Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

By: wan | March 15th, 2009

An advanced “sorry” to all the few Betis fans… after my last post, I realised that I have upset the Footballing Gods and thus to pay penance, I told myself to hold off posting on Betis until they finally won another game but after three maddening matches, I realised that we may go all the way to the final game of the season without seeing Betis win. Thus my responsibility to this website won over my own superstitous beliefs…

It is truly amazing what has happened and I have given up hope of ever understanding what kind of team I am supporting and even how to suggest correcting the wrongs that I see…there seems to be no logical reasons whatsoever to decipher and change the fortunes of this side. I can only conclude that Betis are a true reflection of the term Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde – doing great when you least expect it, letting you down totally when you feel the most hopeful. How else can one expect to explain how the team can always get themselves up for the big matches and give the leaders a run for their money yet being able at the same time to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory?

I know that all the Real Madrid fans out there will point to the 6-1 thrashing and question the validity of my assertion. Look, I am not going to deny the facts of the scoreline nor the abject Betis performance but in my view, the team seemed to have decided collectively to just roll-over for Real. Many have pointed in the past to the unusual “close” relationship the two clubs share and it has to be said that this game gave a huge confidence booster to the Madridistas before their Champions League encounter against Liverpool (a big help this did then). Whatever the case may be, this was an anomaly. (And to think that had Oliveria taken the chance when Casillas “passed” the ball to him at 3-1, who knows what the outcome could have been?)

No, a more accurate representation of what I’m trying to say comes from the 2-2 fightback against Villareal – with the partnership of Oliveira and Garcia functioning beautifully. When you place this against the 3-2 defeat and 2-2 draw with Barcelona, as well as the victory against Seville and you will know what I mean.

Then contrast this to the “3-0 turn 3-3″ game against Mallorca and a “0-0 despite 22 shots on goal” draw against Osasuna and things become clear. I finally realised what kind of team I have been supporting – a team that thinks they deserve better than they really are.

Most of you would have known someone like that – a person whose parents may have been rich or have been influential in the past only now they are living in the same digs as you and eating from the same cornershop but yet they still pretend to be noble and speak in a funny way…

For a footballing comparison, look no further than Newcastle. Betis and Newcastle are peas of the same pod – both passionate footballing outposts with fanatical fans that deserve so so much better. This phenomenal support continues even though the team ALWAYS flatter to deceive and yet still think of themselves as big clubs with clout. This thinking also leads them to sign big name players judged more for the glamour that they bring then the skills that they have. Both have their fair share of mytical club figures who are full of flair and both clubs strive to play “attractive” and “attacking” football regardless of the consequences.

Sounds familiar now? Because of the the burden of the need to “show off” both clubs have committed millions to unsuitable signings, and in recent years have been caught in the vicious cycle of fighthing against relegation. For Oliveira, just see Michael Owen.

Of course things have now changed at Newcastle – somewhat. Bringing in Joe Kinnear has seen them change their style, with a premium now placed on “getting stuck in” and fighthing to get a point or three from their matches. Their physical approach has been widely condemned (even inspiring a scathing report from Rob Hughes in The Independent) but to be fair to them, the points have been forthcoming.

Betis? What about Betis indeed…Their naive play and tactics and Chaparro’s insistence on the 4-3-3 rather than the 4-4-2 are topics that I have talked about again and again. There just seems to be no way forward for the club unless Chaparro is replaced and that is looking increasing likely. The only way out of this quagmire would be to change the coach and to blow everything up and start again.

Of all the players at the club, I would keep the following: Ricardo, Oliveira, Sergio Garcia and Emana. The rest would be put up for sale to raise funds while the following would be drafted in from the reserves – the likes of Israel, Isidoro, Diego Segura, Juande and Canamero. I would then bring Joaquin back from Valencia, maybe get Gago from Real Madrid, and buy a couple of central defenders. The team would play 4-4-2 and have the following line-up:

Ricardo – Isidoro, Player X, Player Y, Monzon – Joaquin, Emana, Gago, Gonzalez – Oliveira & Garcia

Now won’t that be a more balanced side that still maintains the attacking traditions of Betis? Tell me that would not be a side that can challenge for a Europa League place?

The following weeks will be interesting only to see if Betis can survive the drop and what changes are in store for the new season…Let’s just hope that this blog will still survive and that you don’t see suddenly The Offside having to start a new section for the Segunda Division.

P.S. Please help to say a prayer for ailing Betis chairman Manuel Ruiz Lopera. Whatever we may feel as Betis fans about this man, he is struggling in hospital and needs our prayers and well wishes.

Bill Shankly was wrong: Nothing in the world is more serious and precious than a human life…