Valencia - Lille

So I totally said I would do a match report on games I watch and I've only just got around to actually typing this up because I'm a lazy cow at the best of times. Anyway, Europa League game #5 of 6. It couldn't have got Valencia an automatic qualification for the knock out stages, but it certainly gave them a fighting chance, and would put them top of the group if results went their way. In order to secure qualification, the safest thing would be to win their final group game against Genoa.

The game started off incredibly well indeed for the home side. They were a goal up within 3 minutes, thanks to a combination of good positioning from Joaquin and very poor defending from the French side. Of course, with Valencia, one goal is never quite good enough. If I'm painfully honest, with Moya in goal, even two goals are rarely good enough. Not to be deterred, Valencia kept pushing, and looked the far more dangerous side in attack. The ball rarely made it into their own half, but when it did, the defence and goalkeeper were (maybe somewhat surprisingly) very good at dealing with the danger.

It wasn't that long until their constant pressing led to another defence splitting pass landing at Joaquin's feet and he made no mistake, burying the ball for the second time that evening to put Valencia 2-0 up at the break.

Lille were playing very dirty, throwing tackles left, right and center, but that didn't seem to affect the flow of the game, and after the break, it was more of the same from Valencia. In the 53rd minute, they were rewarded with their third, Mata scoring to put the game beyond the away side's reach.

It wasn't until the 73rd minute Unai made his first change, taking Mata off probably to rest him for the La Liga game at the weekend and putting Miku on. Three minutes later, Joaquin was substituted, denying him the chance of a hat trick. His replacement, Jordi Alba, made an instant impact on the left wing, making dangerous runs. Apparently too dangerous for the Lille side, who decided that trying to hurt the Valencia players was the only way they were going to get anything out of the game.

Heading towards the final whistle, it looked like Moya was going to keep his first clean sheet since the opening game of the season against Sevilla, but Lille had other ideas. They scored in the 92nd, and went close again just 30 seconds later, making a thrilling end to an otherwise Valencia dominated game.

Clicky click...

*sighs happily*

Ignoring the fact that practically the ENTIRE first team is sat in the stands observing against Barca due to various injuries, I'd like to direct your attention to Dahveed. If you don't recognise him instantly (and shame on you if this is the case, do I not obsess enough over him on this blog?!) he's the one in orange.

Clicky click...

Valencia thighs

I got sort of inspired by the Kickette TTO this week and decided to compile a list of all the drool worthy thighs in this squad. Yes, it took me a long time to narrow it down to just one pic per guy. And yes, it took all my will power not to include every single one of the boys. They really do have a good set of thighs. Anyway, enough talk. Step right this way for the evidence...

Joaquin

Baraja

Pablo

Fernandes

Mata

Silva

Viana

RENNIE!

Mori

Albiol

Carleto

Dahveed

Albelda

Alexis

And the very definition of Valencia thigh - Vicente

Clicky click...

If you needed proof they're clearly in love...

Look at the way they are totally ignoring Joaquin. Poor guy. *pets him* He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. And this picture is exactly the reason the Davids HAVE to stay. One of them leaves, the other will mope. It's just not on. You can't get in the way of true love.

Clicky click...

Just because

He should have made the Spain squad. No, not because he's a Valencia boy. Though if you ask me, that should be reason enough. He's good. Better than anybody else they could put out on the right wing. And worth a damn sight more than €1!

Pay attention Del Bosque! The best two wingers in Spain play for Valencia. It's about effing time you woke up and realised that. Spain could do with the width.

Clicky click...

The Valencia skillz train...

Because I clearly have nothing better to do with my time (no, I really don't need to revise for the exams I have coming up...) I decided to go on a video hunt on youtube to find my fave players showing serious skillz. Now, I was lucky enough to come across one that shows my four fave Valencia boys showing skillz so I figured I'd post it. I mean, we all know I love the Valencia attack force.

David Villa is possibly one of the best strikers in the world right now. He has a natural goal scoring instinct, he can score penalties, free kicks and goals from open play. It's not just his goals that are important though, he provides many assists, he holds the ball up well and he's generally a pain in defenders' backsides. When he's not there, it is sometimes difficult to see where the goals are going to come from. That's not taking anything away from the rest of the team, but he is one of those players who defenders see on the teamsheet and shit themselves.

David Silva is possibly one of the best left wingers in Spain right now. He scores goals, he tricks his way past defenders and he wins a lot of fouls. Add in the fact that he is also more than capable of holding his own in a fight, you've got the perfect ingredients for a winger. They are potentially the most abused players on the pitch because they are the most dangerous. He was one of the players of the tournament for Spain during the Euros, but didn't get as much recognition as the other stars. Still, for his first major tournament, the boy did good.

Joaquin is easily one of the best right wingers in Spain. Valencia look a poorer side when he's not in the team, bossing the right wing. Again, he not only provides assists (and lots of them I might add) but he's also known to score the odd goal too. He really should be part of the Spain NT. There's not many players who can do it better than him, and the right wing is somewhere that could do with a little help. Him and Sergio Ramos running up and down there? Yeah, I'd hate to be the defender having to deal with that...

And then...then we have Vicente. I don't even know where to begin with him. Before he got injured, he was the best left winger in Spain. Nobody came close. He had the speed, the agility, the skillz, just the whole package. He was a joy to watch. That's not to say anything has changed, he's still one of my favourite players. He still bosses the left wing when he plays. Injuries aside, he could have become the best left winger in the world, but he missed out on what were arguably his best years.

Renan is probably a good 60% of the reason Valencia had such a great start to the season. Last year, they were missing a class goalkeeper who could bail the defence out when they needed it. And as much as it pains me to admit, the Valencia defence does need bailing out a lot. He makes some absolutely impossible saves and the team looks a lot more solid at the back when he's in goal. They've conceded far fewer goals this year than they did last year with more or less the same defence.

There's not all that many videos of the defence. Probably because they're not a very skillful bunch. I mean, sure, they defend, but there's no trickery, no noticable skillz like the strikers and midfielders. Probably just as well. It won't do to have them screw everything up because they decide to try about 40 stepovers with a striker from the opposition snapping at their heels. For the most part, they do the job they're paid to do and stop the goals going in.

Coming up next...The Liverpool Skillz train.

Clicky click...