La Liga 2019/2020

[Cassano]

What’s xpts?

xGs measures the chance a shot becomes a goal.

xPts does simulations based on the xG for the match using the Monte Carlo method.

Guardiola teams are xG merchants since they dominate so much out there in terms of creating/preventing chances.

Emery significantly outperformed his xPt because of Aubameyang and Leno FC (clinical finishers undervalued by xG, elite goalkeeping has no influence on stat) during his Arsenal tenure. We play trash football overall. Barca are like this under Valverde, except with more quality

Klopp before VvD as well. You can see the quality of their style of play, but they were let down so many times by Lovren being the worst CB in the league and Mignolet's individual errors.

 

[les Habs]

Ter Stegen MOTM, without him no matter Messi scoring that goal we would have lost.

I didn't see the match but I'm sure I'd agree. That said even with Ter Stegen we still needed Messi's goal to win. Thrilled we have both of them and it takes a team.

 

[Corto]

Klopp before VvD as well. You can see the quality of their style of play, but they were let down so many times by Lovren being the worst CB in the league and Mignolet's individual errors.

There's so much wrong with this that I can't even be arsed to answer.

 

[Savi]

 

[Cassano]

There's so much wrong with this that I can't even be arsed to answer.

You are gonna argue Lovren was good pre-VvD?

He's not a bad player now, but his confidence was shot at that point. His clubs fans were giving him death threats because he was so mistake prone.

 

[Corto]

You are gonna argue Lovren was good pre-VvD?

He's not a bad player now, but his confidence was shot at that point. His clubs fans were giving him death threats because he was so mistake prone.

His (and Liverpool's) defensive turnaround begun after that infamous Spurs game, after which Klopp dropped his fullbacks lower (resulting in what some called more "boring" Liverpool) and the emergence of Robertson and TAA/Gomez (instead of Moreno and Clyne).
Up til then, Lovren and Matip were, yes, looking bad, but they were in no position to succeed.
Both went on to play great football once they got a run of games in non-shambolic team.(and Gomez as well)

By the time VVD came in during the january 2018 transfer period, the change in Liverpool's defensive scheme already begun.
Both Lovren and Matip were looking much better now alongside decent fullbacks in a system that didn't leave them out to dry so much, and VVD was the final cog to push now a decent defensive team to a defensive juggernaut.

And yes, at the time (Spurs game), I imagine Lovren's confidence was shot. Credit to Klopp, Lovren's teammates and Lovren himself for playing through it and having an absolutely immense 2nd half of the season, possibly being Liverpool's best player in the Man City CL tie and the CL final, as well as a great run with Croatia in the WC.

He's a VERY good CB. He's also got a positive attitude and apparently one of the leaders in the lockerroom.
The memes about his mistakes should've ended 2 years ago - yet they didn't.

Calling him "not a bad player" doesn't do him justice at all.

 

[YNWA14]

You are gonna argue Lovren was good pre-VvD?

He's not a bad player now, but his confidence was shot at that point. His clubs fans were giving him death threats because he was so mistake prone.

He was never as bad as people were making him out to be and had some very, very good games/stretches before VvD. No doubt he improved his consistency and level after we got van Dijk (you could argue every player went up a level after he solidified and took command of the back line) but you can go through my post history defending him for a long while before that.

 

[Corto]

He was never as bad as people were making him out to be and had some very, very good games/stretches before VvD. No doubt he improved his consistency and level after we got van Dijk (you could argue every player went up a level after he solidified and took command of the back line) but you can go through my post history defending him for a long while before that.

I don't know if it has to do explicitly with VVD or Klopp or the system and his teammates, but yes, all rolled into one, somewhere at the of 2017 Lovren went from an inconsistent CD with high potential to a high quality CB with consistent performances basically every game.
The memes stuck though, especially among people who don't actually watch games.

Either way, even though Gomez has struggled a bit, the three of them (Lovren/Matip/Gomez) have all gone to play absolute top notch football when paired with Virgil.
And yes, Virgil can be absolutely ridiculous, but those 3 have carried their own weight (especially Lovren and Matip in large stretches).

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Atleti are a sinking ship. They’re in serious trouble of not making the top 4

 

[PeteWorrell]

Griezmann needed Atlético as much as they needed him. They would win a lot of one goal games because he managed to score those timely goals while the team barely conceded.

Simeone has been truly exposed as a one-trick pony who simply cannot change tactics and/or adapt them to his personnel. They should honestly part ways as he has taken the team as far as he can with his tactics but he is now making them worse.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Griezmann needed Atlético as much as they needed him. They would win a lot of one goal games because he managed to score those timely goals while the team barely conceded.

Simeone has been truly exposed as a one-trick pony who simply cannot change tactics and/or adapt them to his personnel. They should honestly part ways as he has taken the team as far as he can with his tactics but he is now making them worse.

 

[YNWA14]

Federico Valverde is a gem. Benzema really relishing being ‘the guy’ at RM now as well.

 

[koyvoo]

What a goal from Messi. Griezmann‘s was nicely taken as well.

 

[Savi]

That's sick. World class from both Frenkie and Suarez

 

[Luigi Habs]

Too easy for Messi and what a crazy goal by Suarez. Amazing.

 

[koyvoo]

This performance has been very fun to watch for sure

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

One of the rare games they don’t look like tire fire this year. Sadly this used to be weekly standard barca play.

all these posts and no mention of MAtS through ball to Greizzman? THE BEST KEEPER IN THE WORLD.

play making keeper... false #1

 

[Savi]

MATS has more assists than Hazard this season

 

[les Habs]

I couldn't wait for my replay after reading about the match so I watched the goals. Now that is the sort of pomp they should be playing with. Great goals across the board. Messi's hat-trick was fantastic. Quite frankly the fact that there is so little about it here is a joke. Ditto for Suarez's goal.

 

[Dr Salt]

The title race has been interesting. El Classico will be a big turning point.

 

[Savi]

-delete-

 

[Savi]

Thought Frenkie had a great game as well, even if Valverde subbed him off way too early. Having Rakitic back in the line up really allows Frenkie to be more adventureous.
Can't say enough good things about Rakitic as well, he got ignored for months by Valverde but comes in and does the job and never complains. Like him or not but he's always been a great teamplayer and a pro for as long as he's been here.

Huge week coming up now with a trip to Anoeta and then the Clasico a couple of days after that

 

[Power Man]

JOAQUIN !!!!!!!!!

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Osasuna player knocked out cold and these players are reacting poorly. Trying to grab him while he’s down and standing in the way of the doctors. They’re clearly concerned about the players injury but they have to be better prepared for these dangerous incidents.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Honestly VAR in la liga is amazing. A breath of fresh air compared to EPL trash. I dont remember a single really awful call from it.