Mallorca-Almeria
By: Jeremy |
Add Comments
After a break for international games, Mallorca returns home to face Almeria, who is lead by NASL and Southern California legend Hugo Sanchez.
Mallorca has had time to regroup after their away loss to Barca where they played a respectable match but were again reminded that the top teams in La Liga are just better top to bottom. Nothing to be ashamed of. They head home where the record is perfect this year at 5-0 and get to play a team that is just five points behind them. While Mallorca is currently top 6, when you are fighting for Europe you cant lose to Almeria at home so Mallorca needs to make sure they have their minds back on football after a break as a win is needed. As with all small clubs, Mallorca still focuses on safety and Manzano clearly emphasize this point this week as getting three points will put them halfway to safety.
Aduriz is expected to miss this week as well so that leaves Webo to act as lone striker while Valero and Tuni look to feed him the ball. All the other key players should be available.
Other then Ex San Diego Socker Hugo Sanchez, I know nothing about Almeria. I do know that they are one of the lowest scoring teams in La Liga and make it difficult for other teams by playing a defensive style hoping for a draw. Thats what you do when you have inferior talent.
Without Aduriz Mallorca is a wild card, but at home, against a team with no offensive threats, Manzano should break them down over time and with the home crowd going strong, we should be able to get a win while shaking off some rust.
Prediction:
Mallorca 2-1 Almeria
Prediction record to date:
6-4
Category: Mallorca Team News
Barcelona-Mallorca
By: Jeremy | Add Comments
Its that time of the season where we face Barcelona, which is typically the time most teams take a step back and allow some others to make up three points on them. Will we be any different this year?
Lets look at the standings:
Barcelona 9 23 7 2 0 24 5
Real Madrid 9 22 7 1 1 23 5
Sevilla 9 19 6 1 2 16 5
Valencia 9 18 5 3 1 16 7
Mallorca 9 17 5 2 2 16 9
Yes that is us in 5th. Despite all the financial bs right down to Jankovics final 50 grand they are trying to hit us up for, this team has meshed early and has played well under Manzano, a coach that is on all the big clubs radar. As fast as the team has finished the past two years, the good start to this year could mean a lot of happiness in Palma come June. Its been almost ten years since our CL appearance. Why cant we get back?
If I hated Barca last year as I did the year before that and the year before that etc, I can hate them even more now that I dont have to root for Samuel Etoo by watching them play. As much as I hate Inter, Id rather watch him play in Italy then another team in Spain, especially Barca.
When it comes time to analyze my small team versus the big bad team from Barca, I am glad that I dont root for such a club whose millions just seem to buy what they need and if a transfer flops, the financial hit is easily absorbed and a new player is in his place. Its like rooting for the NY Yankees. How boring. After seeing what Real Madrid did in the offseason with Kaka and CR, two players I really like, I am about hating them as much as Barca. Part of me would love to see a salary cap but that is just not reality and takes away from the history of the league.
But lets be objective and push the hatred and small club v. big club attitudes aside and look at two teams with new looks and with what seems like good moves by management to improve over last years teams in Barcas case or in our case to scramble to replace losses we didnt want but couldnt afford to keep.
Give Barca some credit. They are coming off the best year possible by a team for the most part and they deal Etoo plus a lot of cash for Ibra. If they get knocked out in the CL or dont win La Liga, there will be lots of question marks about this deal. If they do nothing, they are looked at as not keeping up with Madrid or other teams that really spent or made changes. Championship teams make moves like this even if it does not always work out and with Ibra currently leading La Liga in scoring and Barca undefeated, it seems to be working out. The bad thing about being a big team is your season is typically defined by 3-5 matches over the course of the year against other big spending teams. Otherwise they are just going through the motions hoping they dont underperform or that some small team goes nuts trying to prove they belong on the same field and beats them. Our season is defined week to week.
Despite this changes, dont worry Barca still has so much talent that many players who cant get on the field would be stars on smaller La Liga clubs.
How is this for a lineup this weekend as they may choose to rest some guys:
Valdes, Alves, Pique, Chygrynskiy, Abidal, Toure, Xavi, Iniesta, Pedro, Ibrahimovic, Henry
That is not even counting Puyol, Alves and Messi in case they need some subs.
What about Marquez and Keita? Sheesh. After spending a cold midweek in Russia playing Rubin Karzan in the CL and not doing as well as expected, who knows what lineup we will see from them. It may be to our advantage that they are returning from a cold mid week game and have some tough games after the break which might cause them to let off the throttle a bit. We may see a weaker lineup then they might normally send out, especially since there is a good chance Messi wont play. It may be that the pressure of the media questioning how good they are will cause them to take out the past couple of games not being impressive on us in the Camp Nou.
Enough about Barca. They are what they are and arguably better then last years great team. Lets instead see if we can somehow find some points in this game.
Mallorca has to feel they can play with these guys on any occasion, scheduling advantages or not. We should have beaten them in the Copa semis last year and Barca, despite what they might say, gives us more then just a glancing look when the game comes up on the schedule. I am sure they remember 07-08 when we beat them on their field with our best team in years.
Our speed can run with theirs and Valeros return only adds to that strength.
With Mallorca winning all their games at home against similarly situated teams and managing to take points against Atletico and Villarreal on the road, this is a game that we can challenge for points. The fans are supposedly traveling for this game as it is short hop across the Med. The only negative about having for the most part inferior talent is that bad games, especially on the road, can happen as witnessed by our meltdown against Gijon. A bad game for Barca is what is needed for most small teams to have a chance against them in their stadium. Manzano will have a strategy and the players will find a way to give it their all knowing a real move in the standings is in store.
With some health issues and Aduriz not likely to play, the lineup could look something like this:
Aouate, Ayoze, Ruben, Nunes, Mattioni, Valero, Suarez, Alvarez, Castro, Webo, Victor.
Mattioni has been a revelation in defense and with Ramis back from suspension there will be a little extra depth at the back. While Webo did score the goal in last weeks win, the team is so much better with Aduriz and Valero pushing the pace of the game and keeping the team calm. We lost so many guys again in the offseason but the return of Valero seems to have trumped it all and we are not even missing Arango in the slightest. The overall mood of the team has to be good and its that attitude that leads to the kind of results we want.
We are over achieving being in 5th but in doing this have shown we are more talented then what was expected to be a relegation battle for us. The bottom line is that talent typically wins games. While one team can have a great day or be tired and looking past an lesser opponent, those are abberrations. Barca knows it needs a result to silence some idiot critics and they will get up for a Mallorca team that always seems to be confident when playing them. Will the team that thrashed Zaragoza show up for them? Will our team quit like they did against Gijon or will they fight for a point with nine men like they did against Atletico?
While I dont rule out a surprise result, I cant see getting points on the road against Barca without Aduriz. He is the key calm finisher that is needed for us in a game like this. They need an impressive win and while a draw could happen, that is being a bit of a homer, which I clearly am. However, I will follow this game with a little more interest because we have a team worth watching and you never know.
Prediction
Barcelona 2-1 Mallorca
Prediction Record to date:
5-4
Category: Mallorca Team NewsMallorca and Manzano Finally Getting Some Attention
By: Jeremy | Add Comments
.
Yet another week and yet another home win for Mallorca as they disposed of Racing Santander 1-0 at the Ono Estadi on Sunday. Nothing Fancy. Just hard work and team play leading to a well earned victory on Webos first half goal. Other chances certainly were created and the score could have been less threatening, but a well deserved win. With Deportivos stumble we now move into 5th place with 17 points sniffing the heals of Sevilla and Valencia, two of Spains more established teams and big names to casual observers of La Liga.
Prior to this win, the team was getting some attention as there is a nice article that sums up the recent fortunes of the club. While it does not mention all the key losses and turnover of players, it is a good look from an outsider. Please have a look at the following article…
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=690942&sec=europe&root=europe&cc=5901
The bottom line is this team is doing what most small clubs hope to do which is find players under the radar and have them mesh as a team while under the guidance of a top notch manager.
We have that and the only bad thing about a good start and solid finish is that if we finish again just outside of the European spots, because of the early strong start, Manzano will get some offers for big clubs that he might take. Lets hope he sticks around for now but we can worry about that later. If we can finish in a European spot, he might stay.
All fans should be proud of not only the extended run in La Liga for 13 years, but the strong teams and players that have come through and moved on to bigger clubs. The list is quite impressive and no other small club with our budget has seen the players wear their shirt like we have the past few years.
Who are this years surprises? How about Felipe Mattioni, the young defender from Brazil. Check him out and he showed in the Racing match that he is one for the future. Lets see if we can find a way to keep him past this year.
With the history of strong finishes, this team is not out of the question for a European spot. Lets keep enjoying the run and continue to be proud of whatever it is that ties us to the club and causes us to root for them week in and week out.
Category: Mallorca Team NewsMallorca-Racing Santander
By: Jeremy | Add Comments
After what was a busy but overall positive week on the road, Mallorca returns home to face Racing Santander where they will expect to take the full three points.
Mallorca gained a dramatic road point against in crisis Atletico on a last minute goal from Valero when they had only nine men on the field. While it was frustrating to lose two players to red so early, the fact the team continued to fight and even got a late equalizer shows the character of this team may be coming together a little sooner in the season then the past two years. The result only added to the crisis in the capital and Mallorca probably thinks they could have gotten three points if they had kept their players on the field.
While Mallorca sits in 6th place with 14 points, Racing has only half that amount and did not ease its early relegation worries with a home draw to a mediocre Osasuna club last week.
Both teams played mid week in the Copa with Mallorca losing 2-1 on the road to Valladolid and Racing losing on the road to lower division club Salamanca. While both teams will likely be thinking they can turn the ties around and advance to the 5th round when the return matches are played, both teams will be a little tired and expect the depths of each side to be tested this weekend.
Mallorca continues its fine overall team play and is beating the teams it expects to beat while earning points in tough road games against the perceived better clubs. While Aduriz and Valero are expected to be the ones who make the difference in how a game will turn out, they are getting solid play all around and if the team can keep its harsh fouling tactics to a minimum, they have to feel clubs like Racing will be pushovers at home.
Racing has not won in La Liga since Sept 19th when it took a road win over lowly Malaga. With Atletico and Villarreal soon to pass them in the standings without looking back, Racing is a strong candidate to be relegated. Midfielder Oscar Serrano is really the only bright spot for this team and he leads the team with three goals, but its strikeforce is weak and therefore this team simply cannot afford to fall behind and expect to get wins.
Expect some lineup shuffles from both teams. Webo may get a chance to play up front with Victor from the beginning and we might even see some youngsters who dont see much action so there are fresh players on the pitch at all times.
Three games in a week creates a lot of variables for both teams. Fitness, depth, and overall desire can make a game like this very hard to predict. However, with Mallorca clearly having more talent, being at home, and knowing they can really solidify a strong position with wins against bottom teams, the boys should be able to eek out a win even if it wont be all that pretty.
Prediction:
Mallorca 2-1 Racing
Prediction Record to Date:4-4
Category: Mallorca Team NewsAtletico Madrid-Mallorca
By: Jeremy | 2 Comments
A big saturday game awaits as Mallorca travel to Madrid to play an Atletico team that for many reasons has gotten off to a slow start and finds themselves near the bottom of La Liga with only 6 points from 7 matches. Meanwhile Mallorca is near the top of the standings, alone in 5th, with 13 points.
Atletico is a strange bunch and it may be we are catching them at the best possible time. They have so much talent and always seem to be on the verge of making Real Madrid and Barca take serious notice of them, yet they manage to finish just a step behind and do nothing in Europe. Their midweek asswhipping by Chelsea may be another sign that this season is going to be just like the rest.
Atletico has one of my favorite players in Diego Forlan, Europes leading scorer last year. Despite his failures and exit from Manchester United, he has found a home in Madrid and seems very comfortable.
We also get to see Jurado for the first time this year as he has returned home to his club after a great year on loan with us. He is a prime example of why going out on loan to a smaller club can do wonders for a players career. He is now a first teamer with Madrid and is getting Champions League experience. He will always be appreciated in Mallorca and look for him to show much respect when he likely knocks in a goal or two this weekend. With other players such as Kun Aguero and Maxi Rodrigues, their slow start has to be somewhat curious.
Mallorca is doing what one would expect from Madrid which is win most of the games against bottom level teams. If Madrid had not been buried by Malaga and Osasuna, they would be right where we are. The extra games of the Champions League has not helped them either.
Mallorca comes in flying high after beating a tough Getafe squad at home 3-1. While as expected Mallorca will likely lose to the good teams on the road, they will beat the bad teams, especially at home, and keep the point total up all season.
Mallorca has seen the emergence of Aritz Aduriz who is showing even more signs of the player he can be that caused him to be sold by Bilbao for a nice price. Although Valero has also returned to help him and has made a huge difference Aduriz is getting the goals at the right time. He is one of the leading scorers in La Liga so far in the short season.
This could be a great game and it will challenge Mallorca to show they are serious about staying in the European spots. A win against Atletico on the road will vault them in to more media attention.
While Madrid has started slowly and looked bad recently in the Champions League and on the road to Osasuna, this is still a good team. They will want to show the home fans they are still worth taking seriously in LaLiga this year.
If recent history is relevant, then Mallorca cannot expect to go on the road and beat Atletico. They might feel confident after last weeks match but the Sporting road game has to be somehing they think about.
Despite Atleticos goal drought, each team should play some wide open soccer and I expect a lot of scoring. The biggest question is whether we can play a full 90 and not complacent should be get a lead.
As much as I think Mallorca can come to Madrid and beat Atletico because of their slow start and midweek Champions League game flame out, Mallorcas road record makes this game tough. It will be a fun game to watch, but Atletico at home will be just a bit too much.
Prediction Atletico 2-1 Mallorca.
Prediction record to date: 4-3
Category: Mallorca Team NewsMallorca-Getafe
By: Jeremy | Add Comments
We head into week 7 wondering which Mallorca team will show up for this weekends game at home to Getafe. Is it the team that since the beginning of the season has beaten all the mid to lower table teams it has faced both at home and on the road mixed in with some tough spirit shown against some of the better teams or is it the team that will win some games at home, get its fans feeling a little confident only to lay an egg on the road against a beatable opponent?
Despite last weeks destruction on the road to Gijon, Mallorca has to feel good about sitting in sixth place with 10 points just on the edge of being a european contender. While the loss to Gijon was tough, especially since they were up 1-0 before giving up four straight goals, Mallorca is taking care of business at home which can keep you at or near european qualification. However this weeks match could provide some real insight as to whether we are pretenders or contenders for a top half of the table finish.
Getafe sits at 9 points and is ready to make a move. They are good at home and bad on the road like most La Liga teams so the fact this game is in Palma does not bode well for them. They have lost games on the road to Almeria and Zaragoza, teams not as good as Mallorca. While they beat Valencia at home and seem to handle their business when at home, they are still looking for some road magic. With former Madrid defender Miguel Torres improving with regular playing time, and Juan Albin being mentioned as heading to a bigger club over the winter because he reminds people of Kaka, there is some real talent on this team and they will do better then most expect when all is said and done. With Michel at the helm, you cant help but root for these guys as he is an icon in Spanish football.
Mallorca heads home believing all it takes to beat a similar team is the right field. They will have it this weekend where they are undefeated at home against admittedly bottom level type teams.
With Aduriz and Valero leading the way, Mallorca should put on another good show for the home fans. Tuni is looking to continue showing his potential so look for him to have a good game if he gets enough time. Mallorca has quietly improved its team after massive losses in the offseason and they should only get better with time.
Manzano seems to be happy with the team and is still looking for some answers after last weekend, but all thoughts of steam rolling through the league where killed last weekend and now he will hope for Aoutes return and some additional offense. Last weeks loss will be quickly forgotten.
Getafe is very much on Mallorcas level and this will be a difficult game to win even at home. Dont expect Mallorca to roll over this team as there is too much talent which ultimately will keep Getafe out of the relegation fight.
That being said, if you have been watching Mallorca this year, you are seeing new players that have come together quickly with the returning ones and some real talent brought in at the last minute to offset the loss of the likes of Arango and Jurado.
I think Mallorca will find a way to edge out a win at home and what should be a good match and a great indicator as to what kind of team we have.
Prediction Mallorca 2-1 Getafe.
Prediction record to date: 3-3
Category: Mallorca Team NewsSporting Gijon-Mallorca
By: Jeremy | 3 Comments
Can you say Champions League? Those are the chants coming from Palma as Mallorca continues to fly under the radar and beat the teams they are supposed to which has lead them into round six in fourth place.
I know its early and its easy to get excited, but last weekends clinical dismantling of Valladolid showed that this team has real quality and that they will not give away points to inferior opponents, a problem the team has had in the past and that many teams in La Liga seem to be facing this year.
The big reason for this seasons success has to be the play of Aritz Aduriz, who last year felt lost and alone up front with all the goal scoring responsibilities falling on his shoulders. With Borja Valero returning with his EPL level talent, Mallorca is suddenly dangerous up front and is playing attractive football with goals resulting in many phases of play.
The efforts of just a couple of players who click can inspire the whole team to do better and that is what has happened with this team in the early going. With wins against mediocre teams like Valladolid, Xerex, and Tenerife, the team cannot be that excited, but La Liga is a strange animal. Other then your obvious top 6-7 teams, evey other team is pretty much on level and if Mallorca can win most of these games, they will be fighting for a place in Europe. Remember Mallorca has only given points away to Sevilla and Villarreal on the road this year. Impressive to be where we are now and have those games behind us.
Every game that is against someone other then these top teams, Mallorca should be thinking they can get points. This weekends game on the road to Gijon is no different.
Gijon is not an easy team to play and loons like the Osasuna coach make it out they would rather play them then Barca. Lets not get carried away. Like any team with no standout talent, they work hard and try to work together and dont quit for 90 minutes, but the bottom line is talent wins games. You wont see many Gijon players getting transferred to big clubs for big money. Gijon sits on 5 points from a similar type schedule to Mallorca and they got their Barca ass beating out of the way early. However their only win this year was at home to Almeria and while a draw on the road to Valencia is impressive, they are not doing what Mallorca is which is beat the other teams in their big group of teams below the obvious top teams.They are going to be fighting for safety right to the end. Diego Castro has scored a couple of goals for them from midfield, but they really are a no name team.
Mallorca will feel they can get points this weekend and their talent should be enough to get past the cohesive play Gijon will throw at them. With teams like Villarreal and Atletico starting slow, if Mallorca can continue to beat teams like Gijon, they will stay near the top of the standings where anything can happen.
Manzano is a talented coach and seems to be getting his team to play well together. While he is to be complimented, its amazing what a couple of players, players who could be starters on big teams in Spain, Italy, or England, can do to make a difference.
As Valero and Aduriz go, so go this team. It continues this weekend despite it being in a hostile environment on the road.
Prediction: Gijon 1-2 Mallorca
Prediction record to date: 3-2
Category: Mallorca Team NewsMallorca-Valladolid
By: Jeremy | 1 Comment
Mallorca hits round 5 with a comfortable 7 points despite the midweek 2-0 loss to Sevilla. While we would hope some momentum and the shown goal scoring prowess against the weaker La Liga teams might have lead to a surprise result in Seville, Mallorca simply is not in that class and losing points on the road to them is not upsetting or surprising. Therefore the team should not feel bad about the result but must immediately refocus for a home game against Valladolid, another La Liga also ran that we need to beat at home.
Valladolid is right where you expect them to start the season. They have four points from four matches and would be happy to finish just above the relegation zone. Marquitos, Sisi, and Diego Costa are decent players, but they really have no one worth mentioning that strikes fear in their opponents. They are all over the place in their results where they cant win at home and if not for a road win against Zaragoza, they would be right at the bottom. Mallorca must be careful with these guys but even at home, there should be no reason to give away points.
Mallorca has won the games they were supposed to win and will finish in the top half of the table if they continue to show this kind of early season consistency. Aduriz has shown why it was important we kept him as he leads the team with 4 goals but with Tuni, Webo, and Valero being rotated in and out, we have plenty of guys who can score. While we look to stablize the back this weekend with the possibility of Lux playing for a shaken up Aoute, Manzano is still looking for that consistency that will keep the team playing well enough to beat the bad teams and occasionally get a result against the top teams in La Liga. So far what he is doing is working.
Mallorcas start has to be praised especially with all the inconsistency going on with the other teams. There is no reason why we dont beat Valladolid at home and any other result will be surprising even if the match will be close fought.
Prediction: Mallorca 2-1 Valladolid
Prediction Record to date: 2-2
Category: Mallorca Team NewsSevilla-Mallorca
By: Jeremy | Add Comments
Aftre three games, things are still sorting themselves out in LaLiga. After two home wins over relegation candidates and a draw on the road to a tough Villarreal side, Mallorca fans can get a little cocky, especially after past starts to seasons. We sit in the top four at seven points, and head to Sevilla for a game agains the best team this side of Real Madrid and Barca.
With the typical Mallorca offseason turnover, the team was favored to finish in the relegation zone this season. While its only three games and Manzano seems to continue with his lineup rotation, the fact Mallorca has beaten the teams it is supposed to beat means that we might be in for a more consistent season this year even if best case scenario is a top 10 finish. Putting four past Tenerife and dominating them to the point where we could have scored more, bodes well for this team and its confidence.
Sevilla is its usual self. Very quietly it finishes in the Champions League positions and has a load of talent. Their star forward, Luis Fabiano will return for this mid week game and he adds to their superior talent. While they are still finding themselves, the sit at 6 points after 3 matches, which puts them right in line to finish where they did last year. To continue such momentum, they must beat Mallorca at home.
Manzano will likely have a lot of changes because of the quick turnaround and with Ayoze out, the lineup wont be quite as deep. Look for Aduriz to get a lot of chances at goal and he could end up being man of the match as Mallorca will look to do what they did against Villarreal.
Mallorca has another huge opportunity to open some eyes in LaLiga. They have no pressure and will travel with a relaxed confident attitude. There is still no way to tell what kind of team we have in that we tied Villarreal on a water soaked pitch and beat two relegation teams at home. A loss to Sevilla does not tell us anything either as we seem to have solidified a mid table type approach so far. With the way Manzano rotates his lineup to keep things fresh, this could be a week for a surprise, even if Fabiano returns for Sevilla. Confidence is running high in Palma so I am looking for something special.
Prediction
Sevilla 2-2 Mallorca
Prediction record to date: 2-1
Category: Mallorca Team NewsMallorca-Tenerife
By: Jeremy | Add Comments
Week three of the La Liga season returns us back home to Palma to face newly promoted Tenerife who returns to La Liga after toiling away in Segunda B for the past few years. After last weeks win over lowly Osasuna, Tenerife has shown they will try to be a competive team and want to steal some points that others might not expect them to get. That being said this early schedule is a golden opportunity for Mallorca to get off to a good start and create some notice for their team which has been notorious for starting slow.
After an opening win at home to Xeres, Mallorca went on the road and took a point from Villarreal, one of the top La Liga teams. Say what you want about the wet conditions and the multiple missed chances from Villarreal, getting a point in this game is an eye opener and Manzano has to be pleased. As time passes, the new players will only get better and Valero, after a season in the EPL, is looking like he will shine in his return back to the Islanders.
What do I know about Tenerife? Not much. They have a decent forward in Nino and a solid midfielder in Ricardo, but their overall talent is not fitting of La Liga and the should be in the fight to be relegated throughout the year. If they stay up, it is a successful season. This is a team that we must beat at home and anything other then a win cancels out any momentum we gain from the Villarreal game.
Mallorca is still looking for the right mix of players and Manzano will look to find a combination of players that can produce more offense. The defense is a weakness that will likely be that way for the whole season, but how the team does will depend on whether they can score the goals in bunches so trying to find the right combination of Aduriz, Keita and Tuni along with Valero in support will go along way in determining the seasons final place. The early start bodes well for that happening sooner rather then later.
At home Mallorca should win this game. They have the superior talent and the slight edge in momentum even if Tenerife is coming in confident after last weeks home win. Mallorca will start to generate a little notice for itself after this game.
Prediction:
Mallorca 2-1 Tenerife
Prediction results to date 1-1.
Category: Mallorca Team News
Home 
