Barcelona coach Rijkaard facing juggling act over Saviola
By Joel Richards - January 23, 2007
Spain-based Joel Richards says Frank Rijkaard faces a juggling act if Barcelona are to get the most out of Javier Saviola.
La Liga produced just nine goals on the weekend that the season reached its midway point. Thirteen teams failed to score, but the three main title contenders - Barcelona, Real Madrid and Sevilla - all have problems in their striking department too. Barcelona beat Gimnastic by a comfortable three goal margin, making them the only side to score more than one goal on matchday nineteen. Yet the whistles that sounded out around the Camp Nou point to problems for Frank Rijkaard. The decision from the Dutch coach to replace Javier Saviola with Eidur Gudjohnsen with the score still at 1-0 was roundly booed by the Azulgrana fans. Saviola scored the team's first of the night - his seventh goal in the club's last four matches. The Argentine is viewed by most as the natural cover for Samuel Eto'o, but Rijkaard has been reluctant to use a player who carries political baggage. For Barcelona president Joan Laporta, the striker incarnates the previous administration. And so Saviola has had to put up with being shipped off to Monaco and Sevilla on a season's loan, and was the subject of speculation throughout last summer while Barcelona clumsily searched for a suitor for the Argentina international. Saviola stayed in the end, and his patience, unpretentious ways and goalscoring instinct have endeared him to the locals. While Samuel Eto'o is the face of the recent all-conquering Barcelona and is on the mend after his injury, Rijkaard will have a tricky balancing act to play when the Cameroon striker is fit again, and the home fans demand to see Saviola on the pitch too. How Real Madrid wish for such a dilemma. Ronaldo has irritated Fabio Capello to beyond redemption, and the Brazilian's protracted move to Milan will surely materialise before the close of the transfer window. The sale of the fenomeno comes at a time when Real Madrid struggle in front of goal. Three goals in six games so far this year reveals the side's meagre return for the vast periods of possession that Real Madrid often enjoy. On Sunday the team were incapable of scoring from open play, Jose Antonio Reyes' free kick was needed to secure the points against Mallorca. Ruud van Nistelrooy is expected to get the team out of jail, but it is too much to expect the Dutch striker to single-handedly win Real Madrid a trophy this season. Gonzalo Higuain has been thrown in at the deep end after his move from River Plate, playing four matches in fourteen days. While he has shown why Real Madrid invested in him, he has yet to score for his new club. Yet even boasting the division's top scorer is not enough to ease fears of dropping behind in the title contest. Fredi Kanoute spurned three chances against Villarreal as Sevilla crashed down to earth. The Best Team of 2006 are suffering vertigo. Imperious last year, 2007 has seen defeats at the hands of Zaragoza and Mallorca, plus the insipid goalless draw at the Madrigal this weekend. Three poor results have allowed Barcelona and Real Madrid to draw level with Juande Ramos' side, after they had set the pace at the top of the table with their stylish attacking flair. Barcelona should edge their way clear at the top of the table when they play Betis on Wednesday. But for now the top three all have to reflect on doubts that are creeping in, as Valencia and Atletico Madrid are slowly but surely tiptoeing their way into contention for the biggest prize.
Barcelona beat Gimnastic by a comfortable three goal margin, making them the only side to score more than one goal on matchday nineteen. Yet the whistles that sounded out around the Camp Nou point to problems for Frank Rijkaard. The decision from the Dutch coach to replace Javier Saviola with Eidur Gudjohnsen with the score still at 1-0 was roundly booed by the Azulgrana fans. Saviola scored the team's first of the night - his seventh goal in the club's last four matches. The Argentine is viewed by most as the natural cover for Samuel Eto'o, but Rijkaard has been reluctant to use a player who carries political baggage. For Barcelona president Joan Laporta, the striker incarnates the previous administration. And so Saviola has had to put up with being shipped off to Monaco and Sevilla on a season's loan, and was the subject of speculation throughout last summer while Barcelona clumsily searched for a suitor for the Argentina international. Saviola stayed in the end, and his patience, unpretentious ways and goalscoring instinct have endeared him to the locals. While Samuel Eto'o is the face of the recent all-conquering Barcelona and is on the mend after his injury, Rijkaard will have a tricky balancing act to play when the Cameroon striker is fit again, and the home fans demand to see Saviola on the pitch too. How Real Madrid wish for such a dilemma. Ronaldo has irritated Fabio Capello to beyond redemption, and the Brazilian's protracted move to Milan will surely materialise before the close of the transfer window. The sale of the fenomeno comes at a time when Real Madrid struggle in front of goal. Three goals in six games so far this year reveals the side's meagre return for the vast periods of possession that Real Madrid often enjoy. On Sunday the team were incapable of scoring from open play, Jose Antonio Reyes' free kick was needed to secure the points against Mallorca. Ruud van Nistelrooy is expected to get the team out of jail, but it is too much to expect the Dutch striker to single-handedly win Real Madrid a trophy this season. Gonzalo Higuain has been thrown in at the deep end after his move from River Plate, playing four matches in fourteen days. While he has shown why Real Madrid invested in him, he has yet to score for his new club. Yet even boasting the division's top scorer is not enough to ease fears of dropping behind in the title contest. Fredi Kanoute spurned three chances against Villarreal as Sevilla crashed down to earth. The Best Team of 2006 are suffering vertigo. Imperious last year, 2007 has seen defeats at the hands of Zaragoza and Mallorca, plus the insipid goalless draw at the Madrigal this weekend. Three poor results have allowed Barcelona and Real Madrid to draw level with Juande Ramos' side, after they had set the pace at the top of the table with their stylish attacking flair. Barcelona should edge their way clear at the top of the table when they play Betis on Wednesday. But for now the top three all have to reflect on doubts that are creeping in, as Valencia and Atletico Madrid are slowly but surely tiptoeing their way into contention for the biggest prize.
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发表于 2007-1-25 20:25:00
发表于 2007-1-25 22:34:00
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