La Liga’s Good Day, Bad Day - Round 10
Monday 09 November 2009 12:00
RESULTS Sat Nov 7: Atlético Madrid 2-3
Real Madrid
, Barcelona 4-2
Mallorca
, Getafe 0-2
Deportivo La Coruña
, Tenerife 2-2
Málaga Sun Nov 8: Almería 2-0
Osasuna
, Racing Santander 0-2
Athletic Bilbao
, Real Valladolid 0-0
Deportivo Xerez
, Sevilla 3-2
Villarreal
, Sporting Gijón 1-0
Espanyol
, Valencia 3-1
Real Zaragoza
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.
---------------------------------------------
FourFourTwo.com: More to read...
NEW! Stats: La Liga results, fixtures & table
La Liga Loca home
Blogs home
Latest Spain news
News home
Interviews home
Forums home
FourFourTwo.com home
Follow La Liga Loca on Twitter
Follow FFT.com on Twitter
or
to add your comments
About Tim Stannard
When he isn't fighting the evil forces of flamenco or attracting libel actions for La Liga Loca, Tim Stannard is building his media empire in Madrid. As well as contributing to Football365 and doing odd jobs elsewhere, Tim also works in the glamorous world of television as a producer, script writer, news editor, coffee boy and stand-in fluffer.