Matchday 7 Preview

0:08Hello everyone and welcome to the weekend preview here on the Spanish Football Podcast where we look ahead to what's coming up in this next round of fixtures and we try and predict what's going to happen. Sid's not here. Sid's travelling around Spain catching flights and doing all sorts of things. So me and Al are going to try and predict what's going to happen on match day seven and we're going to try and be better than Sid, which shouldn't be hard. Al. No, last week was it four out of ten he got, which is not great. I think, no, we did this once before. I filled in for Sid once. I can't remember, to be honest, how successful we collectively were on that occasion, but let's see how it goes this time.

0:43You know what they say, Al, two heads are better than one. Yeah, but Sid's head is so, you know, his enormous brain. Yes, it's vast. I mean, ours are just a regular size. Do you know what I mean? Yes. Yeah, yeah, it's true. It's true. So anyway, probably a slightly shorter podcast this week because me and Al talk less than Sid, essentially. So, yeah, on the bonus pod yesterday, you did say that, you know, the usual format is you ask a question and Sid speaks for four to five minutes. And that does tend to be the case. Four to five minutes, not 45 minutes, which is what some people might have thought.

1:18Yeah, I don't know what his longest ever monologue was. It might be pushing that. No, we had a voice note from him once, which was 12 minutes. And you've occasionally on the pod, you've given yourself a little challenge of just seeing how long you can not speak. And he'll just continue, haven't you, I think? Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then he starts getting silly. Anyway, we miss you, Siti. Come back soon. We'll speak to him on Monday. This is what's coming up on Match Day 7. It is a Spanish football lover Platinum Plus game tonight. Espanol against Elche. I am commentating this one. So let's see, because I've been looking to try and see if there are three worse teams than Rayo this season, so Rayo can avoid relegation.

2:02I've got Malaga and Elche as two of those three. Elche are bottom of the table. They've only got two points. They have, at times, played some decent football, but they look a little bit naive and lacking in quality. And I think that they will lose tonight to an Espanol side who have Bobby Fernandez, bang in form, and at home. And, yeah, I fancy a home win here, Al. Yeah, I agree. You've been talking up Bobby's international prospects this week. Elchi, I agree. I think they look pretty, pretty good candidates to finish below Rayo. I agree. I keep them there alongside Malaga. Yeah, I had a home win too.

2:38I think that's, it's a bank, yeah. It's going to happen. Home win. Good. We're on the same page. Then Osasuna hosting Rayo in the first game on Saturday. day. Rayo, who played really, really well in the first half against Espanyol, they've managed to get results in the face of severe adversity. Osasuna, who did not look brilliant at all against Atletico, Rayo had a day extra to prepare as well. As a Rayo fan, trying to be completely impartial here, I think Rayo can get something out of this game. I don't think it's going to be a home win and i would go for a draw here how are we feeling about yeah i'm a little bit concerned about osasuna you know their project is somewhat in crisis given they just lost their sporting director to valencia um that you know they of course wanted to keep him but i think there's a feeling that the the work that he had done braulio in previous seasons maybe hasn't quite been matched you know in the last in the last window so i i've got a few concerns about osasuna and where they might end up this season um okay let's go with the draw i'm happy with that i'm happy to draw it's fine yeah yeah yeah rio seem to they don't have a good record at el sadar i seem to remember us conceding sort of late goals quite regularly there to uh to either lose or draw but yeah mainly lose but anyway let's go for a draw and then we've got a basque derby at san mames athletic club against uh alaves athletic who uh were flying after back-to-back wins but that stored a little bit last week when they were held to a 1-1 draw against elche at san mames in a game that they really, really, really should have won.

4:10Alaves too had made a really good start to the season, but they've lost their last couple of games as well, most recently to Valencia midweek, somewhat surprisingly. So I fancy Athletic here back in front of their own fans. I think it was a blip against Elche. They created loads of chances, really should have won that game. They didn't, they lost a bit of steam, but I think if they make another sort of good start, But I'm fancying a home win here. Yeah, I was at San Mames two weeks ago for the Atleti game and talking to people there. There was a feeling that it was always going to take a little bit of time or maybe quite a bit of time, you know, to get used to Terzic, such like a radically different approach to that of Valverde.

4:52I'm feeling to get his ideas across. You know, the players and what people were saying there are buying into it and the mood is pretty good. But I think it was always going to be a bit of a period of adaptation the first at least few weeks of the season. But yeah, having said that, I think I've been quite encouraged by what I've seen from them so far. And Alaves, having had that incredible surprise start, it always felt somewhat unlikely that that momentum would be maintained. Like you say, it has stalled a little bit. And yeah, I'd fancy a home win as well, I think. Yeah. OK, good. We're on the same page here.

5:26I'm going to disagree at some point. I'll have to. I can't. You might not. You might not. We rarely disagree. over 20 years of knowing each other. We haven't had any major disagreements, have we? All right, let's see if you disagree the next game. Celta against Racing. Celta still without a win domestically and in Europe as well. Lost midweek to Ammonia. Your big picks. All right, don't keep reminding me. It was a legitimate prediction that I and many people would have agreed with, Kitra. Celta have been great for like two years. Why wouldn't they be good this season? yeah why indeed i mean they haven't been good at home for a while they had the second worst home record last season and they still managed to finish their sixth they're up against a racing santander side fresh from their 7-2 spanking at the camp now but yeah of course a lot of people on a lot of people on the bench so it'll be a full strength i think uh a way to uh a way to celta i can see another one one draw here i don't know why maybe that's The default setting when you see Celta.

6:30I'm tempted by, just to continue that crisis, I'm tempted by an away win. What? Wow. Why not? Why not? Well, I mean, well, yeah, I guess. You know, they had a long old trip midweek, Celta as well, going to Cyprus. They've got a terrible home record. They haven't won so far this season. But yeah, I would say 1-1. You know, they drew 1-1 at home to another newly promoted side last week in Malaga. I tried. I tried to disagree. Okay, but I'll take it. I'll take the draw. The draw is, yeah, the draw is probably, is the smart, is the smart move, I think. Okay. And then big game on this Saturday night.

7:04I'm looking forward to commentating this one. Sevilla against Barcelona. Remember, Sevilla sensationally won this fixture last season, 4-1. Their best performance of the season by some distance. Yeah. Barcelona's worst defeat. That was when we were quite up on Sevilla. We're like, okay, this, you know, under Almeida, it's working. There's something there. There's an intensity. There's an energy. There's a chaos, but it was all sort of going in the right direction. And then that didn't really work out. Do you know what? I was talking to a colleague who's going to be at this game and has never been at the Sanchez-Pizuan before.

7:39And I was like, get ready to have an absolute blast. One of the most fun experiences in Spanish football. Enjoy.

7:48But will Barca enjoy? Yeah. Well, I mean, the sheer goals. Well, that's the thing. we're at the stage now we're not even really discussing if barcelona are going to win matches just how many goals are they going to score five are they going to score yeah will they score five again i i don't think i don't think they'll score five goals let's let's say that no i think they'll score what three bold bold okay sort of an underwhelming barcelona performance yeah yeah okay um away we're not sure i'm uh i'm i'm i'm with you on that as well remember they you know They made four changes as well for the game against Rassing.

8:29Let's see if Adeyemi keeps his place after a sensational performance or if Anthony Gordon comes in. Let's see if Jao Cancelo starts at left back or it's Xavi Espar. And will Rafinha or Lamy never rest? Probably not. Yeah, I mean, the good thing is it feels like for them, it almost doesn't matter if it's Gordon or Adeyemi or if it's Dani Ormo or Firmin or whoever. it feels like it doesn't make that much difference. And, you know, Sevilla, look, they've got points on the board at this stage that we didn't expect them to have. So I think they'll... They have six more points at this stage of the season than they did last season, which is impressive.

9:09All right, Sunday kicks off with what I'm sure is probably going to be an actually terrible game, Getafe against Malaga. Sorry, Getafe fans, my constant slander of your team continues. But let's be honest, I mean, you put them in the platinum tier pretty much every single week. So, yeah, this is pretty platinum. 1-0 Getafe? Yes, absolutely. It is, isn't it? It is. It screams 1-0. It has 1-0 energy. Malaga have only scored three goals all season. They don't really create enough chances either. And they just really don't have enough quality, I don't think. I think they're going to be the team that gets cut adrift at the bottom of the table pretty soon.

9:52And I think they're going to lose this weekend. Then out there's the Madrid derby. Atletico against Real Madrid at the Metropolitano. You'll be there? Yeah, of course. Yeah, of course. I won't. Can't wait. I won't. Yeah, good. Can't wait. I mean, and I don't know. I don't know what to expect. We talked about this a bit on the bonus pod, about not being quite sure what to make of Real Madrid so far this season. I think the same goes for Atletico Madrid in some way. Now, Atleti have got some mitigating factors in that, you know, the absence, basically the absence so far of Julian, the absence of Solov, the late arrival of Jonathan David playing essentially the whole season without any forwards, encouraging signs in terms of Baena and Kangin Lee, Kuti Romero, you know, so far so good at the back.

10:41So things that I think are quietly encouraging about Atleti, And of course, they played well in their last game. But we haven't seen them. There's also been an inconsistency about Atleti. We've seen them play well in the first half and then drop off in the second half. In a couple of games, they haven't necessarily been putting together 90 minutes. I was there for the game at Arueta last weekend, in which they ended up winning 3-0. And that was the least 3-0 performance I can remember. I was talking to Pellegrino Matarazzo after the game and saying, how do you explain that result given the balance of play?

11:14because that was not a comprehensive or an impressive Atleti win. And then in midweek, they went and did well. So not quite sure. Look, the derby is, of course, is different. Atleti tend to perform. We saw them do more than perform last season in this game and absolutely smash Real Madrid. And Madrid, we've talked about the fact that they've got outstanding individuals who, you know, you can more often than not expect to deliver. I think we talked about the fact that, sure, OK, if you're going down this kind of model of not that concerned about possession you know relying on being effective and clinical in attack and being solid in the back they haven't necessarily looked like that they haven't been that solid at the back and they haven't been that clinical actually in terms of chance conversion at times in in attack so this is no doubt the biggest test yet for for Mourinho's Madrid okay they played into in the Champions League but I think going away to Atleti is is even bigger and I think this game will tell us a lot about where they're at but I think going into it i like i said i don't i don't quite know what to expect at let you win you think how do you feel about that how do you feel about that being our prediction i feel like it's i feel like it's quite it's a fairly likely outcome like i say i've quite i've quite liked what i've seen for athletic athletes tend to they tend to deliver in these or at least at least compete in these games do you know i mean so i don't expect them to i wouldn't expect i wouldn't expect a repeat of of what we saw last year i mean a letty win i would find two yeah i don't think so i think a tight win i think a one goal win more than more than a three goal margin but yeah i could i could buy into that i could buy into that like i said i've been a little bit i've been a little bit i mean not not not worried but a little bit concerned i know it's early in the Mourinho project, but I think I wanted to see a bit more progress and a bit more of it.

13:09It feels to me like they're not far off what they were last season, Real Madrid, despite the new faces and some new players. It doesn't seem that different to me than what we were seeing a year ago. So, OK, I mean, it's a bold prediction, but yeah, I can go with it. Yeah. OK, let's go. Atletico Madrid win. That would be huge. Then Betis travelling to Deportivo Aquaruna, Betis absolutely flying, as we said. They are winning games that they were drawing last season. They got more draws than anyone in La Liga last season, but this season they seem to be finding a way to grind out victories. I think this would be an important statement win if they could go up there and come away with a win.

13:48I'll go for a draw here, Al. Do you reckon you can get behind that? Yeah. Draw. Of course, Aubameyang drew a blank in midweek, just as Sid was preparing to write a column about him. Yeah. About the angst of scoring. Let's see if he can get back on it. Yeah, and Betis, I mean, how many times have we kind of, you know, written off Pellegrini or at least said, you know, maybe it's time for a change and a new project. And once again, not the case, looking pretty much better than ever and so exciting. So a draw, yeah, okay. Yeah, draw. Okay, good. Villarreal against Levante. Villarreal finally getting their first win of the season.

14:29Fully expect them now to kick on and get another home win. It's like when you're trying to get ketchup at the end of the bottle. You know, you push, push, push, and then loads comes out. I think they're going to push, push, push. And it's just going to explode with victories. Yeah. Okay. Yes. All right. We're going for a home win there for Villarreal. They made loads of changes as well, by the way, yesterday. So, you know, Gerard Moreno didn't play. Nicolas Pepe didn't play. Jorge McCartanze came on in the second half. So they'll be strong at home to Levante, and I expect them to win that. And then the Sunday night game is Valencia against Real Sociedad, with Mestalla going to make their feelings known about the ownership.

15:07Obviously, Oscar Sanchez is going to be in charge. They won away a la vez, but it is a bit of a mess. And Real Sociedad, who weren't brilliant against Bournemouth, particularly in the first half in the Europa League, losing 2-1. And I could see this being a draw and not an amazing spectacle draw. Yeah, I mean, you say Mastaya making their views clear on the ownership as they do. As if that didn't happen every game. Literally, yeah, unfortunately, pretty much every week. That's the status quo, isn't it? Yeah, like I was saying, I quite liked what I saw from L 'Areal against Atleti. And then they ended up massively on the wrong side of the result.

15:44But I thought that performance was quite encouraging. But yeah, they've dropped off a bit in midweek in the game against Bournemouth. Yeah, I think a score draw, a low score. Did you say 1-1? Did you say 1-1? I said an uninspiring draw. Okay, so it could be goalless. It could be a 1-1. Yeah, I think that feels like a quite likely outcome. Oh, I'm feeling quite confident about predictions. I desperately want to get more than Sid. So fingers crossed we can achieve that. That's 10 out of 10. Just imagine how smug we could be. How long would the smugness last? I'll take five. A long time. All season.

16:23We'd remind him every single Friday about that. So, yes. Listen, enjoy the football this weekend. We'll be back on Monday to reflect on what's happened on Match Day 7, the start of the international break. But we'll still be talking about Spanish football. So make sure you join us. Join us at patreon.com forward slash TSFP. Loads of content for patrons from just€4.75 a month. It's very, very good value. So come and join us there. Adios. Bye.

17:15Thank you.