BAD DAY
Pep Guardiola Yet again in Spain, there has been a great deal of talk over tactics and BarçaâÂÂs current love of fannying about in front of goal. But yet again, everyone is barking up the wrong footballing tree.
BarçaâÂÂs rather flaccid footballing stylings are once again the result of Pep GuardiolaâÂÂs sweaters. On Saturday, the Camp Nou captain sported a dark V-necked number with yellow piping as he flapped about on the touchline. And it made him look a little like a middle manager at a Coldplay concert. Hardly inspiring.
Fortunately, Pep has more credit than the Lehman Brothers and will be given time to get his act together by the Spanish press.
Indeed, MondayâÂÂs Sport attempted a âÂÂ10 reasons to be optimistic listâÂÂ, but ran out of ideas well before half-time with number 2 boasting that âÂÂMessi is the best player in the worldâ and number 4 declaring that âÂÂthe squad has the best player in the worldâÂÂ.
Like Barcelona themselves, must try harder.
V for Victory? Not yet
Christoph Metzelder According to La Liga LocaâÂÂs German sources, the centre back is one of the smartest men on the planet. Indeed, the Real Madrid man has avoided the rottweiler-ravaged gated communities chosen as a getaway by most of his team-mates to live in the centre and swan about the Prado. And FnacâÂÂs legendary DVD section.
But Metzelder is also a terrible defender â or at least thatâÂÂs what he has shown in his less than successful spell at the Bernabeu. âÂÂLetting in three goals was too much, but it was my first game,â admitted the defender after the 4-3 win over Numancia. Unfortunately, it wasnâÂÂt the first time that the performance of the German has not been up to scratch.
âÂÂWhat on earth is he doing here at Real Madrid?â muses Roberto Palomar in MondayâÂÂs Marca. Not giving Fabio Cannavaro any sleepless nights, for a start.
Valencia But only because The Man, Unai Emery, said so. âÂÂIâÂÂm not happy with the result,â fumed the Valencia coach after the 2-2 draw against his old club, AlmerÃÂa.
Atlético Madrid Order has been restored to the universe. Even the rojiblanco-loving Iñaki DÃÂaz Guerra in AS was able to breath a sigh of relief after AtletiâÂÂs 2-1 defeat to Valladolid â âÂÂ180 seconds and it was clear the world was turning as normalâÂÂ.
The âÂÂFIFA-VirusâÂÂ, as it is known in Spain, hit Atlético Madrid badly with Johnny Heitinga getting injured and both Kun Agüero and Diego Forlan rested after arriving back late from South America. And it was only when the tardy Argentinian played that Atlético began to fight their way back into the game, say AS. At least weâÂÂll always have CoupetâÂÂs comedy capers to remember again and again in ValladolidâÂÂs opening strike.
Sporting SportingâÂÂs 4-3 defeat at Sevilla was hardly a game were defences were on top. But it was SportingâÂÂs which was bottom of the bottomers. After two games, the side from Gijón are the only one with nul points. And with Barcelona, Real Madrid and Villarreal to come in their next three matches, it could stay that way for some time.
GOOD DAY
Gonzalo HiguaÃÂn Real Madrid may have played âÂÂevery type of game possible against Numancia,â according to MarcaâÂÂs Santiago Segurola, and they were hanging on by their fingernails against a team that finished the game âÂÂlike dragon with a hundred headsâ according to Tomás Roncero, but there were positive aspects to their performance.
Gonzalo HiguaÃÂn was the standout figure for the home side. For past few weeks, many â including La Liga Loca â have been moaning that Raúl should be put out to pasture with the Argentinian coming in to replace him. Luckily, this faith was repaid on Sunday night with a lively display and a goal â two things that Raúl only achieves at a bowling alley these days.
All right-thinking, hard-working, decent, God-fearing families must all agree that HiguaÃÂn could turn out to be a very, very good player indeed.
Higuain: also an opera singer on the sly
Mate Bilic A little harsh on the Sporting fella on Saturday night â a hat-trick but nothing to show for it. Out of his three strikes, it was the penalty which was the best of the bunch - a enormous thwack into the roof of the net.
David Villa His strike against AlmerÃÂa means that Villa has now scored against every club in the Primera except the three recently promoted ones. But thatâÂÂs probably just a matter of time.
Sevilla Not exactly on top in defence, but back to their entertaining best nonetheless.
Espanyol The nearest they'll come to setting stadiums alight this season is if they turn up with 800 gallons of lighter fluid and a box of matches. But their fans wonâÂÂt give a duckâÂÂs duvet, as the Pericos are currently top of the table with six points. And Barcelona arenâÂÂt.
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