FFW HOME

by Gary Linton

Hello, there you are, welcome back. Well no time to sit about and relax, we’re going straight out today and our first stop is the best league in the World, La Liga. Where better to start than at the Bernabeu. At the weekend high flying Madrid were at home to relegation battling side Racing Santander. It started off well for the home side and within just six minutes they were in front. 

Karim Benzema found the ball at the edge of the box and with little time he found Kaka inside the box who headed towards Ronaldo at the back post, 1-0 Real Madrid. The game went quiet until just before half time, when a free-kick was awarded and the first to react to the quick free-kick was none other than Benzema who got on to the end of it to double Real Madrid’s lead.

In the second half the home side went three goals ahead when Di Maria found the back of the net, but Karim Benzema saved the best till last, when just before the full-time whistle, he took it past one, was just inside the box and blasted it into the roof of the net to make it 4-0, and to seal all three points.

Another player that was involved in that match was young Raphael Varane who, at just eighteen years old, has featured for the Los Blancos side on more than one occasion. This time he done himself no harm whatsoever. Involved in the games for large periods of time, playing the simple ball when needed and he looked very comfortable on the ball, most importantly helping the side keep a clean sheet. He’s already played for the Under-18 and the Under-21’s side; surely it’s only a matter of time before a full team call up is announced.

Leaving Spain for this week and we will fly over to England and will get ourselves tickets for the FA Cup tie between, Millwall and Bolton and our man today is none other than David N’Gog. Ok maybe not a house hold name but previously at Liverpool where it seemed like a mix between him not being given enough game time and not showing any signs of greatness when given the chance, he now finds himself at Bolton.

At the weekend he scored a pretty good goal in the cup tie as Bolton led 1-0 going into half time, the second half started a little slowly, but on the 57th minute, N’Gog went down in the box, penalty? No said the linesman, moments later he made a lovely run and got onto the head of a lovely pass and smashed it into the bottom right hand corner from just outside the area, a lovely goal from the Frenchman.

Staying in England, but a little lower down than usual, we go and visit a player I have viewed in the flesh when he once played for a local club of mine Hibernian Fc, that player is Mathias Doumbe. Now plying his trades in League one with Milton Keynes Dons he put in a good performance at the weekend when MK dons were hosts to Oldham Athletic. Running out eventual 5-0 winners, he got onto the score sheet scoring the fourth of the five goals; the big defender wandered forward in the sixty-ninth minute and glided the ball in lovely fashion in to the top corner. Never had a cap for the national side, and at thirty-two, it doesn’t look likely one will come.

Last but not least this weekend, we land in Genoa as one man’s goal won the three points for the away side. This weekend Chievo’s Cyril Théréau was running the show and managed to get himself on the score sheet and his side a valuable three away points. In the thirtieth minute he lashed on to a cross into the box and found the defender napping, as he nipped in front and tucked the ball into the back of the net, with some ease. Another player who hasn’t had a national cap, and at twenty-eight, who knows he may still get one.

All in all, a pretty good weekend for the Frenchman abroad, until next time.