the good and the bad in a dramatic day for club football

Quick reactions to some of the La Liga and EPL matches with longer reports to come.


Racing 0-3 Barca

Barca

The Good: not conceding a goal, keeping pace with the other league leaders, best start in 7 seasons, 4 goals in 3 games for Eto'o

The Bad: some defensive mix-ups, Messi not playing up to his usual (admittedly extremely high) standards, over-dependence on scoring first

Racing

The Good: starting well, some good defensive work

The Bad: horrid goalkeeping, having said 'keeper sent off


Valencia 2-0 Getafe

Valencia

The Good: Morientes getting a new lease of life back in Spain

The Bad: more injuries, Joaquin's anonymous performance

Getafe

The Good: not being outclassed in a hostile ground, still on course for a solid start

The Bad: El Pato finally conceding after 2 clean sheets


Real Madrid 2-0 Real Sociedad

Real Madrid

The Good: steadying the ship after the loss to Lyon, Reyes' and Robinho's performance, Capello's substitutions

The Bad: struggling to break down a not very good Sociedad side, the performance of Raul and Guti, the injury to Roberto Carlos

Sociedad

The Good: keeping Real at bay for most of the match

The Bad: poor goalkeeping on the corner Reyes scored from, continuation of an indifferent start to the season, unlucky to go down to ten men


Athletic Bilbao 1-4 Atletico Madrid

Atletico

The Good: Aguero opening his account on his full debut, the Argentine contingent really beginning to shine

The Bad: poor Maxi Rodriguez being mis-identified as Maxi Lopez on more than one website. Okay, performing well without Torres leading perhaps to questions about how vital he is to the side and general overrated status (did you know that he was the player who gave the ball away most times in La Liga last season? Anyway, a rant for another day.)

Athletic Bilbao

The Good: at least they got one back with a nice goal

The Bad: everything else, unfortunately


Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool

Chelsea

The Good: Drogba's goal, the defence

The Bad: Ballack earning the first straight red card of his career after just 5 games for Chelsea.

Liverpool

The Good: improvements in defence

The Bad: awful finishing


Manchester United 0-1 Arsenal

United

The Good: their substitute keeper did well

The Bad: Rooney's indifferent performance, the entire midfield

Arsenal

The Good: finally winning, Cesc Fabregas

The Bad: more questions over Henry's form when he gets back to match fitness, now that they're winning without him?