Things do not get much worse than that. Seventy-five minutes to score a single goal against a ten-man side while playing at home, and we cannot do it. We managed to keep a clean sheet and pick up a point, but that is from a match where three points were mandatory.
So now Villarreal heads into the international break with a lot to think about. Valverde is still the head coach, but you have to feel that if he can't pull a big result out of the next match against bottom-dwellers Xerez after having two weeks to regroup his thoughts and his team, then his time as captain of the submarine is over.
The team will see a number of players traveling somewhat extensively during the two week break, so some of our best players can't expect to get any actual rest. Here is the schedule of international matches affecting the squad:
Saturday, October 10:
Armenia v. Spain (Lopez, Senna, Capdevila, Cazorla), in Yerevan, Armenia
Nick's Boys v. Italy (Rossi), in Dublin (22.00 horas en España)
Sunday, October 11:
Ecuador v. Uruguay (Eguren), in Quito
Bolivia v. Brasil (Nilmar), in La Paz
Wednesday, October 14
Bosnia Herzegovina v. Spain, in Zenica
Brasil v. Venezuela, in Campo Grande
Italy v. Cyprus, in Parma
Thursday, October 15
Uruguay v. Argentina, in Montevideo
Diego Godin was not called, I believe because he is still suspended for these two matches to finish out his three-match suspension after picking up a red card in his first match on the last international break.
P.S., thanks, Kqql, for the updates on the match.