LEAGUE: Real Madrid 4 Malaga 3

Real Madrid needed this win but this game was yet another example of Madrid’s unconvincing form. On the plus side Higuain is starting to show that he is a talent capable of starting games and scoring goals.

Malaga took an early lead in this game after scoring after just 6 minutes but Madrid soon equalised through Higuain. Malaga again took the lead in the 18th minute and Madrid had to wait till later in the half to equalise through a penalty, which Higuain took. Before the half came to a close Sergio Ramos was sent off for stamping on a Malaga player. The second half saw Malaga regain the lead for the third time through a penalty to make it 3-2. A minute later Madrid were level through Higuain. The young Argentine scored a fantastic goal from outside the area when he drilled home a shot to the keeper’s right. The 78th winner saw Madrid win the game with a penalty which they were fortunate to receive. Higuain took it but the keeper saved it before the rebound fell to the penalty taker who made no mistake this time round.

Thoughts

Madrid’s defence was the backbone of the team last season but at the moment they are plain awful. They are commiting too many mistakes and even the normally trustworthy Casillas isn’t having the best of seasons.

Higuain seems to have come of age. He is having a very good season and his 4 goals in this game underlines his quality. Two of his goals were from the penalty spot and Im not sure he should be the main penalty taker as both efforts weren’t great. Personally I’m very pleased for Higuain as I always thought he had the potential and the great thing about him is his level headed attitude which always comes across in interviews.

 

LEAGUE: Almeria v Real Madrid

Real Madrid visit Almeria in a game where both teams will be looking to restore some pride. Almeria were thrashed  5-0 by Barcelona at the Nou Camp while Madrid lost 3-2 in the midweek King’s Cup game versus Irun.

Ruud van Nistelrooy was expected to return to the line up after his suspension last week but has picked up an injury and is unable to play. Raul and Higuain will lead the attack as expected and are likely to be supported by Guti who is expected to start. Sergio Ramos is likely to regain his place after he was punished for criticising the team and manager in the press. 

Almeria had an excellent campaign last season and they finished in 8th spot which was thoroughly deserved. Their key player is Alvaro Negredo who is an ex Real Madrid youth player. So far this season he has scored 5 goals and he is eligible to play against Madrid after his red card versus Barcelona, as he served his one match suspension during the midweek cup game. Its odd that Real Madrid play the same team as Barcelona the week after.

Its difficult to predict which Madrid will turn up today but the 3 points are critical to keep pace at the top. The week has been partly dominated in the news by the negative influence of referees. Lets hope their influence on events is minimal and they are not the talking points of the match.

 

LEAGUE: Real Madrid 3 Athletic Bilbao 2

A hard fought win by Madrid in an incident packed game. An improved performance but Madrid need to perfom better if they are to challenge for titles this season.

Bilbao started the game strongly by having a considerable amount of possession but they lacked cutting edge. Bilbao were playing a high backline rather than defending deep and this allowed Madrid to create chances and the home team did look dangerous when they ventured forward. Sneijder broke the deadlock on 12 minutes after receiving a pass from Heinze and he made no mistake in finishing with his left foot. On 28 minues a pass to Van der Vaart from Sneijder resulted in a lovely back heel/pass which Raul dummied to leave Higuain in front of the goalie. Higuain finished the move off perfectly with a left foot shot which finished in the back of the net. 10 mintues later the Basques pulled one back through Etxeberria to make it 2-1. The game started spinning out of control as there were incidents involving players with lots of pushing and accusations. The ref did little to maintain calm and booked Pepe which was the first of many cards throughout the game. On 44 minutes one of the biggest talking points of the match was the penalty he awarded to Bilbao. Heinze was penalised for handling Llorente but the contact was minimal and it was a very soft penalty which Bilbao converted to make it 2-2. After scoring, one of the Bilbao players sought out Marcelo to taunt him and moments later the Brazilian was involved in a foul where he was lucky to stay on the field. Bilbao were breaking out of defence and the Brazilian caught Etxeberria with a high challenge. End of 1st half.

The second half got underway with Bilbao having some possession in the first 10 minutes but Madrid hit the post twice. First Higuain hit the post and moments later Heinze also beat the keeper but could only hit the woodwork. Gago had a decent game and on 13 minutes he played a vital part in Madrid’s third goal after he dispossessed Llorente and fed Higuain to leave him one on one with the keeper. Higuain made no mistake in slotting the ball past the keeper to make it 3-2. Robben had his moments in the first half but was starting to exert his influence more and more in the game. Guti and Diarra both came on as subs in the 2nd half which is encouraging news for the team. Sergio Ramos was on the bench because of his comments to the press and his replacement, Michel Salgado, had one run which was reminiscent of his old days. Towards the end of the game Llorente hit the post while at the other end Robben and Guti both had good chances.  The game comes to an end and Madrid are third with the same amount of points as second placed Barcelona and 1 point behind Valencia who top the table.

 

PREVIEW: Real Madrid v Athletic Bilbao

The league resumes after the disappointment against Juve during the week. Real Madrid welcome Athletic Bilbao and they are never easy opponents as they always make life difficult at the Bernabeu.

Madrid welcome back two key players in Diarra and Guti. Guti is a wonderful player but our dependence on him is a little worrying as the loss of Robinho has left Madrid a little short in the creativity department.  Diarra’s solid presence in the middle will be welcome but I’m of the opinion that he doesn’t always have to play at home. He should definitely start all away games as the midfield is usually where most games are won or lost and, away games are usually harder. For this game Schuster has left out Cannavaro, De la Red and Javi Garcia in order to allow Diarra, Guti and Metzelder into the squad. The biggest loss, however, is Ruud van Nistelrooy who is out suspended after his red card dismissal against Atletico.

Yeste and LLorente are Bilbao’s key players but their achilles heel is their defence but they will play counter attacking football so it always helps to defend in numbers. They are currently in 17th position in the league which is one spot above the relegation places so they need the points as much as Madrid do. Schuster will play Raul and Higuain up front seeing that van Nistelrooy is suspended. Guti is unlikely to start but he will surely see some action as I’m sure Schuster wants him match fit as soon as possible. Madridistas will be expecting 3 points but Madrid will have to take this game seriously if they are keep their league campaign on course.

This match is on Sunday at 9 o clock Spanish time.

 

LEAGUE: Atletico 1 Real Madrid 2

This was an exciting game that had everything. Real Madrid scored 34 seconds into the game through an opportunistic effort by Van Nistelrooy. On the half hour mark Atletico had Perea sent off but he was followed by Van Nistelrooy 9 minutes later.

Atletico brought on Simao at the start of the 2nd half and he seemed to galvanise the home team into action. The action was non stop and Atletico seemed to have the edge in terms of domination but they were mostly ineffective in the last third of the pitch. Aguero wasted a good chance when one on one with the keeper and it seemed as if the visitors where going to steal yet another win at the Calderon. Madrid had their chances too. Higuain had a few chances to double Madrid’’s lead but couldn’t take advantage. Atletico were still threatening and in the 90th minute they equalised through a Simao free kick. Simao lifted the ball over the wall and Casillas could only watch it as it flew into the net. The Vicente Calderon went wild and the ref booked Simao for overdoing the celebrations. The referee’s assistant indicated 6 minutes of added time and both teams still played to win. Just when you thought the game was going to end in a draw, Drenthe was fouled in the area and a penalty was awarded. Higuain scored from the spot and handed the victory to Madrid.

Thoughts

Great win for Madrid and Atletico lose yet again. The referee was awful in this game. He sent off Van Nistelrooy for a yellow card offence and it seemed to be a decision to make up for the earlier expulsion of an Atletico player. If that wasn’t bad enough he also disallowed 2 legitimate goals.

Aguirre made a big mistake with his opening line-up as he was too conservative and this handed the initiative to Madrid. He corrected the line up at half time but he was chasing the game by then.

This Madrid team has great character. Atletico equalised on 90 minutes but Schuster’s men never gave up and the rest is history.

We need pace up front. Raul is too slow and while Atletico were chasing the game we could have punished them if we had a player with electric pace. He was the outlet the team needed but at times he was easily hussled or beaten to the ball by defenders.

 

LEAGUE: Real Madrid 2 Espanyol 2

A lacklustre performance by Real Madrid saw them gain only one point at the Bernabeu against a well organised and stubborn Espanyol.

Espanyol made life difficult for Madrid from the outset by defending deep and trying to hit the home team on the counter. There were various forays by both teams early on but on 19 minutes the deadlock was broken. A clumsy challenge by Gabriel Heinze on Raul Tamudo resulted in a penalty and the latter took the penalty to make it 0-1. Madrid pressed for an equaliser and on 24 mins, Raul headed a Sergio Ramos’ cross into the net to square the match. Raul was unmarked in the area and in the process took his league tally to 3 goals. Espanyol were proving hard to break down and were dangerous when they broke out of defence. On the half hour mark, Espanyol regained the lead through Raul Garcia. The goal was set up by Roman who crossed the ball into penalty area behind the defence and it cleared everyone except Raul Garcia at the far post who made it 1-2. Madrid continued to attack but Espanyol were always a threat and nearly scored again from a free kick moments later. Madrid’s defence was under pressure and in disarray. As the second half drew to a close, a ball in the area fell to Raul who after great footwork was able to to place it beyond Kameni to make it 2-2. End of first half.

The 2nd half saw Robben come on for Van der Vaart. Robben had an immediate impact with his direct running and pace although his end product wasnt always effective. Higuain had 2 good chances early on but couldnt get past Kameni who put in a good performance between the sticks. De la Red had a run into the penalty box and was deliberately body checked by an Espanyol defender but the referee waved the appeals away.  Wesley Sneijder came on in the 20th minute to make his first league appearance this season and apart from one shot on target did little else of note. The diminutive Dutchman, however, is still short of match practice. In the 23rd minute of the second half Drenthe had come on to replace the injured Robben, who I understand will be out for 2 weeks. Both teams had further chances but it was a subdued end to the game where Madrid looked short of ideas. There is now a 2 week break for international duty but when the league resumes, it is the Madrid derby and this is a game many Madridistas are looking forward to.

Thoughts

Below par performance by Madrid. The team looked jaded and short of ideas. Apart from the odd spell here and there, the team didnt really get going. Espanyol on the other hand came with a gameplan which they stuck to and always looked a threat going forward.

Possession is still a big problem for Madrid as they give the ball away way too easily. Creativity is another problem when Guti is not around. Guti can be inconsistent but when he isnt, he is world class with his superb passing. Van der Vaart and Sneijder may be able to fill the void but the former is still finding his feet in a new team while the latter is only just back from injury.

The defence looked very suspect and this is supposed to be our strongest backline. Espanyol cut through the Madrid midfield and defence with too much ease at times. Diarra was his usual industrious self but he couldn’t handle the opposition by himself.

Raul scored twice but the debate regarding his inclusion in the team will rumble on. Personally I dont think he should start every game and feel his best performances are likely to be at home. Higuain has started the season well and if he continues to play well, he will feature in the starting eleven at the expense of Raul.

 

PREVIEW: Real Madrid v Espanyol

Real Madrid take on Espanyol in a game that could see them top the league – if other results go their way – just before the break for international duty.

Bernd Schuster will choose from a squad that sees the return of Wesley Sneijder, who was been injured since the pre season game against Arsenal. The Dutchman is likely to start on the bench and but will probably feature at some stage of the game. Raul is likely to start this game which means that one of Van Nistelrooy, Higuain or Robben will have to make way. Van Nistelrooy has had his best start to a season since he joined Madrid so Schuster will probably opt for Higuain or Robben. Guti is still out but will be back in time for the Madrid derby when the league resumes after the international break.

Espanyol lost their coach Ernesto Valverde at the end of last season and are now managed by Bartolomé ‘Tintín’ Márquez. They have had a mixed start to the season as they have won 2, lost 2, drawn 1 and lie 10th in the table with 7 points. Raul Tamudo is one of their key players, however, he has not scored a league goal since January. Real Madrid won this fixture 2-1 last season but many fans will have fonder memories of the 4-3 victory from 2 seasons ago. Madrid were being managed by Fabio Capello and found themselves 1-3 down in a critical game they needed to win for the league title race. A dramatic comeback followed which saw Higuain score the winning goal. Amazing game!!

Real Madrid are at home and on paper should win this game, however, even games at the Bernabeu are difficult as teams defend deep and in numbers. They make it extremely difficult for Madrid to create chances and try to score a goal on the counter. Madrid’s defence has been their salvation over these last 2 seasons but with the attacking style which the merengues employ, the opposition always feel like they have a chance. An early goal to Madrid will work in Madrid’s favour as it will open up the game. If Espanyol score first it will add a bit of spice the game as Madrid will push even harder at the other end. As we saw two seasons ago, that can sometimes play into the hands of the opposition.

The game is on Sunday and starts at 9 o clock Spanish time.

 

LEAGUE: Betis 1 Real Madrid 2

27 September 2008

An efficient performance by Real Madrid in gaining 3 points away to Betis on Saturday. The game looked to be heading for a draw when in injury time, Ruud Van Nistelrooy earned the victory with a cool finish.

Madrid actually started the game well in the first half well and on 18 minutes Gabriel Heinze scored from a Van der Vaart free kick. The second half was another matter. Betis came out with all guns blazing and upped the pace of the game considerably. Their pressure led to a penalty which looked generous and resulted in a red card for Marcelo. Sergio Garcia needed two attempts to score after Iker Casillas saved his first effort. Betis continued to put pressure on Madrid. Schuster turned to his subs (Javi Garcia, Miguel Torres and Drenthe) to swing the balance of play and the game eventually opened up with Madrid threatening the Betis goal on a few occasions.

On 81 minutes Drenthe was involved in an incident which led to the expulsion of Sergio Garcia. Through on goal he was impeded and the ref handed out a second yellow to the Betis player. Robben was involved throughout the game but it wasn’t one of his better performances. At times he can hold on to possession for far too long. His compatriot Van der Vaart had a quiet game after his great midweek performance against Sporting Gijon. The game looked to be heading for a draw when Ruud found himself with lots of space to claim the winner.

Thoughts

- Efficient performance but not spectacular. We need to improve but lets not forget that a strong first half of the season last year went a long way to winning us the title. Ideally I would want us to keep possession better.

- Diarra had another good game and he may well go on to emulate Makelele who was a pivotal part of our team during his time at the club… bold statement of course so lets see how it unfolds.

- Schuster not afraid to use the kids and like last season he is probably going to rotate a lot. Good policy to keep the players on their toes in my opinion.