Fredi Kanouté, Javi VARAS and every defender Marcelino could scrape out of the barrel were needed to hold on for three points today. Before the match took several twists and turns in the second half, the first half was a statement of intent for a Sevilla team that hasn’t impressed going forward at times. Today, the home team ran circles around Los Che for the first 45′, and while it certainly helped that Valencia looked gassed from their midweek match against Barcelona, Sevilla looked dangerous, creative and generally every adjective that didn’t describe our midweek match in Navarra.
Smooth as ever, Kanouté finished an early counter attack after being fed by Navas on the edge of the area. (Side note: is there any doubt that Kanouté is greater for Sevilla that Luis Fabiano was? That was his 130th goal for the club compared with 108 for LuFa.) Navas and Cáceres overwhelmed their defenders on the right side, and Sevilla seemed to find plenty of space on counters and when building from the back. Over on the other side of the formation, Perotti also had one of his better matches of late with intelligent movement and a couple dangerous shots and crosses. All told, we should have gone into halftime with more than a 1-0 lead given the energy of the opponent and the positive attacking play. In fact, a 6th minute mistakenly disallowed goal by Kanouté (assisted by a videogame bicycle kick by Negredo, which was saved into his path) would have given us a more representative scoreline at the break. It wasn’t meant to be.
The second half and the match turned ten minutes in when Trochowski’s second yellow card reduced Sevilla to 10 men. The foul was as useless as it was ugly, and Trocho’s hanging head told the tale. Suddenly, Valencia sprung to life and began harassing Sevilla’s back line, which found itself pressed back deeper than it had been all match. VARAS was tested a few times, and the back line did its best to hold shape and control the ball when given the chance. Ten minutes after going down a man, our suffering reached new lows as Escudé took down Aduriz (more on him later) in the area in what the ref judged to be a “last man” scenario. Thus, Escudé was rewarded with a straight red card for his efforts. Down to nine men and facing a decisive penalty kick, VARAS was sent the wrong way by Ever Banega, whose shot rolled straight into the opposite post and out for Sevilla to clear. Bullet dodging. Is that why VARAS went the other way?
Three minutes later, Spahic got the best of a frustrated Aduriz when the Bosian collapsed to the ground after Aduriz stamped him, which also came after Spahic gently and intentionally stood on his boot. The ref saw the stamp and pulled out the red vinyl square for a third time much to Sr. Llorente’s outrage. Generally, presidents keep silent during the matches so as to maintain the ever-important “señorío” (“gentlemanliness“), but both Del Nido and Llorente were reacting with expressive “Args!” and “Oooo-Ahhhs!” during these violent swings of emotion. There’s an obvious subtext that made both managers extra excitable during the match and react thusly, but we’ll save TV revenue distribution for other (read: many, many more) posts.
VARAS held and the defense also did well to stymie the waves of Che attacks while playing incredibly narrow and blocking a dozen or so crosses before they could reach their destination. Keeping a clean sheet is huge as it’s our third in as many matches, but just as huge is our still undefeated season, and sitting tied for second with 11 points from 15. This stretch of matches is key — that cannot be emphasized enough, and starting it off with a win under difficult circumstances will only ready us more to travel to El Calderón next weekend.
A win is always good. A win against a direct CL rival and after seeing two red cards is better. A win against a direct CL rival and after seeing two red cards in which we played such a competent first half and defended so well in the second is better yet.
But don’t you feel like you guys cheated a wee bit to get Aduriz sent off? That said I think you guys had you best game this season and contained Valencia well. And Kanoute’s first goal was onside.
Ha. Cheated is quite a harsh word, don’t you think? The ref made tough calls both ways. Sending Trocho off for two fouls within 10 minutes? Just red card, but many refs wouldn’t make that call. Penalty and last man foul? Correct sending off, but again, it’s gone uncalled in many matches I’ve seen. What I’m saying is the ref was decisive and stern today, and it affected both teams. Spahic exaggerated but offense, but this is such a standard practice in La Liga that I’m surprised anyone even noticed. Even Valencia fans lamented Aduriz’s idiocy more than Spahic’s industry.
I definitely groaned in embarrassment when I saw in the replay that Spahic had stepped on Aduriz’s foot first. Spahic’s acting/exaggerating bothered me less, if only because there actually was contact.
But…they were both clearly involved in the argument leading up to the stamping, and Aduriz won the race to losing his head first. Sevilla won’t win any new fans in this way (see below!), and I didn’t love the way it went down, but I wouldn’t say we cheated. I also wouldn’t say I’m proud of it, though.
hey Elisa,
first, since you did the show with us, ive continued listening to your podcast. i really enjoy it. your contributions in particular. so keep up the great work.
i’ll say this: i groaned and was embarrassed by spahic’s acting and antagonism. i hate when players are cheap, dirty, and dive. that play was all of those things, and there is no excuse for it.
but aduriz DID stomp (if not particularly hard) on spahic’s foot. he MUST know that the ref was handing out cards and was probably feeling under some pressure to equalize the numbers on the pitch a bit. the bottom line is, if he didnt stomp on spahic’s foot, if he just walks away (granted spahic was pursuing him), then the match restarts and they continue playing 11 v. 9. and we dont have this discussion.
now i’ll also say, it sure looked like valencia would score again, but they didnt. they played while playing up 10 v. 9. so we cant really know what would have happened with the extra player for 20 minutes. they played 35 minutes up a man and didnt score. if an extra 20 of those had been up two players would they have scored? maybe. they might have scored. they might not. we cant, and will never know.
finally, the ref blew the offsides call on the disallowed goal. we could also look back and ask what might have happened if we’d gotten that goal had stood and we’d gone up sooner. maybe we would’ve gotten a second before half time. just like with the red card. the game only plays out once. and for each of those critical junctures in a match, we’ll never know what the road less traveled would have looked like.
i think we were the better team and deserved the win. im not proud of that moment, but im very proud of the team getting 3 points against a direct CL competitor.
ps. i would LOVE for the league to start handing out fines and suspensions for diving based on video review after games end. it could really clean the league up.
pps. in response to your podcast a few weeks ago, thanks for being the only one taking a stance against RM/barca hoarding players just to loan them out with buyback clauses IN CASE they end up being the next world superstar. what was that guy saying “im not a big fan of it”?! i found that infuriating. why couldnt he just come out and say its bullshit? clearly no one should be a fan of big teams monopolizing all the world’s talent, hedging their bets by owning everyone, just in case someone gets good. it screws over the players, though i imagine that’s more their agents’ fault than anyone else. cus the agent just goes where the transfer fee is highest… anyway. rant over. that probably should’ve been stated over at your blog not here.
btw. im overtired and half delirious. please ignore the jumbled grammar and sentence fragments along with any references that generally dont make any sense.
[comment removed by moderators; please use civil language when addressing the readership here.]
Hey Monchi’s Men folks:
I really like that our blog just doesn’t do this kind of stuff. Even if it’s tempting, please join me in not responding in kind.
Thanks.
resolved
^YES. All MM-ers, please always ignore this kind of commenter. We want to have civilized dialogue here.
Put some lemons in your mouth.
Aduriz stomped – he had a yellow before the incident – Spahic. Simply as that, he deserved another yellow card = red card. It’s not like solving a cubic function.
We were the better side with 11 players, Valencia deserved nothing from yesterdays match, they did nothing, only wasted chances after chances. We scored a goal – should have been our second as Kanoute’s goal was wrongfully disallowed.
Haters, sit down and be quiet. Easy as that.
Out of curiosity, how many league goals does Kanoute have to score to reach 100 La Liga goals? Is he 15 goals away?
Soccernet’s stats have him at 87. If he keeps up his current pace (2 goals in 5 games), he’d end this season right at 100. Let’s hope health, roster space, and form permit him to reach that landmark.
Incidentally, the commentators yesterday remarked that only Messi has scored more goals for his current club than Kanoute. The man is a true legend, and classiest player I can remember seeing playing for anyone.
before allowing the ref to throw him out, did trochowski look any better to you guys?
think it will be manu or rakitic starting against atletico? any update on medel’s limping? how about caceres, seemed to have a better game. start him in the middle with coke on the right? navarro looked very good to me.
You Matha F***, Cheating c****
)
No really what Spahic did was bad and I hope he gets punished for that, and Aduriz was stupid deserved red IMO or a yellow which would have been his second so still red(and yes we do blame him for that and not Spahic).
The other red cards where deserved as well but you guys dived too much IMO and the problem is not that Sevilla is going it and we all hate them now but the whole league is doing it, it’s like diving became the new thing in La Liga, that really has to stop I hope someone does something about it and fast please.
I kind of feel you cheated to win but then again we sucked badly and you played a lot better(and whole lot better) and Kanoute’s goal was disallowed so a 1-0 seems fair otherwise it could have been 2-1 and it would still be a win for you or 2-0.
We went on again with our annual lose at the Pizjuan hopefully we will win someday within my lifetime. But if you guys really hate Betis you would have given us all 3 point seems like you cheated yourself(see again you cheat
PS I’m still mad at you for not making the EL
Good luck this season, Jafar!
Downloaded the game today (unfortunately I am in the U.S. but can’t get Gol TV).
Notes followed by summary -
7′ Totally ripped off by linesman’s offside call on Kanoute’s rebound on Negredo’s bike – was clearly a few feet ON
11′ Perotti – v poor shot form, has not improved this aspect of his game and the defense knows it (1 man only guarding only cross). Great cross to Navarro at 16′ though (one of his strengths).
15′ good take by medel. Quicker and more agile than the rest of the defense.
18′ – Kanoute. Despite having lost half a step, one of the best finishers in the last 10 yrs of La Liga. Great, unselfish pass by Navas.
CLEAR penalty claim on Perotti. Got his heela stamped on by the defender. Obvious foul.
26′ – damn. Another great Navas ball, weak shot by Perotti. His shots either lack power or are WILDLY inaccurate.
31′ – great off-ball run by Navas down the line. Unfortunately Negredo didn’t realize how open Navas was.
32′ – should have had a goal on a wide open Negredo run, but Kanoute pass was too long. Goal kick BUT Valencia defense is awful at man-marking.
43′ Again a great 1v1 opportunity for Perotti. Again a shot not even close to the goal.
51′ – finally a nice shot by Perotti. Good placement, lacked power though so saved for a corner.
Ever Banega’s quickness is killing us.
56′ – Trocho 2nd yellow! Oh my. The first one was incredibly dumb, too (jersey grab on a run by Banega in Valencia’s own half).
We could really use 1 of the 2 ref-denied goals now…
66′ – why Escude?! *+*#$ Burned by a great Pele turn before the pass, though (Banega?)
68′ – oh my god.
70 – what the…?
Spahic and Navarro provoked a red-card stamp. Not sure whether to laugh or cry.
75′ – Negredo messes up a 1v1. Has been a little “odd” today.
Del Nido and Manual Llorente look like brothers sitting next to each other. Very, very close resemblance.
Summary – we deserved three goals (the goal, plus Kanoute’s “offside,” plus a penalty on Perotti), while Valencia probably had a good case for an offside call to go their way at the end of the game. Still, I feel we “won” handily if you adjust for a few poor calls. Escude’s red somehow turned out to be “good” as the goal was denied, penalty missed, and the defense held for the rest of the game. Trocho’s indiscipline on the first yellow – jersey pull in Valencia’s own half – was inexcusable, especially considering he’s a seasoned international veteran. Valencia fans could easily say the same on their own red card. Yes, the player was goaded but his reaction was downright idiotic and dangerous.
Varas was the MVP of the game with Navas also playing quite well for the first 55 min, making several excellent runs both on and off the ball and putting in several great passes. I still think he has lost a little bit of explosiveness and pure speed due to injury but his footwork, passing, and awareness of angles and defenders is still excellent. Negredo and (especially) Perotti need to work on finishing with both power and accuracy – not new for these players, though Negredo had a poor game by his standards.
nice. thanks for the coments sean. id missed most of the first half and that fills a lot in.
thanks for the great recap, Sean.
where do you download matches?
Either the Match Highlights forum or http://jesuscreations.com/partidos-completos-en-alta-definicion-hd/ (a Sevilla fan site that often uploads games).
I agree with the opinions expressed in this post, especially with regard to Navas. He seems to not have that initial separating burst that made him so explosive prior to his injuries last year.
Not at all impressed with Trochowski so far…he is invisible except when he is collecting inane yellows. Not proud of Spahic’s nonsense either, but at least he has been somewhat serviceable. As good as our January signings were last year, that’s how poor our summer efforts have proven to be so far. Coke has been solid, and I still like Caceres (and Negredo, of course) but Trocho, Manu and to some extent Spahic have been varying degrees of meh to poor.
Agree on all points.
acosta injured for 2-3 months… that sucks. he’s on loan and not sold if i remember correctly and was playing for santander. crappy.