After a week when I was told: “When Jonathan ‘Wossie’ Ross took over presenting the programme Film in 1999 he never once talked about the Rank Organisation!” – Real Mallorca played out a dire 0-0 draw against Getafe in front of 8,635 soaking wet brass monkeys on Saturday night. That’s now seven draws from 15 games played from the Palma side who drop down one position to 16 points, five off the bottom three relegation places.
Neither the presence of Baba after a one-game suspension, nor the re-appearance of Take Kubo after being out with a knee injury for over two months, changed the outcome of this very poor game from RCD Mallorca in what was one of the worst matches seen at the Son Moix this season.
There’s no doubt on this showing that both teams fully justify the positions they occupy in the La Liga Santander table.
Mallorca now look a shadow of the side they were earlier in the campaign and look demoralised after many weeks without a win.
We don’t play badly when we have the ball, but when we reach the edges of the opposition penalty area it all falls apart and the ideas disappear, no-one even bothering (except Kang In Lee) to have a pop from distance.
Mallorca just edged the first half after a bright opening few minutes but here, for me, is where we’re going badly wrong.
As we did against Sevilla a few games ago, we played lovely crisp passing football for all of 10 minutes then we took the foot off the gas dropping back into a more defensive mode, allowing our opponents back into the game.
Both sides on Saturday night put up very few arguments to win the match especially when, at home, we persist in playing with a lone striker against Getafe’s three central defenders.
Angel Rodriguez ploughed a lone furrow up front and our attacking full backs Costa and Maffeo rarely ventured forward.
The most important thing for both clubs was on show for all the shivering fans to see – don’t lose!
Our coach Luis Garcia Plaza’s team are installed on mediocrity, lacking in ideas regarding how to win games.
With the worry of relegation taking shape a closely contested first half was brought to a close with only one shot on target between the two sides.
Looking to build on their only two wins in the league this season, Getafe struggled to make progress as Mallorca pushed unsuccessfully for the opening goal.
In an attempt to add some impetus to our stuttering attacking options, LGP introduced the talismanic Take Kubo to a tumultuous welcome back from the Son Moix faithful.
He’s been desperately missed in the two months he’s been out with a knee problem, and contributed much more up front in the 25 minutes he was on.
However, Getafe continued to thwart our final push for that all-elusive winner and the introduction of “local hero” Abdon Prats near the end almost paid dividends with his late effort shaving the post.
Again the whole game for Mallorca changed when Abdon came on and there’s now no question he has to start as he’s our best striking option.
A terrible referee (Marca unbelievably gave him top marks) only added on four extra minutes but that was probably long enough as all I could hear from those who had stayed around was the sound of chattering teeth as Winter’s icy fingers engulfed the Son Moix!
After the game the girls in the bar were warming their hands on hot chocolate and brandy Lumumbas.
SUMMING UP: The stats for the game read: Saves from Reina – None, Getafe – 2; Fouls commited by us – 8 (three yellow cards), Getafe – 19 (no yellow cards) !! Corner kicks, us 2 (one of them in the 93rd minutes) and Getafe – NOT ONE!!
The visitors came here to get a point and from as early as the 13th minute their ’keeper was time wasting.
Deep into the second half Getafe’s players were falling down all over the place and they were fouling our boys almost incessantly – the referee took no notice.
During the first 20 minutes of the second half, neither side dared to initiate hostilities and LGP should have made the substitutions MUCH earlier.
The introduction of Abdon and Kubo almost made a difference but by now there were too many interruptions for petty fouls and more dives than seen in the movie Das Boot!
LGP said after the game “If we continue to draw matches this is going to be a long season, one point at a time is very complicated but we’re missing that punch in front of goal – we have a lot of work to do as the games go by.”
Our play was marred by a lack of aggressiveness and opportunities; the only highlights being the introduction of Kubo and Abdon, and the fact that it stopped raining after half time!
Next up a daunting trip to the Wanda Metropolitano on Saturday night at 18:30 to face La Liga champions Atletico Madrid, who beat Cadiz 1-4 at the weekend.
Before that we play a Copa del Rey game away at Gimnastica Segoviana (no, neither have I!) tomorrow night at 7 pm.
AND FINALLY, a new afternoon TV advert: Hypertrichosis is an abnormal amount of hair growth over the body. Extensive cases of hypertrichosis have informally been called “werewolf syndrome” because the appearance is similar to the werewolf.
This awful affliction is ruining the lives of many children across South America.
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Please act now and donate. Yours in expectation – Shave the Children.