Match Report: Xerez 0-3 Real Madrid

13th February 2010

Real Madrid overcame a tricky clash with bottom club Xerez on Saturday night as they arrived back from Andalucía with máximum points thanks to a clinical spell of finishing towards the end of the game.

A first ever Los Blancos goal for Alvaro Arbeloa in the freezing southern Spain conditions knocked the wind out of Xerez’s sails, and who-else, but the returning Cristiano Ronaldo, fired a late doublé salvo to send Real Madrid back to the capital with a flattering scoreline.

La Liga’s basement club didn’t seem in awe of Los Blancos’s visit and Xerez started the better.

Xerez’s number eleven Jeronimo Momo found himself unmarked (11) at the far post and after a good touch the Spaniard fired a left footed drive, flying just wide past the diving Iker Casillas’s right.

The home side’s early pressure on Real Madrid’s goal was almost undone following an incisive Madrid break away after a Xerez corner. Whites star Cristiano Ronaldo should have scored, instead shooting over under close inspection from the Xerez defence.

Madrid’s main threat appeared to be on the break, but the home side were not afraid to push forward and Momo, for the second time found himself within sight of Casillas’s goal, but his wayward drive sailed over, further adding to Xerez’s woeful scoring return this season of just thirteen goals.

Towards the end of the first period, only a matter of inches prevented Real Madrid taking an undeserved lead into the break. Alvaro Arbeloa’s curling right footed cross was met expertly by the head of Ronaldo but his attempt flew inches wide leaving Xerez goalkeeper Renan planted on his line.

As the game progressed in the second period, Los Blancos’s extra quality and finesse began to demand authority over the game, whilst Xerez’s chances of fashioning a goal seemed a distant memory from their first half performance.

Alvaro Arbeloa, who has been ever involved in Madrid’s forward play this season, turned from provider to finisher (64) when he burst through the Xerez defence from the right to meet a Xabi Alonso through ball, before gently slotting the ball over the line to give Madrid the lead. The ex-Liverpool defender was then greeted with a chorus of smiles from his teammates following his striker-esc finish.

One became two moments later (69) when the two most expensive players in world football combined to register a fatal knockout blow to Xerez. A lung busting run from Kaka down the right saw the playmaker look up and deliver a pin-point cross to Ronaldo, who had ghosted in at the back post and he headed home with aplomb, much to the delight of the Portuguese starlet whom has been kicking his heels in recent weeks due to suspension.



Ronaldo (above) was keen to make up for lost time due to suspension and he punished Xerez by helping himself to two goals.

Just little over a minute later it was the same men, producing the same routine and end result again killing off a confidence starved Xerez. A quickfire Ronaldo run through the centre of the pitch, supplied Kaka with a slightly over hit pass, only for the Brazilian to get to the ball before goalkeeper Renan, turn whilst maintaining his balance and then he passed the ball across the penalty area for Ronaldo to easily score.

Substitute Royston Drenthe had a late effort cleared off the line as Real Madrid looked to bolster their goals tally, but it didn’t affect the game’s final outcome as Los Blancos secured their first ever away win at the Nuevo Chapin.

Real Madrid:

Casillas 7: Calm and cool in dealing with crosses, wasn’t directly tested by Xerez.

Arbeloa 8: Fast becoming the stand out performer in this Madrid team at present.

Garay 6: Strong in the air, but looked a vulnerable to runs in behind him.

Ramos 6: Steady, but his body language suggests he prefers to play at full back.

Marcelo 6: Provided good attacking support and proving Pellegrini right to bring him back into the first team picture.

Diarra 7: Powerful in midfield and too good for Xerez.

Alonso 7: Passing was crisp and accurate, but he needs to add to his game in the final third.

Granero 8: The former Getafe man is benefitting from a run in the side and was impressive.

Kaka 8: Two great assists and his form appears to be clicking into place now.

Higuain 6: A quiet game by his standards, but it looks like he is still trying to reach full match fitness again.

Ronaldo 8: On his return, two goals and his link-up play with Kaka is getting better and better. Clinical.

Substitutes:

Raul 6: Needs a goal to get some confidence back. M.Diarra 6: Solid. Drenthe 6: Came close with late effort.

Xerez:

Renan: 6, Juan Redondo 6: Aythami 7, Casado 6, Gioda 5, Moreno 6, Sanchez 6, Keita 5, Momo 7, Calvo 7, Bermejo 6. Substitutes: Antonito 6, Alustiza 5, Abel 5

Match Report: Real Madrid 3-0 Espanyol

Real Madrid continued their strong Bernabeu home record on Sunday night with a comfortable 3-0 victory against Espanyol.

First half goals from defender Sergio Ramos and Brazilian Kaka were enough to put the hosts into the driving seat, with returnee from injury, Gonzalo Higuain adding a delightful third late on.

Los Blancos seemed buoyed from last week’s away day success at the Riazor and they immediately made their mark on proceedings in the fifth minute. A free kick from the right by Esteban Granero was delivered on-cue for Sergio Ramos to power in a header past the rooted Carlos Kameni, earning the Spanish full back his second La Liga goal of the campaign as he celebrated amid a cluster of team mates.

Espanyol appeared dejected following their sluggish start as the in-form Guti and Kaka, seemingly revelling in the limelight with the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo through suspension, pulled the strings effortlessly in a creative midfield engine room.

The home side’s persistent forward play was soon rewarded though with the all action Granero again being embroiled in the thick of it. His run and flighted cross met the head of Captain Raul, who shattered the post with his attempt only for the rebound to fall kindly into the path of Kaka whom stroked the ball home with ease from four yards (30).


Granero (above) was involved in two of Madrid's three goals.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men struggled to assert any real foothold in the match as Real Madrid looked calm and reassured throughout as the away side lacked any real bite in their attacking play.

In the games closing stages it was Real Madrid who looked to sew-up victory and indeed it was substitute Gonzalo Higuain (90) whom produced the games brightest move. The argentine combined with fellow substitute Rafael Van der Vaart to latch onto his cross field pass beautifully to turn an Espanyol defender exquisitely, enabling him to pit his wits one on one against the oncoming Kameni. As the goalkeeper moved out of his six-yard box Higuain drifted round him and slotted the ball home to wrap up three more crucial Madrid points in the quest to end Barcelona’s supremacy at the top of the table.

Interviewing taken a step too far

Being a journalism student I should be admiring the way Sky News television journalist Kay Burley squeezed every ounce of emotion and hidden detail out of pop icon Peter Andre concerning his marriage to Glamour Model Katie Price, the custody of their children and her new love, that of Celebrity Big Brother winner Alex Reid in an interview yesterday afternoon.


The Lancashire born presenter known for her unruly, determined and toughened questioning certainly drove a sword slowly at first, but then damningly into the heart of the Australian, metaphorically of course, when quizzing him about heartfelt matters such as his children.


His appearance on the show was meant to be a question and answer session on his new upcoming album “Revelation”. However, the wise old skills of 49 year old Burley scheduled the interview a day after his ex-partner Katie Price had agreed to wed her cross dressing, cage fighting boyfriend Reid. In addition, during Andre’s time hoisted in front of the cameras, he was asked to comment on a previous interview by Dwight Yorke. The former Manchester United football star, father of Price’s first child Harvey, whom Andre had cared for religiously during their time together, criticised the singer and how he was disrespectful to the footballer. By conjuring up these two factors into the interview it soon became a tabloid slagging match as Andre, despite explaining how he was not allowed to comment on most of the issues for legal reasons, was pushed into a corner and beaten by Burley.


In journalism, interrogation to chisel into the debts of the situation are important and her interviewing skills really break into Andre’s emotions, but here she took it a step to far by exploiting a superstar who had kindly agreed to appear on her show, forcing him to breakdown and halt the interview and she had no mercy for her actions. It’s fair to say that an interviewer has to be tough to scratch under the surface to retain some fascinating stories, but Burley pushed Andre to the maximum and it was definitely not a balanced piece of journalism that we should be seeing, with impartiality seemingly not a word in her vocabulary. Andres defiant stance asserting that ‘no one will take my kids away from me’ will only increase the popularity and respect he earns amongst his many followers, after all he has came out of this celebrity marriage saga with his head held eye.


Journalism is a back stabbing, brute of an industry and Kay Burley clearly follows this mantra in this interview. Ok, she has now drawn attention to herself and there’s not such a thing as bad publicity, but she oppressed a kind, valued person, ungracefully for all his worth yesterday, she should be disgusted with herself.

Here is the link to the interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybiM51194MA

Murray comes closer, with finishing instinct the key to future success

74 years of starved trophy less British success continued at Melbourne Park on Sunday following Andy Murray’s latest effort to win his much coveted first Grand Slam crown.


The Scot’s tiresome march to the Australian Open was ended in scintillating fashion by who else, but world number one and now sixteen time major champion Roger Federer. A flawless performance, barely breaking into an ounce of Swiss sweat ended much deliberation questioning Federer’s motivation for the game as Murray was brushed aside in his quest to become Britain’s first Grand Slam champion since Fred Perry.


Federer’s seemingly unarguable charge towards the title of the game’s greatest ever has now reached fever pitch as it appears the 28 year old can achieve no more but to just enjoy the twilight of his career, if you can call it that, with a 6-3 6-4 7-6 (13-11) victory being visual proof the tennis immortal has no intentions of letting up yet.


After all he had spoken of his desire to still be playing the tour circuit for ‘years to come’ giving his children a chance to see their Dad in action.


Murray, now 22, has more time on his side to overcome the biggest challenge in tennis, to win a Grand Slam. The improvement of the Dunblane educated player’s game in the past 18 months is unrivalled. Miles Maclagon, Murrays coach and his condition trainers have put in the wearisome hard yards to turn the Scot into a force that is to be reckoned with in the modern game. An unrelenting asset of physical drive and fitness has seen Murray’s movement and flow around a tennis court install in him a solid defensive prognosis with an instinctive counter attacking brain.


Although, Murray appears to be on the right path to becoming a distinguished name in the latter half of Grand Slam proceedings, his search for premium tangible rewards have been hindered by his failure to conjure up the know how to win the defining points in the biggest matches. With six of out of 10 meetings with Federer, going Murray’s way before their latest battle, it was the world number three who had become an unwelcome blotch under Federer’s skin. However, their most infamous match in the 2008 US Open Final went the Swiss’s way, even after he had endured a difficult year by his standards, but Murray froze under the New York spotlight and he didn’t appear to have the charisma to win the pivotal moments. The same happened on Sunday. Six-time Grand Slam champion and pundit Boris Becker said: “Of the few chances he has, he needs to be more aggressive but that's not his natural game. He likes to wait behind the baseline and wait for his opponent to make the initiative. He needs to work on that part of his game.” Britain’s last fledgling hope of success Tim Henman, said of his former Davis Cup team mate: “he knows he needs to keep his head down and keep improving. He's very single-minded, he has a very strong belief in the way he needs to play, the things he needs to do. I don't think we should be pressing the alarm bells just yet.”


Murray (above) has to use the pain of defeat as a spur to achieve his goals in tennis.


To develop a different strategy and game plan is easier said than done. Removing the credible structure of a talent, which often is more than enough to beat half of the ATP Tour comfortably, would see Murray move away from the natural game he has employed thus far in his career taking him to a high of world number two. A confident cutting edge against the world’s best is needed though, and against an opponent of the calibre of Federer, in major finals, it is an incessant attribute Murray needs to have in his armoury against someone whom uses their instinctive nous and technical expertises to manoeuvre you all around the court if you fail to seize the initiative.


It would be harsh to be an intolerant onlooker at this stage on Murray’s career, as with his experience in career defining situations ever improving it has got to be only a matter of time until he can have his name enshrined in tennis folklore. For instance, the diagnosis of his previously most challenging rivals should please the Murray camp. Tendonitis issues for Rafael Nadal and his right knee have plagued his last year and he doesn’t seem to possess the fear factor he once oozed in the men’s game. Current, one slam wonder, Novak Djokovic seems all to one dimensional, perhaps initiating a cry for a new contingent of forces in men’s tennis with the likes of Jo Wilfried Tsonga, Australian Open semi-finalist Marin Cilic and Scot Murray, being the future of a new decade of compelling competition in the men’s game.


The post match ceremony saw a tear or two stream down Murray’s face as he couldn’t hold in the disappointment of another opportunity passing him by, but 2010 has to be the year when he puts the personal pressure and that of the history books behind him, surely? The pain of defeat has to be his greatest spur to realize his dream.

Sublime Guti stars in historic Madrid win: Match Report: Deportivo 1-3 Real Madrid

A majestic back heel assist from Guti was the catalyst in giving Real Madrid their first win at the Riazor, home of Deportivo, in 19 years.

Los Blancos dire awayday record against the La Coruna outfit was finally consigned to the record books courtesy of an early Esteban Granero header and a superb double from Frenchman Karim Benzema in a 3-1 victory.

A make-shift Madrid line-up missing noticeable absentees in Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuain did not seem to deter a positive start for the away side, as a Deportivo team pushing for a Champions League place, allowed too much space and freedom to Kaka and Benzema, who almost opened the scoring in the seventh minute.

A succession of poor defensive clearances by Miguel Angel Lotina’s men saw Raul Albiol send the ball searching into the Deportivo box after a initial Madrid corner and Granero (13) managed to ghost in unmarked at the back post to head home past a static Daniel Aranzubia.

Despite a hostile home crowd it was the away side that kept carving out reputable efforts on goal. Captain for the night, Raul, came close twice to scoring his first goal in fifth teen team appearances. Real Madrid’s coveted number seven was unable to latch onto a soaring cross from his strike partner Benzema in a free flowing move against a lacklustre La Coruna backline. However, moments later it was left to Deportivo goalkeeper Aranzubia to produce a sensational save to deny Raul at point blank range in the Whites search for a decisive second.

They didn’t have to wait too long though as a Deportivo corner was collected by Iker Casillas who sent an immediate throw out to the surging Benzema on the left. The striker fed Brazilian Kaka, who teased and tormented Manuel Pablo before picking out the cutting run of Guti bearing down on the Deportivo goal. Positioned eight yards out, the blonde Spaniard decided not to shoot past the on coming Aranzubia, instead, back heeling the ball beautifully behind him to Benzema (40) who had the easiest of tap in’s.


Guti celebrates a crucial Real Madrid victory, bringing Los Blancos within five points of League Leaders Barcelona (above).

A more spirited Deportivo side began the second period and a combative midfield stopped the flow of Real Madrid creativity. Attacking Spaniard Juan Rodriguez looked the most likely to earn the home side a reprieve, along with Pablo Alvarez. A Rodriguez long range attempt (59) didn’t trouble Casillas, but it was a sign the home side were starting to improve.

The impressive Kaka, the driving force for Los Blancos throughout was unlucky not too score with a left footed drive (54) superbly tipped around the post by Aranzubia. The introduction of former Real Madrid youth player Riki (75) gave La Coruna a cutting edge in front of goal and the substitute played a delightful one-two with Alvarez, leading him into the Madrid penalty area where a slight tangle of legs with Sergio Ramos resulted in a penalty being given (85). The man who won the spot kick, stepped up to dispatch the ball to Casillas’s left who got a hand to the effort (85).

A late resurgence from the home faithful saw a flurry of Deportivo pressure searching for the equaliser, but it was the away side, once more that showed their clinical edge in front of goal. Full back Alvaro Arbeloa, continued his rich run of providing crucial assists and Benzema was on hand to slot home for his second of the game inside the area to seal a historic Real Madrid away win (91).

Real Madrid:

Casillas 7: Great throw out to start the move for the second goal and assured as ever.

Arbeloa 7: Again provided an assist and is now a proven first team regular.

Sergio Ramos 6: Lack of concentration for the penalty, but had his usual bustling energy.

Albiol 7: Becoming one of the most consistent centre backs in La Liga.

Marcelo 6: Unlucky to lose his place in the side last weekend, justified his role in the team on Saturday night.

Granero 7: Developing a habit of getting crucial goals. Seems more at home in a Real Madrid jersey now.

Xabi Alonso 6: Good first half, faded in the second and overshadowed by Guti, who has that crucial killer instinct.

Guti 8: Love him or hate him, his creative flair is pivotal for Madrid success, if only he had the mental attributes to go along with his technical skill.

Kaka 8: His best performance since his return from injury. Seemed to enjoy his role of freedom, without having Ronaldo in the side overshadowing him.

Benzema 8: Two goals and he definitely grabbed his opportunity to impress with Ronaldo and Higuain missing.

Raul 6: The Captain could have had two goals, but needs some match sharpness to return to form.

Substitutes: Drenthe 5: Little time to make an impact.

Deportivo:

Aranzubia 7, Laure 6, Colotto 6, Lopo 5, Pablo 7, Tomas 6, Rodriguez 7, Juca 5, Valeron 5, Alvarez 7, Adrian 6. Substitutes: Perez 5, Riki 7, Bodipo 6.