Denis Suarez shines, Alves flops and Eibar impress
Only two games played and already we break for internationals.
Hardly ideal preparation, however such are the idiosyncracies of the football calendar.
Although Jornada 2 threw up few surprises, there were enough talking points to keep even the most fervent La Liga follower happy.
Let’s take a look at who the winners and losers were from this weekend’s fixtures.
WINNERS:
1. Only one place to start, and that’s at the Anoeta Stadium.
Real Sociedad had a disastrous opening to the season, losing to new boys Eibar in week one and then being dumped out of Europe in midweek.
They faced a Real Madrid side that they hadn’t beaten home or away for 10 long years and at 2-0 down after just 11 minutes, you feared a humiliation to round off an awful week.
So, hats off to Jagoba Arrasate and his staff for a quite unbelievable turnaround.
Don’t let Madrid’s failure in defence, or an absent Cristiano Ronaldo, take anything away from the magnitude of the performance of the home side.
Four goals didn’t disgrace La Real for whom Xabi Prieto was outstanding, assisting twice.
2. Evidently, Eibar aren’t in La Liga to make up the numbers. After a solid debut win last week, the top division’s new boys travelled to their first away fixture – at last season’s champions Atletico Madrid.
However the baptism of fire was anything but as the Basques more than held their own against Diego Simeone’s side.
At 2-0 down, the goal scored by Abraham to bring them back into the game was as good as anything you will see all season.
And how many teams will go to the Vicente Calderon this season and boss the game? Fifty-seven percent possession for Gaizka Garitano’s men tells it’s own story.
3. Cordoba are another side not really expected to go the distance, but if their first two performances are anything to go by, then Albert Ferrer’s men could be looking to consolidate in their first crack at the top division in 42 years.
The team returned to the Arcangel looking for their first La Liga points in four decades, and despite playing a Celta Vigo side buoyant from their win against Getafe in Week 1, the home side more than held their own.
Fede Cartabia, a loan signing from Valencia, was the hero, his strike to earn his side a share of the spoils sending the stadium into rapture.
4. Denis Suarez has enjoyed a new lease of life in Andalusia.
Joining Sevilla as part of the deal which took Ivan Rakitic the other way, Suarez has something of a point to prove having been talked about in reverential tones since starring for Manchester City’s development squad.
Against Espanyol the youngster showed poise, maturity and the sort of silky touch for which he is known. A beautifully flighted free kick for Iborra to notch what turned out to be the winner underscored his performance.
5. Valencia sat proudly atop La Liga until Sunday’s round of fixtures after a 3-0 destruction of 10-man Malaga at the Mestalla on Friday night.
There is genuine anticipation and belief in and around the club that Los Che are at the beginning of something special and a delightful display did nothing to dispel that notion.
LOSERS:
1. Poor old Levante look doomed already.
For the second game in a row they offered absolutely nothing as an attacking outfit and were well beaten by Athletic Club.
It must be a concern to Jose Luis Mendilibar who has only seen his side score once - in their opening pre-season game at Heerenveen.
The big fat zero’s that accompany the end of each game since then desperately need addressing, starting with the trip to Granada in the next round of fixtures.
2. The recently renamed Power8 stadium could be a millstone around the necks of Espanyol after Sergio Gonzalez’s side provided anything but.
No power, pace or industry in any area of the pitch meant that an away win for Sevilla was always a distinct possibility. And so it proved.
Christian Stuani’s consolation goal will do nothing to paper over the ever-widening cracks.
Espanyol need points on the board. Quickly.
3. That there were more seats than patrons gives you some idea that all is not well at Getafe.
Madrid’s “other” club were charging over €30 for the visit of Almeria and clearly that didn’t sit well with supporters who voted with their feet.
Pasaran los años y el campo del Getafe seguirá estando vacío pic.twitter.com/WOV0G4Pbfi
— Dani Manzano (@DaniManzano19) 29 de agosto de 2014
The Azulones aren’t the best supported club at the best of times and they can certainly do without a near-to-empty stadium at every home match.
4. Dani Alves can’t escape this list after a string of wayward crosses which, if accurate, would’ve seen Barcelona out of sight at Villarreal before half time.
The Brazilian had a mammoth 146 touches in the game and he peppered the home side’s box at every opportunity.
Yet, despite time and space on many occasions, far too often the ball was overhit or nowhere near accurate enough.
It’s just not acceptable at this level.
5. Paco Jemez will be furious after his side threw away three points at the death against Deportivo La Coruna.
Looking for the win which would’ve placed them second in the table, Alberto Bueno’s two goals looked to have given the visitors just that.
However, Abdoulaye Ba’s handball in the area in injury time handed a lifeline to the home side.
Ex-Barca man Isaac Cuenca made no mistake from the penalty spot with the clock ticking onto 94 minutes, to get Depor off of the mark with their first point of the season.
