Yes, Another Weekend Is Gone, And Newell's Lost Again

Alright, going on the road to face Boca Jrs no reason to expect anything but a loss... still I was hoping that Newell's Old Boys could pull off a draw. At the half I thought that it might even come to pass.

At that point the score was still 0-0, despite Boca being awarded a penalty as a cross struck Rolando Schiavi's upper arm inside the box... but considering he was practically right on top of the play, he hardly had a chance to do anything but let the ball hit him where it might. Martin Palermo stepped up to the spot and placed a decent enough shot low to the left of Newell's keeper Sebastián Peratta, but San Seba choose the right direction and made the save look easy.

Once the second half started it did not take long for Palermo to make up for his missed penalty as he scored the lone goal in the 50th minute. Watching on in the stands was Carlos Tevez... you may have heard of him before. He was there to be presented with a plaque and jersey from his former club. I'm not sure exactly what it was all about, but it was one more thing working against La Lepra.

All things considered Javier Torrente can not be too upset with the result. Still, the fact that he had Newell's start out with a 5-3-1-1 formation was pretty much sign that he holds no confidence in the current squad's offensive abilities. Adding to the offensive woes was the fact that La Lepra's top three goal scorers were missing from the match. Juan Manual Cobelli will most likely never wear another Newell's kit as his agent (and brother) has declare the young striker will be moving to Europe as soon as the transfer window opens, Claudio Bieler has basically played his way out of the starting 11, and Mauricio Sperdutti (or is it Mauricio Sperduti?) due to having received his fifth yellow card of the season. All three players are on three goals for the Clausura, but it looks like only Sperdutti has a chance of added to his total.

So now there are only three matches left in the Clausura. Two of those matches are at home, but I fear Newell's will need more than luck to earn enough points to avoid landing in last place. They are currently tied with Huracán at eleven points each. Any hopes of passing anyone else would nearly take a miracle as there is a five point gap between the bottom two and the three teams, Arsenal, Quilmes, and Gimnasia LP.

Improved Play, But Newell's Still Lose

What can I say? Is it disappointing that Newell's Old Boys lost yet again, this time in the debut of new coach Javier Torrente? Sure it is. But there were signs that there is yet hope for the team that has only managed five points from eleven games. First off, they were playing a better team, Banfield, and held their own. The fact that the final score was only 1-0 alone says that they played far better than they had during any other game during the Clausura. Torrente had the team start out in a 4-3-3 formation, and, oddly enough, the midfield did a far better job getting to 50/50 balls than they have in some time... as both Vella and Cichero, as well as all three forwards, helped to support Dolci, Mateo, and Bernardi in midfield.


Here's Newell's full starting lineup:
Sebastián Peratta
Luciano Vella, Rolando Schiavi, Cristian Lema, Gabriel Cichero
Franco Dolci, Diego Mateo, Lucas Bernardi
Mauricio Sperduti, Claudio Bieler, Néstor Camacho

Torrente had the team playing more quick one, two touch passing. They kept the ball moving, which, once they get used to playing like that, will create more scoring chances. There were a few passes that went astray today, but the communication between the players seemed much improved, and that has been the biggest problem of late.

While I will not argue against Banfield deserving the win, I would say that Newell's really did not deserve to lose. Really, I'd break down the reason they did not get a better result to the fact that there were a few calls that did not go there way (this sort of thing happens, but twice, when Newell's were called for offsides the linesman was grinning as if laughing at some inside joke... one of which disallowed a goal,) and that the team played with out a real 9. Without a strong penalty area presence, the goal scoring chances just were not there. Sorry. Claudio Bieler... your a fine forward, but a 9 you will never make.

Sadly, the Newell's has such a player, but I have yet to hear any further updates on their attempt to get young Juan Manuel Cobelli signed to his full professional contract. Until he does, I suspect he will remain with the reserves. And the longer that goes on, the more I suspect that he will be with a different club as soon as the next transfer window opens.

The loan goal was scored by Jorge Achucarro, who only a year ago had been playing for Newell'sEven though he scored against La Lepra, many of the local fans applauded him when he was left the field in the 84th minute.

Up next Newell's are on the road to face Gimnasia in La Plata.

No New Coach Luck For Newell's

Usually in Argentina when a new coach takes over a club they win his first match. Not so for Newell's Old Boys. Their poor play continued yesterday to Quilmes. Before the match Quilmes were in last place, two points below Newell's, having failed to gain a single win in nine Clausura games.

One could blame Ricardo Johanssen and his decision to play three young defenders who had no previous experience with the senior side, but they made no more mistakes than had been made during any of the other Clausura match up.

No, the real problem is in midfield, in my opinion. Quilmes midfield out played Newell's at every turn, did a far better job of anticipating while defending, and their passing game was far superior as well.

The final score was 3-1. Newell's goal was scored by Mauricio Sperdutti off a Claudio Bieler cross that was deflected an went into an open space that El Gordo was able to run onto and take his shot. This brings me to the problem with Newell's passing game. Too many passes going directly to the player they were intended for, and those that were placed into open space were slotted to close to the opposing players to be effective. When you play like that it makes it easy for the opposing team to predict, and gives them more than good chance to intercept the play before you can develop anything that looks threatening.

Do I expect anyone to listen to this? No. I have been preaching the same thing about the US National team for years now, and they still send pass after pass directly to the feet of there intended target. Against weaker opponents, you can win this way. Sadly, even lowly Quilmes are better than Newell's these days.

Bye Bye, Sensini

Another weekend has come and gone, and Newell's Old Boys lost yet again, this time 2-0 on the road to Vélez Sarsfield. Really, all things considered that is not a bad result. I am not going to dwell too much on the match, as the after effects are far more earth shaking... seems that the loss was one too many, and so now La Lepra are in search of a new coach. Yes, that is right, Roberto Sensini, the Senseless One, has walked away from the helm.

I am sure that there are many who celebrate this. I am saddened by it, to be honest. I did not always agree with the man, but can not but help from feeling sorry for him now that he has walked away. I am, of course, more disappointed that this had to happen in the middle of a championship... but considering the position the team is in, second from the bottom of the current standings, it is hardly surprising.

Now, of course, we already have a lot of speculation as to who will be the new coach. Ricardo Johansen, who was an assistant under Sensini, has the endorsement of his former boss. Dario Franco, Javier Torrente, even El Loco Marcelo Bielsa have been mentioned. For now, however, the only thing that is certain is that nothing is certain.

Also worth mentioning is the return of Juan Manuel Cobelli to the reserves. Last week management offered the young forward a full professional contract, apparently as he had reached a limit on appearances on the senior side under his youth contract (not sure on this... if anyone reading this understands the situation better, please let me know.) Thing is his play has earned him interest outside of Argentina, and so the promising youngster is weighing his options before he puts pen to paper.

Had Sensini and company really known how to gauge talent they would have gotten him signed to his professional contract before the season started, and not bothered chasing Claudio Bieler. Bieler, in my humble opinion, is no 9, where as Cobelli has convinced me already that he is indeed just that.

Another Loss, Another Late Blog Entry

Yes, Newell's Old Boys lost yet again over the week end, this time away to River Plate 2-1. That makes it three straight losses, and after coach Roberto Sensini had his resignation turned down, this week it seems to be Rolando Schiavi who is thinking of packing it in. He did, however make it quite explicit that he was making no announcement... just that the coming months will make the decision for him.

He certainly did not have his best game on Saturday, but even at 38 I still maintain that he deserves his place in the starting eleven at Newell's. Thing is, he will not be staring in the next match against Arsenal de Sarandí after receiving a direct red card for a mistimed tackle in the 79th minute. Claudio Bieler will also be missing the next game as he received a red card of his own some six minutes later, though I did not catch what it was for.

Both River Plate goals resulted from defensive mistakes made by Newell's once solid defense. No excuses, the team simply is not functioning as one right now.

Should He Stay Or Should He Go?

So, Roberto Sensini turns in his resignation... Guillermo Lorente refuses to accept it. Where does that leave Newell's Old Boys? Still fighting to find any kind of form six games into their worst start to a championship sense Nery Pumpido was coach. If we include the last half of the Apertura the length of the run of poorly played matches could well match the, what was it, 18 games with out a win the team had with Pumpido in charge?

The difference is, of course, that Sensini has had some success over the past two seasons. But that was with a team that, due to fortune smiling on them, had quality players who could have won matches under all but the worst coach imaginable. That luck seems to have run out when the last two true 9s left the club. Last season was a season of riches, with both Joaquín Boghossian and Cristian Nuñez able to provide more than adequate penalty area presence at the attacking end.

When both left over the winter break, team management scrambled to bring in a single quality player to fill the role, and fail miserably. Thanks to the play of Mauro Fórmica and Mauricio Sperdutti in attack the first half of the Apertura went well, along with a very successful run deep into the Copa Sudamericana.

By the second half of the Apertura, however, the other teams in the league had learned that all they had to do to shut down La Lepra was keep close marks on both El Gato and El Gordo. During the summer break Fórmica was sold to Blackburn Rovers, leaving the team without a playmaker. Claudio Bieler was brought in as a new 9, but has been a bit shy of convincing in that role. Nestor Camacho was brought into the team as a late signing to take up the role of playmker, but is still shy of full match fitness, and has a ways to go before he is truly comfortable playing with his new teammates, something that should have been done during the pre-season.

So far, in my opinion, Juan Manuel Cobelli has been the forward who has shown the the qualities of a true 9. True, he has only come on as a second half substitute, but that is only because the Senseless One has failed to give him a chance as a starter.

But, while the offense may not be functioning as well as we Lepra fans may like, it has produced more goals in the first six games of the Clausura than it did during the last six of the Apertura. The biggest problem now has been the defense, and the question is why? As I have stated in previous postings the defense has not changed that drastically from the Apertura, save for the fact that they simply are not playing as a unit. Where once there was communication, now there seems to be none.

Something has changed, and it is not there for me to see. As coach, or Technical Director - as coaches are called in Argentina, it is the responsibility of one Roberto Sensini to not only see the problem, but to resolve it. This week his answer seemed to be to leave. I have to wonder if maybe that is not just the answer the team needs. It was not that long ago, after all, that the team lost two players of quality, Cristian Sánchez Prette and Diego Torres, who left the team after Sensini managed to give them the impression that they were not in his plans. Had both players stayed, this season could well have been much different.

Only One Point At Home (But signs of a brighter future)

Sensini puckers up

When you go up 2-0 with in the first 25 minutes at home you should be able to breeze to an easy victory. Not so tonight, as Newell's Old Boys had to settle for a single point in a 3-3 draw against a struggling Huracán. In defense of the result Los Quemeros played well for a team that now has only three points from four matches. Newell's can not claim to be doing any better, really, having only earned four points, but some how I hope that coach Roberto Sensini is not happy kissing his sister (if you do not know there is an old saying that settling for a draw is like kissing your sister.)

Bieler

The first two goals in came in unexpected ways. The first, scored by Claudio Bieler, was set up by a nice cross from the right by Diego Mateo, who for all his value for the team defensively is not exactly the man you would think would be setting up a goal. I have always thought Mateo had it in him, his passing ability is very good, but he seldom ventures forward enough to be an offensive force. Bieler, on the other hand, is living up to expectations so far, with two goals in four games, but I have noticed that he has been coming back for the ball too much to really consider him a true 9. Still, as long as he scores, there is nothing to complain about.

Nacho

 

The second goal was scored by defender Nacho Fideleff. His scoring is not so surprising, he has demonstrated on numerous occasions that he his a goal scoring threat with a powerful header and a strong shot, but this time he barely managed to get his head to the ball, if fact it did more than merely grazed off his curly blonde locks on it's way into the net, deflecting just enough to evade goalkeeper Gaston Monzon. Nacho also showed signs in this match that he has improved his passing game, which could well turn him into a very valuable player in the near future.

Peratta

After that, La Lepra seemed to take their foot off the gas a bit, and Huracán made them pay for it. Cristian Maidana brought them with in a goal with a picture perfect free kick from a tight angle. Then, the unimaginable, Diego Mateo made a rare defensive mistake and his attempt to head the ball ended up in the back of the net. At this point keeper Sebastián Peratta sat up against the post with a look of shear disbelief, but the madness was not over. Carlos Quintana put the visitors ahead a few minutes before referee Juan Pompei blew the half time whistle.

Sperdutti

The second half saw Newell's play well through out. Mauricio Sperdutti scored the only goal of the second half to draw the score level, and had they made more of a few other chances Newell's could well have walked away with a victory. In the end, if La Lepra could put together a full 90 minutes playing like they did in the first 25 minutes, or even as they did during the entire second half, and they will give any team in the league a tough time. As long as they continue to have lapses of concentration like the last 20 minutes of the first half we could still be looking at a long and painful Clausura.

I also want to mention a couple of signs that the future may well be bright, as young Martín Tonso started in the midfield playmaker role and did well enough. He did make a few mistakes, but nothing that should not be expected from a young player. Then there was the debut of Nestor Camacho, who showed that, yes, yes, he is a capable playmaker, but still is new enough to the team that the communication with is team mates is not quite there.

Another debuting player was Lorenzo Faravelli, who came on late in the match for Tonso. He too looked good, though ten minutes of play is hardly enough time to judge a player.


(Have not found any video highlights... I will add them asap, if and when I find.)

Cobelli Nets Another 90th Minute Goal

I'm suffering from sever lack of sleep due to a cat that has been "singing" outside my window for the past three nights. I do not know, perhaps he misses Fórmica as much as I do.

That being the case, I am going to keep this brief. Newell's Old Boys beat Lanús 2-1 on goals from Claudio Bieler, and Juan Manuel Cobelli. For Bieler it was his first goal for La Lepra, but Cobelli looks like he's trying to make an name for himself as a super sub, opening the first two games of the Clausura with 90th minute goals, this time earning Newell's three points.

I am really happy to have found the video highlights. While I did watch the game, after only managing around three hours of solid sleep last night, I cannot say my brain was processing what I saw as well as I would like.

Now, off to try and get some much need sleep.

Nothing makes shaking off the memory of Newell's Old Boys losing their opening match of the Clausura than the knowledge that Almirante Brown visited Rosario, defeating Ben... er, Central 1-0. Jorge Broun, a goalkeeper I will grudgingly admit is usually fairly solid, misplayed a ball into the area and Vera was there to easily place the ball into the back of the net.

Thank you, Almirante Brown. You have taken an otherwise unpleasant weekend and brought some joy to this Lepra.

I did not post any video from Newell's match against Estudiantes on my original report, as I could not find any at the time. There are a couple out there now, but I refuse to post all the goals, but here is young Juan Manuel Cobelli scoring for La Lepra:

With any luck, Cobelli will score plenty more. He certainly looked more of a 9 than Claudio Bieler did last night.

Final Thoughts Before Friday's Opening Match

Newell's Old Boys have said goodbye to Mauro Fórmica, and Agustín Alayes. Iván Borghello may be on his way to Barcelona of Ecuador, but I hope he stays, as I'd like to see him playing next to Claudio Bieler, who comes to Newell's on a six month loan from Racing Club. Even if Roberto Sensini does not see it that way, Borghello is still valuable coming off the bench.

With Mauro gone, Sensini is calling for another playmaker to be brought into the team. Personally I'd like to see Mauricio Sperdutti given the role, but we will see what happens.

Replacing Alayes was not too difficult, on another 6 month loan Newell's brought back Fabricio Fuentes, who started his carrier with La Lepra. The rumors about Boca Jrs wanting Rolando Schiavi proved, as always, more hot air than anything else. Yes, their are members in the Xeneize hierarchy interested in bringing El Flaco back, but not enough of them in high enough places to convince those that matter... and we Lepra are thankful for that.

I would love to have the optimism of Diego Mateo. The defensive midfielder has stated that, with the team only having one competition to play in, the Clausura should go better than the Apertura, when Newell's also had to contend with Copa Sudamericana fixtures. I hope he is right, but I am anticipating a long, difficult season... but nothing quite like Bentral are experiencing down in the B.

Yes, Rosario Central ended their summer break on Saturday, and could only manage a 0-0 draw at home to Defensa y Justicia, the team that is dead last in the National B. Sure, Bentral are only six points from the top of the B standings, but for how long? Do they really have any hope of climbing their way up the standings for a chance to get back up to the top flight?

The way I see it, if Central fail to gain promotion, we get another season looking down at them struggling in the lower division. If they do earn promotion, we get the Clasico Rosarino back. This is a win-win situation in my book.

Another Old Man Finds His Way Home

Having pasted his medical exam 34 year old Fabricio Fuentes will be presented today as the first reinforcement at Newell's Old Boys for the up coming Clausura. Technically the player still belongs to Atlas, but he himself negotiated a six month loan deal to bring rejoin the team that gave him his start.

With the defender on board, Newell's are now concentrating on prying Claudio Bieler away from Racing Club. Reports are that the team have set a deadline of next week to bring Bieler into the squad. If that is not possible, they will turn their eye toward Darío Gandín, who is currently with Necaxa of Mexico.

No other additions are expected, though coach Roberto Sensini has made comments that with Mauro Fórmica gone a new playmaker is needed.

Who Is Training, Who May Be Leaving, And Who Might Join In

The list of players who are taking part in Newell's Old Boys summer training has been released. Originally reported as 32 players, two have already been sent back to the reserves. Emanuel Dening, and Federico Falcone, both 20 years old, were cut as coach Roberto Sensini feels that they are not in the running for a spot on the final roster.

Goalkeepers:
Sebastián Peratta
Nahuel Guzmán
Lucas Hoyos

No changes can be expected here. Peratta will remain first choice, with Guzmán on the bench.

Defenders:
Rolando Schiavi
Gabriel Cichero
Alexis Machuca
Cristian Lema
Ignacio Fideleff
Jonathan Valle

Schiavi, and no doubt Cichero, are locked into the starting defense. Fideleff might give Cichero a fight for a starting spot, but we will see. With the departure of Agustín Alayes the battle will be for his spot, though I expect, barring a new player being brought in, Machuca will be in the starting 11 in his place.

Midfielders:
Lucas Bernardi
Mauro Fórmica
Luciano Vella
Diego Mateo
Leonel Vangioni
Hernán Villalba
Mauricio Scaglia
Marcelo Estigarribia
Franco Dolci
Leandro Velázquez
Cristian Díaz
Juan Vieyra
Martín Tonso
Lorenzo Faravelli

Mauro Fórmica, and Marcelo Estigarribia are training with the team, but are not expected to be with the club much longer. Galatasaray have yet to reply to Newell's counter offer on the Fórmica transfer, a move that has been reported on the edge of taking place for over a week now. I can only imagine that El Gato is feeling a bit frustrated at this point. As I understand it, his contract with the Turkish club has been approved, but it cannot be official until both teams involved come to a final agreement.

Estigarribia, on the other hand, may be going to Racing Club as a part of the deal to bring Claudio Bieler to Newell's. Newell's officials have stated that Bieler is the only player that the team plan on bringing in, while Sensini has expressed the desire for another defender after Agustín Alayes left for Chilean team Colo-Colo.

Provided that Vangioni can remain healthy, the loss of Estigarribia will not be difficult to deal with. Vangioni, up until the Apertura, had been Newell's most consistent player over the past few years, and if he can recapture that form the left side of midfield will be in good shape.

Fórmica, however, will leave a big hole to fill. Velázquez is perhaps the obvious choice, but he did not show much in his few opportunities during the Apertura. There has been talk of Luis Rodríguez taking on the playmaker role, but whomever takes on this challenge is sure to fall short of what we have come to expect from El Gato.

The double 5 pairing of Bernardi and Mateo will be together for at least another year. Villalba is capable for filling in should either need a game off, for whatever reasons.

The right side of midfield would seem to belong to Vella, though Dolci may just give him a run. Sperdutti could possibly return to this position, depending on how the rest of the forwards shape up.

Forwards:
Mauricio Sperdutti
Iván Borghello
Luis Miguel Rodríguez
Juan Manuel Cobelli
Cristian González
Daniel Salvatierra
Maximiliano Velasco

Sperdutti, Borghello, Rodríguez, and Salvatierra. Those are the names from this list of forwards I expect to make it onto the final roster. Should Bieler arrive from Racing Club, that will give the team five forwards, or four if Sperdutti moves back to midfield. Cobelli, González, and Velasco are virtually unknown to me, so if one or more of them step up and claim a spot it is all to the better.

Noticeably absent from the forwards is one Sebastián Taborda. The Uruguayan forward was so ineffectual during his appearances in the Apertura lead me to call him "The Great Tree Stump."

Still, there is a month to go before the start of the Clausura, plenty of time for things to change.

Newell's Defender Heading To Chile

Baring a failed physical, Newell's Old Boys are about to lose a defender to Colo-Colo of Chile. No, not Rolando Schiavi, for whom such a move has been talked about for weeks, but Agustín Alayes. According to the articles I have seen Newell's will not receive any fee from the move, but will be relieved of Alayes contract, one of the highest on the team.

As for Schiavi, he has broken his recent silence and made it known that he plans staying with La Lepra until he retires... "unless someone is crazy enough to offer me a fortune to leave for another club." Flaco, I would not blame you for leaving if someone was that crazy, but  I do not see it happening. Fortunes, after all, are given to attacking players in their prime, not defenders nearing retirement, no matter how good they may be. Once you do retire, I hope you stay on with Newell's as a coach, working with young defenders. Who knows, maybe someday you can take the place of Roberto Sensini.

Speaking of the coach, today was the first day back at training for the club. According to reports Sensini had 32 players to work with, six of whom came from the youth team. So far I have not seen any of their names, but hopefully one or two will impress enough to make the squad for the Clausura, perhaps even a forward who has the ability to actually score from time to time. Or a playmaker to replace Mauro Fórmica, who was there for the first day, though the negotiations with Galatasaray of Turkey continue. El Gato may even be packing his bags as I write these words...

And, lastly, the club has stated that they will only be bringing in one player... if they can obtain forward Claudio Bieler from Racing Club.

Sensini Still On Board

It has been almost a week sense the possible move of Newell's Old Boys playmaker Mauro Fórmica to Galatasaray broke, but no confirmation as yet. The latest report is that the two teams will try and finalize the transaction today. The Turkish club had offered 4 million Euros (that is 5.36 million in US dollars,) the counteroffer being 4.5 million (a fraction over 6 million.)

Meanwhile Rolando Schiavi has been linked to possible moves to Boca Juniors (same rumor, different transfer season) and Colo-Colo of Chile. Schiavi himself has expressed interested in Colo-Colo, as his former teammate with Boca Diego Cagna just took on the coaching job with the team. So far it does not look like Rolando is headed anywhere, as Newell's Old Boys have only acknowledged interest from Boca, a move that Schiavi has nearly laughed off every transfer season sense he came to Newell's.

On the incoming front, Newell's have been chasing Claudio Bieler, currently with Racing Club. Problem is, to get the money for this move someone has to be sold. Even then it looks like Marcelo Estigarribia may end up as part of the deal.

Still, all of this is speculation until confirmed.

Senseless?

The only solid piece of news I have seen sense the end of the Apertura is that Robert Sensini will be staying on as the Director Technico. There had been rumors at one point that the coach had demanded certain reinforcements in order to extend his stay with the club, but I never gave them much credence. I have been known to say a lot of things about Sensini, good and bad, my nickname for him is still "The Senseless One." But, the longer he has been with the club, the less I have had cause to use that name. The Apertura just past was difficult to get through, but that was due less to his tactics, and more to do with the lack of quality players brought in... which in turn was due to the club not having the money to attract the quality players needed for the team to continue the kind of success they had been experiencing last season.

There is a month and a half to go before the Clausura begins. By then, who knows, we may not have any players from the Apertura on the field.