La Liga 2018-19
- Thread starter bluesfan94
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Duchene2MacKinnon
In the hands of Genius
- Aug 8, 2006
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gary69
Registered User
Barcelona collapsing within a minute by conceding twice. Pique and to a lesser amount Vermaelen at fault.
Power Man
Grrrr
Who? Modric?
Eeeeh Varane has been very inconsistent this year .
And I'm the #1 Varane fan
Power Man
Grrrr
TheLeastOfTheBunch
Franchise Centre
Pique and Umtiti haven’t been in form so far this season, I’m not sure why Valverde didn’t give Miranda a shot at LB today against a side like Leganés, Vermaelen literally didn’t offer anything in that position.
A bunch of players coasted today really, shocking game from Barça
A bunch of players coasted today really, shocking game from Barça
Scandale du Jour
JordanStaal#1Fan
Scandale du Jour
JordanStaal#1Fan
Modric hasn't?
Varane has been immense from january to august, and that includes a CL and a WC.
Modric can't claim the same.
Power Man
Grrrr
Power Man
Grrrr
Wrong.Modric hasn't
Varane has been immense from january to august, and that includes a CL and a WC.
Modric can't claim the same.
Ive watched every Madrid game and Varane was uncharacteristically shit many times.
And by your logic, Horry > Jordan cuz more ringzzzz
BKIslandersFan
F*** off
Power Man
Grrrr
YNWA14
Onbreekbaar
- Dec 29, 2010
- 34,543
- 2,560
We can agree to disagree. Varane did great but he was insulated by a great team. Modric was the engine and heart of that Croatia and was the better player overall in the WC, it had nothing to do with being a bigger name (as though Varane is some unknown).
Modric is one of the best midfielders to ever play the game. He is the glue that makes Real Madrid tick. Rarely has a bad game. Most complete midfielder in world football for the last 5 years. Modric is finally getting the recognition he deserves. I loved Zidane but Modric was more consistent player.
Modric hasn't?
Varane has been immense from january to august, and that includes a CL and a WC.
Modric can't claim the same.
Eh? Yes he can. I saw every Madrid and Barca game last season.
Modric was overall the most consistent Madrid player last season, and Varane is the only one I'd actually put in the same tier of consistency along side him throughout the whole of last season. Check out the games they lost, home to Betis for example, it was Modric vs Betis really.
Asensio started off strong, but tailed off. Literally everyone else was poor to mediocre (or injured) in the first two months of last season, when they lost the La Liga.
This whole narrative of Modric being somehow not at the level he was the previous years is absolutely bonkers, mostly deriving from Madrid's struggles early - which were most definitely not on Modric.
Both were a bit sluggish to start the season this year after their late returns from the WC, especially Varane in the Super Cup, but yesterday they were Madrid's two best players (along with Bale).
Everyone else though...? Absolutely horrible.
...
Anyways...
Didn't catch most of the Barca game yesterday, my boy has a cold and was refusing to sleep... I caught the last 30 mins when the most i
Saw the Madrid game, and my-oh-my... I always thought Lopetegui was overrated (especially seeing as how Porto fans absolutely loathe him), but now I'm seeing it for myself.
I remember someone on these forums saying Madrid will be fine, they lost Ronaldo, but they gained a better coach in Lopetegui compared to Zidane.
First of... Zidane did brilliantly in 3/3 CLs and 2/3 La Ligas. His first year he almost caught up with Barca after Benitez was sacked, won the title the 2nd year, messed up the 3rd, happens.
Yet still people somehow labeled him as a tactical noob or whatever.
For me, his tactics were underrated and his in-game changes were second to none, with a lot of changes in game deciding matches (not just substitutes, but identifying problem areas and adjusting - like swapping to 4-4-2 vs PSG at home etc.).
Well, for starters, he used his players correctly. He played a very stretched system that, yes, sometimes made them look bad defensively, but it worked because it had absolute world class players at every position in defence and midfield, because they covered ground smartly, had the fastest CB pairing of all top teams, were press-immune thanks to Modric's ability to open passing lanes and Kroos' passing, they opened up quickly with vertical plays and exploiting empty pockets of space, and for me, they were very exciting to watch, as well s being very successful.
Casemiro was fantastic and used so smartly by ZZ. He was basically ignored in build up, he would push up and Modric and Kroos drop deep, and he would basically play 3rd CB if needed on defence.
Also, Cristiano Ronaldo meant, as Allegri says, that you basically start 1-0 up.
Under Lopetegui, so far...
Casemiro is back to playing out from defense, and of course, he's struggling.
Modric, for some reason I cannot understand, plays much higher up the pitch, and although he's getting more chances to directly create scoring chances now, the resistance to press is basically gone from Real without him to counter it.
The most press-immune team of the last 5 years, the fastest-transitioning team of the last 5 years is now having problems transitioning from defence to attack against Bilbao and Sevilla.
Sergio Ramos is playing like Sammer did for Borussia and Germany, expect Sammer went forward smartly and Ramos is just going up the pitch randomly.
Also, why is Ramos taking free kicks lol...? Asensio, Isco, Bale, are surely all better options. It almost looks like Lopetegui is "buying" Ramos by giving him everything he wants so Ramos would get the team over to his (Lopetegui's) side as the leader.
And their game is slow and heavy on passing without off-the-ball movement. It's tiki-taka without purpose, the worst kind of football.
The players to compete are still there, even without Ronaldo (not necessarily win, but compete).
But under Lopetegui, I don't think it's happening.
People were swayed by thrashing of a Roma team that was obviously struggling at the time, and good performances against Leganes etc.
But in all 3 more serious fixtures so far (Atletico, Bilbao, Sevilla), Madrid fell short and didn't look good in any of the games.
It all has to do with being the bigger name and being on the loser squad.
Varane dominated the QF. Same in the semis. The CB pairing also was the reason Croatia never had mutiple chances out of their mutiple crosses in the final.
I don't get it, where does your post say Modric wasn't consistent?
Because that's what I'm saying, that Modric was consistent last season, start to finish - for Madrid and for Croatia.
Even in the WC final, Croatia dominated play up until that 3rd goal. Bad luck, dubious reffing and a great French team who took what was offered, as great teams do, were the reason France won, not the Croatia midfield (or Modric) not performing.
Noone's saying Varane wasn't great.
But overall, for the whole of last season, Modric was better. And even guys like Messi and Ramos agree with most of us here.
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