Part-time Pundit » Atletico Madrid

Savour This!

parttimepundit — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 13:33:14 +0000

Going two-nil up against Barca is the layman’s equivalent of getting Sienna Miller and Kate Moss in the sack… at the same time! So you could imagine how excited the boys from Madrid must have been when Simao buried his free kick and Atleti’s second into the back of Victor Valdes’ net last night. They were licking their lips and rubbing their hands in glee till Zlatan popped up and things got a little tense (aka Sienna had to sneak out and head home). They did manage to hold out of course and at the end of the 90min, (you still had Kate twisted like a pretzel) not only did they walk away as happy as Larry, they managed to break a 21 match unbeaten streak in the process… not bad for a night’s work, if I do say so myself!

Sorry, no Sienna or Kate, just action from from the match:

Match highlights:

Older Atletico Madrid news:
Predictions – La Liga – Week 22
Predictions – La Liga – Week 10
Results – UCL – Matchday 4
Blues Make Light Work Of Atletico – Chelsea 4 v 0 Atletico Madrid

Predictions – La Liga – Week 22

parttimepundit — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 13:34:06 +0000

WARNING: THIS POST IS HUGE!
Today our amigos at Heads or Tails warn us to expect Barcelona’s first defeat of the season and a chance for Real Madrid to close the gap at the top of the table to just 2 points! Barca are short on defensive players the likes of Dani Alves, Abidal, Pique, Marquez, Chigrinskiy and Touré, which leaves Puyol, Maxwell and Milito as the only first team defensive players available for the match… um, that’s not a good thing given that Kun Agüero and Diego Forlan will be knocking on their door. And this is how the rest of the weekend was predicted.

Predictions:
Sporting Gijon 1 v 1 Valencia
Xerez 1 v 4 Real Madrid
Villarreal 2 v 1 Athletic Bilbao
Getafe 1 v 1 Almeria
Atlético Madrid 3 v 2 FC Barcelona
Sevilla 3 v 1 Osasuna
Valladolid 1 v 1 Zaragoza
Espanyol 1 v 0 Deportivo La Coruña
Racing Santander 2 v 1 Malaga
Tenerife 2 v 1 Mallorca

Predictions – 7th / 8th November

parttimepundit — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:58:33 +0000

The Madrid derby takes center stage in Spain this weekend and once again we’re hearing that Pellegrini’s head is set to role if Real don’t get the desired result… however before that can happen, our amigos at Heads or Tails inform us that the league may be stopped this weekend in protest of foreign players having to pay more tax for playing in the country… huh!? That’s a little too loco for me, so if the matches go ahead, this is how they’ve been picked:

Predictions:
Getafe 2 v 0 Deportivo La Coruña
Tenerife 2 v 1 Malaga
FC Barcelona 3 v 1 Mallorca
Atletico Madrid 2 v 3 Real Madrid
Almeria 2 v 1 Osasuna
Racing Santander 1 v 1 Athletic Bilbao
Valladolid 2 v 1 Xerez
Valencia 3 v 1 Zaragoza
Sevilla 3 v 2 Villarreal

Results – Matchday 4

parttimepundit — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:49:48 +0000

The thing I love most about the Champions League is the weird and unpredictable score lines you get right across the continent. I also love it when a manager makes a substitution and within minutes of that player stepping onto the field, he scores a cracker to put his team ahead. And what’s even better is when that same player, with almost the last kick of the game scores a kick-ass equaliser! Finally Atletico showed some cahones and stood up for themselves… even though their efforts were in vein.

Matchday score:
3 out of 8

Results:
Missed chances rued as French champs take points on the road
[Bayern München 0 v 2 Bordeaux]
Camoranesi goal sinks Jews ~~down a well~~ to bottom of Group A
[Maccabi Haifa FC 0 v 1 Juventus]
Deja vu: United Leave it late again! [Man United FC 3 v 3 CSKA Moskva]
Die Wölves thirst for Black Eagles blood! [Beşiktaş JK 0 v 3 VfL Wolfsburg]
Awesome match… terrible refereeing! [AC Milan 1 v 1 Real Madrid CF]
Just a lazy Tuesday night shpoonken [Olympique Marseille 6 v 1 FC Zürich]
Solitary goals… the bane of APOEL’s existence [APOEL FC 0 v 1 FC Porto]

Match highlights: Atlético Madrid 2 v 2 Chelsea FC

Blues Make Light Work Of Atletico

parttimepundit — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:03:45 +0000

After watching highlights of the match, I had this whole spiel about Chelsea’s strength and experience in Europe and Atletico’s sheer lack of anything really, but instead I’m going to sit here with Blues fat-man Branislav Ivanovic and over a bucket of fried chicken discuss how inappropriate it is to claim a goal you didn’t actually score… oh and I’m sure Anelka will have a thing or two to say about the matter too!

Match highlights:

Older Chelsea news:
Villains Up Two The Task – Aston Villa 2 v 1 Chelsea
Prediction – Chelsea v Liverpool – Believe the hype!
Blues Brambled To Earth – Wigan 3 v 1 Chelsea
Predictions – Premier League – Week 6

Predictions – 26th / 27th September

parttimepundit — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:42:04 +0000

Say the word desperation and the first club that comes to mind in the La Liga this season is Atletico Madrid and it doesn’t get any easier. This weekend is guaranteed to be a do or die clash for their coach Abel Resino, whom Kun Agüero and Maxi Rodriguez have it in for and to top it off, Diego Forlan is preoccupied with contract negotiations so he’ll be off dreaming who many Ferrari’s he’ll be able to squeeze into his garage. Our friends at Heads or Tails reckon Atletico’s defense will be heaped with the work load this week and it’ll be good riddance to their coach and this is how the rest of ‘em were picked.

Predictions:
Athletic Bilbao 1 v 2 Sevilla
Real Madrid 4 v 0 Tenerife
Malaga 1 v 3 FC Barcelona
Valencia 3 v 2 Atletico Madrid
Almeria 2 v 1 Racing Santander
Espanyol 3 v 0 Xerez
Mallorca 2 v 1 Valladolid
Zaragoza 1 v 1 Getafe
Deportivo La Coruña 1 v 2 Villarreal

Results – 19th / 20th September

parttimepundit — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 04:22:38 +0000

A poor weekend of predictions can be easily overlooked by a stunning on field performance… one of which Barcelona are renowned for. So it was no surprise that they embarrassed an already down and out Atletico, leading 4-0 at half time and then taking the foot off the gas through the second half to finish the game 5-2.

Gameweek score:
3 out of 10

Results:
Osasuna 0 v 2 Sevilla
Zaragoza 1 v 2 Valladolid
Barcelona 5 v 2 Atlético Madrid
Valencia 2 v 2 Sporting Gijón
Deportivo La Coruña 2 v 3 Espanyol
Real Madrid 5 v 0 Xerez
Almería 1 v 0 Getafe
Malaga 1 v 2 Rácing Santander
Mallorca 4 v 0 Tenerife
Athletic Bilbao 3 v 2 Villarreal

Match highlights – Barcelona 5 v 2 Atletico Madrid:

For more reviews of this weekends La Liga action visit Heads or Tails.

Predictions – 19th / 20th September

parttimepundit — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 08:06:12 +0000

After some mid week Champions League action and Atletico’s poor showing, they’re in for a complicated match against champions Barcelona. Our sources over at Heads or Tails suggest it’ll be a Barca white wash as they attempt to let off some steam following their frustrating draw to Inter mid week.

Predictions:
Osasuna 2 v 1 Sevilla
Zaragoza 3 v 1 Valladolid
Barcelona 4 v 1 Atlético Madrid
Valencia 3 v 1 Sporting Gijón
Deportivo La Coruña 2 v 1 Espanyol
Real Madrid 5 v 0 Xerez
Almería 1 v 1 Getafe
Malaga 2 v 1 Rácing Santander
Mallorca 2 v 0 Tenerife
Athletic Bilbao 1 v 2 Villarreal

Predictions – 12th / 13th September

parttimepundit — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:11:44 +0000

After a mid week international break, we resume the La Liga with some pretty descent matches and almost as much controversy as a Michael Jackson tribute tour! Our friend Juan over at Heads or Tails tells us to keep an eye out for a “demonstration” by Atlético Madrid fans after their teams dismal loss on the opening day of the season to Malaga. Apparently shit is about to hit the fan and fragments are being deflected toward the clubs directors… maybe in this fan demonstration they’ll show ‘Los colchoneros’ how to actually play football and heap some of the responsibility on the team as well. Should be an interesting weekend indeed!

Predictions:
Atlético Madrid 3 v 1 Racing Santander
Espanyol 1 v 2 Real Madrid
Xerez 1 v 1 Athletic Bilbao
Deportivo La Coruña 2 v 1 Málaga
Sporting Gijón 1 v 1 Almería
Villarreal 3 v 0 Mallorca
Sevilla 3 v 0 Zaragoza
Tenerife 1 v 1 Osasuna
Valladolid 1 v 2 Valencia
Getafe 1 v 3 Barcelona

Stalemate sees Porto through

parttimepundit — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 13:27:00 +0000

Pfft! Nil-all stalemates are bullocks and anyway haven’t Arsenal put a patent on them this year? (see here, here, here and here)… anyway this game was pretty drab and probably the most exciting thing to come out of it was the new turquoise fabric that Porto have as their kit… I find it’s a little hard on the eyes at first, yet subtle enough to keep you from driving your car into it at night… unlike some of the other monstrosities we’ve had to bare witness to this season. *cough* Lyon v Fiorentina – Matchday 1 *cough*

Last fortnights match review

Match highlights:

A share of the spoils in Madrid

parttimepundit — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 07:48:00 +0000

Real came out of the starting blocks blazing in this match and had it not been for the short sightedness of ball-hog Arjen Robben, they may have scored a lot sooner than they did… so it’s funny that Atletico absorbed the early pressure and caught Los Blancos on the counter (on several occasions mind you) to turn a swift counter into a well worked goal… and it could have been more. But I guess the biggest concern to come of this match, other than Real’s defending, was their inability to muster clear cut opportunities on goal and given that they travel to Anfield in a couple days, this is something they’re going to have to address! Well it’s either that or they may need to hire a few Watchmen to lead the ranks and change the balance of power in Europe back to Spain… other wise their “Doomsday Clock” has been set and I don’t see them overcoming ‘Pool in England… tick tock, tick tock…

Match highlights:

Older Madrid news:
La Liga – 28th / 1st March
Barca cracking under pressure? Atletico Madrid 4 v 3 Barcelona
‘Pool take vital lead to Anfield – Real Madrid 0 v 1 Liverpool
Lisandro keeps Atlético at bay – Atlético 2 v 2 Porto

Barca cracking under pressure?

parttimepundit — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 11:30:00 +0000

Atletico put their own internal turmoil behind them and managed a win while at the same time punishing some sloppy Barcelona defending and this got me thinking.
Are the ghosts of Barca’s 2007/08 campaign coming back to haunt them and are the wheels starting to fall off their cruisy ride to an otherwise unchallenged league title? Well the results of the last few weeks seem to speak for themselves, starting with a draw to Betis, a loss to Espanyol, a come-from-behind draw against Lyon and now this?
Pep Guardiola may be the best dressed coach in the world, but his problems are starting to extend beyond his wardrobe and they’re now at a critical point of getting the better of his team. They’re still scoring goals, but they’re conceding them very softly as well… whatever the case, Real Madrid now sit only 4 points off them and heads will probably start rolling if things are fixed… ¡Ándale! ¡Ándale! ¡Arriba!

Match highlights: