Really dangerous free kick for Barca just outside the box.
La Liga 2017/18
- Thread starter Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87
- Start date
Good point for Barca .
It is.
Barcelona should have won, but a good result to keep the league challenging enough. This is their hardest fixture in the whole season away from the Clasico matches anyway.
If not for Lahoz we would've won all 3 points. Denied us a clear pen. and a 2nd yellow for Gabi, and a debatable one in the 2nd half for a Savic hand ball.
1-1 FT. Atletico pulled out a terrible second half.
Barca should have won it, Suarez was shit the last 10 minutes
Dreadful by Atletico the last 30 minutes.
Strange stats that.
Probably karma for all the decisions you've had over the years.
1-1 FT
Last time Atleti beat Barça in the league was nearly 8 years ago, they always seem to feck it up. Didn't even deserve a point today after that second half
Last time Atleti beat Barça in the league was nearly 8 years ago, they always seem to feck it up. Didn't even deserve a point today after that second half
But I'll take the point overall. We had a shit first half and paid for it. +5 from Madrid and they have to play Atletico away soon too.
Messi could probably get some rest now given they play Olympiakos next.
Some of the decisions Valverde is making literally boggle the mind. I do my best to avoid armchair quarterbacking especially after the fact, but what was he thinking playing Andre Gomes today? He had a stretch of fairly easy games where he could tinker and experiment, and then decided to play him in their most difficult game so far and in a non-preferred position as well.
I thought Gomes would be subbed at half time, how he finished the game is beyond my comprehension. Still, a point away at Atletico can hardly be considered a bad result.
I thought Gomes would be subbed at half time, how he finished the game is beyond my comprehension. Still, a point away at Atletico can hardly be considered a bad result.
They should have brought Torres on sooner. This season he is playing less than ever, but at Atletico he has looked much better than at Chelsea, he should partner Griezmann more.
Didn't get Simeone taking off Carrasco who is a monster at ball carrying. He was a real threat on the counter and once he went off, Barca just kept winning possession and going again and again at the Atletico backline.
He's finished at the top level. I think he brings basically nothing to the table. January can't come soon enough for Atletico. It's been a nightmare trying to replace Costa since 2014.
Yeah, was a little baffled by that. Carrasco always plays well against Barca too.
Nothing much to take from it though since he has beaten them in CL and domestic cup competitions.
Yep. And what's with Costa, when does he start playing?
He can be registered to play on Jan 1st earliest.
Did they sold Vietto ? Yeah, I remember they struggling with Mandzukic. To be fair to Torres, I think he has great work rate. He closes down defenders more than the others, that can open up more space for Griezmann. But yeah... he's never getting back to his Liverpool level. The question for me is, can Atletico remain strong enough till January to challenge for the title with Costa or is that squad past their prime aswell ?
Squad is excellent and the likes of Saul, Koke, Griezmann are great players entering their primes. The one thing they lack is a clinical number 9. Costa.
Great marking by Andrè Gomes on Saul
Gomes wasn't marking soul, he was marking Luis. Didn't actually think Gomes was that bad yesterday compared to usual.
How is Nelson Semedo doing? I was disappointed when we didn't go for him.
They tried Mandzukic, Jackson Martinez, gameiro, vietto, (aging) Torres and Correa since Costa left. Jackson, gameiro and vietto failed horribly. Mandzukic was decent but the wrong type of player. Torres is nothing more but a workhorse who is willing to close down the opposition. Correa is not a CF.
The problem is neither quality nor the type of player. On paper both Jackson Martinez and gameiro should have been good fits. I don't know what simeone is doing to his forwards, but he shoulders most of the blame. I can see Costa doing well for a season or two, but new players really struggle to adept to Simeone's system. That's a problem across the pitch.
Many of his former key players are ageing (Gabi, Godin, Filipe Luis, juanfran) and the replacements for Tiago, Arda and Costa all struggle to some extend and don't show similar quality consistently.
I think his initial system was tailor made for these players while the new players have slightly different strength/weaknesses. Yet simeone struggles to tweak his ideas accordingly.
Costa might be a quick fix for a while, bit in the long run this team has to evolve. They have all the tools (in terms of individual quality), but don't make best use of them lately.
Gomes is #21 - bottom left on the screen.
Think you're confusing him with Busquets
It's even Semedo who is too close to the centre so Gomes had to cover for him in that position.
Not sure what you're on about - Gomes was playing furthest right in the midfield until Deulofeu and S.Roberto came on. His marking is fine and is Semedo's.
Ohh he's the perfect fit for us. Haven't seen a player integrate so easily and offer so much. I'm seriously thinking what he can add more, what more he has, that he can show us.
On a side note, I'm grateful to Wenger that he didn't let Barto sign Bellerin. Eternally grateful. #WengerIN
Yeah that's Rakitic's fault, Gomes did nothing wrong.
Gomes closed the left back like he's supposed to do, then Semedo followed Carrasco to the middle and he filled his spot by staying with Luis. Rakitic went to close down Saul but should have recovered faster and been between Saul and the goal. Small mistake anyway, credit goes to Saul for pulling that off.
That's true. Unstoppable shot in the end.
Betis-Valencia should be good now.
Cracking atmosphere at Betis v. Valencia.
1-0 Kondogbia. Valencia were getting closer and closer in the last minutes.
Wow Joaquin! Great free kick and great save.
Betis close again.
Guedes! Fantastic strike! 2-0 Valencia.
Guedes! Fantastic strike! 2-0 Valencia.
Guedes shutting me up. Thought he was a nothing player. But he's doing well at Valência.
marcelino doing wonders again. The management of Villarreal must be kicking themselves.