performances during the tournament earned him a transfer to Barcelona and Zubikarai doesn’t look a capable replacement. He looks to be lacking in confidence; an issue that could be applied to the team in general.
Despite these problems, like their Scottish equivalents, Sociedad put in a surprising performance this weekend.
A familiar atmosphere greeted Mario Mandzukic as he opened the scoring – one of frustrated silence. Juan Garcia put in an inch-perfect cross that curled around a pair of outstretched Sociedad defenders and reached the former Munich striker near the far post. Mandzukic converted from close range. Sociedad have crumbled from similar positions, so perhaps it came as an unfamiliar – although pleasing – sight to the home support that the Txuriurdin looked for an immediate reply.
A couple of minutes after Atletico’s opener, Vela reminded fans of the sort of form that alerted Arsenal fans to his development last season. His curled shot from outside the box beat the outstretched Atletico keeper and nestled into the bottom corner.
And it wasn’t just a brief glimpse of their old form. Sociedad pushed straight after the kick-off and should have had a penalty after Diego Godin’s late challenge on Vela – the referee instead awarded a free-kick to Atletico, thinking the winger had dived. The hosts also had the best chance to take the lead.
Imanol Agirretxe intercepted Miranda’s poor back-pass, rounded the keeper, and hit a tame effort at the unprotected goal. Godin, in the nick of time, charged back and just managed to slide the ball off the line.
Sociedad soon found themselves against ten-men after the match restarted. Guilherme Siqueira earned quick back-to-back bookings – it was a feisty performance from the visitors – and Diego Simeone had to take off one of his midfielders in order to replace the left-back. Vela should’ve had another spot-kick moments later – or a red card depending on the referee’s interpretation – as Mandzukic smashed his shoulder into the quick winger’s face as he attempted to burst into the box – the blood inside his mouth confirmed it to be a genuine foul. Atletico continued to target Vela, perhaps aiming to get him a second booking, and it was a shameful performance from the champions, who had seven yellow cards by the 81st minute.
Then came the moment the Sociedad fans had been waiting for. The Anoeta erupted as Agirretxe snuck in front of Miranda and headed a cross past an outstretched Moya. Seven minutes of normal time remaining – almost the same time as their goal against Getafe – and one question reared stuck out: could Sociedad hold on and take all three deserved points? The suspense built as the referee called for four added minutes.
The comparisons, however, continued, as Sociedad took three crucial points against an opposition expected to beat them. Both teams should have managers after the international break, and it’ll be interesting to see if either team can continue to build form and regain their former position.
Inverness offered a humbling welcome to Hamilton on the opening day of the Scottish Premiership season. The Accies were among the favourites for relegation, and their dire performance in the 2-0 loss to Caley Thistle seemed to indicate that Alex Neil had a tough job on his hands if he hoped to avoid a quick return to the Championship.
It’s been almost three months since that encounter, and those early-season predictions have been made to look stupid – mine included. Hamilton picked up three points in their next game, and three more after that, and soon the Accies had stringed together a nine-match undefeated streak that had propelled them to the pinnacle of the table. A comfortable 3-0 demolition of Aberdeen confirmed this was no ‘luck’, and that Hamilton are a team to be feared this season. Then Dundee hosted them at Dens Park.
Neil’s side couldn’t beat Dundee in four meetings in the Championship last season. There’s something to be said for psychology carrying over because, on paper, Hamilton should’ve beaten the Dees. But they didn’t. Dundee ended their amazing run, and Partick almost made it consecutive defeats – a 94th minute strike from Andreu secured a crucial point.
There are comparisons to be made between Hamilton and Inverness’s form this season. John Hughes’ team also benefitted from an early-season run of form that guided them to the top of the league. An almost perfect run of 13 points from their opening five matches ended at Partick in a 3-1 loss. The Highland side have struggled to regain that form since – losses to Celtic and Aberdeen, a point shared in the derby, and victories against St Mirren, Dundee United and St Johnstone.
If Neil is to stop Hamilton turning into Inverness – which is no bad thing considering this is their first season back in the Premiership – he needs to stop the rot against Inverness.
CAN CELTA JOIN THE MAIN PACK?
Celta Vigo ruined a good amount of betting slips last weekend, defying the odds to pull off the incredible and escape the Camp Nou boasting all three points. After the Clasico, most of the focus before the match was on the Catalan’s attacking trio and Luis Suarez’s home debut. The Uruguayan had a quiet game by his standards; as did Neymar and Lionel Messi. In fact, the one striker to continue their fine form was Joaquin Larrivey, who, after some brilliant work from Nolito, reached his team-mate’s backpass and slotted a first-time shot past Claudio Bravo, ending Barca’s clean-sheet record at home.
Sure, there was an element of luck involved. 99% of teams need luck on their side in order to overcome the might of Barcelona. The hosts struck the woodwork on four occasions, and Suarez also missed a couple of decent chances to open his Catalan account. Of course, Barcelona restricted their time on the ball – and thus restricted their ability to play their usual Barca-esque style – but Os Celticos remained solid in defence and utilised the rare opportunities to do something in attack. And the three points highlight the success that Eduardo Berizzo is enjoying at the Balaidos.
Just a couple of points separate league leader’s Real Madrid from fifth-place Sevilla, with Valencia, Barcelona and Atletico forming the remainder of the title-chasing pack. Three points behind the Catalans and Los Rojiblancos are Celta – Malaga are one point behind them, and then there’s a four point gap to eighth-place Villarreal – and another three points on Saturday would send Berizzo’s side within touching distance of that exclusive club.
Granada are a team in complete freefall. After a promising start to the campaign, Joaquin Caparros’s team have capitulated and have gained just a single point in six games. Last season, under the management of Luis Enrique, Celta picked up four points from their meetings with Granada, and, based on current form, it’s hard to imagine anything other than another home victory.
HAVE VALENCIA GOT A TOUGH TEST IN ATHLETIC?
Valencia played like a team challenging for the title against Villarreal last week. By that do I mean they controlled the game and looked far better than their opponents: no, quite the opposite. After being gifted an early own-goal, Valencia held on for the next 55 minutes as Villarreal bombarded their box and tried to find an equaliser. It required some desperate defending, and some poor finishing from Villarreal, but Los Che kept the one-goal lead and, when the time arose, they pounced. Villarreal began to show signs of tiring, having seen little end-product for their efforts, and Valencia capitalised on this and Mustafi increased the gap. By no means was it a classic performance – far from it – but they escaped with all three points, and that’s what matters. This weekend there’s a chance to keep the pressure on Real as they come up against Athletic.
It’s a quiet weekend in La Liga terms. All of the top five sides are against opposition you’d expect them to beat – Real host Rayo, Barca are at Almeria, Atletico visit Sociedad, and Sevilla have Levante – but it’s Valencia’s meeting with Bilbao that garners the most interest. A couple of weeks ago this would have been a foregone conclusion, Athletic’s form being so poor, but Bilbao are improving week-on-week and are now up to 12th in the table.
Ernesto Valverde’s side cost Sevilla the chance to go top last week thanks to a 1-0 win. They’ll be seeking another scalp against Valencia. Both meetings last season ended in shared points, and Athletic’s 1-0 win in early 2013 marked the last time either team left with all three points. Their strength in recent weeks has been in defence – both wins have ended 1-0 – and they’ll attempt to keep Rodrigo and Alcacer quiet as Villarreal did.
Valencia overcame a dominant performance from Villarreal to collect all three points and surge to second in the La Liga table.
An early own-goal from Juanjo Trigueros put Valencia ahead, before Villarreal dominated the next 55 minutes. The home side, however, couldn’t find an equaliser, and a double from Shkodran Mustafi secured all three points for the visitors. Trigueros added a second – this time for the right team – but it was mere consolation as Valencia came within one point of league leaders Real Madrid.
The match started at a ferocious pace; chances being created at both ends and neither team settling to retain possession. The visitors applied pressure from the opening moments and ended up forcing an error that almost led to the opener: Jose Dorado, surrounded by white shirts, didn’t clear a cross first-time, and Sergio Asenjo had to be quick off his line in order to block a shot.
Trigueros had chances at both ends; one he missed and one he finished. He burst into the box to meet Denis Cheryshev’s cross but drilled his effort over the crossbar. A minute later, Valencia on a sudden counter-attack, the Spanish midfielder attempted to block Sofiane Feghouli’s cross but ended up sliding the ball into his own net.
Ikechukwu Uche could have equalised just after the match restarted. Cheryshev, a constant threat on the left-flank, cut a cross through the six-yard-box. Uche came within inches from pushing the ball into the net.
Cheryshev then had two opportunities to equalise after forcing a corner. The Russian stood outside the box and curled a shot at the bottom right corner after a poor clearance. Diego Alves stretched and managed to palm the ball off to one side. The former Madrid and Sevilla winger then broke into the box for a diving header, which was blocked.
The Russian then came close as half-time approached. He cut a ball into the centre, which Uche immediately chipped through to Moi Gomez. Giovanni Dos Santos couldn’t reach his cross, and Antonio Barragan had to be strong to stop Cheryshev from knocking the ball past Alves.
Villarreal could feel frustrated to be reaching half-time behind. The hosts had created the more chances and Valencia had done little to threaten after the opening minutes. Paco Alcacer and Rodrigo were anonymous in the first-half, and Villarreal dominated as if they were playing against nine men.
The Yellow Submarine picked up where they left off and earned a free-kick on the edge of the box – undeservedly so, as Uche ran into Otamendi. Bruno Soriano’s shot changed direction as it cut through the wall, and the Valencia keeper did brilliantly to tip it over the bar.
Villarreal kept the ball and pressed for an equaliser. Valencia, on the other hand, needed to change tactics. Each time the visitors cleared the ball Villarreal retrieved it and refused to let the visitors regain their composure.
The game started to lack the pace it once had, and the Villarreal attackers began to look tired. Perhaps no moment better summed up this problem than Uche’s chance in the 59th minute. A through-ball sent him charging into the box, however, Otamendi sped up and sent the ball out for a corner.
The major problem, however, was the lack of an equaliser. Their dominance hadn’t produced a goal, and that came back to bite them in the 63rd minute. Pablo Piatti crossed a ball to the far post, Gaspar allowed Mustafi to cut in front of him, and the Valencia defender headed the cross into the bottom left corner.
Mustafi then completed a double, and secured the three points almost ten minutes later. Feghouli flicked on a cross into the area and Mustafi, unmarked in the box, side footed the ball past a frustrated Asenjo.
Villarreal finally managed to score in the 87th minute. Trigueros, getting some redemption for his earlier own-goal, received the ball inside the box and smashed the ball past Alves.
Subs: Gil (Feghouli 76) Negredo (Alcacer 78) De Paul (Rodrigo 85)
THE FORCE IS WITH GETAFE
After four decades as the predominant Yoda, the Jedi master finally has a challenger. The Getafe attacker has been crucial to his side picking up six points from their last two games; scoring a couple of goals and creating a third.
Fans inside the Anoeta Stadium celebrated as Pablo Hervias scored a late strike that seemed to secure a crucial three points for Real Sociedad. Karim Abdoul Yoda had other ideas. He curled a shot from the outside of the box into the bottom left corner – the home fans had been silenced. Worse was to come. In the final minute of added time, Yoda again found himself in the right position at the right time. Sammir, gifted far too much room of the left-flank, cut inside and slid the ball past the outrushing Zubikarai into the box. Yoda, unmarked and an empty net in front, side footed the ball and completed a brilliant comeback.
A major issue for Getafe this season has been their effectiveness in front of goal. Cosmin Contra’s side had scored just six goals from nine matches before Friday night’s encounter with Deportivo. They created chances; they just couldn’t finish them. Deportivo, however, offered them a chance to find their goal scoring shoes. The recently-promoted club are struggling and had conceded 19 goals in nine games – six more than their opponents.
35 minutes into the match, and Yoda made his impact. Although he wasn’t credited with the goal, the creation was all his doing. The Frenchman cut inside, drilled a shot through three defenders, and struck the post. The ball then proceeded to bounce off the outstretched Fabricio’s head and into his net. Getafe ended up running out 2-1 winners: Lafita tapped in from close range to extend their lead, before a late strike from Helder Postiga added some late-match suspense.
Yoda has the potential to be one of best attacking talents outside the top-four in La Liga. He has both pace and strength, making him a constant threat to defenders, but is agile and commands the ball. He also doesn’t sit idle; he’ll either be charging into space, looking to make something happen – as he did for the opener against Deportivo – or drifting in-and-out of the flanks. The force is strong with this one.
SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP
DUNDEE FINDING SCORING TOUCH
Dundee had a brilliant start to the season. Points against Kilmarnock, Inverness, Partick and Celtic, and victories against St Mirren and St Johnstone meant the Dees reached the first Dundee derby of the season undefeated and comfortable in the top-half of the table. United then demolished them 4-1. A loss to win-less Ross County, and a tight defeat to Aberdeen followed, as Dundee slid down towards the relegation places.
On paper Dundee looked good in those opening games, but the results masked a problem: a lack of goals. Their results leading into the Dundee United clash looked like binary code – a series of 1s and 0s. They should have collected all three points at home to Celtic, but poor finishing cost them, and a deflected shot from Leigh Griffiths meant they left with just one point.
In the last three games, though, Dundee’s form has picked up again, and, perhaps more importantly, they’ve also started scoring. Paul Hartley’s side looked comfortable and confident as they scored five past Motherwell and Hamilton – bringing the latter’s undefeated streak to an end – and conceded just the one. A match against in-form Kilmarnock, who had collected 12 points from their last five games – a tight 2-0 loss at Celtic Park ended their promising run – offered Dundee the chance to regain their position in the top-half.
The attacking partnership formed between Greg Stewart and David Clarkson seems to be paying dividends, with the pair scoring four goals between them in the matches against the Steelmen and the Accies. The pair continued that purple patch of form at Kilmarnock.
After a quiet 44 minutes, with half-time approaching, Stewart scored his 4th of the campaign. Former Killie player Gary Harkins slid a ball to Clarkson, who, on the edge of the D, immediately found Stewart cutting in from the flank. The striker’s shot bounced in off the post. Minutes into the second-half, the creator became the scorer. Harkins passed to Clarkson, who hammered the ball past Craig Samson.
A beautiful goal from Alexei Eremenko – he trapped the ball, spun, and tapped it into the net – reduced the deficit, before a 90th strike from Stewart sealed all three points for the visitors. The striker completed a solo-counter-attack – Samson had been up for a Killie corner and missed his attempted tackle – and finished on his second attempt.
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