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Almeria 1-1 Real Madrid
Ok, first things first. Real Madrid, need a striker or atleast an attacking player (or players) with pace, lots of pace. If any of the previous game did not prove my point then the first half (atleast) of this game certainly does.
First Half
The game started slow and dull. Neither team were willing to make any chances to score goals. Almeria defended in numbers and Real Madrid lacked the attacking quality that is needed in these games to score goals.
Real Madrid’s defence looked solid, thanks to very few attacking moves created by Almeria. Sergio Ramos looked like he learnt his lessons well and did not get forward that much. Pepe played reasonably though still tried to win balls that were impossible and thus ended up doing one or two fouls.
Pepe was patnered by Cannavaro in the central defence and Cannvaro had very little to deal with as both teams looked as if they were content with a draw. Let me remind you again that Real Madrid needed a win to go level on points with Barcelona at the top of LA LIGA.
Heinze looked solid too, a workmen like performance in the first half. Was caught off position sometimes and didn’t attack like Marcelo would have. Schuster has a tendancy to go for Heinze in away games instead of Marcelo.
The only reason for that could be that Marcelo is young and Heinzee is experienced and can handle the booing of Home crowd. Though, the mistakes Heinze has made in away games (Juventus and Zenit) are enough to disprove that.
Real Madrid’s midfield and attack looked like two parallel lines with no connection to each other. The ball wasn’t moving from midfield to the attacking players. That could be because of the fact that neither Raul nor Higuain (Van Nistelrooy didn’t start) have the quality to cope with rigid defences.
Robben tried hard the fist half and was able to get himself one on one with defenders on two, three occasions but was unable to capitalize on any of those.
Very few chances were seen. Gago and Diarra pivoted the centre of the midfield well and did not allow Almeria to go straight down the field and attack Real Madrid (remember, the Theirry Henry goal against Real Madrid in Champions League 2005-2006, round of 16).
Real Madrid lacked any creativity and did not look comfortable with the ball once it got to the attackers in Almeria’s half.
Raul and Higuain aren’t really what you call “INDIVIDUAL STRIKERS”. They just work hard and take whatever comes in their way. Higuain showed his non stop work ethic when he chased down a “lost cause” ball near Almeria’s penalty area, skipped 2 challenges and put a nice cross in for the in rushing Raul who headed the ball in.
And I was like “woo, where did that come from” because Real Madrid played in such dull fashion (so did Almeria) that from the first minute it looked like the final score would be 0-0. That was one chance that Real Madrid made and scored from it (thanks to some loss in concentration of Almeria’s defenders as they did not see Higuain chasing down the loose ball which everyone thought was going out).
The performance from both teams IN THE FIRST HALF was very dry. All Almeria wanted to do was, to get the posession and hoak it down Negredo’s throat upfront, who played as the lone striker. He held the ball nicely on some ocassions but Almeria also couldn’t put an attacking move together.
I can’t say that Real Madrid looked sold in the first half as very rarely was the defence tested.
Real Madrid were trying to catch Almeria off guard (or trying to attack them from a break) but Almeria’s defence rarely got stretched in the first half as they weren’t too inclined on attacking themselves.
Credit should be given to Almeria’s marking. As Robben and Sniejder (both supposedly Real Madrid’s creative players) didn’t have any space to do anything and that was only because there was no one who could beat players in the middle of the park neither there was any pace down the flanks which could be relied upon.
The goal was really a surprise as Real Madrid didn’t do anything to deserve it. It was only because of one player’s determination, Higuain, he didn’t give up. The only player in the first half on Real Madrid’s side which could have been considered as “Lively”.
Whenever he got the ball, he tried to up the tempo and get Real Madrid going. But Almeria defended well. It’s a pity that they conceded a goal.
After the goal, it went back to the same old boring midfield grind outs. No chances, no excitement.
To put it in a nutshell, the first half was dead, lifeless, zero, na ah. Nothing. (That doesn’t mean I am discrediting Higuain and Raul’s efforts in scoring the fist goal).
Second Half
Second half was also as boring as watching grass grow. Crappy and scratchy. Real Madrid had difficulty in controlling the midfield.
Real Madrid didn’t show the type of dominance this team should have. We should be outplaying, outperforming Almeria, but we show no evidence that we can do that.
With the talent we have on the pitch, I really have to wonder why teams like Chelsea, Barcelona and Manchester United look so much better than we do.
There’s so many times we’re playing incredibly static football.
For example, I think it was Heinze who was isolated on the left, inside the Real half, and there’s no one running around trying to give him an option to pass to.
Meanwhile, He got closed down by at least 3 defenders, so he tried to outlet to Diarra, but he’s stood flat-footed so the ball got nicked. Ugh.
It’s like we wanted to play ball possession type of football, but we did a really bad job at it. Where was the flow?
Heinze and Robben had absolutely no understanding at all. Many a times Robben passed heinze one way and Heinze went the other way leading to loss in posession. It was just so frustrating to watch Real Madrid tonight.
The second half was even moree disappointing then the first one. Finally, Almeria decided that it had to start making chances because Real Madrid were just content with keeping the ball and pass it aroung their backline.
Almeria made a dozen of chances from which they could had scored 3 goals but scored only one which was sufficient to draw the game. They scored thanks to a neat finish by Piatto after he got a menacing cross into the penalty area. Heinze was again caught off guard on this situation and ended up struggling to put any sort of pressure on the scorer.
Casillas couldn’t do anything about that goal. Real Madrid just sucked. Especially, Metzelder. Who mostly headed the ball into the feat of opponent players since he got on for the injured Pepe at half time.Before the goal was concded.
Schuster replaced Higuain, who was by far our best player on the pitch. That tells me that Van Nistelrooy MIGHT not make it to Juventus match.
Anyway, with this performance I think Real Madrid can kiss their Champions Leauge prospects good bye for good. As we played horribly tonight.
On one occasion, Sneijder found Raúl unmarked and the captain slipped the ball to Diarra, whose goal was waved off after the linesman ruled him offside. Raul could had scored the goal himself but he was too un selfish or was he.
I think he just did not have enough confidence in himself to take the shot and beat the goal keeper so he squared it to Diarra who was offside. Pity
The hosts kept their foot on the gas with twelve minutes left on the clock, but it was Real Madrid who had the best chance of pulling off the win. Robben, however, was denied by the legs of the goalkeeper. The Whites notched a point in the draw and kept their title hopes very much alive.
Heinze also had a chance near the end, with a free header 2 feet outside the opponents goal and he failed to even hit the target.
Compared to the second half, the first half was indeed heavenly.
I failed to see how a team like ours can look so good on paper and yet look so bad on the pitch. Almeria definitely deserved a point from this match, if not the win. Real didn’t look like they were playing to win.
They toyed around with the ball, gave up possession too easily, settled for long-distance shots that didn’t hit the target. Weak.
Almeria, on the other hand, played to win. They moved around with purpose, and after Metzelder came in for Pepe, they attacked his space with gusto and caused havoc in the Madrid backline.
Our lack of width again haunted us. With no one to threaten the flanks except the Glass Man, Almeria could keep one of the fullbacks in tight to help out whenever we attacked up the middle, which was almost always.
Ramos was also nominated to attack on the wings, but he will almost always cut into the middle rather than trying to burst to the corner flag.
I dunno… I don’t see help around the corner. We don’t have anyone on the bench who can solve this.
Maybe Guti can get more flow into the game, but he’s not the poster child for consistency.
Drenthe is still too raw, Saviola is crap, and any of the other central midfielders who aren’t starting a given match only duplicate whoever is on the pitch.
Sucking performance by Real Madrid. A Striker signing is a MUST and a winger signing is a MUST MUST in the winter market. Otherwise, I don’t think Real Madrid will win anything this season. Europe has got too much competition in it so no matter what Real Madrid do, they cannot win it this season atleast.
As for LA Liga, Barcelona are starting to get the SUPERSTARS to act together and if we make a one on one comparison of Barcelona with any team, in LA LIGA or in the whole world, they would outclass everybody.
I don’t know but I think, this season is not going to be a happy outing for Schuster. Real Madrid are already behind Barcelona by two points and I don’t think Real Madrid would be able to earn anything when they player Barcelona few months later.
I can’t comment on this game any more. It is just making me sick. People said Capello was boring and so was his style. I say to them, Capello who? Come to the Bernabeu to see Schuster.
UD ALMERÍA 1-1 REAL MADRID
1-0 Raúl 38′
1-1 Piatti 81′
Almería: Diego Alves; Bruno, Chico, Pellerano, Mané; Juanma Ortiz (Crusat 46), Julio Álvarez, Juanito (Soriano 75), Piatti; Corona (Kala Uche 46); Negredo.
Real Madrid: Casillas; Sergio Ramos, Cannavaro, Pepe (Metzelder 46), Heinze; Diarra, Gago; Higuaín (Van der Vaart 72), Sneijder (Guti 78), Robben; Raúl.
Yellow Cards: Kalu Uche 55, Juanito 61, Soriano 90, Negredo 90 – Sneijder 63, Casillas 90.
Referee: González Vázquez
Schuster’s comments
“We are pleased with the draw, but we let two points slip through our fingers. Once again we didn’t capitalize on good counterattacks and we never finished off a play that would have allowed us to score the second. I did like the team’s attitude, though.”
“We didn’t push hard enough when we had the chance, especially when Almería were seeking the equaliser. We felt comfortable and controlled well, but we have the talent to finish a lot stronger and win the match.”
Robben and Cannavaro also fet disguted. ( I think the whole team should feel that way)
Cannavaro:
“I am going home feeling like we lost two points. We had the match under control at all times, but we even almost lost.”
“We cannot slip up on Wednesday against Juventus. We have to win at all cost to be the group leader and qualify for the next round.”
Robben:
“I am upset about the result. We had our chances but couldn’t finish. A real shame.”
“Real Madrid must defeat Juventus on Wednesday. We have two days to prepare and we need to win any which way we can. We won’t give the Italians any option of leaving with points in hand.”
