Only twice as much as City-Tottenham.
La Liga - 2014/15
- Thread starter jojojo
- Start date
-
In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
Looking forward to next week. I wonder if Suarez will start the game. Not sure they can persist with Pedro and Neymar's selfishness in such an important game.
Pedro isn't selfish, if anything he defers to his team mates too often. Either way though he's been out of form for a good 2 seasons or so now.
This Madrid team tho... If I was Enrique I pack the middle and hope Messi can pull a few plays out of his ass like Argentina did at the WC
On the other hand, Real's midfield lacks a real anchorman, if they aren't careful and Iniesta finally remembers he's a world class footballer, Real Madrid could be in alot of trouble.
I don't think they should be playing Messi so deep either, but that's what makes Suarez's return so interesting, if he's as selfless as he was at Liverpool then that front line all prosper, even that selfish git Neymar.
Barcelona have looked the better team so far this season. Obviously it is early days but they are the favourites for the title and that match next weak atm.
Another goal for Real.
Not lately they haven't. Bar Messi and Rakitic, think they still look as poor as they did last season, and despite not yet conceeding, the defence certainly looks like it can be got at. Iniesta, Pedro and Busquets look very poor, and I think they're not getting the best out of Messi in the newer deeper role, unless this is being tried and tested for when Suarez returns.
Madrid have looked very good over the last few weeks. Look like they can score at will. Madrid will be favourites for the game IMO.
Don't think it's difficult to beat Real this season, whether we can do it is another question. Enrique looks totally deluded to me and out of depth in this business. Madrid couldn't beat us last season when they were stronger team and Barca was easily weaker. Won't need too much to dominate this Real midfield. Enrique needs to put Messi in midfield (10), play a 4-men midfield with Masche instead of Busi and Alves to bench. I see no reason how Madrid midfield can cope with that.
Well, I hope you are right but Madrid are very reliant on the opposition allowing them space in order to be dangerous. Barcelona over the years have been very good at denying Madrid that space on the wings (the classico at the Bernabeu when they won 4-3 was a good example as Ronaldo and Bale were non-existent due to not getting the space they require to be dangerous. Under Guardiola they were even better at stopping counter-attacks by congesting the wings). There will also be a lot of pressure on Madrid as if Barca win you could almost say that the title is over or at least extremely difficult for them and that will definitely be at the back of the coach and players minds. As a result Madrid will probably have to go for it more than Barca do and that will suit them much more than us.
Masch starts in the holding role tonight by the way - Busquets, Iniesta and Rakitić all rested.
IMO, Barcelona's chances of winning hinges on Messi turning up (like he did last season), but with a less prominant role in the side I think they're there for the taking. There are one too passengers in their team right now, whereas everyone seems to be pulling their own weight in the Real side.
First two have been poor when I've seen them this season, think it's a good thing that they've been dropped/rested. I'm torn tonight, I'm waiting on Barca -1 for £100 but I have a stake in Eibar
Where he should be starting regularly ahead of Busquets - the most overrated player in La Liga.
Shocked that Messi didn't score there. Great keeping though in fairness.
Pedro is so frustrating to watch
Does Dani Alves not realise he's crossing the ball to a team of midgets?
Unlucky Messi there. So close to scoring a replica of his goal against Arsenal a few years back.
Seemingly not. He's lost his edge since he started just lumping it into the box. Was at his best passing back across the box.
Backed Barcelona to concede a goal today at 3.2 as surely they have to eventually, right?
Do Xavi and Iniesta still don't undestand their model of football has failed in national and club level in last 3 years?
Its so fecking annoying! They WANT to play against 9 compact players, instead of accelerating the fast break and getting 1v1 situations
No wonder everyone beats Spain these days
Its so fecking annoying! They WANT to play against 9 compact players, instead of accelerating the fast break and getting 1v1 situations
No wonder everyone beats Spain these days
Bit of an exaggeration. Yeah, it might not be having the same success it did from 2008-2011, but it's hardly completely failing - Spain have essentially had one bad tournament and Barca have made an excellent start to the season.
Iniesta isn't playing today. And no, they don't want to play against compact defences but that's what happens against Barcelona, teams rarely use a high line against them.
Eibar just missed an open net...so probably not today
How did he miss?
You can not get away with a miss like that playing against Barca.
Their style of play (like Guardiola's Bayern) force teams to do that. Although Barcelona are more direct than they were before and have become more so over the years since Pep left.
These days you can. They're clueless at times. Just cut the space off in front of them, hit on the counter. Barcelona have no plan B.
Barcelona are tumescent and Pique and Alves really are a couple of posing pricks. Pique so busy trying to look like Franz Beckenbauer on the ball that he forgets he needs to defend.
Eibar have been impressive all season. Could've been 2 up.
Meanwhile, Messi's finishing malaise continues...
Meanwhile, Messi's finishing malaise continues...
I'm bored of this now, absoloutely no improvement made under Luis Enrique. Barcelona are the single most arrogant club in Europe. Week in week out they play the same shit still trying to live up to their reputation 3 or 4 years ago. I hope Real Madrid give them a good reality check next week.
Sergi Roberto must be the dullest youth product Barcelona have tried to bring through in years. I'm shocked that he's still there to be honest.
Eibar are having such an amazing season, could have really turned it into the stuff of dreams there.
Most of them are. Tello, Cuenca, Sergi Roberto, Bartra etc. I'm amazed they let Deulofeu go back out on loan. He looks considerably better than all their youth products right now and would probably be of more use than Pedro.
Arrogant club, won't strengthen a position if they think they can squeeze another youngster into there, regardless of how average they are. Munir's the next one, don't care how young he is, he doesn't look anythign special either.
What's Enrique improved? Why don't they get a coach who has the guts to make radical change when required? instead they hire yes man to come in and just attempt to keep going with the ever faltering Pep model. The game evolves, teams need to evolve with it, teams are wise to them now.
Madrid are so much more entertaining to watch. Gimme Madrid breaking up the park at 100mph over this any day, much more entertaining that watching Barca tap it sideways and backwards at a snails pace for 90 minutes.
Madrid are so much more entertaining to watch. Gimme Madrid breaking up the park at 100mph over this any day, much more entertaining that watching Barca tap it sideways and backwards at a snails pace for 90 minutes.
Agree with that. They're arrogant bastards and they've become a parody of themselves. Hope they get thrashed in the clasico.
Nah, not all of the most recent products are great but they've at least got something about them.
Bartra won't be world class but I like him, solid quick centre back who's a good squad player. Tello was predictable and poor technically but at least he had rapid pace and the balls to take on a man. Cuenca was wrecked by injuries and poor physically but technically he was very good. Sergi Roberto is...Catalan, and that's about it. So boring to watch and just coasts through every game.
Barça desperately need a tall, mobile striker in the molds of Cardozo. They can probably get him for peanuts too. Play him against small sides like Eibar with Messi as right winger (its not like these sides attack with fullbacks anyways) and Neymar behind him
i thought Cuenca was fantastic from a technical point of view. A contrast to Tello who is Walcott light.
Three times now Pique, not particularly good in the air...