Mallorca-Barcelona
By: Jeremy |
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With two weeks left, our boys from Palma sit in seventh place and have Racing Santander in their sights who occupy the final UEFA Cup spot in sixth place just three points ahead of us. In recent weeks we have gone from looking at relegation to the Intertoto spot with a real chance at gaining European football. This is all thanks to Dani Guiza, who currently leads the race for the Pichichi, and some key plays by other team members who have helped us win games easily and with some last miniute dramatics.
However this week is a different animal as we travel to the Camp Nou to face Barcelona who will be playing their final home game of the year, Rijkaards final home game as coach, and a game that means nothing in the standings to them. The fact they will also be fielding a depleted lineup with up to six regulars missing also will make a difference. These factors could be to our advantage or could cause Barcelona to play an inspired game to hopefully help their fans forget, atleast temporarily, that they have now gone two years without a major trophy.
While it is unfortunate the schedule is set up to where we have to face Barca in their final home game of the year, you have to face them some time and Id rather face them under these circumstances where they might be distracted and ready to pack it in and we are in form and a win could have a dramatic effect on us for next year.
The goal at this point is to do everything we can to achieve European football for next year. While the Intertoto is still a way to slide in, sixth place locks us in and it may cause some of our stars from leaving as they all want to be on a team that plays in Europe next year. No matter how the team finishes, Guiza is gone, but its players like Arango and Ibagaza that might think twice about leaving if they can play in the UEFA Cup for us next year. We have everything to play for and this is the best time to go to the Camp Nou and hopefully steal points.
If this was a normal match where Barca was at full strength and needed a win to remain in the hunt for La Liga, even as well as we are playing, points on the road would not be realistic. However with all these side issues, we can get points this week.
Guiza will be out to prove that Barca lacks the kind of finishing he can provide and will want to show he can work with his teammates and finish the chances they create. Barca will be bidding huge for him next year and I personally think he will be playing for them next year. He is still a Mallorca player and has made it clear he wants them in Europe so his teams goals, his individual goals, and his desire to show himself in front of his potential home crowd for next year, will make for a big match with atleast one goal and maybe two from him.
Any team wants to go out on a high note in their last home game of the year and Barca will have some young reserve players who want to show their talent for the new coach. This makes their performance this week very unpredictable. The end result will be a wide open match with lots of mistakes on the back line, especially with Marquez not scheduled to play.
Mallorcas defense is not their strong suit and they will have their problems with teams like Barcelona who even with some offensive players missing, will run Mallorca to death.
Mallorca is no Real Madrid but they play similar football so Barcelona can be beaten like Madrid beat them last week. We could end up with a Mallorca blowout or a Barcelona blowout, but it will be a great game to watch. As much as I want to think we can pull a huge upset on the road, I think a wide open draw is the best we can hope for.
Prediction Barcelona 2-2 Mallorca
Category: Mallorca Team News
Intertoto and Pichichi..thanks Nuria.
By: Jeremy | 2 Comments
After this weeks results, the Intertoto and Pichichi rest firmly, or maybe not so firmly, in Palma. With three weeks left in the season it is clear that soon to be Barcelona star Dani Guiza is going to give his all for Mallorca and lead us to a chance at the UEFA Cup and the Pichichi for himself.
Did anyone doubt that Guiza would play a deciding factor in Mallorcas 2-1 road win against a tough at home Bilbao team. It only took him three minutes to give the Reds a 1-0 lead and even though Bilbao soon equalized, Guiza scored a second in the 70th minute and Mallorca held on for a 2-1 win. With other favorable results including a loss by Deportivo, Mallorca now sits alone in 7th place in the Intertoto spot giving them a chance for Europe and Guiza now has 24 goals on the season, one more then Fabiano in the chase for the Pichichi.
Who do we have to thank for all of this? I dont think we can underestimate the value of Nuria Bermudez, Guizas agent, mother of his child, and girlfriend. Guiza is ver similar to Diego Tristan. He loves to party, has immense skill, and has put things together to where he is a top scorer in Spain and wanted by all the big clubs. Lets hope his form continues to get better unlike Tristan who wasted his talent and now begs for a game in Livorno, the Levante of Serie A. Any man who has been in love or so infatuated with the physical appearance or sexual performance of a woman will tell you that this magic, as rare as it is, can make a man feel like any mountain is climable. He wants to achieve and do all because of the motivation of that particular woman. Combine that with talent and you Dani Guiza in 2007-08.
While Nuria has probably slept with more Spanish soccer players in her career then Guiza has goals, she obviously won his heart and attention. While Im sure Dani sees beautiful women all the time, this girl in addition to her looks probably is sexually so superior to any woman Dani has been with and add the fact that she is obviously smart enough to qualify as an agent, must make Dani the happiest man possible. Some drugs work for some while others not so much. Dani has found his crack and it is addicting and he feels like he can conquer the world as long as she is in his life. Hence the goals come so easy. Although we know Guiza will be in Barca or maybe Madrid next year, all we can say is thanks for this year and thanks Nuria for doing whatever it is you do to get Dani so amped up. Those of us who have experienced this kind of interaction with a woman understand and wish it was us.
We still have three games left to decide our own fate. At 50 points with many teams just waiting to get to seventh and that last hope for Europe, we cannot slip up. With Sevilla 55 and Racing at 56, I think we have maxed out our position in the table and I am hoping we can hold on to where we are. We face Osasuna mid week and they are fighting for survival. This will not be an easy game, but Mallorca is at home and Guiza will likely put a couple more goals in the net.
I think Mallorca wins 3-1
After that is where it gets rough. We travel to Barcelona for a game at the Camp Nou against a pissed off Barca team. They made Valencia look horrible and will no doubt try to make its remaining opponents suffer as well in their push for second place. To think we can win this game is asking a bit much but the players will give their best. The game wont matter unless we beat Osasuna.
The last week of the season will be at home against Zaragoza and they are really struggling. They will likely need a win to preserve their La Liga status so Mallorca must play tough. Lets hope that the final game means something and that with the right results we can slide into the Intertoto.
As for now, I salute you Nuria.
Category: Mallorca Team NewsMallorca-Athletic Bilbao
By: Jeremy | Add Comments
One thing I remember about my summers in Spain MANY years ago while in college was travelling through Basque country. This was a time when Basque Seperatists were a little more active and we would ride the trains hoping for none of them to get blown up(sorry no Clinton sniper stories). My knowledge of the history of the area as well as the Athletic soccer team was minimal. As I educated myself and spent time there and got to interact with the people, I really found them to be quite proud of their heritage and very nice. I love European culture and wish I could meet more people outside of my own country.
As I learned more about the local teams years later, I was amazed to find out that Athletic has been in La Liga without being relegated for as long as anyone and they manage to survive only using players with Basque heritage. How impressive is that in todays modern world of big time football? They are like my team Mallorca in that recent years they have fought and survived some serious relegation battles. The question is how long can they stay in La Liga with their homegrown policy and will they change it. I am big on certain traditions whether it be the Citadel staying all male or Athletic only using home grown players, but the reality of the world is that traditions are often lost and forcibly destroyed by outside forces and realities.
But enough of the history and reminicising BS as Mallorca heads to the Basque region to take on Athletic and instead of both teams facing relegation scares, they both feel they have an outside chance at a European place with four games left. One of them will likely lose their faint European hopes after this weekends matches.
Mallorca got a big lift today with seventh place Deportivo losing to Zaragoza so they stay stuck on 49 points. Almeria is on 48 and Mallorca 47. Even Manzano is talking up the European chances in his weekly local press conference. He is so confident he isnt using the word Intertoto, but instead thinks 6th place is possible. This requires us to not only pass three teams above but to make up 5 points on Sevilla who is still a pretty decent team. I think Mallorca has a better chance of catching Racing who is on 53 points. If Sevilla is 5th, maybe we can slide into 6th but Ill take 7th all day.
Manzano probably spoke up to deflect rumors of his leaving and taking Guiza, Arango, and Ibagaza to Valencia. Valencia might think they are too good for Manzano, but they need a good coach and some transfers and any one of these three players would start for Valencia. Manzano is as good as any coach they will find but I know the big clubs need the big names when at all possible. Manzano might be saying he hasnt been contacted and that he is focusing on getting Mallorca into Europe, but things change real quick when results do or dont go your way. Ask Kobe Bryant. In other words we need to just play the games and see what happens in the offseason. I will be very upset if we lose a solid foundation of players and our great manager, even if the team has underperformed in my opinion this year. Manzano has shown he can buy the right players in Mallorca and I would hate to see a solid foundation destroyed, but if this team makes Europe, everyone might not be so ready to leave.
Now to the match. Athletic has won its last three home games and this is going to be a tough road match for Mallorca. Mallorca is on good form and should have everyone available including Ibagaza and Ramis, key players who have been missing recently. The thing I enjoy about La Liga is that even in late season matches that could determine a lot, the teams still play wide open football and try to score, even if it takes awhile to warm up. Look for the tactics that Mallorca used last week against Racing to work again this week. The first half they will play defensive with lots of long down field passes in order to neutralize Athletics offense. If that is successful, they will come out more aggressive in the second half and get a couple of goals.
With Depors loss, Mallorca has to be more fired up for this match and even though Athletic has been on good home form recently, Mallorca can steal the points. Europe is not out of the question and with four weeks left, this weeks results will only tighten things even more.
This will be a great game for the fans in the stands. I expect Guiza to have a say regarding the final result.
Prediction
Athletic 2-2 Mallorca
Category: Mallorca Team NewsDreaming of Europe..and a new Gaffer?
By: Jeremy | 2 Comments
I always thought Racing Santander was a paper tiger. They are up at the top of the standings fighting for a Champions League place and will likely end up in 5th or 6th and in the UEFA Cup which is where Mallorca should be. Although the first half showed too much defensive play, the Islanders came out in the second half and laid the smack down on their La Liga rivals with our hero Guiza putting the exclamation point on a 3-1 win at the Ona Estadi.
As much as I think Europe is out of the question, it certainly is possible. We now sit at 47 points, one behind Almeria and two behind Depor(where did they come from?) who sit in the Intertoto spot. Even Sevilla in the final UEFA spot is only at 52. With games left against Bilbao, Osasuna, Barcelona, and Zaragoza, we still cant rule Europe out just yet.
Despite the joy you feel at seeing your club beat top teams and actually discuss anything other then relegation odds is a thrill, but as the rumors continue to fly about players moving on, and it is more then just Guiza, you realize that after a summer of putting together a great team, they underperformed when it mattered and we will now lose many of them as they tease us at the end of the year with some brilliant and entertaining football.
To add to the worries, there is now talk that Valencia will swoop in and steal our great manager Manzano. Manzano is perfect for our team and has stated that the only job he would leave us for is the Spanish National team job. Now Valencia is going to throw big bucks at him and Manzano will strongly consider it if Valencia can somehow manage to lure players like Ibagaza and Arango to come with him. Hell, why dont we just rename our team Valencia Beach and give everyone away.
I understand that we will lose Guiza because we put a cheap ass buyout clause in his contract, but we need to step up and somehow keep the other players we have and most certainly our manager. Mallorca is considered a small club and does not have the revenue to purchase players on a grand scale, but we seem to have the ability to buy players we can afford who can keep us safe from relegation year in and year out. I dont think we are a yo yo club. But at some point, when you bring in players who are successful, you will lose them and must rebuild all while hoping to avoid relegation. This is the story of a Mallorca fan.
How many great players must we get and lose before we decide to figure out a way to keep them. Surely there has to be some business deals to be made to promote the team and bring in that revenue. With the club based in an ideal location for players and their partying ways, its not like we are in the middle of Arab desert trying to get players to play for us. We should be able to get players of our own who we can afford to keep. Now losing our manager because he finishes mid table with a strong team is a bit much.
No matter what is going on, I hope the players can finish strong. With upcoming winnable games, we are going to make a push for European football. I am excited and glad to see we arent battling relegation, but I want to keep the players we have and add some missing pieces, not constantly rebuild.
I wonder how long before we will be forced to sell Emilio Nsue, our next great player who you will be hearing about sooner rather then later because of the raid of our roster that may take place thanks to the bigger spanish clubs who had a bad year.
I will continue to see it play out but atleast we have something to play for which has not been the case in some time. Bilbao will be our next victim this weekend.
Category: Mallorca Team NewsMallorca v. Racing, Valencia, Barca, Roma, and Milan
By: Jeremy | 5 Comments
If you look at the headline, Mallorca seems to have their hands full. Yes they play Racing this week at home where a win will make them think they can still qualify for Europe, but its the other opponents that cause me concern.
These opponents are for Mallorcas stud striker Guiza. The silly season is all but underway and the suitors for Guiza are just increasing in numbers. If you think those clubs listed are the only ones that will be bidding for him, then think again. We are just getting started.
I think from my previous posts, I am more concerned about whether Mallorca will be able to keep their in demand players this offseason rather then where we finish this year. We have disappointed in my opinion but seem safe from relegation so of course the focus is next year and how can we possibly keep Guiza and Arango.
For all the complaining I do about the fact we may lose Guiza, atleast we have players that the big clubs want. The fact it is multiple clubs tells you how vital Guiza is to us or any other team. Many clubs seem to be having problems scoring and Guiza is the solution. To me he is the top transfer target in European soccer. Kaka and Ronaldinho can dance and dribble around all they want, but relative to the price, Guiza is the best bargain in Europe. With a 15 million buy out clause, Mallorca is going to come into some money because despite their hopes that he will update his contract and stay, I doubt that will happen. Any player worth his salt will not stay in Mallorca no matter how much they love the club if a Milan, Roma, or Barca come calling. If you need an example, see Sam Etoo.
Guiza must now realize he can stay in Spain and his hot girlfriend/agent will get him to a big club. I think he likely ends up in Barca or Madrid which sucks, but reality is a bitch. After he leaves, the focus shifts to Arango. Lets hope if we do lose Guiza, we get some young players in return in the transfer deal and get our Spanish Robert Acquafresca. Its these rumors that make me secretly wish Valencia gets relegated so they wont be a place Guiza will go.
Anyway, about the game this weekend… I dont care much about it. Racing still thinks they can get to 4th and play CL football. Mallorca may want to be in Europe, but if they qualify and their stud striker is gone, they certainly wont be winning the Intertoto. The bottom line is how does Guiza want this game to end. Mallorca is at home and Guiza wants the pichichi and a massive contract with a big Spanish club so he will continue his goal scoring. He will finish strong this year and that is going to get Mallorca some wins.
He will be laying the smack down on Racing this weekend and we will continue to fantasize about Europe for another week.
Prediction Mallorca 3-2 Racing
Category: Mallorca Team NewsSafety Acheived; Is Europe Still Possible?
By: Jeremy | Add Comments
Considering our teams recent history, any Mallorca fan has to be pleased if another La Liga season can be obtained. While we have become a fixture in La Liga for the past 10 years and really cant be considered a yo-yo club, there have been too many close calls in recent years to where relegation seemed very possible if not almost certain. It looks like that will not be an issue this year.
After pounding Murcia on the road this weekend 4-1, we are now on 44 points and basically a mid table team. 44 points should be enough to be safe as the 17th place club likely will finish with 43 points. We find ourselves 7 points from relegation, but still 5 points from seventh place and the Intertoto with teams on each side of us having the same hopes and fears we do. To feel like you are safe with 5 games left to go is a good feeling, but there is still a possibility that we could sneak into seventh place but we likely have to win 4 or 5 of the remaining five matches, which is not easy in this league.
After this past weekends game, you have to think we should be much higher and that we have the ability to run off a streak of wins that could move us up the standings. By the time Guiza scored his hat trick and Arango added his goal, Mallorca has destroyed Murcia and then they got a goal in stoppage time while Mallorca was packing its bags for the return trip to Palma. This team can look so good and it is really impressive sometimes when the offense and defense come together, even against one of the bottom two teams in the league.
With games left against Racing, Bilbao, Osasuna, an uninspired Barca, and a Zaragoza club likely playing for its La Liga life the last week of the season, there are some winnable games but even wiining 4 or 5 of these games is asking a lot. With so many teams pushing for that seventh place, it is really going to be tough to make up the points and finish ahead of all the other clubs. I think Europe while possible is not realistic at this point and focus will soon start to shift and what players are going where in the offseason. If they keep winning, then we can continue to discuss it. However, what players will be coming and going is really my focus now as the disappointment of the year is something we just have to let go. Remember we could be Valencia who could very easily end up relegated. Wouldnt that be something.
Guiza will be a huge target. I would love to keep him, but I cant see him passing on the big offers. It might even be from Real Madrid or as a replacement for Henry in Barca. He does not have to leave Spain to play for a bigger club. He is so talented and will have options we cannot afford. Jonas is gone after this year. Arango is a wildcard, and Ibagaza should stay. Beyond that, it is just something we have to watch. Mallorca is a team players like to play for so maybe we can add talent and keep most of what is here. The foundation is there to move up in the standings next year.
Acheiving safety, especially in this years La Liga, should be celebrated. Enthusiasm for the rest of the year is still up in the air, but lets see what happens. As the weeks wind down, things will become more interesting. I am glad Mallorca will be a part of La Liga next year so lets use that as a building block and try to improve the team over the summer.
Category: Mallorca Team NewsMallorca-Murcia and Some Transfer Bitching.
By: Jeremy | Add Comments
The season isnt over and the news is starting to fly about which Mallorca players will be scooped up by the bigger clubs and which players that arent wanted by the bigger clubs would be offered to Mallorca or some other mid level teams.
Oh and by the way, we have an interesting game on the road against Murcia this week. This is the first game of what is really a favorable schedule the rest of the way. With some effort we can still have a strong finish, but I think last weeks loss to Sevilla took a lot out of the club.
First lets discuss what we knew would eventually come up and that is where Guiza ends up playing next year. We know he just had a kid and prefers to stay in Spain, but when teams like Roma come calling and the right money is offered, you will give it serious consideration. Im sure it costs a lot of money to maintain that WAG of his(what a hottie!!) so he might be willing to leave Spain for a big payday. Roma is likely the first of many clubs that will come calling for Guiza. Im sure the price goes up after Euro 2008 so teams may act quickly. While I want to keep him and he is a huge part of why I dont worry about Mallorca scoring goals, I think it will be tough for Mallorca to keep him when Roma or some other big club comes calling. Guiza rumors will heat up and Arango is next. I think Arango likes Mallorca and unless a big EPL team calls him, he will likely stay. Ibagaza I think will stay in Mallorca even though he could start for most big clubs. Lets hope we can keep all three and bring in some players but its going to be a nervous summer in Palma.
Speaking of adding players, Atletico has offered us the opportunity to sign Jose Manueal Jurado, who is a young 21 yr old player that is the product of the Real Madrid youth system. He went to Atletico is now not part of their plans as they want to bring in better players(what an original idea) and if Atletico does not want him, you know Madrid does not want him, so why not go to Mallorca. I dont know anything about this guy, but he is young and cant be considered a failure already. He could blossom at a smaller club and with his youth pedigree, lets go get him. Manzano knows him from his days as Atletico coach, so if he likes him this is a good way to take a chance on player who might develop a little later. If you are 21 and arent a star by that age after being in their youth system, the big clubs dont want you so this might be our opportunity for a low risk high reward player.
Dont forget there is a game this weekend against likely relegation fodder Real Murcia. Its still too early to decide where this season is going as we likely need one more win to eliminate all relegation worries, yet we are only 4 points behind the seventh place Intertoto spot. With every team from 7th down to Valencia all believing that 7th place is possible(not that Valencia cares about that after winning the Copa), Europe is still not out of the question, but with so many teams congested from 39-43 points, it will be tough and we need to do well against the remaining teams.
Murcia still has an outside chance of survival and teams with must win games to avoid relegation tend to play better then they have all year. With Murcia at home, and Mallorcas motivation probably not where it should be, this is not an automatic win for Mallorca. If they want to play in Europe, they do need to win this game. A loss puts them out of Europe and checking Zaragoza results for the rest of the year.
I dont see this as a game Mallorca will bring it. Their Waterloo was last weeks game against Sevilla and they lost. Now they will play out the string and get a couple of ties here and there and finish just above the relegation zone. With the talent on this team, that would be a disappointment, but again a reminder that La Liga is simply a tough league where anything can happen week to week and there are no easy games although Id love to play Levante in the last part of my schedule this year.
Prediction Murcia 1-1 Mallorca
Category: Mallorca Team NewsTodays Question: Is La Liga the most Entertaining Football?
By: Jeremy | 6 Comments
Another weekend and Mallorca comes up just a bit short against a top level Sevilla team falling at home 3-2. There are no easy games in LaLiga it seems like and I continue to be more convinced that top to bottom, La Liga is the best. They now find themselves in 10th place, but are only four points behind the 7th place team and four points ahead of the 17th place team. While they are still 7 points above relegation and seemingly safe, they still have to keep an eye out and win a game or two the rest of the way. That being said, although there are lots of challengers, they cant rule out seventh place and the Intertoto Cup.
Obviously I am disappointed by the loss this weekend, but it is just another reminder how important Ibagaza is to this club and how much talent they lined up for this year. There are some really good players wearing the Mallorca jersey this year. Again it will be a disappointing year but this club is great to watch where anything can happen.
This leads me to the question, which of the big three leagues is the most entertaining to watch? Entertaining can be different to different people so it does not equate to the best football necessarily although that is clearly important as you dont want to watch a game with players tripping over themselves. The game between Mallorca and Sevilla is a reminder of why La Liga has to be looked at seriously as the most entertaining football. Where I think LaLiga is the strongest league top to bottom, I find Serie A just slightly more entertaining, but games like this one make me sometimes reconsider.
Lets look at what happened this weekend at the OnaEstadi. For a huge game for both clubs, the teams seemed a little sluggish. In games like this, it usually takes a brilliant free kick or a great individual effort and the game picks up. Guiza has been missing a lot of chances recently and this week seemed no different. As the first half continued, the play got a bit rougher and with Mallorca unable to score, again its defense let it down as just before the half Moya fumbled a cross and Renato scored giving Sevilla a 1-0 lead just before halftime. First goal is huge in a game like this. What makes LaLiga so good is that when an unexpected or momentum changing goal happens, the team that was the victim seems to step it up and puts immediate pressure on the other side. Mallorca did this and really backed up Sevilla in the final moments of the half.
In the second half, despite the dissapointment, Mallorca game out aggressive and Guiza equalized. Mallorca had some more chances but when Kanoute scored to give Sevilla a 2-1 lead, Mallorca and its fans seemed to sink and then a great shot in the 76th minute by Alves gave Sevilla a 3-1 lead. Mallorca didnt quit and got one back on a nice header from Webo in the 90th minute, but there just was not enough time. Without Ibagaza, this was going to be a tough game to win but still very entertaining.
LaLiga seems to get less publicity then the EPL or Serie A, but they play some very entertaining football. Depending on what style you like certainly leads to a preference, but trying to be objective, I rank the entertainment value with Serie A just barely edging out LaLiga followed by the EPL a very distant third.
Serie A is probably what I watch the most of and it can be very addicting. Where as I used to watch nothing but EPL, I literally cant watch it anymore and pray for a Serie A game. Serie A is thought by many to be a boring low scoring league, but it has more stars then LaLiga, the flow of play is smooth and each team can be entertaining to watch no matter who they play. The passion is also a major reason it is entertaining. It isnt a passion that is violent like the EPL.
LaLiga is a small step below Serie A in entertainment value. I dont watch as many games from Spain as I used to, and I have always found Mallorca to be one of the more entertaining teams, especially this year, but its lack of exposure on American television, less name players then the other leagues, and the speed often immitating the EPL, overall I put LaLiga as the second most entertaining league. What I love about LaLiga is that it seems like all of the players have such outstanding skill and can move the game in a way that when played like a Madrid-Mallorca type game, there is no better soccer around. On a bad day, its like watching football from Argentina but even the lesser known players are highly skilled and contribute to their teams more so then any other league. LaLiga needs more exposure but the enjoyment of its game cannot be underestimated.
The EPL used to be my only source of football. It was more readily available before Serie A and LaLiga ever were and when I first saw it, you understood why the USA simply could not compete in world soccer. But as I got a taste for Spanish and Italian football, I simply cannot watch the EPL anymore. There is no doubt that teams like Manchester and Liverpool are as good or better then any other team in the world. Their skill level is amazing and the EPL is faster then any other league. To me this is not entertaining. There is no flow to this league, the challenges are reckless, and the players seem angry and in way too much of a hurry. There is no doubt they have a high level of skill to move the ball as quickly as they do, but it cant be enjoyed like a fine wine or a beautiful woman. Watching a game involving lower level EPL teams is even worse. It seems like a bunch of guys chasing a rabbit without much skill. If you shoot enough times from all different places, you are bound to hit something, but this does not make for entertaining soccer. The players always seem too pissed off. Maybe its the crappy weather in England or the fact Spain and Italy have much better looking women.
Watching an EPL game is like a first date. Its nerve racking yet full of anticipation and sometimes even the most fun of your life, but often it is disappointing and ends badly. Id much rather have the comfort of an established relationship. EPL is like a first date, LaLiga is like a wife, and Serie A is like the long time girlfriend. Take that for what its worth.
I am a fan of the old NASL. When watching these games today on tape, even those involving the Cosmos, its almost funny how most of the games were the speed of a college match and there were a lot of guys who couldnt even make an MLS team today on the field. The skilled players, mostly from foreign countries were clearly better then the rest of the players, and the flow seemed a little disjointed. However, the big names stepped up when needed, and there was nothing more exciting then the big games, especially come playoff time. You could see the plays developing even if they were a little slow and that just made it such a relaxed enoyable game. The Serie A is very much like that today except with more skill and a slightly faster pace. To me this is perfect soccer. The stars still win games and there are guys on the field that clearly lack some skill that the players in LaLiga and the EPL have. But the speed of the game is right on the money. You can recognize the skill, see the plays coming, appreciate the great goals, and enjoy the players happiness. LaLiga is more workmanlike with a little faster play, more overall skill, but slightly less individual brilliance. Its a group effort which is great, but sometimes you want to see the brilliant play by a star player. LaLiga has stars no doubt, but they just dont bring it home like the stars in the EPL or Serie A. The EPL has this kind of brilliant individual effort more often then LaLiga and Serie A, but this positive part of the EPL does not overcome its negativity.
Dont get me wrong each league is great and the skill level is so good that they are a cut above the other soccer in the world, but if I want to be entertained and I am going to watch a game between two randomly selected teams, Serie A is the best, LaLiga is second, and EPL is a distant third.
What does everyone else think and what makes you enjoy the teams and leagues you watch more then the others?
Have a great week La Liga fans.
Category: Mallorca Team NewsMallorca-Sevilla-What are we made of?
By: Jeremy | 1 Comment
Now that there are just seven games left to play, Mallorca has likely done enough to where relegation should be out of their vocabulary. If relegation is not an issue, then what is there left to play for? Realistically, we have a shot at 7th place and an Intertoto Cup spot if we can leapfrog a couple teams and hold off a huge pack of teams that are also eyeing that 7th place spot. A big finish would make 6th certainly a possibility. Such a situation can really motivate a team or lead to just playing out the string knowing that they will be back in La Liga next year with more of an eye looking on how to improve the club for next year.
This weeks game, the second of the rare back to back home matches, finds us welcoming Sevilla to the Ona Estadi. Sevilla, after a dreadful start, has played some great football and now finds themselves in the final UEFA Cup Spot and only five points back of Athletico for the last Champions League spot. Just like Mallorca, their current position seems pretty safe, but they would like to move up. However, they have more to lose then Mallorca so they must focus each week for the rest of the season or they may not be playing European football. The depth of La Liga this year leaves no room for error.
This should be the first game for Mallorca in what will be a serious push toward European football, or the last game before we just play out the year and go home. All of the above factors will make for a great match and as I will discuss in my followup post after the match the reason why La Liga is not only the best football league from top to bottom, but arguably the most enjoyable to watch week in and week out.
Sevilla will be without Adriano and Mallorca will be without Ibagaza who picked up an injury this week in training as well as free kick kid Ramis in the back. This is definitely an advantage for Sevilla. This game will likely show why Ibagaza is so vital to the success of the Islanders. Without him Arango is going to be more of a facilitator of the ball to Guiza who will hopefully do a better job of finishing then he did last week against Madrid. With the improved defense shown lately, Mallorca could really send a message this week even with a couple vital players missing.
Other then their big loss recently to Athletico, Sevilla is beating everyone thrown in front of them including the big dog Madrid. Mallorca has done almost as well but continues to tie too many games. This weeks game is not going to be a tie.
With Manzano fired up and ready to motivate his players and the team President and Sporting Director taking more of an interest in the team on the practice field, this will be the week Mallorca lets everyone know we are going to push for Europe. Considering Mallorcas penchant for ties, that would be the easy result to predict. Not having Ibagaza and Ramis hurts, but this team does have some depth and might even welcome back Chori Castro for some game action.
Even without a few players that prove vital to the flow and result of the game missing, expect to see a great match. If everyone was healthy and playing, I think Mallorca wins this game for sure. Without Ibagaza and Ramis, I am not so sure, but what the hell….
Prediction Sevilla 2-3 Mallorca
Category: Mallorca Team NewsLa Liga is Tough-But is it the best?
By: Jeremy | 23 Comments
After watching this weekends game between Mallorca and Real Madrid, if you dont know much about most of the teams, you would have to think Mallorca is one of the better sides in La Liga. The fact is Mallorca lies in 9th place, and is essentially a mid table club. I know I continue to spout on about how disappointed I am in them this year, but if you take a step back and look at things objectively, for as close as they are to Europe, until recent weeks, they were a real relegation candidate. Clearly there is parity in La Liga this year on a scale higher then we are used to seeing, but does that mean the overall performance of the teams has dropped or improved?
Before I discuss that further, lets look back at Saturdays 1-1 draw in Palma. Madrid probably had the better start to the game but the flow slowly went Mallorcas way and Navarros goal should have been allowed. Instead Schneider scored just before halftime giving Madrid the lead. Madrid seemed to have more of the posession, but when Mallorca did have the ball they created some good chances including a couple of missed shots by Guiza that he wished he could have again. Madrid got another break when Cannavarros hand ball was ignored by the ref. Going in 1-0 down at the break was not where Mallorca should have been but for all the bad refereeing, they didn’t finish some chances so it is much on them.
Category: Mallorca Team News
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