Yellow Submarine sink a poor Mallorca

Villarreal scored four goals within a space of eight minutes in the first half, something no team’s done in La Liga since 2012/13 and cruised to an easy 4-0 win against a Mallorca side who now look to be in a mid-season crisis.

A neutral watching this game would have found it difficult to comprehend that these two teams were level on points coming into this game as Villarreal took total control of proceedings from the opening blast of the referee’s whistle. Villarreal scored four times in what was described as one of the worst first halves in the club’s history. Since the new year began, Mallorca have conceded 10 goals across three competitions without scoring. All thoughts of European football next season have now become distant. The images we’ve shown against Pontevedra in the Copa del Rey, the Super Cup in Jeddah and Monday night’s game against Villarreal have been disastrous, as we’ve capitulated without any explanations.

The first goal on Monday night came from a poorly defended corner when our goalkeeper Greif was at fault. The second, third and fourth goals were all scored from counter-attacks with our full backs up the other end of the pitch trying to create chances for our front men, Larin and Muriqi, who were barely seen all night. We have to thank Villarreal for taking their foot off the gas pedal in the second half, because if they hadn’t, it would have been double figures, we were that bad.

Displaying an attacking power unseen in La Liga this season, the home side found it so simple to burst through our porous defence and worryingly for our coach Arrasate, we showed little or no reaction even after going four behind.

As usual I watched the game in the Mallorca Sports Bar and throughout the 96 minutes played, even the die-hard Mallorquinistas were finding it a hard watch. Many paid their bills and headed for the exit long before the end. The second half was torture personified for us and even thoughts of the biggest comeback since Lazarus became just wishful thinking.

One local journalist reckoned there was more to this thrashing than met the eye. Allegedly, there’s unrest in the dressing room due to the club’s lack of response over what happened with the players’ wives in Jeddah in the Spanish Super Cup.

Towards the end, Baena clearly shouldered Valjent in the face, who went down pole-axed and had treatment on the ground for several minutes. He was clearly groggy as he left the pitch. The referee refused to consult VAR in what was a clear red card incident. Mallorca’s coach Arrasate was incandescent with rage with the lack of punishment and for his protestations he was shown a yellow card. That’s his fifth booking of the season, which means he won’t be in his technical area on Saturday at 2pm when Real Betis come to town. Nothing but a win will appease local fans who are now reeling after a succession of terrible performances.