Match Reports

Sunday 18:00h kick off. It's been a beautiful day on the Costa del Sol, clear blue sky and warm sunshine. The pitch at La Roseleda looks fantastic; lush green grass, with no bald patches and another full house.

It's the first game of the second half of the season so it is appropriate to take stock to check the progress of the club. At the beginning of the season, manager Antonio Tapia stated that his initial target was 42 points. This would ensure another season in the top league. Once this was achieved, it would be time to collect sufficient points to gain a top six place which would bring back European football to Malaga. The ground is being developed to FIFA standards (to bring international matches here) and the new main stand on the main road is growing into a magnificent structure, which will boost the capacity to 36,000. So how is the team doing? Badly! The number of points accumulated so far is 17, below the target, and with many of the big guns to be faced away during the second half of the season. This means they are lying fourth from bottom, with the bottom three clubs relegated at the end of the season.

The team have gone seven games without a win (3-1 against Real Sociedad on November 20, the last victory) and the media have been saying that Tapia will go if his team fails against Celta. Indeed, they have already started to speculate on his successor, with Ernesto Valverde (ex Athletic Bilbao) the favourite, with Hugo Sanchez (the Mexican superstar, currently in charge of Pumas in his home country), Michel (Rayo Vallecano), Javier Irureta (ex Deportivo), Victor Fernandez, Jose Antonio Camacho and Vicente del Bosque (ex Real Madrid) mentioned, among others.

Reinforcements have been brought in during the January window - attacking right full back Gabriel (23) signed from Fluminese in Brazil; another Brazilian, Bovio (24), signed from Santos, a defensive and creative central midfield player praised by Pele and one who hopes to be included in Brazil's World Cup squad this summer in Germany; and, on loan from Sevilla until the summer, with a view to a permanent move then, attacking left winger Antonio Lopez.

Much has been said in the media (and by Geoff and me) about Tapia's tactics, particularly at home games, where he has persisted with a negative defensive formation with one striker, usually Salva, alone up front. When he has changed the formation to 4-4-2, usually in desperation after going behind in a game, the players look more comfortable and play more cohesively as a team. Tapia favours the 4-2-3-1 formation, because that brought him some success in the second half of last season, but then he had the players, such as Juanito, Romero and Miguel Angel, who could occupy and dominate the midfield. Juanito and Miguel Angel have both been transferred and Romero suffered an injury in the first half hour of the first game of the season and looks to be out for most of the rest of the season, after a number of operations on his leg. The new boys brought in, Hidalgo and Nacho (an attacking midfielder and left winger respectively) were not direct replacements, yet Tapia has persisted with this formation, using a right back (Gerardo) and Nacho as the two holding defensive midfielders.

Today's visitors, Celta Vigo, have returned to the top league after a season in the Segunda, but are an average side and well within the compass of the squad Tapia has at his disposal. Celta have been relying heavily on striker Baiano, signed from Malaga during the summer, to get the goals for them (a point not lost on Malaga fans, as the Brazilian was an immediate favourite on his arrival from Brazil last January), and have managed some good results (notably beating Real Madrid away) to gain them a respectable midtable position.

So given all this background, and having been given a brief glimpse of the quality of Bovio when he came on a substitute last week, there was an aura of anticipation for this game, as we settled into our seats and waited to hear the team announcements. So there was an audible groan around the stadium when Malaga's team was announced. Yes, it was a 4-4-2 formation. But instead of Morales (who has impressed with his presence and workrate on the few occasions he has been given an opportunity) it is Paco Esteban up front with Salva. There are surprises in defence too. Left back Valcarce misses his second match after sustaining an injury during the warm up against Sevilla two weeks ago. His replacement is left winger Nacho. There is no place for captain Fernando Sanz for the second week running as Litos retains his place alongside Cesar and at right back it is Jesus Gamez, in the spot occupied by Alexis all season. Does this mean central defender turned right back Alexis is dropped? No, he appears as one of the central midfielders alongside Gerardo, with Edgar on the right wing and ...... Gabriel (an attacking right back, remember) on the left wing. Of course, Juan Rodriguez and Antonio Lopez are suspended, but there is no place for Bovio in the starting line-up and he sits on the bench alongside Morales, Counago, Hidalgo, Anderson, Fernando Sanz and Goitia (the reserve goalkeeper).

Malaga (4-4-2): Arnau; Jesus Gamez, Litos, Cesar and Nacho; Edgar, Alexis, Gerardo and Gabriel; Salva and Paco Esteban.
Celta Vigo (4-4-2): Pinto; Angel, Sergio, Lequi and Jose Enrique; Borja Oubina, Jorge, Nunez and Canobbio; Silva and Baiano.

The first attempt at goal falls to Gerardo 30 yards out after 4' but it's blocked as it travels at warp speed towards the goal.
We have to wait until 11' for the next goalmouth incident and it's Celta who win a free kick wide on the right after Nacho had brought down Silva. Our main striker, Salva, is back in his own penalty box as Malaga bring all ten outfield players back to defend. Salva is facing his own goal when the ball comes to him and he lifts it up and just over his own bar for what would have been the own goal of the season had it gone in. Whew!
In 13' it's Salva at the other end now and he pushes a clever ball through to Paco Esteban which splits the Celta defence. The little striker is clear through on goal with only Pinto to beat, but with the whole goal to choose from, his shot is straight at the goalkeeper and it bounces past. Gerardo goes for goal direct from the resultant corner and Pinto has to look lively to punch the ball clear from just under his bar.
In 17' Gerardo gives away a free kick on the right wing 30 yards out. Jesus Gamez intercepts the freekick and with some insight sends a diagonal pass across to the left wing to Gabriel. The Brazilian shows a good first touch which takes him past a defender, then he starts on a run down the left wing, leaving a further two defenders in his wake. The fourth defender, though, is one too many, and the ball is unceremoniously hoofed out for a throw.
Malaga are creating chances and look the better side in these opening exchanges. Gabriel again does some good work down the left wing before swinging in a cross (with his right foot) from the byline, which finds Edgar alone in the box. The Portuguese winger shoots but Pinto dives across his goal and pushes the ball away.
Another fright for Malaga in 26'. Canobbio takes a free kick 30 yards out after Litos clashes with Baiano. The shot loops over the defensive wall and Arnau and lands on the roof of the net.
Celta's menace is there for all to see as they start to impose themselves more on the game. In 27' Jorge goes close with a shot from the left which Arnau watches hopefully as the ball just goes past his far post.
Then in 32' Arnau has to tip a rasping free kick from Jorge over after the midfielder had been fouled by Jesus Gamez on their left wing.
In 35' Baiano goes down in the centre circle clutching his leg, with nobody near him. It must be serious, because he is substituted by Javi Guerrero.
The following minute and Malaga have another great chance to go ahead when Alexis slots a pass through the middle for the pacy Edgar to run onto. Again, a Malaga player finds himself with only the goalkeeper to beat, but Edgar goes for power and lifts the ball over the bar.
In 37' the first booking of the game when Borja Oubina is yellow carded for a foul on Salva in the centre circle.
In 42', perhaps the best chance of the first half, when Gerardo supplies Paco Esteban between the central defenders, but the diminutive striker again strikes the ball against Pinto and the opportunity has gone.
Half time Malaga 0 Celta Vigo 0
Malaga make a substitution at half time, with Paco Esteban being replaced by Counago up front. Malaga seem to be asleep as within 30 seconds of the resumption, NUNEZ goes on a run down the right wing, seems to surprise both Nacho and Cesar who hesitate, waiting for each other to make an intervention, and let the winger run between them to shoot, and unlike the Malaga forwards in the first half when faced one on one with the goalkeeper makes no mistake.
Malaga 0 Celta Vigo 1
It's a setback for the home side, but Counago has made an impact since coming on against one of his former sides and we're convinced that, after all the chances that have been made, that Malaga can still win this crucial game.
in 48' Counaga baffles the Celta defence with some intricate ball skills in the box before slipping the ball to Gabriel, who has appeared in the box on a run. Pinto however rushes out to collect the ball from Gabriel's feet.
In 50' Malaga make a second substitution, with Hidalgo coming on for Jesus Gamez. This requires a major change to the lineup, with Gerardo going to right back, with Alexis and Hidalgo in the middle and now Edgar and Gabriel have swapped wings.
Whilst all these changes were going on, Celta almost go two ahead, when Arnau has to make a fantastic save from Jorge.
In 52' Edgar has another great opportunity presented to him when he is found in the clear by Alexis, who has shown great spirit by attacking and winning the ball off Canobbio. However, it is not Edgar's day in front of goal and his miskick is deflected past the post for a corner. Gerardo finds 9'2" giant centre half Cesar's head with the corner and his header skims the bar as the ball goes just over.
In 54' Pinto makes a fine reaction save after another fine run by Edgar ends with a cross-cum-shot which is deflected at the last minute off Angel.
In 58' Pinto has to dive full stretch across his goal to deny Counago's shot after more good work by Gabriel.
In 60' Jorge is replaced by Roberto and Litos is replaced by Morales, for Malaga's third substitution. So no Bovio this week, then. Morales is of course a giant 10'6" Uruguayan striker, so his appearance means yet another change in formation and lineup is required. The team is completely changed into a 4-3-3 formation, with Morales up front with Counago and Salva. For some reason, Gabriel, who has been playing on the right wing in the second half to some effect, now goes to right back. With Litos coming off, Alexis goes back into central defence beside Cesar and Gerardo, who has been playing right back during the second half, goes back into the midfield beside Hidalgo and Edgar.
These are major changes, but it shows the level of desperation that has been reached as Tapia tries hard to find a winning formation. However, Geoff and I both remark that such experiments should be made on the training ground and not in the middle of a match and possibly does show after all, that Tapia has lost all confidence in his and his team's capabilities.
In the left back position, Nacho still looks like a fish out of water and he becomes the first Malaga name to go into the book after he is left standing by Nunez and he elects to barge home off the ball in frustration.
In 67' Hidalgo steps up to take a free kick after Nacho had been fouled by Nunez. The box is busy and we've now got two of the tallest players in world football, Cesar and Morales, jostling with the defenders. However, Hidalgo does not take advantage of their height but elects to shoot - well over the bar. A waste.
Then in 70' the sucker punch for Malaga. Nunez goes on a great run down their left wing and leaves Gabriel for dead. He manages another powerful drive that Arnau has to dive fully across his goal to make the stop. However, the ball lands at SILVA's feet and the winger has an empty goal to tap the ball into.
Malaga 0 Celta 2
Nunez is immediately replaced by defender Mendez as Celta now intend to play out the final 20 minutes and defend their lead by playing 10 men behind the ball.
In 76' Malaga have another chance when Morales wins a free kick 20 yards out. Gerardo's effort is strong and Pinto makes another fine one-handed diving save to deny Malaga.
In 81' Celta show that they are still dangerous on the break, particularly with the pace of Silva. He easily beats Nacho down their right wing and Silva's shot comes off the top of the bar with Arnau stranded.
The white handkerchiefs are out now around the ground as the Malaga supporters use this traditional method to indicate to the Malaga management that a change is required. The chants are as much for Malaga President Roldan to go as much for Tapia.
The game draws to a close and the Celta team greet the full time whistle in jubilation, whereas the Malaga players heads are down. This result plunges Malaga into the relegation zone proper, lying third from bottom.
Next Sunday, Malaga are away to Espanyol at the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona. Espanyol lost 5-0 against Getafe on Sunday so it is an interesting match with two teams struggling for form. Roldan has stated that Tapia's job is "safe for the moment", but with the quality and calibre of the squad, the team is definitely underachieving and maybe a different manager is necessary to turn things around as Tapia seems devoid of ideas. His old mate Anon resigned as second team manager in midweek after Malaga B went bottom in the Segunda and after Roldan had said that his job was "safe for the moment".
We shall wait and see what happens. The next home game is in two weeks against fellow strugglers Athletic Bilbao in a six-pointer. Your Malaga CF Correspondent will be there.