VALENCIA
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January
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Just the nine matches this month! The team exceeded my expectations in winning seven of the nine matches and drawing the remaining two.
vs. Real Madrid
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The month kicked off with a top of the table clash against Real Madrid. I wasn’t feeling too confident heading into the match and I expected a heavy defeat. They dominated the match from the off and Ronaldo and Bale were causing my fullbacks major problems. However, 17 year-old
Bilal Ould-Chikh managed to cut inside Coentrao and coolly slotted the ball past Casillas to put us one up!!! I was ecstatic yet nervous as I hoped we could hold onto the lead until halftime. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case as Kroos was able to find the back of the net from the edge of the area. I offered the lads some encouragement at halftime and let them know they were still in this. Bale had a number of easy chances that could of put them ahead but he blasted them wide.
Negredo then repaid my faith in him as he put the ball in the net after an error by Casillas. I told the lads to sit back and we just about held on for the win!
Our second tie in the Spanish Cup came against Rayo who put up a fight as we only managed to scrape a draw with
Alcacer getting both the goals for us.
The games were coming thick and fast as we played Celta. They were the better team but we were able to find the net as
Ould-Chikh scored again and
Suso struck early in the second half to give us the win.
The second leg of our Spanish cup-tie against Rayo proved to be an easier match than the first as we walked to a 4-1 victory with
Suso and
Alcacer scoring one a piece and
Ould-Chikh netting a brace.
We weren’t able to find a way past the wall Almeria had built at the back, which resulted in a boring 0-0 draw.
We faced Athletic Bilbao in the quarter final of the Spanish Cup and to be honest I wouldn’t have been bothered if we were eliminated at this stage. However, we put in a dominant performance and went out deserved 2-0 winners with
Negredo and
De Paul scoring the goals.
I was determined to beat Sevilla as Bielsa slagged me off in the media before the match.
Zuculini gave us the lead early on and then scored a 30-yard screamer, which was probably the best goal we’ve scored this season, to put us two up. Reyes pulled one backed late on for Sevilla to make for a nervy end to the match but we held on for yet another win.
Athletic Bilbao had to go all out attack to get back into the tie so I decided to play on the counter. It paid off as we had the better of the chances. Susaeta opened the scoring for Athletic but
Ould-Chikh leveled the score. We put the tie to bed in the second half with
Alcacer chipping the ‘keeper and
Piatti scoring his first of the season. We face Barcelona in the semi-final…
The month came to an end against Malaga. It felt as if they set out cripple my players as four of them picked up injuries. However, they weren’t able to stop the formidable
BILAL OULD-CHIKH!!!
Player of the Month
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This was obvious as only one player was truly worthy of this award and it was
BILAL OULD-CHIKH. Six goals (one against Real Madrid!!!) and two assists for the youngster. He has been superb since coming into the team and I regret not starting him sooner.
League Table
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We’re five points clear at the top but Real Madrid have three games in hand and I expect them to close the game.
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In other news I have signed a new contract with the club until 2017. Not to say that I will stay here for that long but hopefully it will give me enough time to win the league.
Transfers
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Transfer Window Roundup
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Exciting times in Spain…
