<div id="attachment_1797" style="width: 470px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><div><figure class="image"></figure></div>("How poorly Madrid are defending.")</div>
Espanyol 0-3 Real Madrid 
0-1 Granero, 39’ 
0-2 Guti, 77’ 
0-3 Ronaldo, 90’
This was a constant refrain from the Spanish language announcers and the theme of most of the match, as the Merengues struggled to hold their nerve at the back, occasionally looking as porous as SpongeBob Square Pants in defense. It should be noted that two of the team’s first choice defenders – Pepe and Sergio Ramos – were out of the line-up, which will take its toll on any squad. But with two Spanish internationals deputizing for them, in Albiol and Arbeloa, Madrid have little to complain about. Regardless of any caveats about missing players, though, the key word for this game was “composure,” which was sorely lacking over much of the pitch against Espanyol.
Despite the clear gap in quality (and paychecks) between the two teams, Espanyol were easily the better side for much of the game. Aside from a bad miss that Metzelder sent over the crossbar, the Periquitos had the best chances in the game’s early stages. Casillas prevented his side from going 1-0 down inside the first half hour when he saved Moises Hurtado’s shot from close range. Hurtado only had such a clear-cut opportunity because of horrible defending by Madrid, who left Luis Garcia completely unmarked near the back post, allowing him a free header back in front of goal to the waiting Hurtado. Fortunately for Los Blancos, Iker’s legs bailed them out and kept the scoreline even. Soon thereafter, Raul Tamudo narrowly missed getting his head onto an Ivan Alonso cross after some more shaky defending.
And then, seemingly out of nowhere, they struck, on a lovely little one-two between Kaka and Granero. El Pirata, who was brilliant all game, secured the ball nicely, dropped it off to Kaka, then darted into the box to receive the return pass and blast it past Kameni. It was very similar to the first goal against Deportivo in Jornada 1, when Madrid suddenly found their attacking boots on a double-nutmeg pass by Kaka to a streaking Benzema. That time, the post intervened and Raul was required to clean up the rebound. This time, Granero made no mistake with the shot to give his side the advantage.
The second came only after numerous chances for Espanyol to equalize, when Kaka dribbled around three defenders on the left, got his nose out in front, and laid it off for Guti to slot home. It was a lovely play by Kaka, who looks to be the team’s most important creative player so far. And finally, substitute Cristiano Ronaldo got his first goal from open play for the team when Guti played a perfect through ball to the world’s most expensive (and most precisely coiffed) football player. Ronaldo streaked with it down the right hand side and coolly put the ball between Kameni’s legs for the goal. It was once again refreshing to see his joy and relief at scoring for his new team, as his new price tag has appeared to weigh on him since arriving in Spain. A couple more goals like that, and those worries will be a thing of the past, like his relationship with Sir Alex at the end of his ManU tenure.
So in the end, they got the goals and outclassed an opponent they had every right to beat, but they made it as nerve-wracking as possible along the way. I couldn’t count how many times I grimaced as a ball rolled past numerous Madrid defenders or an Espanyol player dribbled with ease into the heart of the defense. They looked quite unorganized and, consequently, exceedingly vulnerable to the counterattack. At times, even clearing the ball became an exercise in futility and difficult to watch. It was more Espanyol’s profligacy in front of goal than Madrid’s defense that kept them off the scoreboard, but I suppose they’ll take a clean sheet any way they can get it.
In their first two games, Real Madrid have shown both how high they can go and how much they still have to do to attain such heights consistently. That tricky bit of composure is still clearly lacking, and it hurts the defense more than the offense. They have enough astronomical talent in the attack to come out with little unity or plan and still score goals. The back line is not quite so blessed with riches, but even if it were, defense is another proposition altogether. Individual stars can do little on their own to shut down an opponent, instead requiring a coherent system to which all subscribe in order to excel. It is this system which Madrid lacks at this point, and it is this which Pellegrini must correct, and soon, if he wants to content with Barcelona (and keep his job).
To be fair, this is an entirely understandable predicament for a team that was hastily assembled over the summer and which tends to feature between five and eight new faces in the starting eleven. They were always going to need time to gel, and as long as they are winning, they will probably be granted leniency from the demanding home fans. With lots of players resting due to international action midweek and a looming Champions League clash, they were also fielding somewhat of a B team – if such a term can be applied to a line-up that features the likes of Kaka, Benzema, and Xabi Alonso, but you get the picture. San Iker may just be enough to save them until they get their act together, but this can only go on for so long and the defensive deficiencies cannot be bailed out indefinitely by offensive firepower. At some point, Real Madrid are going to have to learn how to defend. I suspect that with time and the return of some much needed familiar faces, they will settle into their roles and play at least competently together, which is not something that could be said about them in this performance.

Que Mal Que Marca El Madrid - World Soccer Talk

Que Mal Que Marca El Madrid

<a href="http:\/\/www.laligatalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/358x283-1.jpg" title="Espanyol And Cameroon Goalkeeper Carlos Kameni"></a><div><figure class="image"><a href="http:\/\/www.laligatalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/358x283-1.jpg" title="Espanyol And Cameroon Goalkeeper Carlos Kameni"></a></figure></div>
Sometimes in adverse moments is when you learn your greatest lessons.&nbsp; Carlos Kameni became one of the most popular players on the Espanyol squad for the past few years.&nbsp; He has been there during the highest highs and -right now- the lowest lows. The drop-off in Kameni’s level of play is just a microcosm of the team itself.&nbsp; Kameni was part of one of the most memorable years in Espanyol history in 2007 when they would raise the Copa del Rey for the fourth time in their history. 
Monday afternoon was the culmination of almost a year of adversity.&nbsp; 2007 was one of the more memorable years for the Catalan side as they won the Copa del Rey for the fourth time and battled to the bitter end in the UEFA Cup final.&nbsp; The 2007 season showed a great deal of promise as the winter break saw them in prime position to be in European cup spots. The drop-off in Kameni’s level of play is just a microcosm of the team itself.&nbsp; For him and his team they went on a second-half slide that saw them get teased with the possibility of being relegated.&nbsp; There was complete despair and the team that was teetering on the border of oblivion.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This year is further testament to what is going on at the club.&nbsp;&nbsp; It is a continuation of what went on in the second half of last year. 
In those moments he’s persevered and become part of that nucleus of the Pericos ever since he came to Catalunya from France.&nbsp;&nbsp; Coming in he had challenges that he had to overcome.&nbsp; One of them was to get out of the shadow of arguably the greatest African goalkeeper of all time and Espanyol idol Thomas N’Kono.&nbsp; He was able to fill in those shoes and write his own legacy at the club.&nbsp;&nbsp; Offers came in like wildfire.&nbsp; Manchester United came calling during their constant search for goalkeepers.&nbsp; Kameni was close to becoming possibly the solution to the goalkeeping vacuum that existed between the departure of Peter Schmeichel and the eventual arrival of Edwin Van der Sar to the Theater of Dreams.&nbsp;&nbsp; That was what went on in the life of Carlos Kameni once he arrived in Barcelona.&nbsp;&nbsp; At his highest moment, he was usually more out than in.&nbsp; He always lived on sharpest point of the razor’s edge.&nbsp;&nbsp; When I spoke to my boy Mando he had mentioned that the damage was done after last year’s African Cup of Nations.&nbsp; His agent flirted with Spurs, Valencia, and Aleti.&nbsp; Fans are like girlfriends or wives; and everyone knows how jealous they get went a player “checks out the field” while still holding their hand. 
When your “prized possession” begins to look for greener pastures, you look for what is best for you.&nbsp; The girlfriend looks for someone that makes her feel special, wanted.&nbsp; This is why Espanyol went to get young Argentine goalkeeper Cristian Álvarez as an insurance policy. 
Monday’s actions could be considered a meltdown.&nbsp; It was a legitimate mistake and he should be punished for it.&nbsp; The Perico world is currently against him.&nbsp; Fans to the right and left of the club are looking for his head on a plate.&nbsp; Polls show that the best solution would be to get rid of the player that has been the one constant in the club.&nbsp; The penyas want him gone ASAP. 
Are there any solutions?&nbsp; That is a complicated issue.&nbsp; The damage is done, as Mando clearly said.&nbsp; Kameni’s relationship with the fans is the same as the comparing it to a stitched up gash that was just torn open.&nbsp; The team’s (including his) poor performance was just the alcohol poured all over it.&nbsp; There is no justification behind going after a fan that way.&nbsp; No way, no how!&nbsp;&nbsp; For a player to lash back at a fan is something that is virtually unforgiveable.&nbsp;&nbsp; His legacy at the club is now tainted after doing much to try to over come the shadow of his fellow compatriot, N’Kono.&nbsp; His actions have now cast an immense shadow over him and there are not enough press conferences or apologies that can be given that will heal this wound.&nbsp; Only time could heal this wound.&nbsp; Unfortunately for Kameni and his teammates, that is not something they have on their side as they are battling for the first division lives.

Kameni At A Crossroads - World Soccer Talk

Kameni At A Crossroads

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