Neymar's rise and Benitez's hot seat highlights first half of La Liga
The 2015-16 La Liga season began with reigning champions Barcelona shipping goals aplenty, while Rafa Benitez's spell as Real Madrid coach started with his team hardly conceding at all.
Those initial impressions proved misleading, however, and the swing in fortunes between the big two was emphasised by Barca's 4-0Clasico win at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in late November.
Meanwhile, a much-changed Atletico Madrid team took time to gel, with Diego Simeone's men powering through the autumn but still not looking quite as good as previous year's sides.
Sevilla, Valencia and Athletic Bilbao had difficult starts to their campaigns, allowing Celta Vigo, Villarreal, Deportivo La Coruna and even Eibar to all ride high in the European spots during the autumn months.
Best player: Neymar
When Barca talisman Lionel Messi was injured in late September, there were widespread worries among Blaugrana fans and pundits.
But Neymar stepped up superbly to take over the leadership of the team -- in the 10 La Liga and Champions League fixtures that Messi missed, the Brazilian scored 10 times and gave six assists -- revelling in the extra freedom and responsibility and showing he could be an all-round creative player.
Less high-profile players to shine so far in 2015-16 have been Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas, Celta Vigo attacker Nolito, Sevilla midfielder Ever Banega and Deportivo La Coruna forward Lucas Perez. Plus, as always, Atletico Madrid's outstanding centre-back Diego Godin.
Most disappointing player: Jackson Martinez
Atletico Madrid fans have enjoyed some superb centre-forwards through recent years -- and there were high hopes that €35 million summer signing Jackson Martinez would be the latest to thrill the Estadio Vicente Calderon.
Things have not gone as hoped for the former Porto hitman, who has scored just three times in his first 15 Atletico games, while looking not at all at home in the super intense system imposed by Colchoneros coach Simeone.
An injury on international duty with Colombia removed Martinez from the action in recent weeks, but the team is still sorely lacking a goalscorer, so the 28-year-old will likely get a chance after Christmas to turn his season around.
Best signing: Raul Garcia to Athletic Bilbao
Some moves just make perfect sense, and abrasive goalscoring midfielder Raul Garcia's €8 million late August move from Atletico Madrid to Athletic Bilbao has gone just as swimmingly as expected.
Navarre-born Garcia qualifies under Athletic's Basque-only policy, and immediately fitted in seamlessly behind centre-forward Aritz Aduriz. The 28-year-scored on his debut against Getafe, and has added three more goals and three assists as Los Leones have overcome a difficult start to climb into contention for European qualification. Biggest surprise: Gary Neville to Valencia
Gary Neville's appointment as Valencia's interim first team coach until the end of the season definitely came out of left-field. Even with Gary's brother Phil already at the Mestalla as an assistant coach, and the former Manchester United and England defender'swell-publicised links with Valencia owner Peter Lim, nobody expected the 40-year-old to be pitched straight into such a difficult first full-time job in management.
It's been a tough start for Neville -- including a Champions League exit and disappointing La Liga draws with Eibar and Getafe. The former TV pundit has admitted himself that the winter break might give him and his players a chance to step back and take stock and come to terms with a situation nobody expected to find themselves in.
Best goal: Nolito vs. Real Madrid
There were times this season when Navas appeared unbeatable in the Madrid goal -- andLos Blancos' visit to Celta Vigo in late October was one of those times.
Madrid went 2-0 ahead early, but Celta kept piling on the pressure and by half-time Nolito, Iago Aspas, Pablo Hernandez and Fabio Orellana had all been denied by world-class stops.
Nolito, at fault for one of Madrid's goals, seemed to take finding the net as a personal challenge -- even when his team were reduced to 10 men.
The former Barca winger eventually managed it, with a rising venomous 20-yarder speared right into the top corner of the net. It was the cleanest of clean strikes -- and it had to in order to beat Navas that night.
Best game: Sevilla 2-1 Barcelona
Sevilla have had a strange season so far: Unable to win away from the Estadio Sanchez Pizjuan, but taking down both Barcelona and Real Madrid in front of their own fans.
Early October's 2-1 win over Barca was a thriller. Both teams came into the game missing key players, and neither played to their full potential, but it made for smashing entertainment.
After a goalless first half, Sevilla scored two quick clever goals from Michael Krohn-Delhi and Vicente Iborra. A Neymar-inspired Barca tried to hit back, but they were denied three times by the woodwork. There was also an excellent performance by young Sevilla keeper Sergio Rico, who almost even saved the Brazilian's late spot-kick.
In the end, though, the home victory was deserved -- and the neutrals were pretty happy too.
Prediction:
Benitez's days in charge at Real Madrid already look numbered. It will take a huge turnaround for turn Los Blancos fans and pundits around, not to mention dressing-room skeptics apparently including Sergio Ramos, Cristiano Ronaldo and James Rodriguez.
Club president Florentino Perez has denied he is planning any radical changes, but potential replacements Zinedine Zidane and Jose Mourinho are both options to step straight in if a scapegoat is required.
Atletico Madrid built strongly through the autumn, but missed a chance to go top on their own through the winter break. They have the best defence around, but unless Jackson Martinez [or even less likely, Fernando Torres] starts scoring, a repeat of their surprise title win two years ago is unlikely.
Meanwhile, Barca's superstar front three of Messi, Neymar and Suarez look unstoppable. Even when one or two are unavailable or have an off-day, the third generally steps up. Luis Enrique's side have sorted out their early season defensive issues too, and also have both Atletico and Madrid still to play at the Camp Nou.
It's true that 12 months ago Carlo Ancelotti's Madrid were steamrolling everybody and looked set for the title, only to dip alarmingly in the new year. But, at this point, theBlaugrana outfit look likely to avoid that by strengthening the squad in January, and are clear favourites to retain the title.
Elsewhere, you can make an argument for Villarreal to nab fourth spot, Celta Vigo, Sevilla and Athletic Bilbao to make the Europa League, and the current bottom three of Granada, Las Palmas and Levante to stay where they are and go down.
No comments:
Post a Comment