La Liga 2013-2014

Earthquake

Pokemon expert
Joined
Jun 7, 2012
Messages
35,456
Location
Lemmy has forsaken us....
If anybody doesn't think that Barcelona couldn't do the exact same thing to hull, Cardiff, Sunderland, Stoke et Al. Can they explain why?

Because I'm pretty certain those teams would be just as badly pasted as Levante on occasion if they visited the camp nou regularly.
"Wet Tuesday night, and such...."

Or not.
 

Nighteyes

Another Muppet
Joined
Nov 14, 2012
Messages
25,467
Other English teams do it as well if they have a big game coming up. Every team rests players for big games. For a relegation team, playing a fellow low table team is a bigger match than playing United.
I am not talking about relegation threatened teams. Even the midtable Spanish sides do that and when the next games a week later there's no excuse for it. It's far too common not that Blame them.People must be absolutely blind not to see how most La liga teams don't even care about the Barca games. Not that I blame them mind, the gulf in quality is way to large.
 

Skorenzy

Full Member
Joined
May 2, 2011
Messages
5,945
Levante have lost a lot of key players though: Munua, Ballesteros, Javi Barkero, Michel...
 

100

binary bot
Joined
Jul 14, 2010
Messages
10,992
Location
HELLO
I see Ligademierda is trending on Twitter. Is La Liga getting a lot of criticism from within Spain itself?
 

Ekeke

Full Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2006
Messages
53,287
Location
Hope, We Lose
So I watched Valencia against Malaga last night. Valencia understandably missed Soldado, but there were a few bright lights in the youngsters trusted by new manager Djukic and who came away with the 3 points.

First things first I've already mentioned Juan Bernat in the Under 21 tournament thread a month or so ago after Spain went out. He played at left back last night and it looks like Valencia are keen on Jordi Alba-ing him. This is interesting because he's already shown far more to his attacking game than Alba ever did as a winger for Valencia. So if he can make the conversion to left back like Alba did, then he's going to be a real star player. Early signs are that its possible, he's a determined little player and did make a couple of tackles to see out his defensive responsibilities. But he'll have much tougher tasks than last night in the season ahead...

Coming forward on the other hand he had Valencia's best forward dribbles of the game. He's quick, can dribble past players and has a pretty good pass and was easily one of Valencia's best players yesterday.

Now onto "Fede" (Federico Nicolás Cartabia). He's a young man I haven't seen before, turns out he's Argentine and very much in the same mould as David Silva complete with the left foot. He played coming inside from the right. In the second half he had a spell where he was very impressive with his touches, turns and passes. He still needs to keep the ball a bit better and instead of playing really well for 20 mins or so, make that a full fantastic performance. But it was impressive from a player I didnt know about before. He's a couple of months older than Bernat, but both 20 year olds look like they have the potential to be among the best in the league in their positions at some point.

Two to watch out for, certainly as they have the quality to play for the senior Spain (Or Argentina if Fede opts for them) team eventually.
 

Nogbadthebad

Full Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2011
Messages
5,452
Location
Wolverhampton
I get that the money men want to keep the status quo, but really , this can't be doing Barca the team much good.

They are rarely tested in the league, and I do wonder if thats partly why they just were not at the races in the CL last year, exhibition game slook good, but that isnt how a team improves or gels for the big tests.
 

Ekeke

Full Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2006
Messages
53,287
Location
Hope, We Lose
I get that the money men want to keep the status quo, but really , this can't be doing Barca the team much good.

They are rarely tested in the league, and I do wonder if thats partly why they just were not at the races in the CL last year, exhibition game slook good, but that isnt how a team improves or gels for the big tests.
Was exactly the same when they were dominating in europe. Its fine for them, its strangling teams like Valencia who might not have had to sell their best players each summer to service their debt if they had an equal share to Madrid and Barcelona
 

Gazza

Full Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2000
Messages
32,644
Location
'tis a silly place
we all get it, la liga is shit, the premier is great

now. you "we all know about football" like walsh, bosnoian and paz, kindly, go to another thread

To be fair they're quite entitled to express their opinions on La Liga in the La Liga thread. Grow thicker skin perhaps, because this subject will endure throughout the season.
 

jojojo

JoJoJoJoJoJoJo
Staff
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
38,320
Location
Welcome to Manchester reception committee
Levante have spent 250k in the transfer market this summer and got around 6m in from sales. Getting players on frees and selling them on is how they're surviving. They'll be signing players right to the end of the window, basically those players who can't get a job somewhere else.

Levante a couple of months into the season, playing at home, won't play like this.

Barca on the other hand, may well do.
 

jojojo

JoJoJoJoJoJoJo
Staff
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
38,320
Location
Welcome to Manchester reception committee
Was exactly the same when they were dominating in europe. Its fine for them, its strangling teams like Valencia who might not have had to sell their best players each summer to service their debt if they had an equal share to Madrid and Barcelona

If they shared out La Liga's total current TV income equally, Valencia would be taking a cut in their income. If they used the PL model for sharing (by position) they'd get about the same TV money as they do now. Same with Atletico.
 

Ekeke

Full Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2006
Messages
53,287
Location
Hope, We Lose
Remember that despite their budget and being in the shadow of Valencia, a couple of seasons ago they were around the european places. The problem is they did it with quite an old team and a few years later they cant rely on those players as much, if they are even still at the club
 

Sarni

nice guy, unassuming, objective United fan.
Joined
Jan 21, 2004
Messages
57,735
Location
Krakow
If anybody doesn't think that Barcelona couldn't do the exact same thing to hull, Cardiff, Sunderland, Stoke et Al. Can they explain why?

Because I'm pretty certain those teams would be just as badly pasted as Levante on occasion if they visited the camp nou regularly.
Of course they'd do the same to them. There isn't much between the likes of Levante and the likes of Hull, Palace etc. at all.
 

Sarni

nice guy, unassuming, objective United fan.
Joined
Jan 21, 2004
Messages
57,735
Location
Krakow
Remember that despite their budget and being in the shadow of Valencia, a couple of seasons ago they were around the european places. The problem is they did it with quite an old team and a few years later they cant rely on those players as much, if they are even still at the club
They did qualify for Europa League on one occasion too.
 

Maagge

enjoys sex, doesn't enjoy women not into ONS
Joined
Oct 9, 2011
Messages
11,952
Location
Denmark
This Fabregas lad has been pretty decent today.
 

Vato

Watches other men wank.Supports Real.Coincidence?
Joined
Feb 11, 2009
Messages
33,205
Location
None of your fecking business
Supports
Real Madrid
we all get it, la liga is shit, the premier is great

now. you "we all know about football" like walsh, bosnoian and paz, kindly, go to another thread
Look who crawled from under his rock!

How've you been man? You been on holiday or something?
 

FCBarca

Mes que un Rag
Joined
Oct 19, 2010
Messages
14,246
Location
La Côte, Suisse
Supports
Peace
Still in disbelief that Messi actually sat after 70 minutes. Cesc played great but again, he has to play high up the pitch with no midfield responsibilities - he's basically a support striker like Leo and was all over the attacking third. First time I can recall Cesc playing well with Xavi, sans Iniesta. Agree with Ferrer, Fabregas should start against Atletico as well. If Pedro & Alexis keep this up, Neymar will see a lot less minutes in year 1
 

kouroux

45k posts to finally achieve this tagline
Joined
Apr 25, 2007
Messages
96,154
Location
Djibouti (La terre des braves)
Still in disbelief that Messi actually sat after 70 minutes. Cesc played great but again, he has to play high up the pitch with no midfield responsibilities - he's basically a support striker like Leo and was all over the attacking third. First time I can recall Cesc playing well with Xavi, sans Iniesta. Agree with Ferrer, Fabregas should start against Atletico as well. If Pedro & Alexis keep this up, Neymar will see a lot less minutes in year 1
He probably got bored and asked Tata to sub him hehe