La Liga 2019/20

Paul_Scholes18

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It is strange to see Barca and Real both struggle so much. I thought they would improve with time early on, but not really seeing that.
Injuries might be a factor, but Real got great depth.
 

SharpshooterTom

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I still think Barca will win la liga this year, and I also think Argentina are destined to finally win the Copa America given they're home.

Should that happen, it would wrap Messi's 7th Ballon d'Or. I've always said I think he'll finish 10+ Ballon d'Or's given the propensity of sportstars to play till 40 nowadays.
 

Paul_Scholes18

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I still think Barca will win la liga this year, and I also think Argentina are destined to finally win the Copa America given they're home.

Should that happen, it would wrap Messi's 7th Ballon d'Or. I've always said I think he'll finish 10+ Ballon d'Or's given the propensity of sportstars to play till 40 nowadays.
Still think Real will win it. Although could go both ways.
No Suarez is huge. Messi needs to play at his best against Madrid for them to win it I think.
We know he can win games on his own, but his form has been poor recently.
 

carvajal

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Osasuna playing good minutes, very intense.Madrid should keep the ball and pause the game despite the result.
I have barely watched Isco.
All the play through the left and Estupiñán without giving Bale any option
 

carvajal

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Osasuna playing good minutes, very intense.Madrid should keep the ball and pause the game despite the result.
I have barely watched Isco.
All the play through the left and Estupiñán without giving Bale any option
:D
 

giorno

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Yeah, teams just aren't scoring easily on this defence. Second half they had us pinned back and still their only chance was from forcing a turnover(with a foul, too)

I feel good about our chances, so long as nobody gets injured
 

RoyH1

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Mendy gives this team so much security at the back. He should clearly be first choice before Marcelo.
 

GatoLoco

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Mendy-Casemiro-Valverde is a nightmare for the opponent. You can defeat a team with those three in the lineup of course, but it's going to take a lot of effort to do so.

Good goal for Jovic's confidence, I hope he breaks his bad luck in games to come.

Isco MOTM today. When he's focused his contribution is quite significant.

Real Madrid will be "solid", or very solid in case there won't be injuries in key positions. At the moment I'm curious to know when Hazard will return and how fit he will be.
 

Paul_Scholes18

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We don't

I was asleep until the 34th minute, woke up, put the game on and Sergio scores :D
You got in theory. You have like around 10 attacking players for 3-4 positions.
I guess the one thing you lack is a backup defensive midfielder .
 

carvajal

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You got in theory. You have like around 10 attacking players for 3-4 positions.
I guess the one thing you lack is a backup defensive midfielder .
Yes, Fortunately it seems that Casemiro has plenty of gasoline and is never injured. I imagine that Militao could cover Carvajal but is not a totally perfect solution, I think
 

FootballHQ

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Have you seen Getafe play?
Yes. They get men behind the ball, are very physical and get it into the final third quickly. Remind me of Palace or Burnley over here which shows how amazing they're doing to be actually in top 4 and in europa knock outs.

It is always said here by defenders of them that likes of Pulis and Alladyche would play better football if they had better quality players to pick from although I don't quite believe that.

Just wondering if Bordalas could change his style a little if say he got the Sevilla job next season.
 

giorno

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You got in theory. You have like around 10 attacking players for 3-4 positions.
I guess the one thing you lack is a backup defensive midfielder .
Attack aside -where we don't even have 3 great starting options btw, just 3 very promising kids, a guy who can't even pretend to be bothered, a mystery box and Lucas Vazquez- the depth across the rest of the team is poor. Isco is back to his best and that's awesome, but he's more of a tactical alternative than anything and then only across the front 3 -which means giving up vertical and goal-scoring threat-. The rest? Whenever anyone of Nacho, Marcelo, Militao is on the pitch the drop in quality is massive, and we literally have 5 players we simply can't replace: Courtois, Ramos, Casemiro, Valverde and Benzema. If even one of them is missing we turn into last season's team
 

giorno

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Yes. They get men behind the ball, are very physical and get it into the final third quickly. Remind me of Palace or Burnley over here which shows how amazing they're doing to be actually in top 4 and in europa knock outs.

It is always said here by defenders of them that likes of Pulis and Alladyche would play better football if they had better quality players to pick from although I don't quite believe that.

Just wondering if Bordalas could change his style a little if say he got the Sevilla job next season.
Getafe are the most high pressing madmen team in the world. They don't get men behind the ball, they get men chasing after it like a pack of wolves. They're more early Klopp-era Dortmund than Allardyce or Pulis
 

FootballHQ

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Getafe are the most high pressing madmen team in the world. They don't get men behind the ball, they get men chasing after it like a pack of wolves. They're more early Klopp-era Dortmund than Allardyce or Pulis
I must've been watching them in the wrong games last season then (haven't actually seen them play much this year but respect the continual amazing results). Saw them get a 0-0 at Valencia last season when they time wasted from first minute to last and strangled the life out of the game (if they'd won that have made CL).

Real Madrid at home was also 0-0 and an incredibly boring game. They just strike me as a team really good at denying opposition space in final third and then pinch a game with a set piece goal from Mata or the other other strikers they have.

Still Spain is much better than premier league at giving up and coming managers chances higher up. Pablo Machin had a fantastic couple of years at Girona but didn't work out for him at Sevilla or Espanyol so curious to see if he'll get a chance next season.
 

giorno

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I must've been watching them in the wrong games last season then
Yes, i would say so

Check it out:

https://statsbomb.com/2020/01/weekl...s-struggles-valencias-unlikely-form-and-more/

They just strike me as a team really good at denying opposition space in final third and then pinch a game with a set piece goal from Mata or the other other strikers they have.
Well you're not wrong. They deny opposition space in the final third by never letting them near it though
 

Mb194dc

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From two RM games this week, can we reasonably conclude Casemiro is the most important player in the team.

No Casemiro, no beer.

Great finish by Jovic at the end too, even if given acers.

I think he'll come good if given playing time. Shouldn't underestimate the mental strength of people from this part of the world. Also see Djokovic in tennis.

Saw highlights of Basque game too, nice finish by Williams. Think he's still improving. Bilbao can't sell though as no way to replace.
 

Mb194dc

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No, he's one of 4-5
Yet you got battered at home, shipping 4 and then come from 1 down to beat an admittedly not great team today.

Would agree Ramos is v important too.

Think whole balance of the team is off without Casemiro. Irreplaceable in current system.
 

Paul_Scholes18

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Attack aside -where we don't even have 3 great starting options btw, just 3 very promising kids, a guy who can't even pretend to be bothered, a mystery box and Lucas Vazquez- the depth across the rest of the team is poor. Isco is back to his best and that's awesome, but he's more of a tactical alternative than anything and then only across the front 3 -which means giving up vertical and goal-scoring threat-. The rest? Whenever anyone of Nacho, Marcelo, Militao is on the pitch the drop in quality is massive, and we literally have 5 players we simply can't replace: Courtois, Ramos, Casemiro, Valverde and Benzema. If even one of them is missing we turn into last season's team
Well it is still good depth. Bale, Hazard, Vinicious, Rodrygo, Assensio, Vazquez, Isco, James, Diaz, Jovic, Benzema for the attack.
I guess some of the depth have not performed though, but that is the case with most clubs. No other side is close to your attacking depth.

PSG got best depth in Europe in my view overall, but your side is probably second. I guess your depth is too much depth/talent up front, but too little world class quality if we do not rate Bale as world class anymore.
Liverpool barely got any depth up front, but they play the same guys all games and win.
Juventus also got depth, but lack options up front.

We got depth in attacking midfield now ;). Bruno, Pogba, Lingard, Mata, Pereira. Although the last 3 doesn't really bring much joy.
 

Mb194dc

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He is. But so are Ramos, Valverde and Benzema
Valverde knows how to foul tactically, will give him that :lol:

I rate Ramos, think you'd still be able to score goals without Benzema. Granted he's class.

Just the injuries, If you've got Hazard, Bale, Jovic , Rodrygo, Junior and the rest firing you can handle without him.