Villarreal held Real Sociedad to a goalless draw at the Anoeta Stadium tonight.
The visitors dominated the opening half but failed to find an opener, with Jaume Costa and Tomas Pina both missing good opportunities in a frustrating first half for Villarreal.
David Moyes's Sociedad came back into the contest after the break, though, and spurned a couple of fine chances themselves as both had to settling for sharing the spoils.
Below, relive Sports Mole's detailed live commentary of the clash.
Hola mis amigos and welcome to our live text commentary of Villarreal's trip to Real Sociedad tonight. I'm Shane and I'll be bringing you all of the action from the Anoeta Stadium as Villarreal look to consolidate their Europa League spot, which must be like consolidating your grip on a cactus, but each to their own.
Is there anything at stake for David Moyes and La Real? Hmm, it would appear not, apart from pride, but Moyes surrendered that about a year ago so there's really not much to play for from a Sociedad perspective unfortunately. They're 10 points clear of relegation in 12th, with another six games left, and even with Moyes in charge they can't mess things up from there surely.
We've made a few Moyes jokes already but, in truth, the Scot has done a fairly good job since replacing Jagoba Arraste back in November. By virtue of the fact that Sociedad were second from bottom when the former Manchester United boss took over, you could say that he has achieved his primary goal of survival and he'll start shaping the team in his image during the summer.
Anywho, the teams have been announced so let's have a gander, shall we?
SOCIEDAD XI: Rulli; C.Martínez, Mikel, Iñigo, Granero, Agirretxe, Prieto, Carlos V, Pardo, Zurutuza, De la Bella
VILLARREAL: Asenjo; Mario, Dorado, V.Ruiz, Jokic; Pina, Trigueros, Jona dos Santos, J.Costa; Campbell y Gerard
Okay so let's start with the hosts and Moyseh makes FIVE changes to his side from the 1-0 defeat to Elche on Monday, with top goalscorer Carlos Vela returning along with Ruben Pardo, while there's also room for Imanol Agirretxe, Inigo Martinez and Carlos Martinez.
On to Villarreal now (I can't bring myself to call them the Yellow Submarine) and Marcelino García Toral makes four changes following that disappointing 0-0 draw with bottom-of-the table Cordoba. Chechu Dorado replaces Eric Bailly in defence, while Bojan Jokic, Trigueros and Jonathan dos Santos also come into the fold.
Incidentally, Dos Santos's older brother Giovanni is nowhere to be seen tonight, and for the next four weeks, as injury could curtail his season.
Let's have a quick check on what the form is like for both of these sides as we approach kickoff, and we'll start with the hosts and La Real have endured a rotten April. After stringing together a three-game winning streak in March - their longest winning run under Moyes - they're now winless in four - two draws and two defeats!
What about Villarreal (I still can't do it) then? Well, Toral's side have hit a slump at precisely the wrong time and they're without a win in SIX - four draws, two defeats. That's 14 points dropped in recent weeks, and they're 13 adrift of the Champions League spots. You do the maths folks. It could've been so different for the visitors.
Right we're about three minutes from kickoff so let's do what we always do and get a prediction wrong, and I'm going for a 1-1 draw. With Sociedad winless in four, and the Yellow Subma....Villarreal (sorry but I can't) winless in six, surely a close encounter is on the cards? Vela and Campbell among the goalscorers. Let's go!
Incidentally, it's Moyes's birthday today, so happy birthday to him! The players are stripped and out on the field and we're about a minute away!
KICKOFF: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand we're off at the Anoeta Stadium. Villarreal get us underway and let's see what the clash throws up.
SHOT! First blood for Villarreal in the shot stakes, as Arsenal loanee drills a left-footed shot at goal but it's straight at Geronimo Rulli and the Sociedad keeper makes the save.
Brilliant ball here from Xabi Prieto, who plays a wonderful long pass to fit-again Carlos Vela. The former Arsenal man races with Bojan Jokic before winning a corner off the Slovakian. The set piece comes to nothing, though. Decent start to this though.
Fairly comfortable start by Sociedad here to be fair. Lots of yellow shirts out there - well, 10 to be exact - but they're chasing shadows in this first eight minutes or so. They can't get the ball.
It's been a slow start by Villarreal, but historically they are slow starters. They haven't scored a goal within the 20-minute mark in nearly five months seemingly! It underlines the importance of Sociedad perhaps getting an early-ish goal because Villarreal will certainly coming into this more and more as the minutes tick on.
CHANCE! This is a really good chance for Villarreal but they waste it. Victor Ruiz floats a wonderful cross over to Jaume Costa, who looks like he's going to volley home from an acute angle, but his execution is sliced and the ball takes an age to drop into the hands of Geronimo.
Like an incontinent boy in a swimming pool, it's all yellow at the minute as Villarreal dominate but they're yet to build on that chance from a few minutes ago.
Villarreal win a free kick in a decent position now and they'll whip this into the danger zone. Stay tuned...
CHANCE! Oh no it could, and definitely should, be 1-0 my friends. Jonathan Dos Santos whips in a fantastic free kick and Tomas Pina, yet to score in La Liga, sends a close-range free header over the bar. Really poor there.
Villarreal have been well on top in recent minutes and Ruiz side-foots Costa's cross back into the mix, but Sociedad clear. I don't want to tempt fate here, but Villarreal are gradually warming up - ominously for Sociead.
CHANCE! Good Sociedad know it's their manager's birthday? They're not playing like it, as Villarreal go close again through Costa, who drags Manuel Trigueros's pass narrowly wide of Geronimo's far post. Should've been on target at the very, very least. He's had two chances now.
Victor Ruiz does his keeper Sergio Asenjo no favours here with a dodgy backpass, but the Villarreal stopper handles the situation well.
Brilliant work from Carlos Vela, who intentionally wins a free kick off Pina and there's a few candidates who will take this. It's a decent position but let's see if anything comes to it...
Not a great free kick from Ruben Pardo, whose effort clips off the wall and goes over the bar, before the corner ultimately comes to nothing. Sociedad, in truth, haven't been great.
Campbell has looked lively so far, and had his first touch been a little better he'd have been in on goal here but a dodgy touch allows Geronimo the time to smother and collect. Good goalkeeping, but something would've come out of that had the touch been crisper.
PENALTY APPEAL: Brilliant over-the-top ball from Granero for Prieto, who goes to ground after being tugged by Jokic, but the referee is having none of it. In truth, he's looking for it and the ref is probably right.
SAVE! Good hit from Trigueras forces Geronimo into a very good save following Joel Campbell's scuffed cut-back pass. Villarreal have been quite wasteful it has to be said.
SAVE! Another save from Geronimo, who pulls off a fine point-blank stop to keep out Pina again from the resulting corner. How Villarreal aren't leading by about three goals here I don't know.
HALFTIME: Sociedad 0-0 Villarreal
That's all she wrote in a first 45 minutes to forget if you're of a Sociedad persuasion it has to be said. The hosts haven't been great, with Villarreal dominating but we're still 0-0.
Tomas Pina and Jaume Costa wasted two good opportunities apiece, while Manuel Trigueras forced Geronimo into a very decent save toward the end of the half. It's David Moyes's birthday but he won't be in celebratory mood in that dressing room. I'm sure he's delivering quite an angry half-time speech - via a translator, who is mimicing the Scot's anger as well as his words. *may not be happening*
Sociedad also had a penalty appeal when Xabi Prieto went to ground after having his arm tugged by Jokic, but a penalty would've been soft I think. It was one of them where it would've gone either way.
Not good enough overall from Sociedad. They've been second to Villarreal in every department and they need to buck up their ideas in this second half. Stay tuned.
RESTART! Aaaaaaaaaaaaand we're back in action at the Anoeta Stadium and Villarreal already have a chance as Jaume Costa, who had about nine (probably two) chances in the first half, fails to get a clean connection on a header and Sociedad clear.
No chances to tell you about from Sociedad but there's signs that Moyes gave them a bit of a telling-off during the break because they've been much better in the early stages of this half. Birthday boy Moyes will hope it lasts.
Brilliant running from Campbell, who wins a free kick from Granero right on the edge of the Sociedad's box and this may be a decent chance. Dos Santos is lining it up...
Shocking effort from Dos Santos, whose free kick clips off the wall and looks to be heading out for a corner, before Vela intervenes and wins a free kick in the opposite direction.
SUB: We've seen the first sub of the night as Antonio Rukavina comes on to replace the injured Chechu Dorado, who limps around the perimeter of the field with two medics.
CLOSE! This is Sociedad's best chance, and wasn't even that close in the scheme of things, as Granero whips a free kick around the wall and it curls wide of Ascenjo's far post - though the keeper had it covered.
Chances are well and truly at a premium for both sides here. We've seen virtually nothing of Gerard in the 62 minutes that we've played thus far, while Sociedad have offered little to nothing in the final third. Not going to lie, if this match was a dog you'd have to shoot it.
Just as I say that, Inigo Martinez has probably Sociead's best chance of the game but his towering header is straight at Ascenjo unfortunately for him.
SUB: Sociedad make their first sub now as David Zurutuza makes way for Sergio Canales. Good player to bring on when you need a goal so let's see what kinda impact he can have in the last 25 minutes.
It's been a game of two halves it seems. Villarreal dominated the first half, yet they've barely had a kick in this second period as of yet.
Just as I say, Villarreal, in a rare foray forward, come close to working something when Joel Campbell fizzes an excellent ball across the face of goal, but it's got a tad too much pace on it and Gerard can't reach it.
BLOCK! Is it a coincidence that Sociedad work their best chance when Canales comes on? Anywho, the Sociedad midfielder looks like thrashing a half-volley into an empty net after Ascenjo's dodgy punch, but his shot is crucially blocked by Ruiz I think it was.
Bizarrely, Villarreal goalkeeper Juan Carlos Sanchez gets a yellow card - and he's on the bench! He must've said something. What is it about substitute goalkeepers, because that Pinto at Barcelona used to pick up a card every second game from the bench. It must be the frustration at playing second fiddle.
Shooting training and free-kick training - that's what both managers need to put their players through on Monday morning because both sides need improving in both areas. Good lord.
SUB: Vela, who made his first start since January, is called ashore for Chory Castro, who did score a wondergoal against Deportivo the other week.
SUB: Left-back turned left-winger Jaume Costa makes way for Villarreal starlet Fran Sol. Costa did well after being forced to play in an unfamiliar role due to a depleted forward line, but he should've scored at least one of the 47 chances that he had.
CLOSE!!!! This is very, very close for Villarreal, and it's Trigueras, who finds himself with the ball following Mario's botched overhead, and his first-time effort whistles narrowly over the bar. What a goal that would've been.
Right there's 10 minutes left, but will we see a winner? I can't imagine so, because the finishing has been relatively poor.
SUB: Sociedad make their final sub now as club-record Alfred Finnbogason replaces Agirretxe. This bloke makes Nicklas Bendtner look like Pele so let's not go expecting heroics folks.
CHANCE! We've waited 84 minutes, and lord knows how we didn't see the opener. The ball falls to Chory Castro inside Villarreal's box after THREE away players missed the cross, but with just Ascenjo to beat, flashes a shot at goal but the keeper punches away. Good save but, if we're being honest, that should've been the winner.
DISALLOWED GOAL! This is cruel from the linesman, but he's right. He chalks off Tomas Pina's header for offside and, as we said, he's right I think. Looks like we're heading for a bore draw folks.
Hasn't been a great 52nd birthday for Moyes, who is minutes away from watching his side register another draw to extend their winless streak to five. Three minutes added on folks.
FULL TIME: Sociedad 0-0 Villarreal
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad that's all she wrote here folks. Villarreal and Sociedad play out a drab goalless draw at the Anoeta Stadium. It was a game of both halves, with the visitors dominating the opening 45, while Sociedad have been much the better of both sides from half time onward. Yet, it's a bore draw.
Anywho, that's all we've got time for tonight, ladies and gents. We hope you've enjoyed our commentary and we'll see you next time.
Written by
Shane Callaghan
Shane Callaghan
