Hola! and happy Friday to you. Last week I turned down the England job to stay with the Basque Boys, and try to win the world club cup to complete our silverware puzzle. Was it a wise decision?…
We start at Zaragoza, where all is well to begin with, but they equalise from a corner, and a late defensive error gifts them the win. The El Clasico is a draw, so we miss a chance to make up ground on Gerry Francis’ Real Madrid.
Speaking of Real, the first of five meetings with them is a champions league group game, and we get our pants pulled down. Even Dr. Karl Kenedy’s sending off doesn’t help, and it’s the first time we’ve lost twice in a row since 1999.
I’m tempted to shake things up against Antandec, but give the players the benefit of the doubt. A rare Carlos Perez goal and a less-rare one from Laslandes secure the points, but the win is overshadowed by Karanka’s injury.
Three f*cking months…
The second meeting with Real is in the Copa Del Rey, where they emerge victorious once again, and with three away goals, it’s going to take some overturning in the second leg. Bruno definitely doesn’t care…
We’re 2-0 up and cruising at Cordoba, before a Niculescu rescue for the hosts. The defence is worrying me a lot, goals are going in too easily, and that’s four losses and twelve conceded in five games…
After defeat to Real Madrid, we could do with winning all three remaining champions league group games if we’re to qualify, and a routine win in Croatia is a good start, but by no means an indicator that our form is back on track…
Success also depends on whether we can stay injury-free, but I won’t hold my breath there…
We breeze past Logrones, who have ten men for most of the match, but there’s another defensive injury as Alkorta is stretchered off. Our defence is falling apart! The only good news is that Real Madrid lost.
I’m now without two of my three first-choice centre backs, and the transfer window doesn’t reopen until January, so I can’t recall any loanees, so we’ll just have to muddle through.
I hold little hope for the Copa Del Rey second leg with Real, but we play well, and Arenaza takes it to extra time. Carlos Perez gives us the advantage, and Panucci’s goal isn’t enough for them, and we’re through on away goals, wow!
The donkeys await in the quarter finals…
We twice come from behind at Valencia and look set for a point, but after another late defensive collapse, it’s defeat number four of the season. January can’t come soon enough!
Guerrero gets his annual injury, but it’s only a couple of weeks, thank Christ…
Due to the injuries and suspensions, I’m forced to make three changes against Dinamo Kiev. Idiakez joins the crocked list just for bants, but we still have too much for our Ukrainian opponents, and the Kiev is cooked.
The Donkeys come to visit at the weekend, and Arenaza’s first half hat trick all but seals the deal, but De Pedro adds a fourth in the second half to complete the mule-ing.
I make this the fifth injury this week, surely that’s a record! Poor old Galdames can’t catch a break, he’s the only regen who’s listed for loan that hasn’t gone out, and now this…
We jet off to Japan straight after the donkeys game to try and win the trophy that will mean that the Basque Boys have won everything using only homegrown talent…
I manage to name fifteen players from my patched-up squad, and we stroll to a 2-0 win, and are crowned world champions. If you’d told me that this team would win everything at the start of this blog, I’d have laughed in your face – GET THE F*CK IN THERE!!!
Normal service is resumed, and that’s number six. A couple of weeks with a stubbed toe? Hmm…
We seem to get dealt a double-header with Real Madrid every season, so here’s this year’s one, starting with a league match. We battle back twice to earn a point, which I’ll take, especially as we’re not at full-strength.
And a few days later it’s the final champions league group game. Oli nets shortly after half an hour, and we look to be staring elimination in the face, until Laslandes’ late equaliser offers us some hope…
I watch anxiously as the other results come in, and then it’s confirmed… We’re through! and face Rangers in the quarters – you Lil’ beauty!
Last up, Betis. We go 3-0 up, but the Betis Possi pull one back either side of half time. De Pedro restores our breathing room, and Arenaza puts the final nail in. Our defence may be shaky, but we know how to outscore teams…
And this is an unexpected but nice way to end the week…
At the beginning of this episode, I thought we were in a crisis, but we’re now unbeaten in six, fourth in the table, and only three points off the top. We’re still in the Copa Del Rey and champions league, are world club champions, and have the European super cup final to come, so things could be worse.
That about wraps things up for this week. Join us next week for the penultimate episode, as we face the donkeys in the Copa Del Rey, Blackburn in the European super cup, and there’s the first leg of our champions league quarter final with Rangers. Adios!