YES!
The four-game-fixture-list-from-hell is over! It's taken its toll though as we've hit rock bottom with only six games gone. But, we won't despair. Apart from the game at home to Recreativo (blighted by injuries and unavailable late-signings), we've have five incredibly tough fixtures and in the games we've lost, we've done so only by one goal in each and in somewhat unlucky circumstance. So, while confidence may have been hit, the international break has come at the perfect time and we can plan for our next home game against Mallorca who today lost at home to Sporting.
Here are our next eight games. We could conceivably, if we put in the same effort as we've done in the big games, win maybe 5 or 6 of these eight games.
Round 7 - Real Mallorca (h)
Round 8 - Osasuna (a)
Round 9 - Deportivo (h)
Round 10 - Numancia (a)
Round 11 - Racing (h)
Round 12 - Sporting (a)
Round 13 - Valencia (a)
Round 14 - Espanyol (h)
The positives from the season so far:
- Apart from Sevilla, a game in which we actually gone some points, we've scored against all the big teams.
- Wing backs. Nelson and Monzón have done very well, especially Monzon who was incredible against Madrid. Vega has also done well when called upon.
- Emana is a beast and has been consistently one of our best players in every game.
- The partnership of Arzu and Juanito is surprisingly strong. I do prefer Arzu as a centre back and hope they can go from strength to strength.
- Sergio Garcia has been a real treat and has create multiple chances in every game he has played in. Can't wait to see him against Mallorca.
- Mark Gonzalez. A constant threat whenever on the pitch. Hopefully he can come back from the internationals injury free.
- Mehmet Aurelio has been slightly hit and miss, but more so hit. Excited by his future at the club.
- We've been unlucky. Yeah, that seems a strange positive, but it's not as if we've been awful. We can get better, but we've also played well and things will eventually click.
The negatives:
- Capi. I don't know what Luis Fernandez, Irureta or Chaparro see in Capi. He's so inconsistent, physically weak and generally poor yet he is consistently chosen in the starting eleven. It's not good that a player can play so poorly yet still be chosen.
- Casto just isn't as good as Ricardo, not in my opinion anyway. He makes a lot of minor mistakes, nothing significant, but you do feel a better goalkeeper may have prevented two or three of our conceded goals.
- Jose Mari or Pavone? Jose Mari offers a lot to the side but doesn't score enough. What he does offer is athleticism, hard work, an aerial threat and pace. So maybe I'm being slightly harsh. He did, afterall, score a golazo against Barcelona.
- Was Pavone justly dropped? He may have missed chances, but the fact that he was getting chances means it was only a case of confidence, not ability.
- Melli. Sell him. He's been awful every time he's been on the pitch. A shockingly poor player.
- Our inability to close out any game. If we've got a lead or a draw, then we should look to take these points and defend our lead. Instead we squander them to poorly conceded goals.
So, do you have any more positives and negatives to add?
The four-game-fixture-list-from-hell is over! It's taken its toll though as we've hit rock bottom with only six games gone. But, we won't despair. Apart from the game at home to Recreativo (blighted by injuries and unavailable late-signings), we've have five incredibly tough fixtures and in the games we've lost, we've done so only by one goal in each and in somewhat unlucky circumstance. So, while confidence may have been hit, the international break has come at the perfect time and we can plan for our next home game against Mallorca who today lost at home to Sporting.
Here are our next eight games. We could conceivably, if we put in the same effort as we've done in the big games, win maybe 5 or 6 of these eight games.
Round 7 - Real Mallorca (h)
Round 8 - Osasuna (a)
Round 9 - Deportivo (h)
Round 10 - Numancia (a)
Round 11 - Racing (h)
Round 12 - Sporting (a)
Round 13 - Valencia (a)
Round 14 - Espanyol (h)
The positives from the season so far:
- Apart from Sevilla, a game in which we actually gone some points, we've scored against all the big teams.
- Wing backs. Nelson and Monzón have done very well, especially Monzon who was incredible against Madrid. Vega has also done well when called upon.
- Emana is a beast and has been consistently one of our best players in every game.
- The partnership of Arzu and Juanito is surprisingly strong. I do prefer Arzu as a centre back and hope they can go from strength to strength.
- Sergio Garcia has been a real treat and has create multiple chances in every game he has played in. Can't wait to see him against Mallorca.
- Mark Gonzalez. A constant threat whenever on the pitch. Hopefully he can come back from the internationals injury free.
- Mehmet Aurelio has been slightly hit and miss, but more so hit. Excited by his future at the club.
- We've been unlucky. Yeah, that seems a strange positive, but it's not as if we've been awful. We can get better, but we've also played well and things will eventually click.
The negatives:
- Capi. I don't know what Luis Fernandez, Irureta or Chaparro see in Capi. He's so inconsistent, physically weak and generally poor yet he is consistently chosen in the starting eleven. It's not good that a player can play so poorly yet still be chosen.
- Casto just isn't as good as Ricardo, not in my opinion anyway. He makes a lot of minor mistakes, nothing significant, but you do feel a better goalkeeper may have prevented two or three of our conceded goals.
- Jose Mari or Pavone? Jose Mari offers a lot to the side but doesn't score enough. What he does offer is athleticism, hard work, an aerial threat and pace. So maybe I'm being slightly harsh. He did, afterall, score a golazo against Barcelona.
- Was Pavone justly dropped? He may have missed chances, but the fact that he was getting chances means it was only a case of confidence, not ability.
- Melli. Sell him. He's been awful every time he's been on the pitch. A shockingly poor player.
- Our inability to close out any game. If we've got a lead or a draw, then we should look to take these points and defend our lead. Instead we squander them to poorly conceded goals.
So, do you have any more positives and negatives to add?
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