Visiting The Cucumbers

Real travels to Seville to visit the green and white side of town for what should be a good test of their mettle. Its a good warmup for the game in Rome in midweek, but more importantly, we want to keep our lead on Barca as wide as we can. We go into the game with alot of momentum, but since we have one eye on the Champions League, it will be tough to focus on this game completely.

Before we go any further, Raul and Iker have committed their “love” to the club on Valentines Day with deals that will last until they retire. Read here http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=507922&cc=5901. How corny Calderon, but more importantly, Guti will be signed to a life longer as well, as the three capitans and symbols of Madridismo look to be tied to the club for good. No Hierro follies here folks, thank god. Will you ever forgive us Hierro? We loved you so. On to the preview.

As today is Valentines Day, here is my favorite made-up holiday related song by the talented Andre 3000. Ignore the fan video, just listen to the song. But you can watch the video if you have the time, its hilarious to an extent:

Here is the stat attack for the two clubs:

Home and Away Form Last 5 Games
Real Betis Real Madrid
@Valencia 3-1 Valladolid 7-0
Deportivo La Coruña 0-1 @Almeria 2-0
@Espanyol 1-2 Villarreal 3-2
Recreativo Huelva 1-1 @Atlético Madrid 0-2
Getafe 3-2 @Levante 0-2

Team Stat Comparison
Real Betis Real Madrid
Matches Played 23 23
Table Position 16 1
Points 25 56
Goal Difference -10 35
Goals for * 1.5 1.7
Goals against * 1.5 0.8
Last 5 L-L-W-D-W W-L-W-W-W
Last 5 home L-D-W-W-L W-W-W-W-W
Last 5 away L-W-L-D-W L-W-W-W-W

Club Leaders
Real Betis Real Madrid
Goals Edu 7 Ruud van Nistelrooy 12
Reds Juanito 2 Garcia Sergio Ramos 1
Yellows Juanito 6 Garcia Sergio Ramos 10

Betis are in dire straights yet again it seems, they really are one of those teams that hangs on in La Liga for a few years before the fall back, like Rayo Vallecano or Deportivo Alaves. After a 6th place then 8th place finish, they made it to the CL group stage after a 4th place finish in 05. But since then its been bottom of the barrel. They have beceome experts at narrowly avoiding the drop, as well as axing coaches early and not buying any remotely impressive players. They are a hard working team, but they leave alot to be desired unfortunately, and I use to like them in the days of Joaquin, Assuncao and Dani. But those days are long gone, as Mr. Lopera single handedly destroys the club he is suppose to love.

But I will get off my soapbox for a minute. Level with Huelva on 25 points, and only one above Deportivo who occupy the final relegation spot, they could use the points more then we do. And is the case, whenever Real comes to town, the fans and players try extra hard to make the stay uncomfortable. So dont expect any favors from this team, who are fighting to stay afloat. One hopes that Real come into the game focused for a battle, and not content to escpae and fly off to Rome.

Real Team News:

Give Me A Kiss David

Our only injuries are Saviola (oh well) Robinho (shit) and Metz, so we are looking in good shape for our two trophy assault. The fitness of Ruud, Sergio Ramos, Miguel Torres and Heinze remains in doubt, while I am pretty sure Diarra had some severe bruising on his ankle but it seems to have subsided. It is 50-50 that Sergio Ramos returns to the side right now, if he is not in the best shape rest him for Roma. Heinze will most likely partner Canna in the defense then, giving him a return to the side and some gametime before Roma. This means an allstar full back tandem of Salgado and Marcelo (eek).

As for Van the Man, he may well be rested to as Schuster should (logically) continue with the side that so emphatically wiped Valladolid. Which means Raul up front and Baptista just behind, with Robben, Gago, Guti and Drenthe in the midfield. It allows Baptista to literally do a little of everything, while Guti is free from the bondage of a position and defensive duties, and Gago is in good form right now. I hope Drenthe is prefered to Sneijder, who I think has just been awful for the past 5 months.

So there you have it, subs bench will be more balanced now with more fit players. Higuain, Soldado, Balboa, Sneijder, Diarra, Dudek, and either Sergio Ramos or Torres will fill er out. I have Real team news down to a science, and since Bernadine is so predictable, I hardly have to do any work! Ha, lucky me.

Real Betis News:

Dont expect to see the same team that lost so comprehensively to fellow strugglers Valencia. The likes of Branco Ilic, Rafeal Sobis and Leandero Somoza were on the bench. Although Sobis seems to be out of favor and ready to move to Stuttgart at seasons end, he is a quality player, fast and deadly. Somoza offers a little bit of everything to the center of midfield, while Ilic is a beast of a defender. But for some reason players like Jose Mari, Arzu and Alex Ortiz are preferred. If thats the case then we wont have much trouble.

Defensively they have Spain international Juanito, who stays loyal to his club which is admirable. Next to him is usually Ortiz, whehther he sticks around for Real is beyond me. Seems Ilic or Melli or Rivas (if fit) is a better choice. Damia (ex-Barca) and Vega are the two fullbacks, and they both do a little attacking a little defending. They are decent players, but they should not give us to much trouble.

The danger man of the squad is Edu Schmidt, Brazilian winger/striker who leads the team in goals and who desperately needs a transfer out of there. He is a quality player stuck on a crap team. We will have to contain him as he floats behind the lumbering Jose Mari. Just a question here, why was Jose Mari ever transfered to AC Milan? The guy simply doesnt score, he looks like Martin Palermo at Betis all over again. A big guy who huffs and puffs but does very little. Luckily for Palermo, a step down to Argentinian football has helped revive his carer. La Segunda couldnt hurt Jose Mari…

Midfield employs a strange 4. Xisco, former Valencia man, is charge with most of the touchline running. But what he can do in running he cant do in dribbling or crossing, he isnt very good. Likewise, Arzu is the defensive midfielder, but he never convinces me of being solid enough to compete for the ball with say Baptista. Unfair comparison, not many people are. Okay, so Gago could probably beat him out in a tackle no problem. Rivera is the blonde hair mop who is in charge of dictating play. Which he does a decent job of, being a former Real trainee. One cant forget how he engineered a Betis victory over Chelsea in the CL a few years back.

Rivera sprays the ball around alot, while Capi does alot of the creative stuff. Many underestimate his abilities, but he is very clever and talented, he just seems to lack motivation. He can split a defense in half, but like our resident genius, he has more off days then on days. Whats interesting is that a couple of these players are interchangabel. Capi and Edu can switch effortlessly, while Xisco and Capi can swap wings. And is usually the case, a 4-3-3 can be employed later in the game to give some added bite to the attack, but look for a straight 4-4-2 to start.

Mark Gonzalez is injured, I believe Melli (u-21 Spain international) is as well. I mean, why wouldnt he start, he is a pretty good defender. Also, Betis possess Cristian Pecci, a u-19 defender with some potential. Nano, Fernando and Pavone didnt make the bench last game so they are either injured or out of the coaches plans. My guess is out of the coaches plans.

Here is some pre-game banter from Betis player’s Juanito and Juande. Translations from Marca so the grammar is a little suspect.

Juanito:

“This Madrid is better than the one of the last year” the captain of the Real Betis, Juan Gutiérrez “Juanito”, has recognized who Real Madrid, next rival of the verdiblancos in League, “is at a good moment” but has clarified that “is not invincible”, and invoked the example of Almeria, that beat to the leader of Liga two weeks ago.

Juanito, in press conference, has analyzed to the equipment that directs the German Bernd Schuster and has emphasized who “although you want it to asphyxiate, break the pressure very well” and for that reason it has considered that “the best thing would be to play to them the counterstroke to try that so fast people that has they do not have meters”. “It is the best Madrid of the last years, better than the equipment than gained Liga the last campaign.

It is the equipment more hard with difference “, has assured The gaditano defense thinks that one of the problems of its equipment is that “the mentality changes by a result” and put as example the party of two weeks ago before the Sport one, that the Betis confronted “with optimism, but the goal in con collapsed psychologically to the equipment”. Juanito has said that no longer establishment deceives on possibilities of that “not is where it is by chance”, although not thinks that it is problem of attitude, since remembered that “when a party is lost, is always said that attitude and commitment need, sometimes are used those words because there are no more suitable others

Juande:

“We will have to make the best party of its lives” Juan de God Meadows, soccer known like ‘ Juandé, it was clear when analyzing the visit the next Saturday from Real Madrid to the field of the Betis and assured that the heliopolitanos players will have “to make the best party of their lives” before the leader to remove a good result, although affirmed not to fear the potential of the white equipment. In fact, the midfield player verdiblanco thinks that the Betis must play without complexes against the madridistas. “To me he does not scare Madrid to me, I have faced them three times and in the Bernabéu, where more forts feel.

Doubt that does not fit they are players with quality and experience, but are people just as the rest. I would play to them of you you, drowning them and pressing them, to make the best party of your life. It is necessary to go by the victory without fear “, espetó. In this sense, the canterano so emphasized some factors with which the Betis could surprise the present champions of League, and as Almeria back made a pair of days, that has been the only equipment able to fold to the inhabitants of the capital in the liguero championship since year 2008 began. “Almeria won to him to Madrid because the companions helped themselves and pressed in certain zones. That is an aid to think that they are not invincible.

On the other hand, the Madrid takes advantage of which it has a great offensive capability, and if we can take them to the con, we could take advantage of its errors back “. However, Juande does not think that the square directed by Bernd Schuster leaves relaxed in this party, although ‘ merengues’ plays the next week the going of the eighth of end of the Champions in Rome. “Madrid, like a great equipment that is, has a winning mentality and for them all the parties are important. They will want to remove are the maximum possible points in League so that, when arrives the ‘ Champions’, to have a mattress of points and power to allow a slip “, it explained. Nonlack competitiveness nor unit Also, the canterano hope that does not become to such commit errors that have taken to the Betis to fit two consecutive defeats, before Deportivo and Valencia, and discarded that there is lack of competitiveness and unit in the group albiverde. “the equipment trains well, has attitude and many desire.

The Fortress of the Cucumber
Another thing is that it is failed at precise moments. These defeats have taken place because they have been better tactical to us. People are put and I do not believe that neither attitude nor comradeship need. It is necessary to improve the details and ‘ mister’ tries to correct those errors. An equipment that plays in the low zone of the classification cannot give to the rival nor ten minutes to him, because it crushes to you. If him DAS facilities to the Sport one and creates problems to you, imagínate to the Madrid, that is the leader of Liga “. In this sense, Juande did not want to give greater importance to those two mentioned misfortunes. “Nobody was hoped that, after removing good results, against Sport and the Valencia it did not score but I do not believe that there is to make a mountain of a sand grain.

By the results we cannot come to us down, everything what is not to be motivated is detrimental for us. It has been a misfortune, but it is necessary to think about the next parties “. Finally, the means were eager to be to title in the referred shock before Real Madrid, after not to have participated in the last started off in League. “After the sanction against the Espanyol, ‘ mister’ has trusted the companions, that they have done it well and is necessary to respect them. Each player which needs is to play better, the more, because he gives the more to experience and confidence you. Nobody still knows who will play Saturday, for that reason everybody trains with the illusion to leave beginning “, concluded.

And I have not found a single thing that any Real players have said about this match yet, as the Raul and Casillas signings are taking up all the news. Which is fine, but I can even get training pics for you. So here is a link to a team dinner Real had recently: http://www.realmadrid.com/articulo/formamos_equipo_47014.htm

Im predicting a 2-1 victory for us, but its gonna be slim. I dont need to see a stellar performance again, but a win will do us good going to Rome. Scorers will be Raul and Robben. And thats a wild guess as usual. HALA MADRID!

Category: Game Preview

Tags: Game Preview

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