I know some players have long careers and can play relatively well at very advanced ages, but today Luka Modric played like a 29 year old, not like a 36 year old.
La liga 2021/22
- Thread starter carvajal
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Yes, it seems so for Mbappe at least.
Modric is the best midfielder of 21 century after Xavi,Iniesta and Pirlo.
Incredible that he went to Real for less than 50 million, while Pogba went to United for 100...even though Pogba kinda fecked up moving to a United in crisis, same is gonna happen to De Jong in Barca i feel, potential wasted joining clubs in crisis.
Moving to desperate big clubs in crisis always tarnish your reputation when things don't go well.
Last time Atletico conceded 18 or more goals after 16 games played was in 2011/12 (25)
Id take Modric over Pirlo easy. I’d even go as far as saying he’s on par with Xavi & Iniesta who weren’t half this good at an advanced age as Modric is.
No, Real Madrid signed him five days before they signed Ronaldo, so there is no way he could have ever been a part of that transfer.
As for Ancelotti, what he's done this season really is incredible. New defensive pairing, bringing out incredible seasons out of Modrić, Kroos, Benzema and most of the old guard, while helping Vinicius Junior become world class and also starting rebirth of Asensio.
Should he manage to also lift Rodrygo or integrate Camavinga, which is hard right now due to how well midfield trio plays, it could be his best stint in the career, when most of us considered him finished.
Apart from having won three Champions league titles which has so far eluded every big name, he is also on course to win all five major league titles. Spain is the last piece missing for him.
It was just thinking out loud, as my embarrassing factual mistake highlighted below would attest. Benzema has my attention as just somebody who's getting some love these days. You've done an excellent job putting him into perspective.
Ancelotti's Liga. Another domestic title for his remarkable collection (Serie A, PL, Ligue1, Bundesliga). One of the Top5 managers of the early 21st for real: him, Mou, Pep, Low, and SAF. 6th probably Del Bosque or Klopp.
Let's see if they are good enough to beat Liverpool, PSG, City, and Bayern in the UCL.
Griezmann proving, once again, that he peaked in 14-18 and that's about it.
Let's see if they are good enough to beat Liverpool, PSG, City, and Bayern in the UCL.
Griezmann proving, once again, that he peaked in 14-18 and that's about it.
After today's game, 10 consecutive victories for Ancelotti's Madrid apparently.
Surely Löw isn't even close to getting into same sentence with the rest of them, Klopp included.
I quite liked the attack with Ronaldo, Benzema and Higuaín on the team. We were very stacked up front and the goals were spread in such a way we had a good balance. Once Higuaín left I always felt Benzema needed someone to compete the position in order to get the best of him, he always got a preferent treatment even after some very bad patches and while Higuain was underwhelming in the UCL he got the job done in the league against the lesser sides.
He's doing great now carrying our attack but I also think there would be no problem if we brought either Mbappe or Haaland to play alongside Benzema.
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Higuain left Real Madrid on his own because he wanted to become the undisputed starter elsewhere instead of consistently rotating with Benzema. It had nothing to do with his abysmal UCL.
Speaking of Benzema, Real Madrid almost sold him instead of Özil back in 2013 according to Adam Crafton from Athletic. It was only stopped because Ancelotti himself veoted against the idea.
Haaland and Benzema cannot coexist without the latter is moved to the bench. Mbappe is a non-factor, he can be used as an right inside forward alongside with Benzema & Vinicius up-front.
Prime Cristiano was great with anyone, he didn't need on a certain player to make him look good. But to counter your point Cristiano-Higuain were more productive than Cristiano-Benzema.
Higuain left Real Madrid on his own because he wanted to become the undisputed starter elsewhere instead of consistently rotating with Benzema. It had nothing to do with his abysmal UCL.
Speaking of Benzema, Real Madrid almost sold him instead of Özil back in 2013 according to Adam Crafton from Athletic. It was only stopped because Ancelotti himself veoted against the idea.
Benzema was far & away the best alternative Real Madrid had on the centre forward spot, even when he wasn't great in front of goal. It had nothing to do with "preferent treatment" or whatever the case maybe. Chicharito wasn't good enough and Morata was best suited coming off the bench.
Haaland and Benzema cannot coexist without the latter is moved to the bench. Mbappe is a non-factor, he can be used as an right inside forward alongside with Benzema & Vinicius up-front.
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We still needed someone to rotate him for, I would had been glad keeping either Chicharito or Morata both were very useful and scored important goals for us. There have been quite a few seasons where we've fallen short to win the league just by a bit and it was very common for us to have Benzema and Cristiano playing every single game they were available the entire season only to have them completely exahusted in the last games.
Not every players in going to be on board to playing second fiddle to Benzema but he's already a veteran and Haaland very young so I really don't think it's impossible to have them both, if Haaland really wants to come here that is.
Vini is mostly a wide player anyways. Get Rudiger, Adama or another serious right wingback, then we play effectively a back 3 of Alaba-Militao-Rudiger, start playing at least one of Valverde/Camavinga consistently along with one of Kroos or Modric in midfield, then an effective front 4 of Vini-Benz-Halaand-RWB...
Of course if we get Mbappé, getting Halaand as well becomes kind of redundant, unless we're willing to bin Benzema to make space for the norwegian. Which, the deeper one delves into his production, the more it sounds like a smart choice, if heartless
Of course if we get Mbappé, getting Halaand as well becomes kind of redundant, unless we're willing to bin Benzema to make space for the norwegian. Which, the deeper one delves into his production, the more it sounds like a smart choice, if heartless
Gutting that I can't find a full match replay of Celta-Espanyol anywhere! Even though Espanyol lost, Darder seemed to have another brilliant game.
With it being the only Spanish game on last night, I was sure there would be something. Only thing I can find is one link on rojadirecta, which takes aaaaages.
With it being the only Spanish game on last night, I was sure there would be something. Only thing I can find is one link on rojadirecta, which takes aaaaages.
Yesterday Espanyol played a very bad game, to forget
That was undoubtedly a great goal by Gavi.
2-2, 2 goals in 2 minutes for Elche, that's why you can't build a team on youngsters. There's talent but they just don't know how to control a game (and that's normal).
What? They just equalled the game after one minute!
Barcelona are so shit
Every match seems like climbing a mountain for them. This is really amazing.
Another great goal
Dembele would be such a monster if he was able to stay fit
Wouldn't blame them for that. The young players especially gavi looked brilliant through out the game
Ooof.Guess people are seeing how much Messi papered over their cracks in 2020/21 afterall.
Excellence is context.
Barcelona controlled the game quite well.
The first goal came from a double error by Dembele, then E. García did not make a foul when he should and a goalkeeper who has not stopped a ball for 3 years
Gavi 10/10 goal and assist.
Abde great match today.
Jutgla very well, much better than Depay playing center forward.
Barcelona is building a team with the players they have, there is no money.
Young people are being the best but by a lot.
I personally do not like his decision making, he loses many easy balls as in the first goal and then still defends the play very badly.
I'm not saying they have a choice, I'm just saying it's unlikely it'll take them very far. And I'm not even talking about De Jong who looks totally uninterested when he's probably the best player of this team on paper. I don't know what's going on with him, he's such a great player when he's in tune.
It's good to shine against Elche, the Seville game might tell a different story.
Sevilla (2nd) and Atletico (4th) drawing 1-1 at HT.
Yeah, it was a game to forget in general for Espanyol. However, from an individual pov, it seems like Darder played well. I'll probably try and get the game from rojadirecta just to see his performance.
Barca highlights vs Elche - they looked like actual Barca (at least in midfield and attack). Xavi is improving them or opposition is terrible?
Altetico have been absolute shit this season.
Both but mostly the latter
They're playing a lot more like they used to compared to koeman who set them very negatively towards the end but they still have a long way to go
Their defense is abysmal ter stegan is shot and devoid of confidence they have a ton of young inexperienced players and their marquee signings aren't performing (cuthinio de Jong dembele) and in attack they have to do with luke fecking de jong leading the attack (whom xavi has Rightfully benched) they also have bit of injury crisis going on
Its a steep mountain for anyone to climb i doubt xavi can make it
Since the middle of last year's season they are in free fall. Also this year a lot of money has been spent.
In the coming years they may have a hard time.
I think De Jong is very low morally.
If the young midfielders continue at this level + Pedri, there are many options for him to be sold in the summer.
A team always tries to play well, with Sevilla it will be very difficult. The important thing is to play better and better.
With that pace and dribbling he is unstoppable and he is also big
Free agent in 14 days
Barca don’t need to buy players on the market, they can build a squad with la cantera
Atletico are in a bad state, so not a bad thing for the champions league