La Liga 2019/2020

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les Habs

Registered User
Sep 21, 2005
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Not at all what I expected considering the scoreline. I think Madrid were fair winners, but not an impressive showing from either team really. That said I think Madrid will take some confidence from the result even if they shouldn't take too much.

You can only control what you can control and you need to play to players' strengths more. Suarez and Dembele out, Messi and Alba playing injured, but you can still make better decisions. I won't blast Setien, but it's clear that the team needs a reference point in attack. The midfielders are not the right option for that. Messi and Griezmann too are not the right options. Brathwaite should have started and we should have played a 4-3-3. We didn't need four midfielders out there and Vidal was the worst player for us and probably in the match itself. Regardless of that and regardless of the performance, there are still some positives. We were the better side in the first half, we created some good chances and Madrid only lead the league by a point. Still Madrid probably have the psychological edge at the moment, we're still hurting with injuries and a small squad and our away form is still a concern.

The run-in for the league shouldn't be too challenging, but we'll need to be more consistent and we'll need some players to step up.
 

Vasilevskiy

The cat will be back
Dec 30, 2008
17,820
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Barcelona
Thought the first half was a wash but second we were dominated and Madrid fair winners despite not playing a really good game.

Messi looked off as did many players to be honest.

Setien doesn't seem to be sparking the guys as I hoped he would. Tough times ahead once Messi is done
 

S E P H

Cloud IX
Mar 5, 2010
30,714
16,240
Toruń, PL
Couple days late for the El Clasico...

- Thought it was a fantastic game, this is the type of game that puts your view in perspective and that Arsenal isn't even close to any of these teams.

- Both teams had chances, but I thought Barca had more bending yet not breaking defence until it actually broke. Real had their fair share of chances though.

- Haven't watched a lot of him, but honestly from both clubs I thought the MOTM was easily Semedo. Just displayed mobility with a extremely high IQ for the game. Really impressive.

- I thought Alba had a great game as well, but after him the entire back line for Barca including Busquets were quite bad. Pique looks like he's starting to decline and Umtiti in that game is the reason why he's overrated. A lot of ball watching and not really anticipating the play.

- Greizmann, oh man he was dreadful. 100 million Euros for a bloke who has serious tunnel vision, Alba was open throughout the first half and he found him with literally zero balls. Only blokes who did were Messi - who was also very bad - and Arthur - who was quite good.

- Marcelo could go down as one of the best fullbacks of all time, whenever I watch him he's unbelievable at creating chances from his position.

- I seriously don't get the point of Kroos? maybe he add stability, but he has some very Xhaka-esque like qualities to him. One of those players who thinks he's better than what he actually is.

- Isco is a good player, but not sure what team would go out and spend 60+ million for him. He does a lot of good, but his final-third always ends up with a bad decision with the ball. Perhaps he's too direct in his playing style and loses possession over it quite easily, but even then that shows a serious flaw in his talent.

- What did I tell ya lot about the magician, Vinicius Jr.? Sure he has some bad qualities that remind me of Pepe where he relies too much on his dribbling skills to get him places, but he has serious talent. Barca better watch out because Junior is going to be unleashed very soon on La Liga.

- Not sure there isn't anything else amazing about Real, they played a pretty good game from the back line and had patience which eventually was rewarded. Even for my love for Marcelo, I thought Carvajal was RM best defensive liner.
 

Dr Salt

Bedard saved me
Feb 26, 2019
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ym
I loved seeing Marcelo out there. Had one of his best games in a while. Probably his best this year unless I'm forgetting something.
 

Vasilevskiy

The cat will be back
Dec 30, 2008
17,820
4,608
Barcelona
Also thought Semedo was very good, for Madrid I thought Valverde was good (again), and Casemiro as much as I hate him and his shaeningans
 

Savi

Registered User
Dec 3, 2006
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Bruges, Belgium
Also, not sure if this is the same Setien as the one who managed Betis

That team wasn't great but always played fast, vertical football, basically everything this Barça team doesn't

At this point I don't care if they win or lose, just some me something instead of putting me to sleep
 

Cassano

Registered User
Aug 31, 2013
25,610
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GTA
Messi looks off but remove him from the team and they're basically Leganes with how they're playing right now



He's literally the only deep threat on the team. Reminds me a bit of Pedro, which is really best case scenario you can hope for with him
Pedro's a free agent this summer, they should probably sign him.
 

Duchene2MacKinnon

In the hands of Genius
Aug 8, 2006
45,300
9,465
Also, not sure if this is the same Setien as the one who managed Betis

That team wasn't great but always played fast, vertical football, basically everything this Barça team doesn't

At this point I don't care if they win or lose, just some me something instead of putting me to sleep
This is what I feared when Stein came on... lack of chances and its looking unfortunately to be the case. THere's just no chances no one has a killer ball in them. This is also what I feared with this midfield the year is a write off STOP playing Ivan, Vidal play the kids. I'd also put some blame in the forwards for not making runs. Barca need 3 buys minimum.
 

Savi

Registered User
Dec 3, 2006
9,276
1,862
Bruges, Belgium
This is what I feared when Stein came on... lack of chances and its looking unfortunately to be the case. THere's just no chances no one has a killer ball in them. This is also what I feared with this midfield the year is a write off STOP playing Ivan, Vidal play the kids. I'd also put some blame in the forwards for not making runs. Barca need 3 buys minimum.

But thats the thing, it's not so much who's playing, it's the tactics and just the general state of mind of the team

If every single player who receives a pass decices to wait, cut back, pass it sideways or back and if nobody is moving out there, it really doesn't matter who is playing

On paper we play 3 forwards. Messi, Griezmann, Braithwaite. Then you watch the game. Messi is almost playing alongside Busquets for most of the game. Griezmann thinks he's a midfielder. And Braithwaite is the only deep threat with nobody in support.

Semedo seems scared to make forward runs. De Jong has lost confidence.

It's a huge mess
 
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