Thread: Villarreal vs. Granada

Wakaso is in the squad. So every available A team player is present.

you were a good player with Udinese and a top prospect in Serie A. Now just give us a solid, calm 90 minutes.

Header from a set piece led to a rebound on the back post.

But dallied too long on the ball. Timing being off is no surprise. Camunas with good pressure though not playing up front.

Attacking down the left through an active Oriol. Granada doesn’t look so hot in back either.

Nearly the 1-0 goal on a nice build-up with Ruben. Speedy and tall working OK so far.

Nice way to cap off a good move. Cani with the slide-rule pass, but all to do for the Argentine striker. En racha, senores.

will Nilmar change the answer of “our last scoring striker excluding Ruben”?

This reminds me of last year’s team. Still uncertain in central defense, but the rest of the machine is slick. Absolutely bossing the midfield, and creating chances up front. The punch comes from Ruben right now.

or we can hardly kill off the game imo

And a huge assist from the post in 27’. Not sure how Ighalo failed to put in the rebound, but we just cleared the danger.

And now Ighalo in the book. Blocked the Lopez punt upfield.

Good save from Julio Cesar. Brazilian on Brazilian.

I think we can get a Granada player sent off. Too aggressive. But yes, we need another.

No call, no card. Poor officiating.

Deserved lead, but not enough on which to rest our laurels. A clean sheet for now, but that appears in jeopardy.

Looks like a game for Hernan to blow up later on.

Senna and Borja nullified in midfield and the back four very comfortable apart from a couple of awkward moments. Granada are findining space for the runners on the right and left (Oriol having trouble whenever granada’s right winger runs at him) but they lack quality attacking players in the center to make ti count. Ighalo hasn’t troubled Marchena or Zapata.

We are actually behind on possession: 49-51%.

With the result, we go up to 12th. Tied with Sevilla (game in hand) and Betis; we have the tiebreak on both. 3 points above Racing in 18th.

Didn’t catch Julio Cesar at his near post.

we need to slow down the game

Another corner for the visitors.

From that corner, we are level. Back-to-back weeks with goals for the central defender.

No problem; let’s start over.

Received a foul, unhappy with no-call, earned his yellow.

Granada, in particular Mikel Rico, is just driving the game harder

Diakhate on for goalscorer Inigo Lopez.

Just barely pushed a floater wide, nearly from midfield. Mikel Rico almost earned a match-winner. Forced a corner…

Castellani for Nilmar. Either Camunas steps forward, or he is coming off soon for Martinuccio.

Great volleyed finish on a slip pass from Camunas. Back in front. Now shut it down, boys.

Uche for Franco Jara. Love it, in some sense.

Oriol with the cross from a lay-off by Castellani. I’d like the fantasy points, but Granada did it to themselves.

Game over?

Martinuccio for Ruben. One Argentine striker for another. Now let’s see about that debut goal…

Granada is down 2 goals and still having to pass it around in their third. Martinuccio seems to fit nicely in our system.

And now Angel down; just a knock.

Martinuccio sent flying at the edge of the box.

Hernan for Camunas.

Borja put FK wide, Marchena got his expected yellow. All is right in Vila-real.

from Martinuccio to Hernan in the box. Perez couldn’t finish but hopefully we can expect more of that from the new Argentinian.

Great kick save from Julio Cesar. Nothing more than whitewashing the result, though.

Let the good times roll. Next week to continue the streak on the island against our mortal enemies. Why not?

Barcelona can only dream this will hold up.

With Borja playing deep, Cani and Camuñas can’t be counted on to orchestrate the attack. Cani’s assist was notable only because of Ruben’s excellent finish, while Borja’s goal was remarkable too and came at an opportune moment (after Castellazi came on and Camuñas and Borja changed positions. Granada won the central midfield battle for short spells, but even with two or three players making runs into the box the quality of the crossing was poor, as well as the interplay in the final third of Villarreal’s half.

I misread the name on the back. Is he a left-sided midfielder, by the way? I though he would slot in beside Senna but instead he was on the left giving Oriol some cover, the showing up to take potshots at goal.

we should slow down the game when we are leading and speed it up when level, but it seems we are doing the different thing (even the slow build-up gave us Borja’s goal)

The end of La Liga. Ronaldo with a hat-trick. The visitors went ahead early, but Iborra was sent off and a penalty awarded at 1-0. On even terms down a man, it was curtains.