Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and Bundesliga results from the weekend - September 1

Chelsea humiliate a wobbly Everton defence

This season, like last season, Everton conceded two goals in their opening game, a 2-2 draw. But last season, they followed that up with three clean sheets; this season, they've conceded another eight in just two games. Last time around, they didn't concede their tenth league goal of the league campaign until the 19th of October; this season, Diego Costa rattled in the tenth-against before we were even out of August.

It's a slightly specious comparison, of course, since six goal thumpings are rare and strange things. Even dreadful sides manage to avoid shipping six more often than not. But the real concern comes from what happened in the first three minutes, as Chelsea twice walked through Everton's defence as though it simply wasn't there. The Toffees looking delightfully tasty and Naismithy at the front, but they're looking positively wretched at the back. Two late equalisers in their first two games suggested a lack of concentration, or maybe an inability to retain shape and security under concerted pressure, but the limp opening against Chelsea raises the spectre of wider, deeper problems.

Seamus Coleman aside, Everton's starting defensive unit is what we might politely call experienced, and what we might rudely suggest is getting on a bit. In goal, Tim Howard is 35; ahead of him, Phil Jagielka and Sylvain Distin are 32 and 36; in front of them, their primary screening midfielder, Gareth Barry, is 35. At 29, Leighton Baines is a relative whippersnapper. All admirable footballers, all of whom were very good last season. All approaching that ill-defined moment when footballers decline. There's youthful promise behind them -- John Stones, Muhamed Besic, Joel Robles, and a few other that haven't yet troubled the first team -- but so far this season, it's been the old guard at the back.

In essence, this summer Martinez took a gamble. The singing of Romelu Lukaku was all kinds of necessary: they need him as a player but also as a symbol of a new and confident Everton, one that can attract players who think they're good enough for the Champions League. But it ate most of Everton's ever-limited transfer budget, it nixed the possibility of any experienced-but-not-superannuated defensive reinforcement. As such, Martinez has to get through another season with a defence made up of the young, the old, and the Baines.

Perhaps last Sunday was just a bad day at the office. Perhaps Chelsea are just super-amazing. Perhaps nobody's toppling off a cliff. But if not, then at some point Martinez will have to change something. The Everton that finish the season could look significantly more fresh-faced than the one that started it.

Napoli time is back

It wasn't supposed to end this way, with the hosts slumping dejectedly off the pitch, the visitors celebrating wildly.

Well, let's re-phrase that. Originally it was likely to end this way, with Napoli, who'd openly declared their title ambitions, beating Genoa, who were merely hopeful of staying out of the relegation fight this season. And when José Callejón scored a delightful goal before three minutes were out, it looked as though the game would play out according to the script.

Except Genoa didn't want to stick to their assigned role. After about 15 minutes, they began taking control of the match, and soon Napoli were looking rather bemused, with no ideas on how to stop the constant grifone attack. Goalkeeper Rafael was called into action, making two outstanding saves, but a header from Mauricio Pinilla flew over his head and into the back of the net, sending the sides into the break on level terms.

But it was the beginning of the season, and legs were tired. At around the hour mark, Genoa started flagging, allowing Napoli to get back into the match. Rafa Benítez used his substitutions wisely, throwing on the always-lively Dries Mertens, followed by new boys Jonathan de Guzmán and Michu. It was de Guzmán that made the difference, tapping in a loose ball in the final minute of injury time.

What might be more important for fans, however, is the re-emergence of the "Zona Mazzarri", or, as it might be more aptly called now, "Benitez Time." This isn't Fergie-Time, with extended injury minutes added after 90 minutes played. Rather, it references Napoli's tendency to score in the final five minutes of normal time, plus whatever is added on. Mazzarri Time was a huge factor in 2010-2011, Walter Mazzarri's first full season in charge of the club. That season, Edinson Cavani truly emerged as a huge talent, and Napoli finished 3rd, securing their entry into the Champions League group stages for the first time since the tournament began.

One goal late scored late in the first match of the season means little, of course. But if Napoli can resurrect the habit, they'll not only be one of the most thrilling sides to watch in Europe, they'll also be able to make a real challenge for the scudetto.

Real Madrid let their true colors fly

Eleven minutes into the match at the Anoeta, all was looking rosy for Real Madrid. Despite being without Cristiano Ronaldo, Xabi Alonso and Ángel di María, the former due to injury and the latter to sales, the European Champions were tearing into their obliging hosts. Sergio Ramos had a goal from a corner and had nearly grabbed another straight from a free kick. Gareth Bale had chipped in with a goal of remarkable skill, picking up a pass from Luka Modric, opening up space by nutmegging Gorka Elustondo and poking past Eñaut Zubikarai. Real Sociedad, it seemed, were in for a third successive humiliation.

And then the rest of the match happened.

The first goal — an Iñigo Martínez tap-in at the back post from a set piece — might have been excused as a blip, but the second was an entirely different story. La Real had been buoyed by their earlier strike, were escaping the high press the visitors had been using to pin them back, and, having broken the first line of defense found that there was very little between them and Iker Casillas’s net.

The equaliser came through a simple passing move. The Real Madrid midfield was completely bypassed by a forward ball, which was flicked wide for Alberto de la Bello to swing in from the left touchline. Incredibly, a whole slew of La Real players were on hand to attack the delivery, essentially untroubled by Real Madrid’s defence. That it was David Zurutuza who got to the cross and headed past Casillas 2-2 seemed almost incidental: two or three players might have scored it.

Having thrown away a 2-0 lead and the momentum afforded them by a blistering start before halftime, Real Madrid might have used the break to regroup. But they couldn’t even do that. The second half was a La Real procession, and the final score — 4-2 to the hosts — was entirely fair on the balance of play.

So what happened to Real Madrid? While it’s fashionable for their fans to point the finger at the shambling corpse of Casillas in goal, or the bizarre defending of Ramos and Pepe, the truth of the matter is that these issues are a direct result of the summer’s transfer policy. The midfield, a trio of Luka Modric, Isco and Toni Kroos, featured zero defensively capable players, and that they were remarkable on the ball and ripped to pieces whenever they didn’t have it was entirely predictable.

Carlo Ancelotti will find it impossible to both balance his squad and keep the high-priced Galaticos playing, which is perhaps fortunate for the rest of Europe. It’s also entirely keeping with Real Madrid’s DNA. The Champions of Europe no longer have a midfield capable of doing the dirty work — they’ve put another coating of paint on the Bentley without bothering to keep the engine running. Again.

Alternative hypothesis: the football gods were punishing them for dressing up as highlighters.