From "Partido de la Vergüenza" (the Game of Shame)
This is it. This game more than any other has divided the cultfootball brain trust, with one faction supporting the brilliant arrogance of the establishment side and the other hoping the subversives from the north can one-touch their way a million times to victory.
The lead of La Liga is on the line, and with both teams reaching top form this will be a tight and exciting affair.
Mourinho beat Guardiola’s side in Champions League play last year using a tough defending – counterattacking game, flawlessly executed by an Inter side outclassed at every position. This time around Jose has a team whose attack is swift and devastating, supported by one of the most solid defenses in club football.
Pep’s boys play an inspired passing game, are the home side at hostile Camp Nou, and have won the last five meetings between the two teams. They maintain such balanced spacing that their offense and defense are practically seamless, and everyone joins in attack and defense.
As always, the game will come down to service from the midfield, and the battle between Barça’s Xabi/Busquets and Madrid’s Alonso/Kedira. There will be insane quality all over the pitch, but dead center is (unsurprisingly) key.
This is the 161st meeting in league play between the sides:
Real Madrid wins 68 : FC Barcelona wins 62 : Draws 30
Quite a bit, apparently. First came Arsenal’s shocking 2nd half collapse last Saturday in the North London derby, at home no less–yes, the headlines read “Spurs Triumphant at the Emirates“. Certainly, Arsenal supporters must have thought, they would rebound mid-week in Europe, against a Sporting Braga side that hadn’t accomplished much in Champions League so far this fall–a side that the Gunners had beaten 6-0 back in September on Matchday 1! But alas, all too predictably perhaps, Arsenal went down without much of a fight, losing 2-0 on two fantastic second half finishes by Braga’s Brazilian striker Matheu.
Watch the highlights from Tuesday’s match–or lowlights rather, if you’re an Arsenal fan:
Actually, although Matheu does deserve great credit on both goals, close review of the video reveals that both chances were allowed by a flat-footed Arsenal defence. In fact both came off counterattacks from Arsenal free kicks. In the first goal, Matheu ran right by Denilson to receive a perfect long ball (one that he called for as flew past Denilson); for the 2nd, Matheu kept running full-speed while Squillaci slowed to a jog, allowing him to pick up the loose ball after an Arsenal defender (Denilson again? not sure) got knocked to the ground going for the ball.
Who is this Matheu? He is Matheus Leite Nascimento; age 27, came over to Portugal five years ago, spent one season with a second division side before Braga signed him. He’s been coming on strong over the past few months–he scored against Celtic and against Sevilla in Champions League qualifying matches over the summer. After the latter goal, he produced a pacifier–and hence a celebration worthy of Chad Ochocinco. Take a closer look at the photo above.
Speaking of the Bengals WR and multimedia star, turns out he’s multisport too. Here’s an interview we’ve been meaning to post–Ochocinco does Soccer Talk (compares himself to Drogba; talks about his great friends Ronaldhino, CR, Thierry Henry, Ashley Cole; drops hints about playing futbol during the football offseason; describes how he warms up by juggling):
Eight more games today to complete Champions League Matchday 5. Like yesterday, one early kickoff (at 18:30CET = 12:30pmET), due to the fact that the game is in Russia (København at Rubin Kazan); followed by seven games kicking off at the usual time (20:45CET = 2:45pmET). Viewing options in the US: all of them available on DirectTV; three televised live on FSC/FSP/FSE (with some replays later in the day; check soccertvlisting.com; and seven of them available for streaming via foxsoccer.tv:
The X-Factor coming back to fitness for the second half of the season
[Editor’s note: Here’s the inaugural edition of something we’d like to make a semi-regular feature: a look at the top of the table. Here we look (once again) at the Premier League table, but we plan to check in on other tables around the world over the course of the season.]
Someone eventually has to win the Premier League title–but from recent results, it’s hard to figure out who. Here’s the top of the table as of today–it’s virtually certain to be one of these teams that ends up on top at the end:
But alas none of the top contenders have been especially impressive:
Chelsea lost again over the weekend, this time to lowly Birmingham–their third loss in four weeks, following losses at Liverpool and at home to Sunderland. And the latest loss came days after unceremoniously dumping their assistant manager; whether or not it contributed to the latest loss, it has precipitated close to a full-blown crisis at Stamford Bridge, with manager Carlos Ancelotti saying “I am not in control at Chelsea.”
Man Cityhad been the team in crisis-mode over the past month, with their home fans booing a scoreless draws against Man U and Birmingham–until they broke out of their doldrums this past weekend in a big way, with a 4-1 thrashing of Fulham. Following which, Fulham’s manager (and Man City’s former manager–and Man U legend), the “super classy” Mark Hughes, said Man City are still in the hunt: “On their performance today certainly they’re contenders. They were excellent. If they have belief and there’s some forward thinking, and maybe they’re a bit more attack-minded as they were today on more occasions, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be. They’ve got as good a chance as anybody.”
Man U? Somewhat surprisingly, still undefeated–but hardly dominating, with a record of 7 wins and 7 draws. And let’s not forget they had been the team in crisis not too long ago; in fact, young Mr. Rooney returned to the pitch this past weekend.
Rounding out the top of the table, tied with 22 points apiece, are the victors of that North London derby, Spurs–whose manager thinks they’ve got a shot at the crown; and Bolton (not sure who thinks they have a legitimate shot at the title). But who knows, the way things are going…
In fact, the situation can be best summarized by Uncle Harry’s comments referenced above:
This is the best chance anyone is going to get, this season. The league has never been more open. Sunderland go to Chelsea last weekend and win 3-0, Manchester United were losing by two goals at Aston Villa until late on. It’s wide open for somebody who can put a run together. It’s there for someone to have a real go at it. Why be fearful and say ‘we can’t win it’. Why can’t we win it?
All eyes were on FC Dallas’ David Ferreira heading into the cup final last night, the little Colombian having just been named the MLS MVP for the year. He didn’t disappoint, touching in the go-ahead goal and sending Dallas into the halftime locker room up 1-0.
Dallas were playing the better soccer, but it was Colorado who came out more determined to win the second half. And that they did, underlining the effort with a goal by the not-quite-good-enough -for-the-national team Conner Casey.
The game moved then to extra time, which half the crowd in attendance couldn’t be bothered to watch (an absolute necessity, this playoff format). Sadly, Dallas were put out by a weak deflection off Rapids defender George John resulting in an own-goal. Very Tough loss for a team that probably deserved to win.
One final note, the game got pretty chippy for a while there, and there were spats of pushing and shoving, which the announcer described as “Handbags at ten paces“. We’ll let you know if we ever manage to blend that into everyday conversation.
The team with the blue and black stripes has lost the will to win, going down 2-1 to Chievo and falling to 6th place in the Serie A (they’d be in 7th, and out of european club competition completely if not for goal difference).
What the team especially doesn’t need is to lose yet another starting player. But it looks like that’ll be the case, as Eto’o is sure to serve some multi-game ban for this headbutt on Boštjan Cesar.
Maybe this is how it has to happen. Maybe you have to plumb the depths before you can scale the mountain. Maybe this was our game-changing moment, just as the Red Sox coming back from 3 games down against their biggest rivals in 2004 changed everything.
All I know was that at half time, I was ready to throw in the towel – two nil down, bloody typical Tottenham. We hadn’t played particularly badly, just individual mistakes had cost us. Assou-Ekotto not following through all the way to the ball going out of play allowed Nasri to open the scoring. Then a break away from Arsenal resulted in their second, when a still winded Alan Hutton (who’d been taken out by Clichy when Spurs were pushing forward) failed to close his man down and Chamakh was given an easy chance to double the home team’s lead. Allowing Arsenal to take a 2-0 lead was one thing, that the second came from Chamakh, a man who looked like he had no confidence with the ball at his feet and appeared to be wearing a full on Snuggie under his shirt, left me completely despondent.
But then, everything changed. It all started with Defoe coming on at half time. Spurs have really missed his pace and direct style of play while he’s been out injured, and his presence gave them a whole new outlet for attacks. The first goal was a result of that directness, the short Defoe winning a headed flick on to guide the path to the brilliant Van der Vaart, who deftly set up Bale who finished nicely. The equaliser came after a free kick on the edge of the box was handled by Fabregas in the wall who, despite his claims to the contrary, had raised his arm well above his head to block the shot, giving away a penalty which Van der Vaart converted. After that, it looked like Spurs might throw it away again as they sat back too far allowing Arsenal to attack. All through this game, Fabregas was given far too much time and space in the middle of the pitch, and time and again it looked like he would punish Spurs. Gomes did well to turn a shot from him around the post, and then Tottenham again got away with leaving players unmarked as Koscielny headed over from 5 yards out. Inevitably, it was Van der Vaart who again set up the winner, his free kick perfectly measured to Kaboul, who headed into the far corner.
And that was it, Spurs finally won at Arsenal, and away at one of the “Big 4” of Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea and Arsenal. 17 years and 68 league games away from the Lane against those opponents without a win, numbers I’d heard far too many times in recent days, all banished with a come-from-behind win. Hopefully, this will push us on to better league form and we can get back into the Champions’ League place. Maybe next time we go to Stamford Bridge, Anfield, Old Trafford or the Emirates, we’ll have more confidence and look to attack from the outset. But whatever happens after this, I’ll enjoy today. I’ll enjoy the win over our arch nemesis.
We’re back with our picks for the weekend–as usual, culled from the SoccerInsider’s comprehensive listing of matches being televised in the US this weekend (all times ET):
Don't look at me, I'm hideous
Saturday (Nov 20)
England, Spurs-Arsenal 7:30 a.m. ESPN2, ESPN Deportes: an early kickoff the match of the weekend te heated North London derby! Check what our resident Spurs and Arsenal supporters had to say about this one, here and here.
Spain, Valencia-Villarreal noon ESPN Deportes: 3rd and 4th in the La Liga table–cf. Sid Lowe’s column devoted to Villareal after their match v Hercules a few weeks ago.
Netherlands, Ajax-PSV Eindhoven 2:45p.m. ESPN3.com: We usually don’t include streaming-only matches, but will make an exception for this battle of Dutch heavyweights. If you’re only going to watch one Eredivisie matchup all season, might as well be this game. Via FIFA’s “Classic Rivalries” feature:
While older Ajax fans may always view Feyenoord as their arch-rivals, younger supporters have just as much deep-seated rivalry with PSV, who represent not just thoroughbred sporting adversaries but advocates of another philosophy of how the game should be played. True heavyweights of the Dutch footballing landscape, PSV have fully earned the right to be considered Klassieker opponents.
[…]
Since 2000, PSV have won the league on seven occasions, putting together a run of four consecutive titles between 2005 and 2008, including a 2007 triumph that went down to the final moments in the last round of games. That run of success has not gone down particularly well at the Arena, where a series of coaches have come and gone without being able to shift the spotlight back on to Ajax. Instead, their arch-rivals have taken over as the team most successful at defending Dutch colours in Europe, having reached the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in 2005.
Indeed, it’s shaping up that way again: PSV is atop the table, while Ajax is chasing them, currently in 3rd place (with Twente in between).
Spain, Real Madrid-Bilbao 4 p.m. GolTV: Will Madrid keep rolling towards El Clasico? (Which is a week from Monday btw…yes Monday, due to some Catalonia election over that weekend) Bilbao is one of the handful of teams in the middle of the table (they’re currently 8th) that are battling to finish 3rd. Bilbao do have a dangerous striker up front in 6’5” Fernando Llorente (the Lion King, apparently: “Un ‘Rey Leon’ en el area“)–he and Capdevila of Villareal are just about the only La Liga players who are not on Barcelona or Real Madrid that are getting playing time on the nat’l team.
Germany, Bayern Munich-Bayer Leverkusen 6 p.m. ESPN Deportes: A good Bundesliga rivalry, with Munich 6th in the table, recovering from a poor start, while Leverkusen is 2nd (chasing Borussia Dortmund). Leverkusen’s fans have been confidently looking forward to taking on Munich, according to this:
The Beatles’ most oompaloompaish tune has long been staple terrace fare in the Bundesliga but it was still surprising to hear the old chestnut on Saturday at the Millerntor. Bayer Leverkusen were beating St Pauli 1‑0 when the visiting supporters started chanting that slightly rejigged, teutonified version of “Yellow Submarine”.
“Zieht den Bayern die Lederhosen aus” (take away Bayern’s lederhosen), went the ever-popular cry.
Sunday (Nov 21)
England, Fulham-Manchester City 11 a.m. FSC: Dempsey seems to be playing very well, if he is a bit dim. As for Man City, clearly Mancini should be feeling the heat for the style of play, even as they remain fourth in the table. They fired Hughes last year when he was spot on the benchmarks they set for him. Honestly, it is hard watching them play at times with no wide players and three holding midfielders.
MLS Cup, Colorado-Dallas 8:30 p.m. ESPN, Galavision Live from Toronto. We’re sure to dip in and make a comment before kickoff.
Monday
England, Everton-Sunderland 3 p.m. ESPN Deportes: How will Sunderland follow up that crushing of Chelsea? Will we see Gyan score again–so that we can see him dance again? And if so, WWBD (what will Bolo do)?
All eyes were on FC Dallas’ David Ferreira heading into the cup final last night, the little Colombian having just been named the MLS MVP for the year. He didn’t disappoint, touching in the go-ahead goal and sending Dallas into the halftime locker room up 1-0.
The team with the blue and black stripes has lost the will to win, going down 2-1 to Chievo and falling to 6th place in the Serie A (they’d be in 7th, and out of european club competition completely if not for goal difference).