Into the channels: 01/12/2014

UD Almería 0 - 1 Rayo Vallecano

Forget Atleti, the real 'people's club' in Madrid is Rayo, from the Vallecas neighbourhood. In March 2012, the squad didn't train, in order to join in with the nationwide movement of protests; last month, the current squad offered to pay the rent for an 85 year-old woman for the rest of her life, after she was evicted by a loan shark for a debt owed by her son.

Rayo started their fixture against struggling Andalusians Almeria without former Manchester United striker Manucho, who is one of two high-profile Men to have played for Angola in recent years. The other is former Benfica striker Pedro Mantorras, whose nickname comes from the Angolan phrase 'Mano Torras', which translates as 'Toasted Brother'.

Their chosen attackers did not set this game alight. Right winger Licá is on loan from Porto, a fact which his Wikipedia article relays with a hint of bitterness:

On 1 August 2014, deemed surplus to requirements as practically all Portuguese players by new manager Julen Lopetegui, Licá was loaned to La Liga club Rayo Vallecano in a season-long move.

Rayo's other loan star, Gaël Kakuta (renowned for being tapped up by Chelsea, earning them a transfer ban, which was, as is so common when sanctions are imposed upon Big Clubs, then suspended, allowing Chelsea to then continue signing an obscene number of players, and then farm Kakuta out on to 5 clubs before Rayo, making him a prime example of a Big Club buying a talented young player from a smaller club for a nominal fee using bullying and the allure of their prestige, with no intention of actually playing them, merely of keeping them from their rivals, and of being able to sell them on for a large fee a few years down the line, during which time no other club has made a penny from developing and then selling them on, though plenty of clubs have developed them, and the rest of 'Chelsea''s young players, effectively becoming addicted to borrowing from, and ultimately adding to, Chelsea's hoard, all the time widening the financial gulf between the Big Clubs and the rest, and adding to the legitimacy of their very-dodgy-but-untouchable-now-he-owns-a-football-club-and-is-a-household-name-in-Britain owner, Roman Abramovich), played too.

Meanwhile, Almeria's stand-out attacker was their right winger, Wellington Silva. He is also on loan, this time from Arsenal, and from this performance, he looks a bit like the next Joel Campbell. And given that Joel Campbell is struggling to get game time at Arsenal this season, having torn apart Manchester United whilst on loan at Olympiakos, I wouldn't bet on Wellington dislodging Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain any sooner than he does Arsene Wenger.

On 9 December 2010 it was announced that the FA had backtracked on its initial decision to award Silva his "Special Talent Visa". The next day, it was announced on Arsenal's official website that the club planned to send him out on loan due to the fact he couldn't get a work permit.

Rayo's Jonas Gutierrez look-a-like, Lica

Thievy Bifouma (on loan from Espanyol, and remembered in England for scoring a goal within 36 seconds of making his West Brom debut last season)

Within the first 10 minutes, the pattern play would follow for the full 90 was hammered out. The visitors defended deep; Almeria pushed further up, meaning that they would be vulnerable to pacey attackers running onto balls over the top, but only if Rayo could produce a decent ball over the top, and proceed to turn it into a shot on target.

Wellington gets fouled outside the Rayo box...

... but, somehow, he lands quite far inside it

Rayo centre-back Abdoulaye challenges Rayo keeper Alvarez

If Almeria were being generous with the space they were offering up to Kakuta, Rayo were threatening to out-give them with another grand gesture, constantly hacking clearances to red-and-white-shirted players, Abdoulaye Ba being especially guilty of this. He is another player on loan from Porto.

Wellington Silva showed good skill, but where was the end product?

Generosity is a good look this festive season

Tomer Hemed really, really should have scored for Almeria, but decided to let Rayo off once again

Lica was substituted for Javier Aquino before half-time, so expect him to take a swipe at his manager on Wikipedia later

You can see how far back Almeria pegged Rayo in this picture, shortly after which Thievy Bifouma fired another good chance just wide

Kakuta fires a warning shot across the Almerian bows

Tomer Hemed pays the price for his wastefulness, after Almeria pass up on another opportunity

Damning

The game was devolving into a comedy of manners, as Rayo's mistakes allowed Almeria in, before Almeria repeatedly put the ball out of harm's way, too embarrassed to capitalise. It would be unsporting, especially seeing as Rayo are really good sports themselves. Or something.

Finally, our man Manucho came on with 12 minutes to go. His role was to be tall, and to stand far away from his own goal, in the hope of spreading play out a bit. He was good at that. In fact, he exceeded expectations, winning a header that set up a match-winning chance for Kakuta.

Kakuta slammed the ball into the roof of the Almeria net, sending the Rayo fans wild.