Disgrace and the Barcelona Friendly
By: Al | January 13th, 2009
The phrase “anything can happen in football” is the only way to describe why the hell we got creamed 2-3 by Athletic Bilbao.
We were completely outplayed and demolished by the Basques. Athletic won the match the way that matches should be won, with energy and desire. They played the match that we should’ve played from the start. Minor slip ups from our team were taken advantage of well, and the solidity shown before the year ended is nowhere to be found.
We’re supposed to be the better team in fixtures like this. I’m not mad at the fact that we went through one of those “shock losses” that can happen to any team, but I’m more mad at the fact that it’s three straight losses, something that isn’t any help for our confidence before facing Barcelona. It was just a case of underestimation, where the opponent wanted the victory much more than we did.
There’s no explanation for conceding that golazo that they scored right after our first goal. However, the other two goals that we conceded were due to poor defense and pacing. What the fack was the defense thinking? Is this the first Barcelona match all over again?
We’re now in 5th place. Our once-superior goal differential to every team but Barcelona is no longer superior, as Real Madrid and Valencia also have a +12 differential, so if we climb up the standings we better rack that thing up higher. We’re tied at 30 points with Villarreal and Depor as well. Ew.
It’s no secret that everyone wants Aguirre out of the club. “Caguirre” has been criticized heavily over his lineup choices and many have said that his time is up at the club. And I agree. Yes, he brought many great players to the team (Forlan, Ujfalusi, etc) and brought us to the Champions League, but his time is up. Unless he can pull an Ancelotti and turn the team around, the dude is gone by at least the end of the season. Even his biggest fan, president Enrique Cerezo, was probably chanting “Aguirre vete ya” at the stadium. The club needs the Champions League next season in order to get that extra revenue for their future plans (which I will elaborate in a future post…)
The Barcelona Friendly
That’s right, I said the word friendly. That’s what the match tomorrow technically is, a friendly match. It won’t be impossible to score three goals, but it definitely is impossible to stop the star-studded and expensive Barcelona attack, one that has scored nine damn goals against us already. Barcelona will go into the game at 100% even though they’re in a way, already through. If Messi feels like playing, or if Guardiola feels like playing him, one or two goals from him will end the game right there. Guardiola will definitely field a team similar to that of the 1-3 smashing. He also had this to say about our club: “If there is a dangerous team, then historically it is Atlético Madrid, who have produced many unexpected results, and scored many goals”.
Winning this match will be the only way that we can collect any scraps of confidence, even if it’s with a boring scoreline and even if it’s against a slightly watered down Barcelona team (one that defeated us 1-3). I should be more confident about this game, but I’m still predicting a victory from Atlético but definitely not a 1-3 revenge that we need.
The Atlético lineup will definitely be stacked only because Aguirre believes that the team can make a proper comeback. It won’t matter unless the team can actually be effective and pretend it’s opposite day so they don’t play like they did against Bilbao.
Roster:
PORTEROS
1 Coupet.
25 Leo Franco.
DEFENSAS
3 Antonio López.
4 PernÃa.
17 Ujfalusi.
21 Perea.
22 Pablo Ibáñez.
CENTROCAMPISTAS
9 Luis GarcÃa.
8 Raúl GarcÃa.
12 Assunçao.
16 Éver Banega.
19 Miguel de las Cuevas.
20 Simão.
24 Camacho.
DELANTEROS
10 Kun Agüero.
14 Sinama-Pongolle.
Forlan is being rested, Seitaridis and Maxi have a minor injury, and Heitinga and Maniche are suspended.
Predicted Actual lineup: Coupet, Antonio López, Pablo, Perea, PernÃa, Camacho, Raúl GarcÃa, Éver, Simão, Sinama-Pongolle, Kun Agüero
Regardless of whether we want to qualify or not, lets please not look like fools. Any form of Kun magic is enough consolation.
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Comments
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the writing here is so much better than on the RM page…what is up with those people…
thanks.
– barca fan
Posted from
United States
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Ahh yes Kun Aguero.
It’s always a joy to watch him play even if he’s playing against my team. No Forlan though.. that’s a bummer.Posted from
United States -
I really don’t think Messi will play today; there’s no reason to risk him or Xavi (word coming from the ever-reliable Sport and EMD is that they’ll both be rested, though perhaps they’ll be on the bench).
Regardless, I’m not sure either team is showing up to do anything other than draw. 1-1 is my official guess, but you never know, right?
Posted from
United States -
I’ll be watching tonight…the mood here in Madrid is not positive, as you can imagine. But sometimes the best time to play a team like Barca is when you’re at the lowest point. What is it, 3 consecutive defeats now?
As some of you might now, I’m a Juventino first and foremost, but as I’ve been told since I moved to Madrid (a little over a week ago) I’ve gotta have a liga team. As a bianconero, I could never cheer for los Blancos, and I hate the socio-wankoff that is Barca. (plus, they aren’t from Madrid) As I am a (very) casual observer of La Liga, can someone explain to me why Atletico has been doing poorly recently? Injuries? Bad play?
There’s been calls from Aguirre’s head here, but I think 90% of the time (maybe more) it’s a much deeper problem than the coach.
Posted from
Spain -
Alessio, one of things about Atleti that is sort of assumed by most Liga fans that I know (including myself) is that Atleti will find a way to blow it — the term “choke artists” comes to mind, to be honest. There’s no reason for it, not with such phenomenal talent and such great potential, but there it is.
There’s history at the club, and a lot of “proletariat” support from Madrid (though like in Sevilla, the “upper class” and “lower class” clubs are so mixed in terms of socioeconomics that it’s more of an image than anything else — an image that is upheld by most fans, I’ll admit, since Atleti is known more for its tough supporters and, by a lot of outsiders, as racists/bigots), so choose what you wish, but as with all clubs, the club chooses you, not the other way around.
There’s so much to La Liga, to be honest, that I suggest you read Phil Ball’s fascinating, if somewhat incomplete and too short, Morbo, which does a good job of introducing outsiders to the insides of La Liga, though, again, it only scratches the surfaces.
Depending on where you live in Madrid can affect who you can support as well, you know. What about Getafe, for instance?
Hope that bit of cule wisdom helps. I’m off to wank about with my socio friends now.
Posted from
United States -
I have an article in Spanish where AS asks Atletico supporter groups what they think is wrong with the team, and each statement by each group is very interesting. I was going to translate it and put it on this page in the next day or two.
But since we’re on the subject, I’ll just throw in my two cents. I believe that the problem with the team is the lack of motivation, and their frustration. They are extremely motivated at home (excluding the home losses to Sevilla, Madrid, and Bilbao) as proven by the constant 4-0 scorelines. However, they only play well away from home against weaker teams. They also tend to lose their cool in the dying minutes of games and our defense has given a couple of last-minute penalties. Also, the defense don’t play so well in big Liga matches and the rest of the team sometimes shuts down. The 4-4 Villarreal game was a miracle. It was either Heitinga or Ujfalusi that said something after the last Barca game, along the lines of “we played well, but Messi is just the best in the world” which is unacceptable, when you’re fighting for the CL and trying to improve results you don’t admit that you’re doing well but the opponents are unfortunately unstoppable when you have to play them two more times this season.
“Small club mentality” perhaps?
But back on the subject of motivation, that’s all the team really needs for success. They have plenty of talent, but when the best-possible lineup loses at home 2-3 to a 13th place team, then you have a problem. I’d say that’s what Aguirre isn’t too good at. He gave Atleti a huge “warrior speech” before the second leg of the UEFA cup against Bolton last season. Didn’t work, score was 0-0 and we were eliminated. Aguirre also likes to throw in youngsters into big games, something that isn’t usually a good idea when theres plenty more midfield/defense choices. I’ve never really argued against Aguirre’s tactics though.
and Alessio, I would LOVE it if you took pictures of anything Rojiblanco or pictures of the stadium, if you visit that is. I would gladly put them onto this page and credit you with them.
Posted from
United States
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