El Derbi

By: Corey | November 5th, 2009

Atletico Madrid vs. Real Madrid
Vicente Calderon Madrid, Espana
11/07/2009 22:00 CET (4pm eastern)
Jornada 10

Its derbi time boys and girls, and the derbi madrileno could not have come at a more intriguing time for either Madrid team. The colchoneros find themselves in a rather precarious position in that they just fired their coach after a run of poor results that find them knocked out of the Champions League and sitting in the relegation zone in La Liga. Real Madrid have faired a little better, but have shown some indifferent results as of late that coincided with the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo and the media pressure on coach Manuel Pellegrini. In the past seven matches, Real has only won 2 matches, with the embarrassment of the route against Alcorcon sandwiched in their for good measure.

Considering both teams have not met their fans expectations for the season this year, the derbi becomes even more important, as a win against the cross town rival could ease the pain of being in the relegation zone, or being knocked out of the Copa del Rey by a team that looses to the reserve squad regularly. This derbi is usually important, but with a disillusioned Atletico fan base, it may take on even more importance now. Ohh, and Sid Lowe (who I have never fancied) says that Atletico are the “worst run club in Europe”. I not sure about that, but he has a few valid points.

You must also consider Real has been dominant in the derbi in the past decade, with the last loss at the Calderon coming way back in 1999 in the second to last week of the campaign. According to RealMadrid.com, Real have won 29 times, drawn 20 and lost 23. Real Madrid also have the upper hand in terms of goals scored, where they lead Atletico 112 to 109. Overall, the two sides have met 144 times, of which the Madridistas have won 77, drawn 32 and lost 35 with 255 goals scored and 144 conceded.

FIVE MOST RECENT DERBIES AT THE CALDERON
SEASON DATE WEEK SCORE
2004/05 09/01/05 18 At. Madrid 0-3 Real Madrid
2005/06 15/10/05 7 At. Madrid 0-3 Real Madrid
2006/07 24/02/07 24 At. Madrid 1-1 Real Madrid
2007/08 20/01/07 20 At. Madrid 1-2 Real Madrid
2008/09 18/10/08 7 At. Madrid 0-2 Real Madrid

I would like to see the streak continue, especially with Barcelona having a tough game against in-form Mallorca this weekend.

Atletico Madrid Team News:

Guess what, I have some free time finally, so lets get right in to the break down of Atletico. Lets start with the keeper situation and move forward from there. Sergio Asenjo was brought in this summer to replace the departing Coupet and Franco as the #1. But international duty let Roberto Gago step up for the first few matches and he did not fair to well. David De Gea was also given a few starts after an injury to Roberto, and the 18 year old keeper played really well in my opinion (the game at Porto especially). But an error against Mallorca that surrendered points to a team playing with 9 men meant when Asenjo was fit again he was restored to the starting eleven. I think Flores will continue to use Asenjo, and De Gea will be on the bench. To me De Gea is the better long term prospect, and I think the eventual successor to Iker on the national team, but Asenjo is also very talented and has more La Liga experience.

The defense is where the nick name ‘Pathetico’ seems most appropriate. The team has allowed 19 goals in 9 games! That is not a bad defense, that is an invisible defense. At home they have only let in five in four games which is okay, but the 14 allowed on the road is, well, pathetico. They have conceded a bulk of those goals in the middle of the first half and in the last fifteen minutes of a match. The personnel has also been erratic, with former coach Abel never playing the same back four in his games in charge. The laughable sale of Heitinga so close to the transfer deadline was probably the biggest error the team made.

Perea, Juanito, Pablo, Ujfalusi and Alvaro Dominguez all have played center back this season. Does that seem like it would be a bit of a problem? Pablo has been found out finally as not good to put it politely (how did that guy go to the WC in 2006?), while Perea looks a shade of the player he was a few years ago. Juanito has his limitations, but is a capable organizer, as is Ujfalusi, but playing the two together would result in an alarming lack of speed to track strikers down. Alvaro is young, and promising, but in the mess that is Atletico’s defense he has not been the answer yet. Maybe in a few years. Ujfalusi has been playing as a right back mostly this season, which seems to suit him as he does not have to run much. The fact that the only other option at right back is….? has forced Ujfalusi out wide. If we had Ronaldo fit, he would have a field day, but even so Kaka could drift out wide and cut in on him.

I will assume that Flores uses Ibanez and Juanito as the partnership because that is who played against Athletic Bilbao and Chelsea. Consistency may be key for them, so he will stick to the two former Spanish internationals. Perea will be on the bench along with Alvaro, while at left back club captain Antonio Lopez will need to inspire his mates to perform a little better. He may also ask the central midfield pairing of Paulo Assuncao and Raul Garcia to provide a better screen for the center backs. Lopez will push up a lot to try and kick start the attack, and we can get in behind him, but (I cant believe I am saying this), he is probably the most consistent performer for Atletico besides Ujfalusi. I dont care for Lopez, I think he is alot of bells and whistles, as his decision making in tackling and in the air has always been suspect.

In the center of the park, Assuncao, Raul Garcia and Cleber Santana will compete for the two starting spots. Assuncao has not been as solid a defender as was expected when he was purchased from Porto, as I can only assume the Atletico brass mistook him for Raul Merieles? Anyways, Assuncao and Raul Garcia have had a rough go of it this season, and they are low on confidence and are part of the reason the defense has suffered so much this year. Raul Garcia is slow and untimely in challenges and has a tough time picking a pass, much like Assuncao who is a destroyer but does not have the physical presence, or the persistence (think Lass) to win midfield battles against the better opponents. This is the soft spot, and Xabi alone could take both of them on. HA! Smack Talk!

Simao has done okay this year I guess, but he is a player who despite his obvious talents, never ‘executes’ to borrow the latest term from the NFL. He gets crosses in, or cuts in and shoots etc. but it often does not lead to much. He is dangerous which is why I want Arbeloa marking him, but he may be starved of the ball due to the center of the midfield being over run, which would be a good thing. His free kick against us a year ago was a tough pill to swallow, that is until Pipita scored right after that. HAHA! Again!

On the opposite flank Flores has used Maxi and Reyes so far this season. Reyes would worry me with Marcelo at left back, but Maxi I think Marcelo can at least stick with in terms of pace. What do we not know about Reyes that needs to be said? Frustratingly inept at times, but then again capable of the odd piece of brilliance, he has not shown it this season, with only one start, but against Real he may look for vengeance against his former employers. Is it weird that Reyes actually played for us? I think it is, but then again so did Julian Faubert and Royston Drenthe. Oh wait, he still does….

Jurado, ex-Castilla prodigy, is also amongst the ranks, and after a good season with Mallorca, he has yet again been subdued by the pressure at Atletico and being played out of position. He usually plays best behind the striker, but at Atletico the only chances he will get are on the flanks. I always liked the lad, especially when he was with Castilla, and I was enraged when he was sold to Atletico, but he has not really lived up to his potential to be honest. A move to a smaller team, in the same manner as De las Cuevas has done with Gijon, will suit him well. I think he will return to Mallorca in the offseason because he knows he would perform better there. He usually comes off the bench just like Reyes, and may be a handful for Marcelo if he is in the mood, but he will most like be cutting in more then anything which means Xabi will probably end up trailing him.

Up front Atletico has one of the best pairings in Europe, yet this season you would not know it. Diego Forlan is the Golden Boot winner of last year and also the Pichichi, yet he has three league goals to his name so far (he had 32 last year). Abel is partially to blame, having moved Forlan deeper into the midfield then he was used to, which has hurt his goal return. His partner Sergio Aguero is also of course very dangerous, but only has two goals to his credit this year (17 last year). A lack of supply may be a problem for Kun, but he usually goes on long runs with the ball anyways.

Kun has taken 23 shots this season, and Forlan 43, so its not like they are not getting the ball off their boot enough, but it just has not been going in for them. The fact that Sinama Pongolle has rarely been used either does not help the cause. I like Pongolle, I think he is a talented player that has gotten the shaft at Atletico, but he may be used off the bench if Aguero can not go the full 90 with his minor injury.

The lack of invention in the midfield may be a problem, which is why Reyes, Santana and Jurado are often used as substitutes. Flores has a tall task on his hand to get this team in to Europe this year, which may be to much to ask. Right now he may want to worry about relegation. A win in the derbi wouldnt hurt the teams confidence though.

Here is my expected lineup from Atletico:

————Asenjo————-
Ujfalusi—Pablo—Juanito–A. Lopez
Reyes–Assuncao–R. Garcia–Simao
——–Kun——Forlan———

Bench: De Gea; Alvaro, Perea; Santana, Jurado, Maxi; Pongolle.

They play wide and have two dangerous strikers, but the team chemistry has been off, morale is way down and the defense is shipping goals. Do they really stand a chance of getting out of this with any points? The draw with Chelsea was encouraging, but can the brilliance of Kun lead them to a result against Real. I don think so, but we will see.

Real Madrid Team News:

I have no idea what that picture is all about…

The only injury we have to worry about is Cristiano Ronaldo, who will be out for another month and his participation for Portugal in their WC qualifier is effectively over. Whether or not he makes it for El Clasico remains to be seen, but I would not be surprised if he missed out on that match too. Raul Albiol’s red card was not rescinded based on a lack of substantial evidence, so he will be suspended for this match. Because backing up referee’s who make terrible calls make the referee that much better….

Guti has not returned from his ‘castigo’, as he was actually injured although no formal diagnosis was ever announced which makes you wonder. He will be in contention for this game but he has not made the squad because Pellegrini has said he is still not physically ready to play, and has emphasized that there is no punishment for the blow up at Alcorcon. I dont know who to believe anymore, but with Guti only getting a half week of training it, Ill have to believe Pellegrini saying he is still not fully fit.

Eze G also has recovered from the strain that he sustained in Gijon, so he will also be fit for selection, but I think Metzleder will probably be used ahead of him, although Sergio Ramos looks like a very good option after his performance against Getafe last weekend.

EDIT:
Porteros: Casillas y Dudek.
Defensas: Arbeloa, Pepe, Sergio Ramos, Garay, Metzelder, Marcelo, y Albiol.
Centrocampistas: Gago, Kaká, Lass, Xabi Alonso, Van der Vaart y Granero.
Delanteros: Raúl, Benzema, Higuaín y Van Nistelrooy.

Mahamdou Diarra, Guti, Drenthe and Adan have not been called up for the match. For some reason Raul Albiol has even though he is suspended? That is just plan dumb, leaving M. Diarra out for a suspended player in hopes that his red card will be rescinded on second appeal? Come on Pellegrini.

With all of that in mind, here is what I want to see against Atletico. Not what Pellegrini will do, but what I would do.

————Casillas————
Arbeloa—Ramos—Pepe—Marcelo
—-Granero—Alonso—Lass—-
————-Kaka————
——-Higuain—-Raul——–

Bench: Dudek; Metzelder, Garay; Diarra, Guti, VdV; Benzema, Ruud.

Should we play Raul over Benzema or Higuain simply because he has better luck against Atletico? Hell yes! When is the last time we have seen Raul and Higuain play together? Last year probably, but they are probably the most well rehearsed partnership we have going right now, and Raul always does well against Atletico, so its worth a shot. Higuain also has a good record against the neighbors, but if it does not work out, we have two very capable strikers on the bench. As long as Pellegrini does not sit on his hands and wait until the 80th minute to start making substitutions…

I like the dynamic that Granero, Alonso and Lass can bring to the midfield against a team that is weak through the middle. There is no point in fooling ourselves in to needing width here, because Atletico will not be able to cope with us down the middle like some other teams have. Marcelo played well in the midfield against Milan (wish he got to the byline to cross the ball more), but with the Albiol suspension he will move back to left back, which does not worry me because Maxi Rodriguez, Jurado and maybe Reyes have all been less then threatening when they attacked down the left this season. Marcelo should be able to cope, and after good offensive performances lately, lets give him another chance defensively. Cant say the same about Drenthe….

I prefer Ramos in the center for this game because he handles the skilled opponent in tandem with Pepe well. Aguero, despite a strain on his thigh, will probably play, and he and Forlan are a dangerous partnership despite their form this season. Ramos provides me more confidence at dealing with the speed of Kun then Metzelder would. Metz could do a job sure, but it might not be as effective as Sergio. Arbeloa on the right is a no brainer, and I know many of you will want him back on the left where he did well against Milan, but he is a right back remember. I suppose if Ramos is used at right back then Alvaro will move to the left and push Marcelo upfield, sacrificing Granero but then the lineup would be the same for the past two matches, and thats just silly…

Lass was imperious against Milan, and we need him to equally dominate Raul Garcia and either Santana or Assuncao. Mahamdou Diarra would work in this game too, maybe in place of Granero, to completely control the midfield, but that would be over kill I think. It would give Kaka and Higuain the freedom of the attack though, and maybe we push Arbeloa/Sergio Ramos/Marcelo up field more often? Its a thought.

Interviews:

Raul on the Derbi, one of his specialty games.

Metzelder on his dream of playing at the Calderon this weekend.

Marcelo on the teams recent form and the match ahead.

Forlan on what the derbi means to him.

Simao on the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo from the derbi on Saturday.

Quique Sanchez Flores (ex-Real Madrid player), the Atletico coach, with a quick blurb on the derbi.

I am going to predict a 3-0 win for Real, with Raul, Pipita and wait for it….Lass scoring for us. Dont ask me why I think this, its a shot in the dark.

The game is bizarrely not on GolTV, which baffles me to be honest. Mallorca versus Barcelona is being shown, which is all good and fine, but its the damn Madrid derbi for christ sake. Since it is not on television, I still cant unleash a liveblog for everyone which is frustrating because I had the time to this weekend. Cesar and I will be regularly commenting on the match though as it takes place, so feel free to join us on Saturday. Should be a cracker. Lets get one over on the mattress makers! HALA MADRID! HALA MADRID! HALA MADRID!