La Liga - 2014/15

Well, the one time I don't watch Atletico in the league they go on to score 4 goals!
 
Messi's now avering 2 goals/assists per game this season.

6 apps, 5 goals, 7 assists.
Unreal. I'd like to see his stats for chances too. Seems to lay chances on a plate for his team mates for fun as well.
 
All that talk about Messi and not a lot about the fact that Barca haven't conceded a goal yet.
 
Whats their cb pairing been?

Saw a game in which Mathieu played with Pique. Yesterday I guess it was Mathieu and Mascherano.

Basically having an actual defender in there makes their team 10x better, regardless of the quality of the defender.

Also, they look a lot more direct this season. Think they're the best team in Europe right now and that's without Suarez. Going to be good watching them in the CL knockouts.
 
Messi this season so far:



That's Messi from last season:

Lionel_Messi_2013-14.png



He's having a better season so far. More throughballs, conversion %, less dispossessed, slightly less shooting %.

BTW, this is Suarez last season. A lot like Messi.

Luis_Su%C3%A1rez_2013-14.png
 
Atletico's win last night was very impressive against an up until then unbeaten Sevilla side. 4 different scorers too. Good to finally see Raul Jimenez get on the score sheet as he's looked off the pace in his appearances so far. Probably Atleti's best performance of the season so far along with the 2nd half in the derby.
 
Any idea how Krychowiak has done against Atletico? Obviously, they've lost 4-0 so it couldn't be any dream performance but wondering whether, for example, he was the shittest of the bunch?
 
Nice goal by Carles Gil, his first for Valencia. Knockdown by Paco was great.
 
Any idea how Krychowiak has done against Atletico? Obviously, they've lost 4-0 so it couldn't be any dream performance but wondering whether, for example, he was the shittest of the bunch?

I'd argue he was one of their better players, still not good enough. He can definitely do better.
 
1-1 now, looks like Canales was the scorer.

Diego Alves should have done better I think.
 
Any idea how Krychowiak has done against Atletico? Obviously, they've lost 4-0 so it couldn't be any dream performance but wondering whether, for example, he was the shittest of the bunch?

He was okay, hard-working, decent energy, decent in the tackle, great aerially... despite his MF partners Mbia and Carriço being very poor.

Recently read an interesting article on Sevilla post-Rakitic and Krychowiak was already rated as a key player in their great early season form.

edit: here it is, http://www.whoscored.com/Articles/l...rprisingly-Bright-Start-to-Life-After-Rakitic
 
He was okay, hard-working, decent energy, decent in the tackle, great aerially... despite his MF partners Mbia and Carriço being very poor.

Recently read an interesting article on Sevilla post-Rakitic and Krychowiak was already rated as a key player in their great early season form.

edit: here it is, http://www.whoscored.com/Articles/l...rprisingly-Bright-Start-to-Life-After-Rakitic
I'd argue he was one of their better players, still not good enough. He can definitely do better.

Cheers, will give this article a read.
 
Saw that Alfreð got 12 minutes. What was he like? 2nd sub appearance so far. Got injured mid pre-season so he's probably got a lot of work to do. Did it show?
 
Sociedad play some great football.
Only at times. They have the players to put on a fight against the big teams, but when they play lower table team they shit the bed, at a least so far this season.
But it's only natural, seeing as they lost Illara, Bravo, Griezmann, Vela is playing injured.
 
Matchday 7 - 4 Oct
A couple of really good looking games this weekend.

Tonight: From the BBC so all times are UK
Getafe v Córdoba 20:00

Sat 4 Oct 2014 - Spanish La Liga
Rayo Vallecano v Barcelona 17:00
Valencia v Atl Madrid 15:00
Eibar v Levante 19:00
Almería v Elche 21:00
Málaga v Granada CF 21:00

Sun 5 Oct 2014 - Spanish La Liga
Sevilla v Deportivo de La Coruña 11:00
Celta de Vigo v Villarreal 16:00
Espanyol v Real Sociedad 18:00
Real Madrid v Ath Bilbao 20:00

Barcelona, despite criticism, are top of the table with 16 points in 6 matches. Rayo, in this fixture last season, became the first team in years to have more possession than Barca, but still lost 0-4. Rayo have sharpened up their act a little since then. I still expect Barca to win.

Valencia - Atletico ought to be the match of the weekend. Raul Garcia scored in all 4 matches between the clubs last year with Atletico winning three and drawing one of those games. Valencia have started the season well. Atletico played on Wednesday night and have a couple of players awaiting injury tests tomorrow.

Real Madrid - Athletic is one of those matches that can always turn into battles, irrespective of form. However Athletic really have started poorly 4 points out of 18 and it's hard to see their luck changing at the Bernabeu. Ancelotti is still playing with his formation to find a balanced team. At present it looks like he's moving to a 442 with Bale currently struggling a little with the job he's being asked to do in the 4.
 
That´s the first real test for Nuno. I suspect a 0-0 will probably happen. Nuno Espírito Santo is a defensive manager with some similarities with Simeone (minus the exuberance and the huge sidekick Burgos).
 
A couple of really good looking games this weekend.

Tonight: From the BBC so all times are UK
Getafe v Córdoba 20:00

Sat 4 Oct 2014 - Spanish La Liga
Rayo Vallecano v Barcelona 17:00
Valencia v Atl Madrid 15:00
Eibar v Levante 19:00
Almería v Elche 21:00
Málaga v Granada CF 21:00

Sun 5 Oct 2014 - Spanish La Liga
Sevilla v Deportivo de La Coruña 11:00
Celta de Vigo v Villarreal 16:00
Espanyol v Real Sociedad 18:00
Real Madrid v Ath Bilbao 20:00

Barcelona, despite criticism, are top of the table with 16 points in 6 matches. Rayo, in this fixture last season, became the first team in years to have more possession than Barca, but still lost 0-4. Rayo have sharpened up their act a little since then. I still expect Barca to win.

Valencia - Atletico ought to be the match of the weekend. Raul Garcia scored in all 4 matches between the clubs last year with Atletico winning three and drawing one of those games. Valencia have started the season well. Atletico played on Wednesday night and have a couple of players awaiting injury tests tomorrow.

Real Madrid - Athletic is one of those matches that can always turn into battles, irrespective of form. However Athletic really have started poorly 4 points out of 18 and it's hard to see their luck changing at the Bernabeu. Ancelotti is still playing with his formation to find a balanced team. At present it looks like he's moving to a 442 with Bale currently struggling a little with the job he's being asked to do in the 4.
Valencia - Atletico should be a tasty game. Could see Valencia get at least a draw with Simeone's men having played Juve midweek. Who knows maybe even a win hopefully.

Us against the basques, I hope we keep the 3 points home and that we end the game without any red cards or injuries.
It was against these thugs that Ronaldo reveived a red card last season, right? Let's hope he can keep his cool this time. Expecting a great game either way.
 
Last edited:
Holy shit! Valencia lead 2-0 within 7 minutes v Atléti, what's going on... awesome goal by André Gomes!
 
Gomes with a well taken goal. I said there's something there with him when he was at Benfica! Good to see him settling in at Valencia and Valencia carrying on their good start to the season
 
So shit (for purely selfish reasons) that so many of the big 3 games are at 3pm on a Saturday. Can't watch this match live now ffs.
 
Heh and i thought it would be a 0-0 game. Surprised Nuno has been doing this good. This will enable Jorge Mendes to get a few more millions from Lim (Nuno was obviously a Mendes tip).
 
Fascinating start by Valencia, never thought Atleti would be 3:0 down after 15 minutes.
 
Pretty shit fixture for Atletico after a tough game v Juventus on wednesday night. Valencia were always going to be difficult after such a hard fought game.
 
Gomes with a well taken goal. I said there's something there with him when he was at Benfica! Good to see him settling in at Valencia and Valencia carrying on their good start to the season

It´s funny you say that, because pratically no one thought he could be this good. Of course, now, Benfica fans are fuming. Major fault here can rest on Jorge Jesus shoulders. He simply doesn´t give youth rank players any chance. Bernando Silva spent 90% of last season at Benfica B and now he´s also doing well at Mónaco.