Atletico Destroy Despondent Deportivo

Atletico de Madrid 4-1 Deportivo La Coruna

Deportivo La Coruna visited the Vicente Calderon this afternoon in decent form after winning their last two matches. They had leapt into 6th in the Primera Division table and into a UEFA cup position, before Sporting Gijon’s stunning win at Valencia last night knocked them down to 7th. Regardless, Coach Miguel Lotina has been gathering praise for the way his side have picked up victories with very limited resources. He started with Riki in the lone striking role with Guardado and Lafita offering attacking support.

How different the scene in Madrid, where Atletico boss Javier Aguirre is under increasing pressure to start to improve his sides’ inconsistent form. He opted to start both Forlan and Aguero up front as he looked to gain a victory that would bring Atletico closer to the Champions League-chasing pack.

This was an open match, with both sides willing to pour forward at will. However, for all their good intentions, neither side could fashion a clear opportunity in the opening stages.

Atletico had probably just edged in terms of possession, and they grabbed the opener much to the relief of the fans, and coach Aguirre.

Simao swung in a low corner from the right, and the ball skipped up at the near post, straight onto the head of John Heitinga, who powered home from close range to register his second goal of the season.

Atletico took great confidence from going in front, and after Pernia drilled a shot wide, Diego Forlan unleashed a thunderbolt from all of thirty yards that appeared to be tearing the net from the goal frame, but somehow Aranzubia managed to claw the ball onto the inside of post and it rebounded to safety.

Atletico looked in the mood at this point, but Depor gave them warning that they could not be complacent at the back. Lafita turned inside the penalty area and fired a shot back across goal, but Leo Franco got a strong right hand to the ball to flick it around the post.

But the Rojiblancos finished the half the stronger. Forlan hit the post again but this time was flagged offside, and Simao played the ball across goal, but the pass had no conviction and it rolled harmlessly wide.  They had chances to tie this up before half-time, and Atletico were more than worthy of their 1-0 lead going into the break.

Any hope of Deportivo finding a way back into this encounter disappeared with one slack pass. Five minutes into the second period, Alberto Lopo casually played the ball across his own back line, and Diego Forlan nipped in and galloped away to slot confidently under the body of Aranzubia to double Atletico’s lead. The Uruguayan had looked in the mood from kick-off today, and got the goal his positive play deserved.

This was a more clinical Atletico to the one that had had consecutive 0-0 draws versus Osasuna and Orihuela. In those matches they appeared ineffective, but today there was a vibrancy about them that must frustrate Aguirre – he knows they are capable of winning as comfortably as this, but they simply don’t produce a display such as this regularly enough.

Their third goal was a prime example of the kind of play they can provide when the goals are flowing freely. Maniche pinged a forty yard pass across field, Maxi Rodriguez nodded the ball infield to Aguero, and the Argentine flicked a superb backhell back into Rodriguez’s path, who rammed the ball home to make the scoreline 3-0.

It was a delightful goal.

By this time Deportivo had long since lost this contest, and they had simply no answer to the wave of attacks coming from the home side. Forlan in particular was imperious, a constant threat, and looks to be back to his best form.

He rounded off the victory after Pernia cut the ball back to him inside the area. He took a touch, and beautifully placed a shot with his left foot across the goal and into the far corner. The former Villarreal and Manchester United man was the clear man of the match today, and was unlucky not to bag himself a hat-trick in the process.

Deportivo managed a consolation goal in the final few minutes through defender Filipe, but they will be aggrieved at the fact that they simply did not turn up today, and against players of the quality of Aguirre’s squad, if you do that you will almost certainly be punished.

The pressure has been relieved on the Mexican coach for another week – but the home fans will be wondering why their side cannot offer this level of display more often.

Goals:

Atletico:
Heitinga (26’), Forlan (51’), (81’), Rodriguez (67’)

Deportivo:
Filipe (87’)

Atletico: Franco, Ujfalusi, Heitinga, Perea, Pernia, Assuncao (Raul Garcia 75’), Maniche (Banega 75’), Simao, Maxi Rodriguez, Aguero (Pongolle 83’), Forlan

Deportivo: Aranzubia, Manuel Pablo, Lopo, Filipe, Piscu, Sergio, Verdu (Alvarez 64’), Lafita (Valeron 80’), Guardado, Rodriguez, Riki (Bodipo 64’)

Paul Macdonald