Balague: Feeling Fab again

At Valencia there’s a fantastic communion between the fans and Nuno, the manager, who controls the strategy on the pitch.

With the Nicolas Otamendi goal against Atletico Madrid, for instance, Otamendi hid behind two other Valencia players and appeared at the right time for the header. That has obviously been trained.

Also, there is the strategy off the pitch. He was asking for two things ahead of the game against Atletico – the first was that the fans help, which he is asking every time and he knows that he is going to get it because he has identified something very quickly that Valencia fans love - all the players trying really hard, and pace and intensity in everything that they do. They are doing that, no doubt.

Nuno has identified something very quickly that Valencia fans love - all the players trying really hard, and pace and intensity in everything that they do.

They came out really strongly against Atletico at first because he knew that they only had two-and-a-half days to recover from the Juventus game, and it was a four o’clock game when it was about 28 degrees. It’s not so much that the temperature affected Atletico Madrid at first, but certainly it did afterwards when they were 3-0 down. All Valencia had to do was defend and Atletico had to create.

You could see in the second half – even though Atletico showed a lot of personality trying to come back, and could have done if they hadn’t missed a penalty – how their strength diminished.

The other thing Nuno has done very cleverly is to spend the whole week saying how Atletico Madrid are always on the edge of the rules, always very physical, suggesting that they are on the verge of violent. Actually, during the game Valencia committed more fouls and got more yellow cards, but it was a way of putting pressure on the referee.

That is something that Diego Simeone will have to deal with, and he’s very aware that it’s going to happen more often – everybody trying to distract the referee by saying Atletico Madrid play too physically and that they should be punished for it.

Offensive quality

The three times Sevilla have been in the top four they’ve had similar points or even fewer than they have now at the corresponding stage of the season, so it’s a good omen for a team that was accused of being far too defensive against Atletico Madrid.

Deportivo was a completely different rival, but they had a midfield of Stephane Mbia and Ever Banega which is quite attacking, and in front of them two full-backs who always went forward – Coke and Benoit Tremoulinas – and three players behind the striker Carlos Bacca with offensive quality in Gerard Deulofeu, Denis Suarez and Vitolo. So it was a very offensive team and you can see the consequences of that.

Two names stand out – first Deulofeu, with four assists and one goal in three games. Offensively he’s given Unai Emery what he wants, but he’s got to work harder without the ball and will be missing in the big games if he continues to be unbalanced in the way he performs because he’s still not giving enough defensively.

The second name is Mbia, who came late without doing a pre-season but already has made an impact. He reminds me of Yaya Toure a lot – he goes box to box, he’s scored three goals in the last two games, and with Bacca is the top scorer at Sevilla at the moment. He’s become a little bit of an idol and you can see that Sevilla – away from the top three – have a very versatile team, and they’re starting to get the best out of their players.

When you have a settled central midfield with Mbia and Banega, or Vicente Iborra or Grzegorz Krychowiak, then you have a Sevilla that will compete for the top four, no problem.

Guillem answers your questions...

Got a question for Guillem? Then send it in using the feedback form below, and look out for his answer next week...

FAB FOUR

Hi Guillem, is Cesc Fabregas viewed as a flop by Barca fans? After the Arsenal game the TV pundits said that Barca "cashed in" on Cesc while they could? He's ripping up the Premier League again, does his playing style suit it better? Or was he not giving a chance in Spain up against Xavi and Iniesta for position? Tony Lewes

GUILLEM SAYS: Cesc is seen as somebody that couldn’t adapt to the demands of Barcelona. The demands of a Barcelona midfielder require a lot of discipline and a tactical approach, and Cesc loves the freedom to play wherever he wants, and that’s where you’re going to get the best out of him. At Barcelona, that couldn’t happen because they already had one player in Messi who plays freely, but at Chelsea he can. Sometimes he will be a 10, sometimes an eight or a nine even, but generally he is a player who will enjoy that more than the obligations of a midfielder in Spain. Pep Guardiola tried to convince him for a long time what he had to do, but couldn’t fully, and I think Cesc eventually realised it didn’t matter what he was going to do at Barcelona - he was just going to be another midfielder, not a superstar. But he is at Chelsea, and would have been at Arsenal if Arsene Wenger wanted him.

REAL DEAL?

You said Real Madrid wouldn't sell Cristiano, at least until after next summer. If everyone except Real Madrid wants a move, could it be earlier than that? Mendes and Ronaldo must have some trump cards. Iffi

GUILLEM SAYS: I know for a fact Real Madrid will not let Cristiano go this summer, no way. It doesn’t matter that Manchester United have the finances to get him, it doesn’t matter that Cristiano is thinking of coming back – Real Madrid won’t let him go.

TOOTHY TRIO?

Hi Guillem. A quick question about Madrid's midfield three (Kroos/Modric/James). Do you think growing into the season they will be stable and dynamic enough to match equally good teams or they lack "teeth", and if they are not stable enough what do you think would be the best solution? Keep more possession maybe, or a change of personnel with the likes of Isco, Illara and Khedira? Timothy Emojong

GUILLEM SAYS: Real Madrid play 4-3-3 when they attack with Kroos in the middle, Modric on the right and James on the left, but they are quite close to each other – the width is added by the full-backs. When they defend it becomes 4-4-2 with Bale going right and James left. That’s how they’re trying to sort out the fact Xabi Alonso and Angel Di Maria are not there. Against Athletic Bilbao, who I know are a team in decline, it did work and they seem to be improving after those two consecutive defeats. James is working harder, Kroos is understanding his role better, and generally you’re seeing a better and better Real Madrid. I said at the start of the season they were my favourites to win the league, and I still think so.