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La Liga 2018/19
- Thread starter jojojo
- Start date
Valencia vs. Atletico now.
Arias and Rodri on the bench with Filipe starting ahead of Lucas and Savic ahead of Giminez.
Arias and Rodri on the bench with Filipe starting ahead of Lucas and Savic ahead of Giminez.
Dont understand why Savic over Gimenez. 2 years ago it was mostly Savic starting, last season mostly Gimenez, now Savic starting.
Atletico have a strong squad. Valencia also Batshuayi and Gameiro on the bench
Piccini starting for Valencia 
Do they really have no one better? He can be solid but he’s the definition of average
Do they really have no one better? He can be solid but he’s the definition of average
great assist from Griezmann for Correa. 1:0 Atletico.
Great pass by Griezmann. Wonder how he can be so intelligent on the pitch yet dumb as rocks outside it
Yep, great pass
Just seen the goal Eleven Sports is seriously lagging behind.
What a lovely tackle by Parejo
terrible mistake by Godin. 1:1
Fantastic control by Rodrigo that leads to the equalizer
I have given up on Eleven Sports. Saw the first half, now when I go on they are showing them warming up before the games kicked off. I won't be paying for that.
Now I have seen the equaliser, and it has gone off again.
Now I have seen the equaliser, and it has gone off again.
Valencia is a lot better in the second half. Just hit the post. Atletico struggling a bit.
I meant more about quality than quantity. Didn’t even realize they were 2 players short from having an actual second XI but all of their back ups are basically players who are good enough to win a place in the first team.
Valencia away is going to be tough for all of the top 3.
Atletico deserved to lost in the second half. At least two great saves from Oblak and Valencia also hit the post. Great point for them in the end.
Valencia are usually a difficult game for any team in Spain, not surprised with the draw.
It should be a great La Liga season. I don't expect us to run away with it as last season the results were often better than our football. Madrid are being underestimated due to Ronaldo's transfer, but I think the players in that team will show up. Too much quality there. What's funny is that everyone is talking about Madrid's transition year, while I think we should be in transition as well, maybe more than them. They lost one player and with three Champions Leagues in a row, there is enough calm to make some moves and try something new. Madrid's summer particularly convinced me that they're not being stupid about anything and the days of laughing at their transfer strategy are long gone.
My hope for Barça this season is to build a better game and really integrate players like Coutinho, Dembele and Arthur. We have a good chance at winning the league, but in the long run what I really hope for is that when this season is over, we have a playing style that doesn't see us dump everything on Messi again. I don't want to see us playing the same way as last season. We need to find our game, something to carry us for years to come and this makes the season very challenging for Valverde. Either that, or we'll do what we did last season, with Messi getting a little more help from his friends.
It should be a great La Liga season. I don't expect us to run away with it as last season the results were often better than our football. Madrid are being underestimated due to Ronaldo's transfer, but I think the players in that team will show up. Too much quality there. What's funny is that everyone is talking about Madrid's transition year, while I think we should be in transition as well, maybe more than them. They lost one player and with three Champions Leagues in a row, there is enough calm to make some moves and try something new. Madrid's summer particularly convinced me that they're not being stupid about anything and the days of laughing at their transfer strategy are long gone.
My hope for Barça this season is to build a better game and really integrate players like Coutinho, Dembele and Arthur. We have a good chance at winning the league, but in the long run what I really hope for is that when this season is over, we have a playing style that doesn't see us dump everything on Messi again. I don't want to see us playing the same way as last season. We need to find our game, something to carry us for years to come and this makes the season very challenging for Valverde. Either that, or we'll do what we did last season, with Messi getting a little more help from his friends.
Am also reading that Real Madrid also had their lowest attendance in like nearly 10 years. That can't be right?
Has anyone watched any games on Eleven Sports yet? Are they like our old Setanta?
Real Madrid had a crowd of 48,000. I think Valencia had the highest attendance of the weekend most likely today granted it was vs. Atletico. Still, Barca and Madrid average 70k for their home games. Crazy both opening games would draw such low crowds.
I tried watching Eleven Sports. It was dreadful. The only thing missing from the traditional bad free streaming experience was a bunch of "update your flash player" ads and them switching to a different sport after twenty minutes.
Otherwise it had the random commentator, the mismatch between soundtrack and video, the freezes, jumps and rewinds and the complete breakdowns. Someone posted that the paid for stream (as opposed to the Facebook page one and the free trial) was working great. Which will probably remain true as long as they only have one paying customer
That Rodrigo goal was beautiful. First time I've watched him play.
Nice to see a strong Valencia again, quality in all positions and Gamiero and Batsuayi were subs tonight (gamiero missed great chance in last minute v his old club) so more firepower to ease into the team.
Marcelino is an excellent coach. Did a fine job at Villarreal and has really changed Valencia's fortunes around and plays good Football. I think we should be monitoring him as a potential manager a couple of years down the line.
Bilbao left it late to beat Leganes. Hope to finally see a great season from them.
Maxime Gonalons is going to join Sevilla on a loan.
Rodrigo is a livewire player that can drible several players in a row and then miss the target. If his finishing was better he would be a thrilling player to have.
Noted. I'll watch more of him after that. The technique for that goal was exquisite. Wasn't he linked with a 100m move to Real?
The irony: he was part of Real Madrid cantera, before being sold for peanuts to Benfica. In Benfica, he was more used as inverted winger from the right. He caused a lot of damage cutting inside, and I really thought his career would continue that way.
At Valencia he's being deployed in a more central position, but his composure problems remain a bit similar. He's a smart player, with excelent technique, inteligent movements but dunno why he squanders a lot of easy chances.
Thanks for the info! He should be coming into his prime now (see he was on loan at Bolton 6 years ago!). Maybe he'll get moved back into that position he played for you lot in, as they've also got Batshuayi and Gameiro.
Rodrigo was already seen as huge waste of money and dodgy transfer. For the first two years in Valencia he wasn't just "frustrating" (= lacks endproduct, while at least showing some talent), but terrible in every aspect. Last season he really turned it around and developed into a proper player. It still remains to be seen if he can play consistently on this level. The first game was certainly a good start; while Godin fecks up and jumps under the cross, Rodrigo had to show great composure to put the ball in the net. While he deserves praise for his personal development, it also shows, that a great manager can make a huge difference. Imo he really benefits from Marcelino and his system with two forwards. I am not sure he'd be anywhere near as good if he'd have to play up top alone or as wide forward.
Overall a couple of their players fly somewhat under the radar. e.g. Kondogbia is just incredible; Parejo is really good; some of their defenders are really useful. That said, Marcelino is the real star of the club.
Overall a couple of their players fly somewhat under the radar. e.g. Kondogbia is just incredible; Parejo is really good; some of their defenders are really useful. That said, Marcelino is the real star of the club.
The Valenica vs Atletico game on Monday night was excellent, Atletico are going to be a force this season I think they got a great chance of winning the La-Liga and Champions League double. Great to see Valencia looking like a strong side again after the dark days of Pako and Gary Neville, think Valencia are a dark horse to finish inside the top three in La-liga this season and have a strong run in the Champions League I consider them as the La-Liga version of Spurs. For me this the strongest Valenica side since the Rafa Bentiez days and they have recruited excellently in the transfer market in the past two seasons especially if they can bring back Guedes to the club. Regarding their manager Marcelino he's one of the most underrated managers in Europe, he's done incredible jobs throughout his career in his time at Recreativo, Racing Santander, Villarreal and now Valencia.
A very bold statement!
They have strengthened well compared with Barca and Real.
Indeed. But bare in mind that the current Real and Barça squads already have some of the world best players. Yes, Atletico won 4-2, but after ET. Still a win, though.
I do think Atletico will be up there, because I know in first hand the ability of Lopetegui as a manager. (aka as Lo Patego or Flopetegui in Portugal, because he had the most expensive squad Porto ever had at his disposal and won nill, and Porto even hired players he asked who costed fortunes like Oliver Torres and the one dimensional winger Adrian).
A lot of ball possesion and lack of end product will make Real Madrid draw several games.
When do they confirm fixture dates? Want to go to a Real or Atletico game and a Barca home game over a weekend or CL tie (whatever works logistically) in either October or December.
Has any of my fellow noggies signed up to Strive as of yet? I'm considering doing so.
@SwansonsTache, @SirAF?
@SwansonsTache, @SirAF?
Yup!
Do you recommend it? Honestly thought Viasat still had the rights to show both leagues.
It’s worth checking out the free trial! I thought it was decent enough overall.
Will do that.