Pires: back on song

First of all, he is enjoying his football. He hobbled around when he didn't have the ball like he had callipers on, but as soon as there was a sniff of a chance, he was away, dancing round people.

Graham Hunter on Robert Pires
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Exit Juan Roman Riquelme, enter Robert Pires...

Villarreal have found the perfect replacement for the outcast Argentinian in the shape of a 33-year-old who almost quit the game through injury.

That was the verdict of Graham Hunter as Revista de la Liga looked back on Pires' performance in the 3-1 win over Barcelona that took the Yellow Submarines into second spot in La Liga.

Pires, who missed most of last season with a cruciate ligament injury, won both penalties converted by Marcos Senna and this season has already gone a long wait to making the El Madrigal forget firm favourite Riquelme.

"First of all, he is enjoying his football," he said. "He hobbled around when he didn't have the ball like he had callipers on, but as soon as there was a sniff of a chance, he was away, dancing round people.

"Particularly for the second penalty. He diddles Milito all together, skips awat from Puyol and forces the foul off Milito, which was vintage Pires. He's happy, he's comfortable, he feels fit.

"Remember he almost quit football so disappointed was he with the devastating injury he suffered. I think he thinks that in the absence of Juan Roman Riquelme this team is tailor-made for his skills and experience.

"The second penalty he defended to the hilt. He said he touched me, I went down, lost my balance. There was no question on the first one when Eric Abidal came around, but for this one he said 'I felt a touch, but it wasn't a foul'.

Beauty

"So the next question from the journalist next to me was did you hoodwink the referee and Pires just said: 'Yeah, I made me decision, felt a touch and went down. I let the referee call it and he called it in my favour - that's modern football'.

"The rest of his display was just five-star and a beauty to watch."

Pires' season could not provide a greater contrast to that of Riquelme.

On fire for Argentina but frozen out at his club, the Villarreal legend has fallen out with coach Manuel Pellegrini and, says Hunter, will soon be searching for a new club.

"I think you can judge it by the coach's words," he explained. "When Manuel Pellegrini says 'coverage of this issue makes me feel like an international terrorist'.

"I love Riquelme and the way he scored against Chile to stick it to Pellegrini, who is Chilean, and said I guess when Pellegrini was playing Villarreal were having the best results in their entire history!

"But the truth is he skived off training, he lied about why he was in Argentina, he broke club rules and had 10 or 12 chances. The president and the coach have both said 'No more. Sorry, but you have to support the club and its discipline'.

"There's no room at Villarreal for people who don't obey - and enter Robert Pires.