Sevilla vs Real Sociedad preview - Let`s maintain performance levels - Varas

Posted Saturday, September 17, 2011 by PA

Sevilla goalkeeper Javi Varas hopes his side can reproduce the form they showed in their opening game of the season when they host Real Sociedad on Saturday - and put their disappointing performance against Villarreal behind them.

The Andalusian club started their campaign with an impressive 2-1 home win over big-spending neighbours Malaga but Marcelino Garcia Toral's men were then held 2-2 at Villarreal in their next outing.

On paper that would appear a good result against the side that finished fourth last season, but Sevilla were playing against 10 men from the 22nd minute following the dismissal of Villarreal goalkeeper Diego Lopez, and they very nearly lost the game.

Trailing 2-1 with three minutes to go, Sevilla were indebted to defender Alexis after he headed in a free-kick to salvage a point.

Varas admits they are looking to improve on that showing against Sociedad, saying on his club's website: "We've worked very well (this week) and with a lot of desire to make a better impression than in the Villarreal game, because even though the result wasn't bad the image of the team was not good enough.

"Four points from a possible six is a good tally, drawing away to last season's fourth-placed team and beating a much-strengthened Malaga side, but what wasn't good was the manner in which we got the draw against Villarreal.

"Maybe in Villarreal we took a step back and defended too much, giving them too much of the ball, but you cannot judge everything on one game. I think that the balance of pre-season and the match against Malaga was good.

"The team know how they need to defend. If we defend with the intensity we showed against Malaga I'm sure we are going to let in very few goals."

Sevilla striker Alvaro Negredo netted his side's opener in Villarreal to take his tally to five goals in three games for club and country, having also struck a brace for Spain in their 6-0 Euro 2012 qualifying win over Liechtenstein.

When asked how best to contain the in-form striker and his fellow forward Frederic Kanoute, young Sociedad centre-back Inigo Martinez said on www.diariovasco.com: "The best way is to keep them away from the area. We have to pressurise them a lot so that they don't feel comfortable and then get on top in the individual battles. I'm sure that we will make it difficult."

The 20-year-old has recent experience of trying to nullify some of the best forwards on the planet having last week faced mighty Barcelona.

Sociedad looked set for a heavy defeat in that match as they fell 2-0 behind after just 11 minutes, but the Basque side hit back after the break to salvage a 2-2 draw that lifted them on to four points following their opening-day win over Sporting Gijon.