Finally some good pressure from Bilbao. Raul Garcia very close to getting onto the end of that cross.
La Liga 2019/20
- Thread starter carvajal
- Start date
I'm sure standing 30 yards out centrally and waiting to be kicked has been an actual tactic for Messi these past couple of years.
Is Pique really trying to shake off a groin injury...
Right on cue. Just a bit closer this time.
He was legit fouled though and if anything when he gets kicked he usually keeps going with his run
The subs really changed the game, ansu and puig should be playing way more minutes
Yes, this game should've really earned them a starting spot. Performance is more important than a big name.
It's infuriating how teams keep having this terror of barcelona that leads them to gift them goals through incredibly dumb mistakes they only make against barcelona....
I really do fear for Barca, they have 2-3 years to replace Suarez, Messi (obviously impossible), Pique, and Busquets
Very poor recruitment for them.
Puig has been very impressive.
Very poor recruitment for them.
Puig has been very impressive.
In all fairness, they played atrocious but still deserved the win. Bilbao did nothing in the second half. Barca didn't have many good chances but they kind of forced it in the end. 18 to 6 shots. Fati had a great chance, Messi missed two good ones, Griezmann also screwed up once. And they had two free kicks which is always dangerous against them. They easily could've won by three goals without playing well or even okayish at all.
They're very lucky to have Puig and Fati ready. Both look like world class talents. If they integrate them properly, that could easily save them 150+m in signing fees.
Barca needed that, though, since their transfer strategy will cost them big time. It's actually crazy how different their approach is to Real Madrid which looks already set up and ready for the next decade.
Given the way Barca operates, they're likely to swap both of those out at below market price to bring in their latest ridiculous signing.
Only thing that will stop Suarez and Griezmann starting games is injury. Quite surprised that they both got subbed out tonight.
Yeah, possibly. Maybe they buy back Paulinho for 60m and then play him as a LW.
Maybe, but he looked like a better fit 9 months ago, the more he plays the less in contact he is with the ball and the more his runs get ignored.
It's debatable which would be his role in this team, or if his role would be 100M worth, I get anyone thinking he shouldn't be here, but on the left, central (instead of Suarez) and even on the right with Messi as a false 9, I think he could raise his level to something close what we paid for him, instead he keeps falling deeper into a pit.
We needed to replace them yesterday. This team would be a serious contender for the CL if you put De Ligt, De Jong, Gaya and a good striker to rotate with Suarez, while keeping Pique, Busquets and Alba as depth for the team. There's enough minutes for everyone.
Would still be better than watching Griezmann struggle out on the LW
Thing is, whether he plays a striker or a RW, he'll always utilize the same spaces as Messi. I think it is very hard to find a player Messi is not compatible with since he can switch positions so easily but with Griezmann, they found one. Messi could probably do with a right footed version of his but not with the original. Obviously you could ask Griezmann to adjust his playing style since he has a relatively broad tool set but then again why do you spend 100+m on a 29 year old player that doesn't fit in? He's not a talent, you can't form him that effortlessly and he's no long term investment either - you can't adjust your squad to him and give him a few seasons, he needs to click immediately.
I think it was a very dumb move, to be honest, from both parties. The only hope is that he can replace Suarez in the not so distant future as a striker. And that's already a long stretch since as far as I know, he always played as a second striker for Atleti and France. By the way, that makes the transfer even dumber since the best formation for Griezmann is probably a 4-4-2 and that's exactly the one formation that doesn't fit possession football. And in the 4-2-3-1, the 10 obviously belongs to Messi.
Don't understand this either. What's the point in constantly going for these mediocre managers and then expecting them to manage the team brilliantly?
This new fellow doesn't really seem to offer anything new other than "try Barca way". Also, is he averse to dropping the old guard? People seem to be suggesting their younger players could start more often than they do.
Finally, Griezmann has been a woeful signing. There was no need for him and he's a complete misfit. Better suited to counter attack football or being a SS.
I don't know what they were thinking. Plenty of people thought it was a poor move. I guess what I didn't expect is him to be this bad. But even on paper, they had a attack which was getting on and lacked genuine mobility and wingplay. Messi and Suarez are both now well in their 30s and both like to play centrally so what obviously makes sense is to sign a third starting attacking who also operates centrally and isn't especially quick.
Hazard with a free role. Good to see Vini start again.
Nice to see Celta are now 7 points above relegation, fantastic week for them.
Their defense seems a lot better
Their defense seems a lot better
Lovely goal from Vinicius!
Wow almost another chip from Vini.
Vinicius on fire.
Hazard very lost in this position.
I would sit Modric and play Kroos some minutes.
The radio said that if Thomas leaves Atlético, Baba could be an option
I would sit Modric and play Kroos some minutes.
The radio said that if Thomas leaves Atlético, Baba could be an option
Who's Baba??
A Mallorca midfielder. He´s playing tonight
Captain Fantastic! Golazoooooo!
Ramos is the lynchpin of this team.
Ramos is my favourite Real Madrid player of all time. Guy just oozes class but a mad, mad bastard to boot.
Holy feck Graham Hunter waffles on and on. Shut the feck up mate,
Take Kubo playing good minutes. Perhaps he should be simpler and not try to embellish every action.
Youngest player in La Liga ever about to get in, Luka Romero.
15 years old.
15 years old.
Luka, Mallorca´s wonderboy looks a bit like Saviola. I mean his face
It's weird how Hazard seems ideal as a #10, but he always seems to play poorly there.
Pretty sure he came out and said he doesn't like that position either at some point.
Pretty sure he came out and said he doesn't like that position either at some point.
I like the five substitutions. Obviously playing so often has to do with being used so much, but it is good to see a few minutes of Mariano or Brahim.
Vinicius has improved so much, turning into a great talent.
It’s a bit like it was with Ribery. You expect it to work but somehow it just doesn’t.
Puuuhhh another defeat for Real Sociedad.....it would be a shame if they wouldn't get a Europa League spot.