Sunday, August 26, 2012

Sporting Gijón 2 Real Murcia 3

To be honest I wasn't expecting such a marked improvement from the game against Cordoba, but when our starting 11 was announced, it made coach Gustavo Siviero's aim clear - attack! A midfied of ballplayers and 2 strikers is unusual for an away side, especially when visiting one of the teams expected to be fighting for promotion. Despite going behind early, despite the referee, despite having 10 men for the majority of the game.....Real Murcia were excellent. With 11 against 11 we were playing Gijón off the park.

Sporting Gijón :
Juan Pablo
Orfila (Carmona 69') - Ocón Arráiz - Gregory (Guerero 45') - Iván Hernández - Canella
Ricardo - Nacho Cases - Carmelo - Ocón Arráiz - Trejo (Juan Muñiz 64')
De las Cuevas - Bilic - Ocón Arráiz

Real Murcia:
Javi Jiménez
Molinero - Mauro - Jorge - Óscar Sánchez
Nafti - Matilla - Emilio Sánchez - Nico Martínez (Mario Marín 42')
Kike García (Eddy 62') - Cristian García (Chando 80')

Goals:
1-0. Bilic (6')
1-1 Nico Martínez (11')
1-2. Matilla (48')
1-3. Kike García (51')
2-3 Muñiz (81')

Árbitro: Mr. Ocón Arráiz. Tried his best all afternoon to put Sporting in the game. Any Real Murcia foul was punished with a yellow, whilst he let Gijón players get away with some bad tackles. Sent Oscar off with a straight red when he may only have tickled Bilic, who decided (he could easily have carried on) to take a spectacular dive. Booked Mauro for having the front to be shoved by 3 Sporting players whilst doing absolutely nothing.

Att: 17.000 at the El Molinón stadium.
See the highlights here.

Next up : Huesca at the Nueva Condomina, Saturday 1st a 6 p.m.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Real Murcia 0 Cordoba 0

Real Murcia :
Javi Jiménez
Molinero - Jorge García - Dos Santos - Óscar
Acciari - Nafti - Matilla - Miguel Albiol (Nico Martínez 58')
Sutil (Kike 67') - Cristian García (Saúl Berjón 76')

Cordoba :
Alberto
Fernández - Gaspar - Tena - Fuentes (Ayina 89')
López Garai - Abel Gómez - Pedro (Dubarbier 75') - López Silva
Patiño - Joselu (Carlos Caballero 64')

Referee: Mr. José Luis Lesma López. Awful. Loves the sound of his own whistle. Mistakedly gave Acciari a second yellow when clearly it was Kike who handled.
Att : 7.489 at the New Condomina. Disappointing for a first game, but this is Spain and Murcia so actually on the high side of expectations.

A very reasonable start considering the way our squad has been coming together and the uninspiring pre-season fixtures. Remember this Cordoba outfit are considered the best footballing side in the division, and reached the play-off last season. We shakled them (Dos Santos most impressive at centre back) and Acciari and Nafti add much needed steel in midfield. We looked solid without really troubling them (one great Kike chance apart). Evidently there is some work to do and the side need games for all the newbies to bed in and build understandings. So I would say that I'm cautiously optimistic - and feel that in a few weeks time we could be much improved.

Of course our daft local press have gone all so predictably for a negative line.

Next up : Away at Real Sporting de Gijón on Saturday.

Sunday, August 5, 2012

The New Real Murcia


Many changes for this seasons Real Murcia, most importantly we have a new coach at the helm, Argentinian Gustavo Siviero, who came in from Segunda B side Atletico Baleares. He has experience in the Spanish league as a player for Mallorca and Albacete. It is however a rather risky appointment for club owner Jesus Samper. Whilst I recognize the need to create some expectation for the upcoming season and to stimulate season ticket sales, to openly state that the "minimum requirement" for the season is a play-off place, this automatically placed unnecessary pressure on Siviero and the players. In my experience this have never worked in Murcia; those demanding fans will be doing their usual mocking, demanding heads to roll and generally not helping the side if we don't make a very good start. Judging by the way things are going in pre-season, the slowness to make signings, the irregular performances, I can't see much that inspires hope for a positive first few games.

As far as the squad is concerned, we have seen the return of Argentine midfield enforcer Jose Luis Acciari, the additions of Nafti (Tunisian international) from Valladolid and Matilla on loan from Betis, plus 2 more Argentines......Dos Santos (centre back from Banfield) and Nicolas Martinez who had been playing in the Chilean first division. Ivan Amaya has departed the club, Richi has retired but will be at the club with responsibility for the construction of the new training facilities so often promised but that never appear. There will be more comings and goings over the next couple of weeks.

Maybe it is a good idea not to have high expectations, despite Samper's claims. I can't see such a change in direction that will miraculously transform us from strugglers (look at the last 5 seasons) into promotion hopefuls.