La Liga’s Good Day, Bad Day - Round 5

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GOOD DAY

Xerez

ThatâÂÂs the kind of greeting that surely awaits the Xerez players this week after they picked up their first point in a draw in Cornella against Espanyol. Still no goal, mind.

At the head of the parade and being fed grapes and booze by all the local lovelies will be former Valencia goalkeeper Renan, who had an inspired afternoon keeping all of EspanyolâÂÂs efforts well and truly out.

But it is SaturdayâÂÂs goalkeeper-assisted 4-0 victory up in the Basque country thatâÂÂs the most impressive of this terrific trio of wins.

However, a section of Sevilla fans will still be grumbling about Manolo Jiménez being on the bench no matter what he does.

Especially, if he does the nicest of numbers on Real Madrid in the Sanchez Pizjuán next Sunday.

If La Liga Loca gave out Manager of the Month awards, then it would hand SeptemberâÂÂs gong to Gregorio Manzano.

Although the blog still calls upon the fine folk at FourFourTwo HQ to send two thousand quid to Madrid so it can be forwarded immediately to MallorcaâÂÂs manager.

ManzanoâÂÂs men have been brutally effective in picking up maximum points in all their âÂÂwinnableâ games - home ties against Xerez, Tenerife and most recently of all Valladolid - as well as picking up a point away at Villarreal to leave them in fourth with 10.

But the real disappointment is that the home fans are totally indifferent to the cause of the cash strapped club with just 10,000 turning up to see the clubâÂÂs opener against Xerez and MondayâÂÂs papers not even bothering to report the previous dayâÂÂs paltry turnout.

A player that La Liga Loca has felt has been well off the pace in the Primera for some time now came off the bench to grab an equaliser for Atlético in Mestalla on Saturday night.

In a cracking game where defences were equally poor and just about every offside decision was wrong, the Argentinean grabbed his first league goal since last December to save manager Abel ResinoâÂÂs skin.

Gerard Piqué

PiquéâÂÂs profile ticks both boxes with his past taunting of both Madrid and Espanyol and fine Tarantino-style quiff for much of last season.

And heâÂÂs a decent defender too, with an eye for goal. His second league strike of the season was a free-kick toe poke against Málaga.

A defeat to Deportivo means that Villarreal are only one point better than Xerez. And one point worse than Atlético Madrid.

But despite this being VillarrealâÂÂs worst ever top-flight start, the blog feels confident that Ernesto Valverde will sort his side out, sooner rather than later.

Once MaxiâÂÂs late equaliser for Atlético slipped past Carlos Moya, the look of âÂÂoh buggerâ on EmeryâÂÂs face was a clear as a biscuit as he contemplated the wobbly week facing him before next SundayâÂÂs trip to face Racing Santander.

After boisterous Málaga defender Weligton tried some of the rough stuff on Zlatan Ibrahimovic on Saturday night, there was a moment when the barking mad Barça forward stared at the Brazilian, smiling serenely.

âÂÂKick his head off, six match ban. Kick his head off, six match banâ went the SwedeâÂÂs thought process.

Sadly, the Barça striker took the pacifist path.

The Valladolid central defender spent the match against Mallorca doing exactly what La Liga Loca would do if it were told to form part of the Pucela back four - wander about, look lost, stare into the stands and form part of the clubâÂÂs notoriously awful offside trap.

Atlético Madrid

Now La Liga Loca doesnâÂÂt like to make merry at other peopleâÂÂs expense, but letâÂÂs look back at this gem from Thursday from Paul from Barcelona after EspanyolâÂÂs 2-1 win over Málaga.

âÂÂXerez at home on Sunday and in previous years I'd have said welcome to your first goal/point(s) Xerez. But this new-look team has something about them.âÂÂ

HereâÂÂs this weekâÂÂs comedy outpourings from Paul the Perico.

âÂÂXerez - 200 away fans. Well done them. I spent 90 minutes watching this. You, Dear Readers, shouldn't waste even 90 seconds reading about it.

"Both teams rubbish from start to finish. Xerez will get some serious hidings this year as will Espanyol after that.âÂÂ

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