Getting past two tricky away ties with 6 points and comprehensive performances across most of the games is pleasing. Most of Barca's hard away fixtures are behind them now.
La Liga 2017/18
- Thread starter Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) was joined by comedian Ali Woods to look back at the best and worst moments of a rollercoaster season with the annual United Hour Awards.
Has Ten Hag been sacked yet? We're not sure and we hope not, but it's looking more likely as the days pass.
Who should replace him and why is it taking so long to make a decision?
Messi with elite level decision making on counters.
Suarez and Messi look even better together than when they played with Neymar. They just understand each other so well. Betis have confirmed to be a good unbalanced team.
The league is over.
The league is over.
Messi is phenomenal. Could watch him play all day.
It’s actually unfair how good he is. He does things we take for granted now because “it’s the norm”. But his highlight reel each match (odd anonymous game aside) is better than most attackers can put out for a season (wee bit hyperbole
).He’s just immense.
Shame too, his form over the last couple of month with Umtiti out has been fantastic and now injured, again. Hope he will be back soon because Mina isn't ready to be counted on in the rotation IMHO
Messi, 12 completed dribbles - most in more than 3 seasons in La Liga since presumably Leo himself. Outstanding performance against an excellent Betis side of Setien. All of this without Coutinho or Ousmane, with Valverde milking a 4-4-2 and immense 2nd halves, would have never guessed it. Stunned
Scandalous refereeing, again
Funny how half way through the season barcalona can now rest players in the league games for the copa and UCL games.
@wr8_utd Yeah, curious how the atmosphere was because it was such a competitive match for more than an hour and then you could hear even Betis fans singing Messi's name
Wow Suarez looked like trash and the start of the season, but really stepped it up since december. 11 goals in 10 games.
5th on Barcelona's all time scoring list in La Liga - fastest to 100, surely will end up at least 3rd
Barcelona in the last 30-40 minutes was sensational. Really good to watch when they are in top form. Suarez has hit form just in right time with Chelsea soon coming up. Sergi Roberto is a really great player, would love someone like him on our team. Messi was phenomenal as per usual.
Benz is Madrid's 7th highest goalscorer and averaging around 20 goals or more per season is nothing short but great.
Has better goal ratio than likes of Raul, Santillana, Butragueño who are all-time great legends for RM btw.
Not bad for someone who used to compete with Higuain/Adebayor for playing time and is 3rd fiddle in BBC-trio where Benzema is mostly being used as a facilitator and not as a proper out-and-out striker except during Benitez-period. Or the fact that he doesn't takes boatloads of shots (only this season, CR7 has taken 101 shots in LaLiga compared to Benzema and his 26 shots). Never mind that Benzema is being taken off in every game lol.
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And speaking about Benzema, he made a great impact coming off from the bench and was involved in Madrid's 4 goals vs. Deportivo last weekend.
Pretty good analysis on this subject
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The problems with Benzema are that he's very inconsistent, and that nowadays his value to the team is tied to Cristiano. If Cristiano doesn't score, an off form Benzema becomes not just useless, but an outright negative.
He's been our compass for years now: if he's on song we're great. If he's off we struggle. And he's just too inconsistent to play such a big role for a club like ours. The only reason we accepted this situation is because of Cristiano's constant, enduring greatness
He's been our compass for years now: if he's on song we're great. If he's off we struggle. And he's just too inconsistent to play such a big role for a club like ours. The only reason we accepted this situation is because of Cristiano's constant, enduring greatness
scoring around 20 goals a season for a center forward in Madrid is a good feature? alright...
Several center forward that lately had been around Benzema presents better numbers outside madrid. Higuain, Moratta, even Mariano. I am not saying he has no quality, for me is lack of attitude. And if they keep it under the excuse that he is not and scorer but that he distributes game, you have Isco, Asensio and even you had James besting him
Several center forward that lately had been around Benzema presents better numbers outside madrid. Higuain, Moratta, even Mariano. I am not saying he has no quality, for me is lack of attitude. And if they keep it under the excuse that he is not and scorer but that he distributes game, you have Isco, Asensio and even you had James besting him
Nah, Benzema had a lots of games where he made great performance when CR7 hasn't scored or not even being on the pitch.
And regarding the constant criticism about Benzema's inconsistency, I think it's very exaggerated.
Sure, he might have some small dips here and there but same could be said for most elite players...
Truth is that not everyone are Messi, Busquets, Lahm etc. who can deliver week in and out for several years without any sign of dip.
Hell... Even Zinedine Zidane, recognized by many as the best midfielder from his era, was infamous for being inconsistent throughout his career.
Benzema is hardly playing like a centre-forward since he spends most of the time outside the goal box, mostly around left wing and central area.
Besides, most of the players you mentioned are the the focal point in their respective teams (unlike Benzema) so it's not really that strange.
If anything, that comparison would be relevent for CR7 who himself has been outscored by Higuain, Morata and even Mariano as well domestically.
That is why I wrote "....And if they keep it under the excuse that he is not and scorer but that he distributes game, you have Isco, Asensio and even you had James besting him"
But hey, for me, they can keep Benzi forevah
Yeah, i said that. When he's on he's amazing, and he makes the whole team better, including Cristiano.
He doesn't go cold for a couple games, then hot for another couple gameS..
No, Benzema alternates months of lights out performances with months were playing him means playing with 10. He takes inconsistent to a different level
Zidane was inconsistent in that he might an off game here and there, and sometimes have a dip a even a few games. But he was mostly great. He started to become truly inconsistent around 2004-05, when he began to fade due to age
@4bars thing is when Benzema is on song he's been our second best player. Better than Isco, James, Asensio, Di Maria, Ozil, Modric, Kroos, etc. AND he generally scored enough to be the second/third main scorer
Plus, he does all the things we need a striker to do that Cristiano doesn't want to do(play back-to-goal for example) on top of being a big creative outlet for the team, AND his movement facilitates Cristiano
Basically yeah, we stuck with him all these years for Cristiano.
No he does not. He does not defend like no one from the BBC.
Also, of course is the 2nd/3rd top scorer...he is on the front 3
In my opinion Isco, James and Asensio are better than him (by the way, with more goals than Benzema so far and with less minutes, specially Asensio). Ozil is about the same, lazy fecks both of them and lots of talent. Modric is way better but different position. Kroos about the same but different position
Anyway, are tastes and you are happy with Benzema in your team, and I am too, so everybody happy
Bilbao-Eibar 1-1 FT. I do really hope Eibar can qualify to the Europa League.
Bale chance
Andreas not a starter anymore?
Ronaldo is the master of the counter-attack.
Good counter
Like old times
Pen incident - 0:1 Ronaldo
We are playing quite well. The bbc very active. Valencia too defensiveLike old times
Was never really a starter... just rotational.
The injury of three CBs is really hurting Valencia.
Ronaldo’s pace on the counter attack before the penalty was good to see. Didn’t look unlike the breakfasts of 5 years ago
New penalty RM
another pen 
2-0 Ronaldo.
Montoya
What a joke, 4 crosses in the same play to end up with another gifted penalty
Penaldo is back
Valencia have thrown this away.
Valencia defense should be fined they have been awful
The guy used to play ahead of Carva in Spain's youth teamsMontoya
With 72, he becomes the player with most Penalties shot in the history of La Liga