La Liga 2018/19

Yesterday Michael Robinson announced that he has cancer with metastasis. What a sad news. He explained it with his usual humor and smile.
Maybe many will not know him.
Very famous in Spain.Former player of Liverpool and Osasuna , has been many years in television and radio. El día después with Pedrerol and commentator on Canal + among other things.
 
I see Barca have signed Jeison Murillo on loan to cover the Umtiti injury.

I remember him being highly rated a few years back but then struggled at Inter and been injured lots at Valencia. Think he missed the WC due to injury.
 
FootballHQ said:
I see Barca have signed Jeison Murillo on loan to cover the Umtiti injury.

I remember him being highly rated a few years back but then struggled at Inter and been injured lots at Valencia. Think he missed the WC due to injury.
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Overall a really odd move from Valencia. He was really good when fit. For reasons unknown, they bought Diakhaby and he ends up fifth choice behind Garay, Gabriel, Diakhaby and Ruben Vezo. Gabriel developed into a good CB, but I still think that Murillo is their second best CB. Something must have happened between him and Marcelino.

I'd say it's a good deal for Barca. No risk and the option to buy him for 25m isn't all that crazy if he shows his quality.
It makes sense for Valencia, because they need to strenghens in other areas (RB, RW) and they don't need so many CBS.


There are also many rumors saying that valencia want to terminate the loan of Batshuayi asap. I'd say that's quite likely and sensible.


Edit: I wouldn't be surprised if valencia try to get pereira on a loan till the end of the season.
 
4 straight defeats for La Real. Didn't see that one coming particularly as Januzaj is fit now.
 
Barca got it in the bag now, as they have become constant with their league results. They also score a lot and look to defend better.
 
Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87 said:
Barca got it in the bag now, as they have become constant with their league results. They also score a lot and look to defend better.
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Still got a fair few tough away games in second half of season (Sevilla, Betis, Girona, Villareal, Real Madrid, Bilbao etc).

A few of those teams took points off them at Camp Nou.
 
Can't believe VAR didn't scrub that goal off. Two massive dropped points from Bilbao.
 
Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87 said:
Barca got it in the bag now, as they have become constant with their league results. They also score a lot and look to defend better.
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We're nothing special, game could've ended 1-1 or even 1-2 today and it wouldn't feel unfair.

Midfield sucks, the defense has improved as Lenglet has settled and now he's carrying the lead there, but nothing more, we still depend on momentos of brilliance from Leo and Suarez, at least Dembele seems good finding his way to score in clutch moments.
 
DomesticTadpole said:
Why? I am not watching it so what did you think was wrong. They seemed in complete control from following online blog.
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I honestly thought it was offside. Will be tough to describe until you see highlights but shot came in from edge of box, hit a Valladolid player (who was just level with defender) and ball rebounded across six yard box to another player who shot it in but he seemed to be ahead of the ball. There was a Bilbao defender off the pitch but surely that dosen't count.
 
FootballHQ said:
I honestly thought it was offside. Will be tough to describe until you see highlights but shot came in from edge of box, hit a Valladolid player (who was just level with defender) and ball rebounded across six yard box to another player who shot it in but he seemed to be ahead of the ball. There was a Bilbao defender off the pitch but surely that dosen't count.
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Just seen it. No offside. Player outside the pitch does count in this situation.
 
How's Arthur been doing for Barca lately? There seemed to be huge praise surrounding him but haven't heard anything in the past weeks.
 
Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87 said:
That was some win for Valencia! Right at the end :D
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Still mad with all the attacking talent in the team (Gamiero, Parejo, Rodrigo, Santi Mina, Batshuyai, Cheryshev et al) that was only the third league game they've scored more than one goal and it needed 94th minute goal at home to bottom team to do that today.

Still such is La Liga this season they're now up to 8th despite only winning 4 times this season (same as Leganes).

Just looked at the league table and pretty sure Espanyol were 4th only 3 weeks ago. Lost a couple and they're now down to 14th.
 
Huge win for Rayo. Need to be winning these home games against mid table teams and that's two in a row now. Plenty more of this standard in second half of the season.

Just three points off Bilbao so still decent chance.

Huesca is down but couldn't call the other two places. Think Villareal will eventually find some form and get out of it.
 
VorZakone said:
How's Arthur been doing for Barca lately? There seemed to be huge praise surrounding him but haven't heard anything in the past weeks.
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Had a decent cameo in the 5-0 win against Levante. He was sidelined for a couple of weeks with a muscle injury and unfortunately for him Vidal played well in his absence. Obviously under Valverde Rakitić and Busquets are going to play 95% of the games which leaves just one starting spot in 4-3-3 at least.
 
Ishdalar said:
We're nothing special, game could've ended 1-1 or even 1-2 today and it wouldn't feel unfair.

Midfield sucks, the defense has improved as Lenglet has settled and now he's carrying the lead there, but nothing more, we still depend on momentos of brilliance from Leo and Suarez, at least Dembele seems good finding his way to score in clutch moments.
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Why is your midfield poor with Arthur and Vidal added this summer?
 
amolbhatia50k said:
Why is your midfield poor with Arthur and Vidal added this summer?
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Because a lot of the time the team doesn't want to run

Watch them against Inter, Spurs(away), the clasico...

It's just not the same as during the Guardiola era, they can struggle against a high press at times. But that's down to the whole team
 
amolbhatia50k said:
Why is your midfield poor with Arthur and Vidal added this summer?
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giorno said:
Because a lot of the time the team doesn't want to run

Watch them against Inter, Spurs(away), the clasico...

It's just not the same as during the Guardiola era, they can struggle against a high press at times. But that's down to the whole team
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Basically, even with better players our tactics are lazy, keeping the ball in the middle just by flooding that zone with good players, but without an actual sense of depth beyond Leo dribbling, finding passes or opening to Alba.

The closer our players are to each other the more predictable we become, and with the 433, Leo not playing as a winger, Suarez playing centrally, Dembele looking for touches inside and our 3 midfielders there's no room to surprise the enemy defense, it's even worse with Coutinho instead of Dembele, as he also plays centrally a lot more.

We could field Denis Suarez and Aleña, or peak Xavi-Iniesta and the team would still look bland, it's hard to dominate and attack like we should the way the players are set in the pitch. That's why I haven't been carried away by this team since the Chelsea leg, even if we grind 1-0 wins or stomp 4-0 three weeks in a row, by April, when things get tough we might fail like we did past season.

We can win this way, but for us, it's suppossed to be more about how we win.
 
I nave noticed that 3 of 5 bottom teams are Bilbao, Villarreal and Real Sociedad. These teams usually tight for a place in Europa, while Alaves and Getafe are best high in the table.
 


Asier Garitano has been sacked. He took over in May this year. Real Sociedad are currently 15th and have lost their last 4 games. They are 4 points above the relegation zone.
He is the 6th La Liga manager to be sacked. Notably 5 of the 6 managers sacked were only hired in either May/June this year
 
Would've given him longer. Did very well at Leganes and La Real were actually doing o.k a month ago. Only 3 points off 8th and still in Copa Del Rey.
 
La Liga is back this week with Real facing Villarreal. There la also Seville-Atletico this sunday.
 
Proper football is back tonight :lol: it's been a really long two weeks. I'll be watching the Real Madrid game from 2030 (and just hoping City somehow do it.)

Don't think I can take watching another unpunished high, reckless tackles, incorrect offside and dodgy penalties (for Liverpool).
 
short Sevilla update:
It was a good first half of the season and Machin is excellent. The club has to give him all the tools to succeed. Sevilla played ~33 matches so far and the squad is way too thin for this kind of program. The first 11 is quite good, but the rest of the squad is fairly useless and Machin simply can't trust them. He can't rest any key-players even against the smaller sides. This team would probably not finish in the top half of of the table without Banega and Sarabia. The negotiations to extend the contract of both players is imo not going well, because Sevilla seems to be unwilling to pay an adequate salary. It would be a nightmare if one of them would leave, because Sevilla wasted too much money on bad transfer.

The injury problems make matters worse. Gonalons is probably missing the complete season. Without him, Banega has to play every minute or the team lacks a midfielder, who can pass the ball. Roque Mesa is terrible and should be sold asap, while Amadou is a different type of player (he also suffered from injuries at the worst time). Kjaer and Aleix Vidal might be both out for the rest of the season.

I have no idea why the club bought Gnagnon last summer. He had to lose over 10 kg just to get into a physical state, where he can play football. The Guilherme Arana transfer (last winter) must have be some kind of money laundering deal. He is distinctly average and nothing of this transfer makes sense. The time of Luis Muriel is finally over; he joins Florenz on a loan. He was just a massive waste of money and time. I really wanted him to succeed, but he lacks any end-product.
Quincy Promes is another transfer that looks a bit daft. He is a good player, but after changing the system to a 352 (and not a 343), there is simply no spot for a wide-forward. Credit to him and his attitude, that he showed some good performances as wing-back despite that not being his natural position at all.

Sevilla needs to at least three new players this winter. A CB, a central midfielder and another forward. There are lots of names flying around. Some of the more interesting/promising ones: Eric Bailly, Jovetic and Cornet. I am worried, that there is no proper midfielder available.
 
Mb194dc said:
Proper football is back tonight :lol: it's been a really long two weeks. I'll be watching the Real Madrid game from 2030 (and just hoping City somehow do it.)

Don't think I can take watching another unpunished high, reckless tackles, incorrect offside and dodgy penalties (for Liverpool).
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Madrid always get hard games away to Villareal, can see this being a draw.
 
1-0 Villareal already....Santi Cazorla scored a lovely goal.
 
1-1....one of easiest goals of Benzema's career. Villareal simply can't defend this season.

Don't tell me you're all watching the borefest in another league. ;)
 
Red Katie said:
You're alone in here mate. How's Real Madrid looking?
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Good response to falling behind but really Villareal defence is shocking and that's why they're in bottom 3 which they shouldn't with what they have in midfield and attack.

Lucas Vazquez such a headless chicken upfront for them.
 
FootballHQ said:
Good response to falling behind but really Villareal defence is shocking and that's why they're in bottom 3 which they shouldn't with what they have in midfield and attack.

Lucas Vazquez such a headless chicken upfront for them.
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Thanks! I haven't watched la liga this season.
 
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