Nolito... my MotM for this game, he's been irrepressible on that left-hand side.
La Liga - 2014/15
- Thread starter jojojo
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plus, he is what? 20? you may have a number 10 for more than a decade
Hahaha good one. He's 23, good age, but come on, it's Real Madrid. He'll be good for them for 3 seasons and then they'll get bored of him. Happened to Ozil and Angel.
First Spanish game I've watched all season. feck the Premier League, that was a cracking match.
His attitude is great too. Like Di Maria before him, he works very hard defensively. Certain players need to be instructed by the coach to track back and work hard defensively (like Bale and Ronaldo) but it seems like a natural part of James' (and Di Maria's) game and I get the impression that they would track back and press whether they are told to by the coach or not.
I don´t think that nobody got bored with Ozil, but his father had problems with the board. I would happily bring him back.
it didnt happen to Raul, Marcelo, Ramos, Pepe
Özil didn't fit Ancelotti's system, while RM claimed Di Maria was too greedy.
Yes, he helps a lot to the midfield and actually he is playing out of position. I am looking forward to see him free, as in the World Cup, without defensive duties, to enjoy that great left foot. He is a player of Jorge Mendes , I think that he is being very well advised.
FT. 2-4
Celta screwed over by Lady Luck (and the ref), deserved at least a draw from that IMO (as they did against Barça recently). They've been outstanding in 5 out of 6 games against the top-3 this season (and when they beat RM 2-0 on the penultimate day last season as well), some really awesome performances in there and they didn't do too badly on the results front either:
Atlético 2-2 Celta
Celta 2-0 Atlético
FC Barcelona 0-1 Celta
Celta 0-1 FC Barcelona
Real Madrid 3-0 Celta
Celta 2-4 Real Madrid
@wr8_utd , @RooneyLegend what a "joke league" where a "tactically indisciplined" (apparently) mid-table team is capable of dominating more than half their games against monsters like these...
Celta screwed over by Lady Luck (and the ref), deserved at least a draw from that IMO (as they did against Barça recently). They've been outstanding in 5 out of 6 games against the top-3 this season (and when they beat RM 2-0 on the penultimate day last season as well), some really awesome performances in there and they didn't do too badly on the results front either:
Atlético 2-2 Celta
Celta 2-0 Atlético
FC Barcelona 0-1 Celta
Celta 0-1 FC Barcelona
Real Madrid 3-0 Celta
Celta 2-4 Real Madrid
@wr8_utd , @RooneyLegend what a "joke league" where a "tactically indisciplined" (apparently) mid-table team is capable of dominating more than half their games against monsters like these...
Being from Coruña I always hated Celta, the "portugueses" as we call them 
but the truth is they are doing a great season, besides the future can be good as well since they work very well with young players (Santi Mina will be great). Anyway I think they´ll miss Krohn-Dehli next season( signed with Sevilla)
but the truth is they are doing a great season, besides the future can be good as well since they work very well with young players (Santi Mina will be great). Anyway I think they´ll miss Krohn-Dehli next season( signed with Sevilla)You're telling me you didn't see any tactical indiscipline?
At the time I thought the same, didn't understand their decision. How wrong was I as well, cracking player!
James has had alot of critics on here for coming in and being picked over Isco straight after he recovered from his injury but he has been their star performer since abd has outplayed Isco.
They both should play anyway and Bale should be on the bench.
Rodriguez reminds me of a more physical Mata.
Chicharito also looked great didn't he? that CL goal must have sent his confidence through the roof. Love seeing how happy he looks when he celebrates, it will be a shame to see him leave permanently as he scored a lot of important goals for us.
Chicharito also looked great didn't he? that CL goal must have sent his confidence through the roof. Love seeing how happy he looks when he celebrates, it will be a shame to see him leave permanently as he scored a lot of important goals for us.
you from coruña? i love that cityBeing from Coruña I always hated Celta, the "portugueses" as we call them
well, tbf i love Galicia, been there like 10 times and you have the best food and wines in the world
pitty women were designed to pull a plough
i supose you speak spanish
yes, I speak spanish, are you argentine? Do you have family in Galicia? I have cousins in Argentina
. Yes, the food is great, but I´m allergic to seafood No, I didn't. I saw a team that was defensively unsound, but extremely disciplined going forward, creating chance after chance and dominating for the majority of the game. Their defensive instability was a direct consequence of their gameplan that was based around pressing high up the field and looking for vertical passing combinations between the lines, which is inherently incredibly risky (and even more against a side like RM that thrives in transitions with loads of space) and requires them to push a lot of bodies up the pitch to support their attacks. Do you think they would have fared better had they just stuck every man, woman and child behind the ball around their own box for 90 minutes? They'd have probably only conceded 1 or 2 goals, but wouldn't have scored any themselves, in my opinion (they don't have the players to "park the bus" anyway). It's also important to note that RM only really continually got loads of space on the break in the 2nd half when Celta were chasing an equaliser.
It's the same old bs, perpetuated by conservative pundits that paint offensive tactics as "indisciplined" regardless of whether they're calculated risks (just like how attacking full-backs are rubbish defensively)... Celta didn't just improvise all of that wonderful attacking play, it's the result of positional training and tactical choices (as described above). They were defensively unsound because of it, sure, but I don't see how you can call it tactically indisciplined when it's an expected product of their strategy in the first place to leave that space (mostly because they were man-marking in MF). They took risks, it almost paid off (who knows if the ref calls one of those two penalty incidents). You may question Berrizzo's tactics, but they largely worked in their games against Atléti and Barça, and again tonight for the most part.
As you're living in Spain, that's a huge shame. Seafood paella is the best dish I've eaten over there.Yes, the food is great, but I´m allergic to seafood
yes, I know, I use to listen that, it´s specially sad at weddings, at least I can eat squids and octopus
my twin brother lives in Tuy, near the border with portugal and about 20 km from vigo, he is a Celta and Real Madrid Fan and i go to visit there every yearyes, I speak spanish, are you argentine? Do you have family in Galicia? I have cousins in Argentina
being alergic to seafood in Galizia is worst than being gay in a Victorias Secret parade
I know Tui, nice city and pretty cathedral. My sister lives in Vigo so I use to go quite often too. When some visitors are coming to Galicia we always show them Baiona, the mount of Santa Tecla and later street market and lunch in Portugal. The beaches around Vigo are great (although the water is very cold)
been in baiona at least four times, walked all the walls, never stayed at the hotel though,
and in Santa Tecla, i love the remains of the old celtic villa
in portugal do you go to Valenca? that small city is beautifull to walk it and have very good places to eat
I do exactly that, in Baiona we go walking to the hotel (el parador) but never stayed either, is too expensive, the max was a coffee in the cafetería inside with the view of the islands. Yes, Valença, the street market years ago was very nice, now with euro and the end of borders lost a bit but my mam used to go once a month. It´s great to eat cod or goat (cabrito)
. Although I live in Coruña I am originally from Lugo, there you should visit the roman wall and go to eat some tapas , big and free with the drinkNah, at first I only really stuck to my own country's league (I'm from Belgium) and international football, but gradually I started to pick up the CL as that began to become more televised here and saw great teams like RM, Barça, Valencia, Depor, etc.. I ain't even that old though, guess I started watching Spanish football around 2002 or something and only became "a regular" a few years later (wasn't always available either). Besides @jojojo is infinitely more knowledgeable about it than me! Tho I always have a vivid interest in (football) history.
And what about you? Are you initially a Depor fan and then a blanco or how does that work?
i think lugo is the only main galicia city i haven't been yetI do exactly that, in Baiona we go walking to the hotel (el parador) but never stayed either, is too expensive, the max was a coffee in the cafetería inside with the view of the islands. Yes, Valença, the street market years ago was very nice, now with euro and the end of borders lost a bit but my mam used to go once a month. It´s great to eat cod or goat (cabrito)
maybe this year, i'm planning on going to europe next september, i'll be in galicia about a week, the rest of the trip will be in oslo, copenhagen, stockolm and brussels
so maybe i can convince my brother to take me to lugo for a day or a weekend
Well, you do very good game analysis and you know a lot about players, much more than an average fan here in Spain. My father is a Madrid fan, is a mix about football and patriotism, but when the "super depor" appeared in 93-94 was inevitable not to support them. Everybody liked them, was like David vs Goliath, and you? you feel an special sympathy for some team in la liga?Nah, at first I only really stuck to my own country's league (I'm from Belgium) and international football, but gradually I started to pick up the CL as that began to become more televised here and saw great teams like RM, Barça, Valencia, Depor, etc.. I ain't even that old though, guess I started watching Spanish football around 2002 or something and only became "a regular" a few years later (wasn't always available either). Besides @jojojo is infinitely more knowledgeable about it than me! Tho I always have a vivid interest in (football) history.
And what about you? Are you initially a Depor fan and then a blanco or how does that work?
You are lucky to be able to travel so often, nice trip btw, a morning in Lugo is more than enough. I have some argentine friends that came years ago to live but for some reason or another they couldn´t go back there on holidays
I've always had a soft spot for Villarreal (who doesn't like an underdog?), ever since that fabulous Pellegrini side with Riquelme, Forlán, Senna, Sorín, Cazorla, Cani, etc. Of course I can enjoy the Big Two as well, initially the galácticos, but the last decade I must say I've enjoyed watching Barça more (mostly because of Messi) than RM (06/07 was awesome tho! an incredible season with also a very strong Sevilla and so many epic games/moments)... I was also glad that Atléti won last season, that was totally deserved for their hard work and, again, underdog status. I don't really care too much for any particular colours, as long as the football is good.
you even write the accents!, great. Yes, that season was great, I was always a big fan of Capello. I agree, although I like Madrid I think that la liga needed an Atlético winner. Now hopefully (if they don´t make a mess before) Valencia will be strong again tooHe's brilliant. I think his World Cup performances (obviously) thrust him right into the limelight, but more importantly it showed he is able to perform in big games when it counts. He's the kind of player that can stand up when required, which is a big plus.
He was a flavour of the month, but for very good reason.
I still remember when Culés used to call him "jajames" , something like "lol james"
, besides financially speaking he is a goldmineUnlikely. Firstly, my memory is useless. Second, (apart from Barca/Madrid) I only tend to notice the players who have especially good games against Barca/Madrid and/or the players who I see as transfer targets for United. Hence my early enthusiasm for DdG and Herrera for example.
That said, I do like watching La Liga and having spent a few years working in Spain (and loving live matches) I have a soft spot for teams like Valencia, Elche, Murcia and even Hercules who I've borrowed as my "second clubs" at times. Even those teams though, I have no idea what their current best 11 is, or who the rising stars are. And I don't remember any names/performances - unless one of them gets linked to United of course
Wow what a important and dramatic win for Real Madrid against Celta Vigo.....they could've already lost the title yesterday.
Barca and Real Madrid will surely win their games during the week. But i have the feeling the league will be decided next Saturday when Barca will win in Cordoba and Real Madrid will not win at FC Sevilla (Still the only club without a home defeat in La Liga).
A shame it's so late in the season but still i'm very happy for Chicharito that he plays and scores. One side i hope he will stay at Real Madrid and on the other side he would do much better (Playing and scoring) at for example Valencia or Southampton.
Barca and Real Madrid will surely win their games during the week. But i have the feeling the league will be decided next Saturday when Barca will win in Cordoba and Real Madrid will not win at FC Sevilla (Still the only club without a home defeat in La Liga).
A shame it's so late in the season but still i'm very happy for Chicharito that he plays and scores. One side i hope he will stay at Real Madrid and on the other side he would do much better (Playing and scoring) at for example Valencia or Southampton.
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I did wonder if he might suit Valencia, especially after the Barcelona game where they did everything except score. However, they already have "an obligation to buy" Negredo, so I don't think Hernandez is an option for them.
Ancelotti really underused Hernandez for the entirety of the season. A poacher who just sticks it in the back of the net can be very useful at times and fits this Madrid side perfectly when they play with 4 midfielders. He's nowhere near Benzema as a footballer of course but Benzema can often be guilty of passing to death and not being in the box when needed. Sometimes simple pace, off the ball runs and poaching instincts will do. As a super sub few would do better but he rarely got more than 5 minute cameos until Benzema's and Bale's injuries.
Would love to see him at a club like Valencia.
Would love to see him at a club like Valencia.
Tbf he was underused here as well. He's always had goals in him. Id have loved to see him at Valencia as well, they are my spanish team. Looking at Negredo's form this season he would have got many chances, might even be first team regular by now. Valencia are 4th despite not having a top striker, i think a quality striker would take them to the next level. That is one area they need to strengthen. Paco is the top scorer now with 11 goals but he's not quite there yet.
Indeed. Crystal Palace would have murdered that Real Madrid side with their discipline, 3-0 at least.
I see that you have sympathy for Costa Blanca/Levante teams.Bad days for some of them,specially Hercules and Murcia.It's incredible that cities with that population have teams in 2B division.Corruption and terrible presidents.I think that this year both will play the play off to promoteUnlikely. Firstly, my memory is useless. Second, (apart from Barca/Madrid) I only tend to notice the players who have especially good games against Barca/Madrid and/or the players who I see as transfer targets for United. Hence my early enthusiasm for DdG and Herrera for example.
That said, I do like watching La Liga and having spent a few years working in Spain (and loving live matches) I have a soft spot for teams like Valencia, Elche, Murcia and even Hercules who I've borrowed as my "second clubs" at times. Even those teams though, I have no idea what their current best 11 is, or who the rising stars are. And I don't remember any names/performances - unless one of them gets linked to United of course