It's been 3 games.
La Liga 2024/25
- Thread starter carvajal
- Start date
I honestly think Madird is better off moving Tchouameni to CB permanently. Militão has not looked the same since his ACL injury and Alaba’s level post-return is yet to be known.
Ceballos and Modric really should be moved on and don’t impact games all that much anymore.
That’s Camavinga, Jude, Guller, Fede for the MF. That’s still light in my opinion.
Barcelona look sublime tbh
Now that's a Flickball score 
Ok, actually only when Valladolid have scored 2-3, but scoringfour five six seven for yourself is on brand.
Ok, actually only when Valladolid have scored 2-3, but scoring
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Raphinha is flourishing in that central role.
Raphina with a hat-trick and 2 assists. Olmo is making a huge difference.
God, I fecking hate the fact that those cnuts are looking good. feck Barcelona.
Barca look pretty strong atm and Ancelotti has never won back to back leagues.
Will be a tough season for Madrid.
Will be a tough season for Madrid.
Not a very nice way to speak about the world's greatest football club
Yeah, we haven’t won a back to back title in like two decades. And yeah Barca look much, much better. We legit look horrible. Gonna be a long season.
And everyone was saying that Madrid would be unbeatable. Mind you, I shouldn't get carried away. It's 3/4 games. But positive signs so far.
Regardless of the ugly administrative elements of the club, I've always preferred how Barca take their own kids and make them stars rather than the Madrid route of buying expensive Galactico kids.
In the middle of a shit storm from an ownership perspective, Barca could easily come out the other-side with a few titles, a new stadium and a regular Balon Dor candidate (Yamal).
Truly more than a club I tell ya.
Truly more than a club I tell ya.
Are Madrid fans always this knee-jerk? You'd think for a team who has won what they have in the manner they have - they'd be so calm and trust the process. It's literally 3/4 games into a season and fans are panicking and saying it's going to be a long season.
It's not a 'process' though. It's the reigning Spanish and European champions adding arguably the world's best player and a teen Brazilian phenom to their ranks. It shouldn't be that complicated.
However, it is obviously far to early to make any judgments about what will happen, so the Madrid fans probably should calm down a bit.
Much prefer this Barca to Madrid. They do it with a lot of youngsters from their academy while Madrid buy most of their stars.
If Madrid can’t win La Liga after being defending champions AND buying Mbappe then this version of Barca should be applauded if they’re the ones ending up as champion.
Exactly this.
They do what exactly? Because last time I checked academy players Carvajal and Nacho had more European Cups than the whole FC Barcelona in all their history.
If we are to compare the rise of youth players to the first team, why not take Athletic Bilbao as the main reference?
I still fancy our chances in the CL. But also know what we are like in LaLiga. It’s just one of those things you can tell very early on
It has happened way too many times over the years.Yes. We are all going to die.
Of course, I shouldn't get carried away 4 games into the season. But I don't think it's really unreasonable to think they'll struggle in the league this season, especially if Hansi Flick can get a tune out of Lewa for one last time, as he seems to be able to do so now. Olmo is a solid addition despite the registration issues.
Real Madrid's attacking talent is unparalleled, but they've lost balance in the squad as Kroos retired, and Modric isn't exactly getting younger. Those two will be a serious miss and they'll either have to find players of their caliber or hope Bellingham and Guler can fill their shoes. I can probably see them going for Wirtz in the future.
It doesn't really help that historically, Ancelotti has had a poor league record compared to Europe, and again, has never successfully defended a league title both as player and manager.
At the same time they lost their best and most important midfielder and replaced him with another attacker while fielding three left wingers.
Yes, it's a strange thing that he has with league titles. I think Madrid might be the only team he's won multiple titles with, IIRC. And only after coming back for the second time. However, his record in Europe is exceptional, save for his terrible bottle job in Istanbul.....
The most Atletico match imaginable. Stink the joint out for the majority of the match and nick a late winner. They love a 1-0
Fine, but we heard precious little of that prior to the season. All we got was people saying that we shouldn't even bother to play the games and just hand them the league and CL trophies now. Happy to see that it might not be quite so straightforward.
The only reason I would like Barca right now as Flick, such a quality manager who I don't think was justifiably removed from his last two jobs.
He removed himself from Bayern. And his Germany tenure really wasn't great, sadly, which the much improved play under Nagelsmann makes look even worse.
It seems Barca and him van make a good fit though, and i wish him success. Maybe a little 8-2 against Real, too, that'd be nice.
Yea for Bayern I was about to add that it was not him wanting to leave, but he was being forced out as well though right since he was clashing with Hasan and Oli? For Germany, I still think his removal was harsh. We weren't that bad in Qatar but just had terrible finishing.
There were a lot of posters on here, especially Real supporters, that questioned the Mbappe signing, stated that Kroos is irreplaceable and that they will lose a lot of control by adding another attacker to their starting XI.
Of course, hence they have outspent Madrid since 09/10 - nearly 2B, with net spent being 700M+, while Madrid 1,7B with net spent being 600M. Outside of their golden generation, they have not produced much. When you remove the hype tax, even today the only top tier player in the making is Lamine - and even he has still much growing to do. So let`s cut the "Barca" produces B.S.
As for Madrid`s buying "expensive" Galactico kids. Buying Vini and Rodrygo for less than 50M each, was absolute slam dunk. From sporting and economic perspective. How the frack can anybody depict that as buying" expensive Galactico" kids, is asinine. Not to mention Camavinga for 30M, or Guler for 20. Or Endrick for 50M. Top tier bussiness.
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Those posters are absolute minority. Passing on Mbappe for "free" would be absolute lunacy. As such, most of fans supports the transfer. Top tier forward, which Madrid needed. He is not the issue.
What bothers me is:
1. Personnel problem:
Losing Kroos, year older Modrić and club does not bring top tier CM, is asinine. Substantial drop in quality, and lack of specific profile of a player. For example, i rate Valverde top tier, but he ain`t CM. Touchu is to passive to be a leader. My only hope is Camavinga to be honest. Also, we have issues in the back. CB should be a must - starting one, and Left Back would be a nice addition.
2. Tactical issue:
Carlo. I don`t know what exactly is he trying to achieve. Everybody knows two man-midfield with 4 forwards upfront is highly optimistic approach. Prime Redondo and Kroos / Modrić could not hold that midfield together, let alone Touchu and Valverde. No build up, and no creative play in final third. Just congestion, without any kind of tempo. Basics like "triangles" and proper timing, missing in action. Horrendous really. Despite missing Camavinga and Belli, who are clear starters, we should show something.
My take would be 4-4-2 with three compact lines, with Vini and Mbappe upfront supported by Belli and Valverde as wide mids, with Touchu and Camavinga central ones. Endrick and Rodrygo first rotations upfront.
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Kroos is being overrated a little bit.
He has often on the pitch when Real Madrid were losing important games, and often off the pitch when they would turn them back around.
He has often on the pitch when Real Madrid were losing important games, and often off the pitch when they would turn them back around.
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They were very expensive at the time. I think they were 2nd and 3rd most expensive signings from Brazil to Europe, which is crazy considering they'd barely played football.
I'm not sure about old man Kroos being 'irreplaceable', it's not 2014. However, I'm sure the fans who watch the team every week would be attuned to nuance. But I wasn't talking about them, I was referencing the typical media hype.
But who do you bring to replace Kroos. Not literally Toni but an imposing and elite organising or defending figure, within the Redondo/Makelele/Alonso/Kroos level.
I can only think of Rodri.
Regarding the system I think he wanted to keep the starters without thinking about balancing the team and let the results/press/club/performance indicate the need for balance.
In my lifetime Barca’s La Masia have had more players winning titles (La Ligas, Copas and CLs) for their club than Madrid youth products for Madrid.
I just prefer their approach more from what I’ve seen in my lifetime.
Barca once fielded an entire La Masia lineup in a league match(I think it was their manager Tito’s decision), and they won the league that year.
Now they are doing very well again with many youngsters. And if Barca win the league with multiple 17 years (Yamal, Cubarsi) and these other youngsters AFTER Madrid buying the so called best player in the world… well, in my opinion then it would be quite humiliating for Madrid.
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Gavi? Cubarsi? Bernal?
You seem very ignorant. Try watching matches other than Madrid’s.
Lamine outshone Mbappe in the Euros and so far in the league this season. Yeah, he has more growing to do as he is only 17. That’s scary. Lamine is better than any youngster at Madrid.
You probably haven’t even heard of Guille Fernandez either. But you will. Good luck.
Only academy to rival Barca’s is Ajax’.
He's played three fecking games.
That Barcelona's academy is very good and has often produced very good players is not in dispute, I don't think. But a consequence of that is that people tend to overrate its products.
Here's a post from 2020:
Current status of these players:
Ansu Fati - limited playing time in the last four years due to injury and unimpressive form.
Araujo - good/very good player. Heavily responsible for Barcelona's elimination from CL this year.
Puig - playing in the MLS.
Pedri - not actually a Masia youth product, perpetual injury concerns.
Collado - playing in Saudi league
Moriba - has not played much football since leaving Barcelona.
Garcia - was on loan to Girona last season.
Ultimately it's not that uncommon for young players to perform for one or two years, in the right setting.
Here's a post from 2020:
Current status of these players:
Ansu Fati - limited playing time in the last four years due to injury and unimpressive form.
Araujo - good/very good player. Heavily responsible for Barcelona's elimination from CL this year.
Puig - playing in the MLS.
Pedri - not actually a Masia youth product, perpetual injury concerns.
Collado - playing in Saudi league
Moriba - has not played much football since leaving Barcelona.
Garcia - was on loan to Girona last season.
Ultimately it's not that uncommon for young players to perform for one or two years, in the right setting.
Araujo isn't an academy product any more than Fede Valverde is
Also the Ajax academy is a myth these days. Real Madrid's academy produces more top 5 leagues players than any other. Ajax has produced 3 relevant players in 20 years...
Also the Ajax academy is a myth these days. Real Madrid's academy produces more top 5 leagues players than any other. Ajax has produced 3 relevant players in 20 years...