La Liga: Almería vs. Sevilla

Posted on | November 30, 2007 | 6 Comments

Sevilla FC is acting like the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hide of Spanish football at the moment. It isn’t known if the Sevilla who go into this league game against Almeria will be the well oiled machine that ended running rings around Arsene Wenger’s ‘B-side’ Arsenal in the Champions league, or the rusty, stuttering one that fell to Mallorca at home last weekend. On Wednesday they almost humiliated the English giants, taking all three points and at the same time stealing the top spot in group H of the top European competition. If they can find a way to play like that in the league, they will soon be in contention for a top four spot or even better.
But against Mallorca the players showed clear signs of an inability to communicate with each other, and this needs to be worked on. In this away game to Almeria, Sevilla find themselves in the unlikely position of being just three points from the relegation zone, albeit even if they are in tenth position. They really need to string a couple of wins together, and the Champions league victory in midweek could well be the trampoline they have been looking for.
Almeria seem to be in the beginnings of a crisis for the little club. They haven’t won in seven games and, although they managed to earn a hard fought point away to Villarreal at the weekend, are slowly but surely slipping down the table. They are now hovering in fourteenth place and just one point from a relegation spot and things aren’t looking too rosy in the near future.
In the team news, Sevilla captain Javi Navarro still hasn’t gotten over the knee injury that has kept him out of the side for most of the present season, and will probably need surgery. The French defender Julien Escudé will also miss this match owing to his continued muscular problems, but both Danish international Christian Poulsen and young Sevilla born starlet Crespo should be in Almería. The latter had to wear a protective face mask against Arsenal and will probably start on the bench here.
Almería will be without the suspended Juanito, the injured Bruno, and on loan goalkeeper Cobeño can’t play as it Sevilla is his club and he isn’t allowed to play.
I’m going for a Sevilla win here. They showed good form in midweek and I think this is going to spill over to the domestic league. Almería are starting to look like definite relegation material and I don’t think they will be able to stop the Kanoute/Luis Fabiano onslaught.
Prediction: Away win (0-3)

Related posts:

1. La Liga: Sevilla vs. Almeria
2. La Liga: Almería vs. Espanyol
3. La Liga: Sevilla vs. Valladolid
4. La Liga: Betis vs. Almería
5. La Liga: Recreativo de Huelva vs. Sevilla

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