Christmas cheer

Christmas is a quiet time for football in Spain. The teams break on the last Sunday before the 24th and usually are off until about the 28th. They then start to train and they play their first game in January. The first two games of the season are away although I hope to go to both. The first is in Alcala de Henares in the outskirts of Madrid and the second in Vecindario, Gran Canaria. This second is the first organised trip of the season and the first organised trip I have been on. We are going with the Zoneros who are one of the newer fan clubs although now one of the bigger groups.

I was at their christmas presentation where the littlest members were presented with kits from the club. This was a great even and I was honoured to be there. They were also at the same time presented with a plaque from the Irish Clan, theCDT´s latest peña (fan club) for the assistance given by the Zoneros last weekend in the collection of food and toys in the last game of the season.

There have been information in the papers that the club has found some solutions for some of their financial problems. The plot of land where the youth teams train in La Laguna is heavily mortgaged and with little income the club has had difficulties. This month "EL Dia" claims the island government will take over part of the mortgage and part of the land (the back plot). The front plot will be taken over by local businessmen which leaves the club with the main training area and access to their plot. And considerably less debts. More information will be available in the AGM held at the end of this week. President Miguel Concepcion has promised to talk after the meeting to the press.

Although there are still rumours about possible signings nothing has been confirmed and I think it may well be towards the end of the month of January before we hear anything. Someone talked to me that Omar might be coming back but I can't find any source for this.

The club website today has an article withan interview with two of the strongest voices in the dressing room, Sergio Aragoneses and Kiko Raton. Their comments included their hopes for the rest of the season, how they plan to play for everything, how loyal they feel to the team, the club and the fans. "It is incredible this year, 9,000 season ticket holders, how much that helps. At home we need to be invincible as we have been up to now.  and we need to create an special atmosphere for the 10 game that are left especially against our direct rivals".
They both hope to take the team back to professional football where it belongs for the fansto bring them some happiness, especally in times like these where football has a special part in peoples hearts.

Better played but only a draw

In one of the better games this season CD Tenerife only managed a draw. 0-0 was the starting and final result in a very balanced game.










CD Tenerife let Atlético de Madrid B (0-0) get away with a draw in a very balanced game. The blue and whites played a good first half and in the second half slightly let their guard down. In the first few minutes Víctor Bravo, Perona, Tacón & Chechu could have scored. The audience were awesome and with almost 9,000 people in the stadium it was the best audience in Segunda B and only two stadiums had better crowds in segunda. Las Plamas wasn't one of them. The first half was even and at the break the result was still 0-0. Calderón again chose to put Kitoko in central defence something we saw several games last year too. David Medina was therefore in midfield with Marcos. In the second half Atletico had more chances and Calderón made the fist changes offensively bringing on Kiko Ratón & Nico for Marcos & Chechu. In the last few minutes the opponents went all out for a win and Aragoneses (71’) saved the ball from a shot by Fer and shortly after, Pedro Martín (73’) put the ball over the bar. CD Tenerife kept on trying and Kiko Raton fought hard as the minutes passed. The score never changed and CD Tenerife has now played eight games at home without a loss, a position that it is a privilege to be in. There are only three games left of the fist round and next weekend the team are away to a side who are also fighting hard for a play off position.

 Game Notes

 CD TENERIFE                        0 (0)
 ATLÉTICO DE MADRID B    0 (0)

 CD TENERIFE Sergio Aragoneses; Cristóbal, Jonay, Kitoko, Ayoze; David Medina (Tarantino, 86’), Marcos Rodríguez (Kiko Ratón, 61’), Chechu (Nico, 61’), Víctor Bravo; Ferrán Tacón & Perona.

ATLÉTICO DE MADRID B Iago; Regalón, César Ortiz, Míchel, Javi Cantero; Fer, Sergio Marcos, Omar Santana (Ndoye, 68’), Saúl (Luque, 74’); Noguera (Gerard, 84’) & Pedro Martín. REFEREE Iván González, from the Balearic islands. Yellow card for local player Víctor Bravo; and for visitors Fer & Omar Santana.

GOALS
 None

INCIDENTS

Played in the Heliodoro Rodríguez López stadium with the ground in good condition on a cool morning with 8.920 spectators.

Tenerife draw away again and Lugo's coach has sour grapes

Slowly and surely went the Turtle and the Hare ran too fast. Lets see if this is hopw the race to the end of two B works out for Tenerife. A draw away in Lugo was a good result marred only by Castilla's win against Athletico B.
The team started well yesterday and the promise which seems to hold was showing. Kitoko was in central defense which is not his natural position but he worked hard and was well paired with Ayoze. The team fought hard and looked competitive, showing that they are on the right path. Perona nearly scored after a play by Chechu and Zazo. Then Lugo scored and they seemed to grow and had several good chances but the blue and white players fought back finalising just before half time in a play by Victor Bravo with a pass to Perona which he put into the goal.
In the second half Lugo came out strong and controlled the ball but CD Tenerife aslo had chances including one from Kiko Raton after he came on the field. The island team were on a level with the team which up to last round had been leaders.
The game could have been a play off match and showed that CD Tenerife is on the right track.

Game notes

CD LUGO               1 (1)

CD TENERIFE        1 (1)

CD LUGO
Diego Rivas; Aitor, Rubén García (Iván, 80’), Garrido, Manu; Luismi, Pita, Claudio Monti, Belfortti; Ismael (Berodia, 80’) & Belencoso.

CD TENERIFE
Sergio Aragoneses; Cristóbal, Jonay, Medina, Ayoze; Zazo (Tarantino, 58’), Marcos Rodríguez, Chechu (Kiko Ratón, 70’), Víctor Bravo (Nico, 84’); Ferrán Tacón & Perona.

REFEREE
Germán Cid Camacho, from Castilla Leon. A Yellow card for local players Berodia & Garrido; and for visitors Ayoze, Perona, Bravo, Marcos Rodríguez & Tacón.

GOALS
1-0: (23’) Belencoso, with a header. 1-1: (40’) Perona,with a pass by Victor Bravo.

INCIDENTS
Played in the Anxo Carro stadium. The ground was in average condition, on a cold damp morning with 2,500 spectators of which approx 150 were from CD Tenerife.

 Calderon commented that he was pleased with the way the game had been played. The Lugo coach in a fit of sour grapes could only comment that one team went out to play and the other to stop the game. Perhaps no one had told him all is fair in love and war and certainly for the blue and white team this and every game is a battle to go back to professional football.

The next match is at home against Atl Madrid B on Sunday at 12.00

UD Sanse v CD Tenerife 0-0

I have seen fields with cattle on them in better condition that the pitch in San Sebastian de los Reyes at the end of the match yesterday. I am not sure what the difficulty is with the pitch but it needs work. Maybe this is a plan to manage to win their home games as if you are not used to a pitch like that you would struggle to play there. That said we didn't have many chances, an early shot at goal by Zazo was the best chance we had. Although Kiko tried everything nothing seemed to turn out right and finally not long before the end of the game Antonio Calderon, the blue and white coach took him off exhausted. Sergio Aragoneses again had a great save and with the exception of the penalty has not received a goal for 3 games.

GAME NOTES 


UD SAN SEBASTIÁN DE LOS REYES:  0 (0)
CD TENERIFE:                                          0 (0)

UD SAN SEBASTIÁN DE LOS REYES: Miguel Ángel; Edu Ruiz, Castañera, Martín Vaquero, Iñaki; Biendi (Jairo, 92’), Vázquez, Héctor, José Luis; Portilla (Duque, 74’) & Felipe Cortés (Moreno, 87’).

CD TENERIFE: Sergio Aragoneses; Cristóbal, Tarantino, Medina, Ayoze; Zazo, Kitoko, Chechu (Marcos, 84’), Ferrán Tacón; Perona (Víctor Bravo, 69’) & Kiko Ratón (Nico, 77’).

REFEREE: Sales Montero, from Cataluyna. Yellow card for local players Héctor, Castañera, Vázquez & Miguel Ángel; and for visitors David Medina, Kiko Ratón & Ferrán Tacón.

GOALS: None.

INCIDENTS: Played in the Nuevo Matapiñonera. With grounds in terrible condition. On a warm sunny morning, with approx. 1000 spectators of which about 150 were CD Tenerife supporters, many of whom were from the fan group, Frente Blanquiazul. Present in the stadium was CD Tenerife president, Miguel Concepción.

Let me tell you why I like Monday

This could become adictive. I like the Monday morning we won feeling especially after a 3-0 win. The game yesterday could be divided into 2 parts. At no time did Montaneros look like they were going to score. They are a little team and yesterday it showed that we certainly are not a little team. The team came out of the field in the first half with a need to win that showed from Sergio all the way forward to Kiko Raton.




CD TENERIFE 3  (2)
MONTAÑEROS CF 0 (0)

 CD TENERIFE Sergio Aragoneses; Cristóbal, Medina, Tarantino, Jonay; Kitoko, Marcos Rodríguez; Perona (Rosquete, 72’), Víctor Bravo (Nico, 61’), Ferrán Tacón; & Kiko Ratón (Zazo, 90’).

 MONTAÑEROS CF Rafa; Ángel Luis, Raúl Lozano, Capi (Cubas, 72’), Dopico; Tetteh, Iago (Moisés, 40’), Herbert, Romay; Jimmy (Cano, 53’); & Rubén Rivera.

 REFEREE Miguel Ángel Ortiz, from Madrid. Yellow card for local player Tarantino.

 GOALS 1-0: (7’) Ferrán Tacón, from a pass by Cristóbal. 2-0: (21’) Kitoko, after he took the ball in midfield. 3-0: (88’) Ratón, with a header.

 INCIDENTS Played in the Heliodoro Rodriguez Lopez stadium. The grass was in a reasonable state, although it could have been better. It was a hot sticky morning, with 9.241 spectators.

 The game was much better than previous games, although it still leaves something to be desired as far as some of the fans are concerned. Again in the second half there was some whistling as the fans were not too happy with how the blue and whites were playing. Antonio Calderón had promised after the loss against Getafe B that the team would get better. One of the differences was that Kitoko played in midfield, making a new design with three other midfielders. (Perona on the right, Víctor Bravo in the middle and Ferrán Tacón on the left) with Richi behind them. Meanwhile Montañeros decided on a 4-4-1-1 play style with Rivera as single midfielder and a strong defense. This didn't help them when in minute 6 Cristobal played the ball into the goal area and Ferrán Tacón started the scoring with a kick into the goal. This goal allowed the blue and whites to be calm and hold possession whilst they played tha ball. They had various chances and the 2-0 arrived with a shot by Kitoko. The player retrieved the ball in mid-field and took it all the way up the pitch with no oposition up to the edge of the area where he shot at goal and the ball hit one of the defenders and shot into the gaol. From there the CD Tenerife team took more control of the game. Aragoneses, who in the first half nearly didn't see the ball saw a shot at goal by Rivera (66’). And for some time Tenerife had trouble to keep the ball in their care. Montaneros continually tried to fight back and take possession. After an hour the fans were a little stressed and Calderon reacted bringing on Nico & Rosquete, though the game didn't improve. The driving force in the team seemed to be Ferran Tacon. In spite of everything the game was very much under CD Tenerife control and continued quietly on. In the final minutes Kiko Raton managed to score the definitive 3-0 with a header from a corner.

First Draw of the season. 1-1 against Conquense

Monday morning and although the team only managed a draw they are right now group leaders.



In a game that lacked spark, the players tried all they could. The referee wasn't as accurate as could be desired but everyone keeps reminding me this is 2B. (I have seen better referees in a lowest level regional match).
The team had chances to score, in the first ten minutes Meji and Tacon  had chances and so it went on. Richi Kitoko wasn't at his best and Conquense's goal came from a mistake he made. German came on for Perona who was injured in the first half and he too didn't have the best of games.
Coach Antonio Calderon talked about how the team hadn't been accurate, he reminded that they played the cup game on Wednesday and were somewhat tired. He continued saying, "we wanted to move the bal forward fast but that isn't our game. We need to move the ball around and wait for chances". Again he thanked the fans repeating his comments from the last game, "we need to thank the fans . They helped us the whole game and this made things much more difficult for our rival".
Once more the stadium had more fans than any in our group and only Betis B had a bigger gate which I would put down to the facts that theirs was a derby against Sevilla B and the first team were not playing.
The players interviewed included Marcos  Rodriguez who talked about the group, how they worked well together and although they have made mistakes they had worked hard. German said, "Two points escaped here today but the team worked hard". Kiko Raton who scored his first offical goal of the season have stated he was, "not happy.We come losing in the cup and hoped tomake the fans happy. Looking at everything the point isn't bad and it is a shame that when I finally score it doesn't help the team".