Around Primera 09.28

Valencia:
Valencia: (superdeporte.es) Valencia continues top of the table with a 0-2 defeat of Sporting de Gijon at El Molinón and riding high as thousands of English fans, supporters of Manchester United enter the city before their midweek game in the Champions League at Mestalla. The main question fans are asking for is the continuation of Aduriz and Soldado in tandem. That would be a mistake. Whether for better or for worse, European games have digressed into a sea of five man mid-fields, whether from a defensive 4-3-3 or a tentative 4-2-3-1 or any other permutation, and teams that naively put an extra man up front more often than not concede a third of the field to the opponent.

Villareal: (http://villarrealcf.lasprovincias.es): 12 points from a possible 15 at the beginning of the season, despite losing their first match away at Real Sociedad, that´s the position that the Yellow Submarine are in. I knew that the club would be in one of their yo-yo years and would be much better than last year at this point, but according to the club this is the best run of form since their 2001-2002 club had a similar run under Victor Munoz. The question is can they continue? Not only do I think they can, but La Liga will be forced to contend with revitalized clubs in Valencia, Sevilla and a stable Atléti to boot. This is no two team league. No Scotland. Villarreal are tied with Barcelona for second.

Levante: (levante-emv.com): When is a draw as good as a win? When a club struggling for points at the bottom of the table plays the grand galacticos of Real Madrid and manages a 0-0 draw with a point to boot. It is even more ironic when that point is taken in the fashion that it was. Only four opportunities with 0 shots on goal. They conceded over 60% of the possession and put 10 men behind the ball daring the opponent to score. Of all people, José Mourinho lambasted their negative approach, ¨You can play well but when the other team doesn´t want to play footbal...¨, which is the standard complaint when meeting these neo--catenaccio sides, but usually it´s José´s club that warrants that response. That was my favorite part of the day.
Hercules: (laverdad.es) Still looking for their first win at home before the match, they welcomed Nelson Valdéz back to the line-up. The ¨hero of the Camp Nou¨ as the Alicante papers are calling him, missed part of the Valencia match and the trip to Zaragoza, but helped the Alicante club with another top notch scalp this week, defeating Sevilla. David Trezeguet had two goals.

Andalusia:
Sevilla: (diriodesevilla.net): Jose Maria del Nido has seen enough, and with a loss to promoted side Hercules, the axe has fallen and the expected signing of former Real Mallorca coach Gregorio Manzano has gone through. It's a bold move by the club, who have struggled with inexperienced leadership since Juande Ramos left for Tottenham, but Manzano is a similar sort and promises to bring back some of the old attacking flair to a club that have lacked any sort of creativity. "I am not the Wizard of Oz", he says, "but this will be a winning club."

Malaga: (laopiniondemalaga.es): In 13 matches in charge as coach of Malaga CF, Jesualdo Ferreira, the Portuguese tactician, has yet to secure one draw. Seven wins and six losses if you include preseason matches which is odd considering the fact that last year they were kings of the draw: 16 in 38 rounds. Latest news: a loss to Villarreal.
Almeria: (elalmeria.es/deportes): How close is Juanma Lillo to his player's? After both goals, his players silently raised signals of support, dedicating them to the embattled coach who had suffered from a lack of confidence from the Almeria management structure.

Madrid:
Atletico de Madrid: (www.abc.es/deportes-futbol): That 15 million euro bid for David De Gea, the one from Manchester United, is just a bunch of speculative baloney. This isn't Manuel Almunia who was a journeyman keeper at Osasuna before being plucked out of obscurity to become the heir to Seaman and Lehman. De Gea is the next great Spanish keeper. I'm not saying he won't leave Spain, both Real Madrid and Barcelona are stocked at keeper for the next five years at least, but United are going to have to raise the bar financially to prise the next financial windfall for Atleti away from the Vicente Calderon.
Real Madrid: (as.com/futbol/) the cracks are showing ladies and gentlemen. After a dull 0-0 draw at lowly Levante, the so-called Special One has decided to rip blame at his under-performing club, light a fire under them, and the unfortunate victim of that tirade is Pedro Leon? "I don't have to justify myself. If the President were to call me I would have to answer, but he hasn't so I won't. It's as if we were talking about Zidane or Maradona, but Pedro Leon was playing for Getafe just two months ago." Deflect blame, circle the wagons and look for scapegoats, the modus-operandi of a cornered man, out of his depth. Pedro wasn't even starting for much of their bad run of form. Sooner or later, Jose won't be able to point the finger at anyone else. The media, other than the still enamored Marca, are starting to point their fingers squarely at him. Can't say I feel sorry for him.
Getafe: (marca.com/futbol/equipos/getafe): Getafe coach Michel, facing his own son playing for Racing, hailed his counter-attacking side in a 0-1 away win at el Sardinero at Racing. They were a "pebble in t he shoe of Racing."

Galicia:
Deportivo La Coruna: (lavozdegalicia.es/deportes): one of the worst runs of form in recent memory. This isn't Super Depor, nor is it the the Baby Depor that many have been calling their recent attempts to field younger, less expensive sides, but still trying to compete in La Liga, this is a club that out of the last 72 possible points have managed only 16. They are dangerously close to relegation and must change their luck, if not now sooner, if they would stay out of the second division.

Asturias:
Sporting de Gijon: (elcomerciodigital.com/deportes/): Manuel Preciado believes, after losing 0-2 to visitors Valencia,that Los Che are viable challengers for the league title.

Cantabria:
Racing Santander: (racing.eldiariomontanes.es): Out of his 23 man squad, coach Miguel Angel Portugal has used 19 players with only Tono, Henrique and Torrejon having played every minute. Depth of squad, or is the ex-Real Madrid executive still unclear as to who belongs in his best 11? I would probably think it'd be the latter.
.

Pais Vasco:
Athletic Bilbao: (deia.com/athletic): For his rash challenge on Andres Iniesta, which garnered him the red card that left los leones down a man for much of the game, Fernando Amorebieta has been suspended four another match as well.

Real Sociedad: (diariovasco.com): Three consecutive defeats in a row, and the alarm bells are sounding, noting that it is much more difficult to acclimate yourself to the first division after being away.

Navarra:
CA Osasuna:(diariodenavarra.es/deportes): Ramirez Dominguez has struck again. The referee blamed for so many wrong decisions over the last few weeks, mainly the faulty decisions in the Espanyol v Real Madrid match the week before, is now holding up the "cagazo" or shit-storm that Jose Antonio Camacho is referring to. After a week of listening to the pericos complain, Camacho has stated that he was more apt to listen to their protestations in this last match where Lolo saw two cards within two minutes ofther and failed to call a penalty on clear handballs in the area by Espanyol.

Aragon:
Real Zaragoza: (http://www.elperiodicodearagon.com A club in total disarray, is feeling the need for the sort of player that typified their last important run in La Liga. The sort of qualit that Aimar, D'Alessandro and Milito brought, is sorely missed.

Catalunya:
Barcelona: (elmundodeportivo.es) El Guaje David Villa will get a one-game suspension for his part in the Athletic Bilbao debacle. Escaping with the win, Barcelona look thin and brittle both mentally and physically.
Espanyol: (sport.es): With Espanyol strikers Dani Osvaldo and Ivan Alonso out, it was up to canterano Alvaro Vasquez stepped into their shoes and looked dangerous throughout. Incredible that he is only 19 years old.

Las Islas:
Mallorca: (diariodemallorca.es): Mallorca have dismissed their club President Josep Pons after allegations of sexual harassment have come forward during the former Spanish ambassador's time at the Austrian embassy. The President has denied the claims, but the club have gone ahead and removed him from office pending investigation.