La Liga 2017/18

These Spanish Sky commentators don't half praise the Madrid players..

A player runs in a straight line with some burst of speed and their excitement overflows :lol:
 
Vato said:
Bale has been brilliant tonight. I reckon he's going to start in the final.
Click to expand...
Cristiano will play. So Bale most likely won't start

Bale is just too similar and their skillsets no longer mesh together
 
giorno said:
Cristiano will play. So Bale most likely won't start

Bale is just too similar and their skillsets no longer mesh together
Click to expand...
I'd say play Isco and Bale on both sides of Ronaldo but no chance that'll happen as Benz will 100% start unfortunately.
 
Vato said:
I'd say play Isco and Bale on both sides of Ronaldo but no chance that'll happen as Benz will 100% start unfortunately.
Click to expand...

Ronaldo plays a lot better when he has Benzema occupying the defenders. He's never really been a CF, when you guys tried it against Bayern away he was poor.
 
FootballHQ said:
He had to spend most of his time covering your absent full backs from their own half.
Click to expand...
Not really, he had the very defensive Nacho behind him. But that's actually part of the problem: Bale has to burn too much energy doing things, and in areas, where he can't impact the game, when Cristiano and Benzema are both playing, and he and Cris are too similar, with too similar holes in their game to work well together without a gel player like Benzema
 
giorno said:
Not really, he had the very defensive Nacho behind him. But that's actually part of the problem: Bale has to burn too much energy doing things, and in areas, where he can't impact the game, when Cristiano and Benzema are both playing, and he and Cris are too similar, with too similar holes in their game to work well together without a gel player like Benzema
Click to expand...

He had to play deeper and waste energy because he had to track Alba’s runs, not because Ronaldo was playing. Ronaldo and Bale have worked together in games plenty of times and it's why Bale will come on for Benzema very often if Madrid are leading or when they're taking a more counter attacking aproach. Away at Dortmund in the CL groupstages was a good example of this when Benzema didn't play.

Zidane will probably start Ronaldo-Benzema-Bale in the CL final now that Benzema and Bale have turned the years back for a few games.
 
Peyroteo said:
He had to play deeper and waste energy because he had to track Alba’s runs, not because Ronaldo was playing. Ronaldo and Bale have worked together in games plenty of times and it's why Bale will come on for Benzema very often if Madrid are leading or when they're taking a more counter attacking aproach. Away at Dortmund in the CL groupstages was a good example of this when Benzema didn't play.

Zidane will probably start Ronaldo-Benzema-Bale in the CL final now that Benzema and Bale have turned the years back for a few games.
Click to expand...
That was one of two or three games all season where Cristiano and Bale both played well at the same time

Bale is quite simply not a very good wing player on the right. He's not a first striker and most of the times he and Cris played together as the 2 strikers, one of them didn't play well. Even coming off the bench

It just doesn't work. Bale needs freedom to be effective for us, unless he accepts going back to playing as a pure left winger(and that means covering for Marcelo among other things), we have no place for him anymore. It's not that he's not good, we're just better without him. We are much, much better when only one of him and Cristiano are on the pitch, and it's obvious which of the two is more valuable to us

If Isco is fit he's starting against Liverpool. Cristiano of course too. I'm not sure the last one will be Benzema honestly. I think Asensio and Lucas both have options

PS do you think Bale would be asked to track the FBs runs if Cristiano wasn't playing? No, he would have effectively replaced him
 
giorno said:
That was one of two or three games all season where Cristiano and Bale both played well at the same time

Bale is quite simply not a very good wing player on the right. He's not a first striker and most of the times he and Cris played together as the 2 strikers, one of them didn't play well. Even coming off the bench

It just doesn't work. Bale needs freedom to be effective for us, unless he accepts going back to playing as a pure left winger(and that means covering for Marcelo among other things), we have no place for him anymore. It's not that he's not good, we're just better without him. We are much, much better when only one of him and Cristiano are on the pitch, and it's obvious which of the two is more valuable to us

If Isco is fit he's starting against Liverpool. Cristiano of course too. I'm not sure the last one will be Benzema honestly. I think Asensio and Lucas both have options

PS do you think Bale would be asked to track the FBs runs if Cristiano wasn't playing? No, he would have effectively replaced him
Click to expand...

It's true they're both at their best in similar roles but I still think when you need to play a more counterattacking game it still works very well, better than the other options at least. I also think Bale instead of Isco would make more sense for the CL final, you'd have less of the ball but the sight of Bale running behind Liverpool's defense would not allow them to play a high line and it would hamper their pressing. It will be more of a tactical decision than one based on their current form. You'll either play Isco and try to escape their pressing or play Bale and have a more direct style.

Benzema will 100% start, Asensio is better off the bench in these games and I don't think Lucas will start.
 
Peyroteo said:
It's true they're both at their best in similar roles but I still think when you need to play a more counterattacking game it still works very well, better than the other options at least.
Click to expand...
Our best counter-attacking unit all season long has been Asensio-Lucas. Both are better than Bale on the ball, both do a better job defensively. Bale is still good on the counter but we lose too much with him on the pitch

I also think Bale instead of Isco would make more sense for the CL final, you'd have less of the ball but the sight of Bale running behind Liverpool's defense would not allow them to play a high line and it would hamper their pressing.
Click to expand...
Don't think so. Liverpool don't really have the option to not press, but even if they sit back playing Bale, on the right, in tight spaces, it means almost giving up an attacking option.

Alternatively liverpool can try to press without pushing the line up and turn the game into a track meeting. That would force us to change things, since we can't compete with them in 70-80 meters.

It will be more of a tactical decision than one based on their current form. You'll either play Isco and try to escape their pressing or play Bale and have a more direct style.
Click to expand...
If we go direct i think we'll play Lucas and drop Benzema
 
giorno said:
Our best counter-attacking unit all season long has been Asensio-Lucas. Both are better than Bale on the ball, both do a better job defensively. Bale is still good on the counter but we lose too much with him on the pitch


Don't think so. Liverpool don't really have the option to not press, but even if they sit back playing Bale, on the right, in tight spaces, it means almost giving up an attacking option.

Alternatively liverpool can try to press without pushing the line up and turn the game into a track meeting. That would force us to change things, since we can't compete with them in 70-80 meters.


If we go direct i think we'll play Lucas and drop Benzema
Click to expand...

No chance Benzema gets dropped, isolating Ronaldo upfront rarely goes well. I also don't think you'll go for Asensio and Lucas since that would imply playing the 4-4-2.

It will be the same team as last year's final, only question is if it's Bale or Isco. i thik Zidane will surprise people and start Bale but we'll see.
 
giorno said:
That was one of two or three games all season where Cristiano and Bale both played well at the same time

Bale is quite simply not a very good wing player on the right. He's not a first striker and most of the times he and Cris played together as the 2 strikers, one of them didn't play well. Even coming off the bench

It just doesn't work. Bale needs freedom to be effective for us, unless he accepts going back to playing as a pure left winger(and that means covering for Marcelo among other things), we have no place for him anymore. It's not that he's not good, we're just better without him. We are much, much better when only one of him and Cristiano are on the pitch, and it's obvious which of the two is more valuable to us

If Isco is fit he's starting against Liverpool. Cristiano of course too. I'm not sure the last one will be Benzema honestly. I think Asensio and Lucas both have options

PS do you think Bale would be asked to track the FBs runs if Cristiano wasn't playing? No, he would have effectively replaced him
Click to expand...

I'm pretty surprised you think this, for me Bale might be the best guy you can have in the RW when fit (bar Messi and maybe Salah).

He's fast, is a good header (in a team that likes to flood the area with crosses), has a, in my opinion, great workrate for a "superstar" player and his association with Carvajal turns your right wing in something to feared, Bale has absurd range and accuracy in his shots, if he goes inside and you cover that, then that means Carvajal has a highway to cross and the other way around.

He's also a great pressure valve for Real Madrid there. Don't know what to do with the ball? You have Ramos, Marcelo, Kroos and sometimes Isco, who can pinpoint a 40m pass in the left side and Bale, a fast but still great target man in the opposite side of the pitch.

His main drag for me is always his form due to injuries, and even when now the BBC destroys the team's chemistry more than 3 years ago (less workrate on Ronaldo and Benzema) he still remains an excelent option as a RW.

Now, I don't think he's a keeper for RM as long as Ronaldo is option A and another striker will come this summer, plus his injury issues, but I do believe that his contribution to the team is underrated, he's in a situation opposite to Isco, when Isco plays good it's praise everywhere, and when he plays bad "well but he's so good sometimes". With Bale is more in tune of when he's bad "man, he sucks and gets injured a lot", and if he plays good "well but he can also disappear some games, and he gets injured".
 
Ishdalar said:
I'm pretty surprised you think this, for me Bale might be the best guy you can have in the RW when fit (bar Messi and maybe Salah).

He's fast, is a good header (in a team that likes to flood the area with crosses), has a, in my opinion, great workrate for a "superstar" player and his association with Carvajal turns your right wing in something to feared, Bale has absurd range and accuracy in his shots, if he goes inside and you cover that, then that means Carvajal has a highway to cross and the other way around.

He's also a great pressure valve for Real Madrid there. Don't know what to do with the ball? You have Ramos, Marcelo, Kroos and sometimes Isco, who can pinpoint a 40m pass in the left side and Bale, a fast but still great target man in the opposite side of the pitch.

His main drag for me is always his form due to injuries, and even when now the BBC destroys the team's chemistry more than 3 years ago (less workrate on Ronaldo and Benzema) he still remains an excelent option as a RW.

Now, I don't think he's a keeper for RM as long as Ronaldo is option A and another striker will come this summer, plus his injury issues, but I do believe that his contribution to the team is underrated, he's in a situation opposite to Isco, when Isco plays good it's praise everywhere, and when he plays bad "well but he's so good sometimes". With Bale is more in tune of when he's bad "man, he sucks and gets injured a lot", and if he plays good "well but he can also disappear some games, and he gets injured".
Click to expand...

Spot on. Who would you start in the CL final, Isco or Bale?
 
I would play with Isco or Lucas. Two good games do not convince me to give Bale a place in the final. I can imagine Bale being replaced in the min 60 because he has gone completely unnoticed.
I would bet on Isco or even Lucas, since I think we will have to run and sacrifice. I think that Lucas minutes would be very productive in all aspects.
I would also play with Benzema. If he is the best option it is debatable, but he has always played and I do not see very opportune to experience in the final
 
Ishdalar said:
I'm pretty surprised you think this, for me Bale might be the best guy you can have in the RW when fit (bar Messi and maybe Salah).
Click to expand...
Because he's been asked to play as an actual winger instead of wide forward. He's great when he has to freedom to cut inside and play closer to the other two forwards. When forced to stay wide however he's about above average at best. No better than Lucas

It's the whole reason why his 13/14 and 15/16 seasons where so much better than 14/15
 
Messi not even on the bench and Vermaelen-Mina CB pairing shows how little they cared about going unbeaten. If people actually rate this team less because they lost this one completely meaningless game then they're idiots.
 
I'll be pretty shite if they lose the unbeaten run after all this. Only 2 games to keep it.
 
Peyroteo said:
Messi not even on the bench and Vermaelen-Mina CB pairing shows how little they cared about going unbeaten. If people actually rate this team less because they lost this one completely meaningless game then they're idiots.
Click to expand...

Even if they went unbeaten no way would this team be remembered as much as 05-06, 09, 11 and 15 sides imo.

4-1 anyway. :D
 
What an absolute shite way to lose the unbeaten run. Another game that proves this Barca is 100% Messi dependent. Remove Messi and they can lose to any nobody.

The unbeaten thing was the only thing that would have made their season special imo. Now it's just another season in which they won the league and that's it.
 
Bardhi is a player to watch btw, been excellent for Levante since xmas. 8 goals in 25 games.
 
They were pretty underwhelming during most of the campaign, they got the results but if you actually watched the matches even some of their most die-hard fans would tell you there were many times that the result was not reflective of the football they were playing.
 
5-1

Just got to see the game the last 10 minutes, but what a way to play football from Levante
 
You must log in or register to reply here.