Bilbao at the San Mames 
La Liga - 2015/2016
- Thread starter jojojo
- Start date
no busquets no party
I'm very happy we ended up with Darmian instead of Alves
Maybe, but against Bilbao you'd expect them to do much better than this, regardless.
Same here. He's class.
He is. Very mediocre by their standards.
True. They've not been in control whatsoever at any point really. Sloppy build-up, often by excellent Athletic pressing, but also some very poor choices from Barça players.
At the San Mamés? Even with their best XI they usually struggle there. Last season was an exceptional performance. They've regularly dropped pts there.
But come on, 4-0? You can't say this isn't a surprise. A loss, sure it happens but not a complete drubbing at both ends of the pitch.
Barca fans too are also delighted, I doubt Darmian or anybody can ever link-up with Messi like Alves does. And a player who served the club so much deserves to retire here. No offence, Darmian isn't even in the same class as Alves. Alves/Marcelo are just another catagory of player.
I'll repeat what I said in the crazy prediction thread..Rafa will probably win the league with Madrid..its not just Barca's poor defense, but I really believe that Madrid will be more up for it, and he has the players...and he has the knowledge of winning the thing too..
Barca still have a chance for the quintuplet.
Whenever people start mentioning the possibility of such large trophy hauls, usually the wheels come off very quickly( Other than Barca 09 )...well, it usually happens to City a lot ...
Have they been on some sort of fertility treatment?
I wouldn't have said it's very likely, but I'm not surprised at seeing it happen if that makes any sense. This backline is completely untested and 3/4 of them barely played last season. And the MF didn't have any element of ball retention in it at the start. No Busquets/Iniesta is an issue for them. As it stands Athletic deserve all the plaudits for their commitment and pressing; even when Iniesta and Rakitic came on they (Barça) couldn't find a rhythm.
Thoroughly deserved win for the Basques.
Octomom could give them some tips.
Nah they will end up on third or fourth place, I don't see RM a thread specially using Bale at front
What the chance of Barca winning 5-0 at home? It's not completely out of the question.
I hope Bilbao have a better start to the season. It took them ages to get going last season.
Well it's too early, none of the games we played is with our regular starters. Last season, we had bext defence not only in the league, but among the best in Europe. Team doesn't become shit just beacuse of loss in few preseason games.
Alba missing, Alves just arrived, regular mid field is being rotated. Hardly end of the world. But it does prove that bench strength is bad, specially bad signs for Bartra and Roberto.
Course it isn't but you would hope Bilbao would be prepared for that.
Barca should be given some slack though. They had to go 120 minutes against a strong Sevilla side only a few days ago.
Tbf Barca players must be pretty tired after playing 120 minutes against Sevilla just a few days ago. But still is been a great performance from the home team. Complete destruction. Vermaelen's Barca career is over before it even began.
They arent ending up 3rd or 4th..Rafa isnt an idiot he is portrayed as here ...He has a big mouth, but he has the talent there to do very well..He has experimented in preseason, but I see him adapting his team to get more goals to the season..They are still the 2nd/3rd best team on the planet..Rafa doesnt negate that
Less than 5%, I am sure we won't play full team again. I would rather lose this one than in league. Better give rest to senior players.
Pique is a very good defender, but Alves is better attacker than defender at this age..I dont think they are that poor ,but with the inablity to sign any improvements in the next 6 monthsw, points may very well be dropped..and January is a terrible time to be buying when everyone knows you need players..
http://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbo...oles-en-dos-partidos-seguidos-desde-2001.html
Barcelona didn´t receive 4 goals in two consecutive games from 2001
Barcelona didn´t receive 4 goals in two consecutive games from 2001
We already got cover for Alves, Vidal has been signed. He can start playing in few months. And Alves has been very good last few months. He didn't have a pre-season. I am not concerned about that.
And we have Vermaelen back from injury, and he wasn't available at all last season. Good enough to add depth to CB.
They have players ready to play for them in Jan. Turan is there, Aleix Vidal, who can play both RB and RM is already signed too. They are also looking to sign a defender from French League. Players are willing to give up six months to play for them. Bravo is also a much assured keeper for them,
Goodluck keeping Vermaelen fit...He's a proper crock...Obviously you have smaller problems than most teams, but the margins are much smaller for a club competing at the highest level such as Barca..
The one from Monaco? I heard, but we'll see whether its enough..for the record, Id rather Barca win the league than Madrid as I detest Madrid, but I can see Real winning it..they'll be up for it..and in the last two seasons , they have had really great spells where they looked irresistable..but injuries and poor rotation hindered them..
No again. Iniesta came in and the very next minute it was 2-0 . Rakitic came in when it was 2-0 and the very next minute again it was 3-0.
Not that it matters anyway.
I feel it's a blessing in disuguise. It will make the coach and the players think. 8 goals in 2 games is enough to put everyone back to earth. You can't be complecent and the reserve players need to step-up. I am more dissapointed with Enrique's insistence to persist with Roberto. I believe he's as good as a turd, and should be sold. I doubt even Stoke will be interested in him. IMO, they should give more chances to Samper. He's way more talented than Roberto. They are playing the wrong Sergie.
Yeah, the one from Monaco.
Usually the team with better defence tends to win the league more often than not. Last season, Real struggled defensively against decent teams in la liga. I dunno whether they have fixed it or not. Barca, with Pique, Bravo and Mascherano will have enough experience, bite and height to cope with any defensive issues, along with their superior possession and positioning of Busquets. Real have a big issue of their CDM not being of Busquets level in terms of defending and eventually that might be where the league is won.
Its not just the goals, but the openess of the defense almost..Sevilla cut theough the Barca defense like butter that day and for some poor finishing, could have got 6 or 7..It will be hard for Barca to be up for it, and I feel that the attack at times covers for the times when the defense has not been so good..But, we'll see...just this January after watching their first game of the year, they looked done..
They are trying to fix it..( Damn you De Gea)..but yes, La liga is easily lost on dropping too much points and consistency is key..I think that point was raised last year after they sold off Xabi, but they looked like they didnt miss him especially during the first half of the season with Modric and Kroos together...then the injuries..
The problem is that we're -barca- playing Atletico, Real, Bilbao, Valencia, Sevilla, Villareal ..and more away in the first round, all of them !! And Bilbao's is the first game in a week's time. You really can't make this up 
. Terrible schedule.
. Terrible schedule.They deserved to get thumped for wearing these hideous jerseys.
Is this two legs?