We’re 1-0 in 2008!

By: Cesar | January 3rd, 2008

Happy 2008, everyone!

It’s been a few since I’ve written … as a Valencia fan, it’s nice to leave the bitter taste of 2007 in the dust and move on with optimism and hope towards 2008 …

And behold! We’re 1-0 in the New Year! A 3-0 victory over Real Unión de Irún, goals by Zigic and two by Joaquin booking our place in the next round of the Spanish Kings Cup (Copa Del Rey).

But c’mon. We knew we’d win that tie. Right?
Ok, maybe not. Not based on our recent form.
But there’s room for optimism at least. Here’s some of the latest Che news:

- Captain David Albelda (above, holding the captain’s armband) wants out. NOW!
He’s taking legal action against the club in an attempt to get Soler and company to release him from his contract, Radio Marca reported on Wednesday. This one’s going to boil over and be a big fight, isn’t it? How sad is it that Albelda’s fine career at Valencia had to end this way?
His urgency in leaving stems from his desire to represent Spain at this summer’s Euro 2008. If he’s not playing club football, he won’t be playing international football this summer.
Sad. Just let him leave with some dignity. Please?

- Santiago Cañizares to Brazil? He’s apparently a target for ambitious Brazilian giants Fluminense. Fluminense officials have already confirmed their interest in El Dragon, who is seeking a release from his Valencia contract after being dumped by coach Ronald Koeman last month.

Could be a good move, but I’d rather he end up in MLS, for selfish reasons.

- Ever Banega. Who is he?
I haven’t the faintest clue.

But apparently he’s good enough to shell out $26 million for.
That’s how much we paid for the Argentina under-20 midfielder from Boca Juniors.

That’s a LOT of money for a 19-year old who only began starting in February ‘07.
He’s supposedly very good. The creative midfielder we’ve been looking for. A good distributor and organizer with a world of potential. In the mold of a Pirlo, who distributes from the back as compared to a straight-away playmaker like Kaka, etc.
He’s about the biggest buy we’ve made as far as pound-for-pound talent since Pablo Aimar in 2001.

From Wikipedia:

Banega came through the youth ranks at Boca Juniors and it was not until he moved to the first team that he won international recognition, thanks to his impressive passing average and his excellent performances in the local league. After Boca midfielder Fernando Gago moved to Real Madrid, Banega was named as his successor despite his young age.

He made his professional debut in the 4-0 victory against Banfield on February 10, 2007. On April 2, 2007, just a few matches after making his debut, he was given an ovation when he left the field.

Banega helped the Under-20 National Team to win the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada, where his performances earned him much praise.

Say goodbye to Manuel Fernandes. I’d put my money on the sulking Portuguese midfielder to go to England, possibly Everton. It’s sad that the ‘Manalele’ experiment didn’t work, because I think the lad’s talented. He plays with the ball too much, he’s sulked since Koeman came into power (they’ve had run-ins in the past, when both were at Benfica) and he never adapted to life in Valencia, the city. That last one, I don’t understand. He complained about the food … the food in Valencia’s wonderful!

Anyways, expect him to be off.

But now, imagine the immense pressure on Banega’s shoulders (a pic of Banega, to the left. Though you probably figured that out). At 19, he’s going to be expected to rejuvenate a lackluster offense and push us into the Champions League next season. Is this possible? Is it fair? Time will tell.

So for now, let’s revel in being 1-0. We’re undefeated in 2008!

This weekend, it’s the Valencian derby against city rivals Levante.

Poor Levante. I’ve talked at length about my admiration of the club, being I lived in their neighborhood. They’re having a rough go at it this season and are expected to drop down soon, back to the 2nd Division.

They’re at the bottom of La Liga, 20th out of 20 clubs, with 2 wins, one draw and a whopping 14 losses. They’re 11 points away from safety (17th place Valladolid), so don’t expect any miracles.

They’ve scored 11 and let in 33. This looks horrific until you see we’ve let in 28, which isn’t far off.

Anyways, it’s a sad state of affairs for Las Granotas.

This should be an emotional game, being a derby at the Mestalla. But still, it should be an easy win. SHOULD be an easy win, because no game is easy these days.

Let’s hope the game’s a pushover, we get the 3 points and head to 2-0.

Undefeated season, here we come!!

Oh, wait. We lost already this season. Well, you get the idea!