[Iribar]

A new game against our renegade B team, as often we´ll give them a football class so they don´t forget who´s the master. As always this season all the home games are vital, they always come after a pathetic performance away from San Mamés, so again, it´s a must win game.

I´ll be going to San Mamés tonight, even though I have a terrific flu, look if I´m sick that I´m even considering not going to Pozas before the game, well, we´ll see. Let´s see if I can improve my vs Atlético record, a 4-1 victory and a 0-2 loss with Kiko scoring both goals, although from that game what I remember is watching any kind of things flying more than the game itself since I was in the middle between Herri Norte and Frente Atlético. I don´t know if the nazis are coming this year, hope not.:yuck:

In Athletic both Orbaiz and Yeste have recovered so in theory we should be playing the regular lineup which is giving good results home. Javi González and Lacruz are in the last steps or their injuries (they´re training with the group), Lafuente keeps injured and Karanka is out of this game also for injury (I think I´m gonna cryarty: ).

In Atlético Simeone isn´t coming (they should return me part of the ticket price, he was one of the main attractions ) but well, we still have the fascist Salva to entertain us. Also the niñato Torres but I don´t know if his mom lets him play so late.:howler:

C´mon lions!
JO TA KE!
:fero:

 

[Iribar]

I´ve just read today´s "honour kick-off" (is that ok?) will be taken by Javier Otxoa and Javier Conde, 2 of the athletizales with more medals in this year´s paralympic games.

I suppose most of you know what happened to Javi Otxoa (saved his life although became mentally disabled after he and his brother were ran over by a car when they were training, his brother Ricardo died) for me it will be a great hapiness to be today in San Mamés to show all my support and my best wishes to the king of Hautacam, this man has such a great merit, keep on fighting!

That Hautacam victory is one of the best cycling stages I remember, how I lived watching Javi suffering in his bike with Armstrong coming after him, and how I enjoyed his victory, and only 7 months later...:depress:

 

[Iribar]

Just arrived home in a pretty bad condition, i couldn´t resist a couple of kalimotxos before the game and mixed with medicines....:yuck:

The game, well, this game won´t pass to history as one of the most beautiful ones, but well, it had tension, was pretty entertaing for Athletic and Atlético supporters, I suppose for the rest no. The game lacked quality but it had a lot of sacrifice, it was a must win game for Athletic and even though today wasn´t our best day we did it, we look unstoppable in San Mamés, even in bad days, unfortunately we change our face away. Turienzo is a horrible ref and he shouldn´t ref Athletic.

Athletic fought hard, the defense was well, Torres gave us some problems but Prieto always had help to stop him, Murillo was excellent although had some problems with the son of a bitch of Salva, the ref let the fatxa push, fault and use his elbow as weapon without problems, still Ander stopped him almost always. I have to see it repeated on tv because I saw one of the most strange things I´ve seen on tv, I was already stand up screaming GOAL after Gurpegi had just sent an Iraola´s center to the net when Leo Franco made something really strange, but apparently he saved it, I still don´t know how, need to see it again. The goal, fantastic center by Iraola scored by Del Horno, I´m sure Urzaiz was offside, don´t know about Asier. BTW, Del Horno got injured, hope it isn´t much.

Ratings:

Aranzubia (7): He didn´t have work, the defense was well, I don´t remember any save by him.

Iraola (9): He´s nowadays our best player, it´s a joy to watch his intelligence in a football field. He assisted Del Horno in the goal and created some other great chances, he was also perfect in defense, even when Torres played on the left Andoni stopped him without any problem, fantastic.

Del Horno (8): He doesn´t go up as much as he used to, still he was there to score the goal. He also had a great chance in a corner, I hope his injury isn´t serious.

Luis Prieto (7): Had some problems with Torres, (saw the yellow card too soon) his sacrifice and the help of his teammates let him do it well though. His 100m run in the last minute were sublime! Aupa Luis!

Murillo (8): He was almost perfect, stopped Salva and even had time to help Prieto with Torres. Fast and intelligent he only lacked experience in one corner, when Salva pushed him and headed alone, if the rival pushes you you push him harder but you can let him alone, but even with that mistake his game was really good.

Orbaiz (6): Apparently he wasn´t at 100%, hadn´t totally recovered from the injury and it showed. Didn´t play the ball as well as he normally does, and was too slow sometimes, he was missed in the "creation" role.

Gurpegi (7): Fantastic in defense, Orbaiz´s bad game forced him to play the ball more than what he´s used to and it showed that´s not his best quality, with a good Orbaiz his game would have been perfect.

Etxeberria (7): You can´t say he doesn´t try it....but he isn´t at his best. Still, Iraola´s fantastic form lets him have chances, the defenders can´t stop them.

Jonan (6): Very well in the first 30 minutes (made us forget Yeste) then he dissapeared, he needs more strenght if he wanst to be an important player for Athletic.

Ezquerro (6): It´s time to admit his brain works differently, he sees the difficult as easy and viceversa, had a bad game but it´s still worth having him because of his constant hard work during the whole game.

Urzaiz (7): If a striker doesn´t score it can´t be a good game... he worked very hard but had a good defense in front, still he created some chances. Missed a clear header in a corner I had never seen him missing it. Should pay more attention to offsides.

Tiko (5): Wasn´t pathetic as other times but he simply doesn´t add anything to the team nowadays, this Tiko has nothing to do with the Tikotazo of a couple of years ago. And Guerrero in the bench...

Casas (5): Entered for the injured Del Horno and commited a dangerous fault in his first minute, didn´t do much more in the rest of the game.

César (-): Testimonial.

Another home win and let´s hope we obtain our first away win in Liege!!:fero:

 

[Knoert]

End good all good I think...

What's happening with Iraola? Every game I can see, live or in summary, he's playing very well, and in any report I've read it's exactly the same.
Hope it goes on and he'll stay with us!

 

[Iribar]

Iraola is in a fantatic form, he has been outstanding attacking the whole season and he improves defending in every game. He is very intelligent with the ball and has created a great partnership with Etxeberria, who helps him in attack and covers the spaces when Andoni goes up. I don´t have a doubt Iraola is right now the best right back in the league. Hope he keeps on improving and with us of course, he´s intelligent so I don´t see him leaving, appart than he renewed not so long ago.

 

[Iribar]

This wasn´t the only positive score of the weekend:

 

[SPANIARD]

man if only Ezquerro could learn the easy hewould be such a damn good player!

 

[Knoert]

This wasn´t the only positive score of the weekend:

The boys can learn from the girls here .

he´s intelligent so I don´t see him leaving