Can Bilbao make Madrid lose points on Sunday?

St_Nick09_of_Goal wrote:
im pretty sure they will lose, lol.

:lucas:

St_Nick09_of_Goal wrote:

The xcx wrote:Meh, the hype of Bielsa got the best of him. Good first half of him but, Mou outplayed the fella.

Yeaaaaah, i wish Bielsa had the squad we have. None of their player can walk into our 1st 11, no need to brag about beating them. They played very well for an hour or so, but with a red card, there wasnt much to do.

im not bragging anything, I think he only deserves half the praise from media hes getting. Hes not that good.

if Madrid wins the La liga, something crazy is gonna happen in the sports media

marca &goal.com would explode for different reasons

it would be funnier on goal.com

The xcx wrote:

St_Nick09_of_Goal wrote:

The xcx wrote:Meh, the hype of Bielsa got the best of him. Good first half of him but, Mou outplayed the fella.

Yeaaaaah, i wish Bielsa had the squad we have. None of their player can walk into our 1st 11, no need to brag about beating them. They played very well for an hour or so, but with a red card, there wasnt much to do.

im not bragging anything, I think he only deserves half the praise from media hes getting. Hes not that good.

why doesnt he deserve the praise? can you elaborate?

Bielsa not that good because Bilbao lose to a team they are clearly inferior to...

Considering your on record as saying you dont know anything about Bielsa before this season why are you even trying to rate him?

Lionel Messi wrote:

The xcx wrote:Meh, the hype of Bielsa got the best of him. Good first half of him but, Mou outplayed the fella.

2 penalties and a red card yet Mou "outplayed" him? you had trouble getting through before the penalties/card. Had Bielsa not gone with a 3 man defense and taken their chances they would have probably made the game much closer atleast.

You can only blame Bielsa for going against Madrid with 3 man defence .
And taking our chances? We had more chances compared to them, if we would have taken them the game would have been 6-2 atleast.

Bielsa's changes cost them the match, taking out Llorente and playing three at the back fell right into Mourinho 's hands, they left a lot of space in the middle which was well exploited by Ozil and Kaka.

I don't think he'll do much with Athletic this season, I see them finishing 5th at best, but they could be a force in la liga if they hold on to Llorente, Munian, Herrera and Martinez.

Bielsa doesnt just give up by superiority by defending, he has the mentality of a big team and he wants to attack, have the ball and be positive.

He doesnt do defend and hope for draw.

I admire that about him, even if they lost, you cant accuse them of not trying unlike the majority of teams who roll over and take it.

Yeah, 3 at the back didnt work and it was a mistake, but im sure he imagined something closer to the job Barca did with a similar structure. Up untill the Kaka pen which was very debateable they were in the game.

For me the end justifies the means, play a system to suit your players not the other way round, Athletic don't have big ambitions so I expect him to be given more time, but with the talents at his disposal you'll expect him to finish at least in a Champions League qualifying spot this season.

Why? Same talent as last season and they didnt finish top 4 then....

And no, end doesnt justify a means. They have fans, great fans, who want to win, but also deserve to watch good football.

Bilbao has never been known to play great football, they are or used to be a long ball team, with big tall forwards who'll get on the end of crosses and long balls. This year a lot was expected of them their talented youngsters coming of age, and they finished 6th last season, so finishing 7th this time would be a bit of a regression.

This year, Bilbao has decided to change that way of playing, they are tired of playing like a rugby team. The new president won the elections partly because he was coming with Bielsa and because Bielsa came to Bilbao to present an expose of his project to the socios. He put together an expose in which he thoroughly detailed the strengths and weaknesses of each players like he had known them since they were kids.

their only talent coming of age is Llorente, and he came of age last year. Javi is still young, specially Muniain, and herrero as well. No one was talking about the likes of Iturraspe, Amorobieta, De Marcos etc... last season. They want to do good, but they didnt set as objective to get into the CL.

The project of play is the most important for them. The season is far from over, and they can still very much end up in the top 6, specially when they are getting better with time.

Yeah so? Now they have a different and more attractive style, the fans can enjoy it.

The talented youngsters come of age? Is Muniain even 20 yet? Javi Martinez and Ander arent even in their primes...you got some high hopes.

7th? They are 6th right now after a bumpy start, they are in line for a better league position then last season.

I hope they become better, but I doubt a lot of the teams in la liga have a better team than Athletic, on paper they have the fourth or third best squad in Spain.

Llorente is probably the best Spanish striker at the moment, Munian is already playing at near world class levels, Martinez is a Spanish international and Herrera is not bad himself.

The expectations are there just like in Madrid and they'll be expecting results very soon, especially if they decide to keep the best players.

Muniain is a great talent, but world class....just no.

They are doing well for me, 6th is good and the last 2 months they have been doing better. If they keep playing like they have been, they will do better than last season.

They dont have the 3rd or 4th best squad, thats obsurd.

Player for player, Valencia and Atletico are better with arguements to be made about Malaga and Sevilla.

Of the teams you've mentioned, only Valencia has a better squad than them and even that is debatable. Malaga, Athletico and Sevilla? The only players from these three teams who'll get a place in Athletic would be Carzola and Falcoa.

Dani.....I don't see Atletico risining to it.....just don't know why but I looked at a couple matches and they seem quite dishevellled.

To me they're in contention for 4th and could very easily get it.4th is a very open spot in La liga......teams who play consistently well have as much chance as teams who have better talent, just look at Mallloraca a couple years go.

buddytaller wrote:Of the teams you've mentioned, only Valencia has a better squad than them and even that is debatable. Malaga, Athletico and Sevilla? The only players from these three teams who'll get a place in Athletic would be Carzola and Falcoa.

Well as far as eligible players go, I think theyd snap up Isco in a second.

Quality wise......there are a few more.....maybe not clearcut selections but quality wise they'd probably just pip the youngsters ATM.

Do you guys realize that Demichelis has been one of the best CB in la liga this season? i mean, he has been playing very well, just like Toulalan who has been playing at excellent level this season as DM. that's the kind of player that do not get credit. Turan has been great, Gabi holding it down in the midfield for Atletico, Dominguez, Luis Felipe...

Santi Carzorla, Arda Turan, Filipe, would all start without a doubt.

Diego, Del Moral, Adrián López, Perotti, Medel, Javi Varas, Godin, Jesus Navas, Reyes, Isco, Toulalan and Monreal all have a legit shot.

The only Bilbao players who are 100% starters are Javi Martinez, Iraola LLorente, maybe Muniain and at quite a reach Ander.

ragbirjosh wrote:Dani.....I don't see Atletico risining to it.....just don't know why but I looked at a couple matches and they seem quite dishevellled.

To me they're in contention for 4th and could very easily get it.4th is a very open spot in La liga......teams who play consistently well have as much chance as teams who have better talent, just look at Mallloraca a couple years go.

Well they are full of fail, they have a chance at 4th.

Simeone taken over the last 2 games and its going well, but it may all come crashing down like it always does with them.

We will see.

St_Nick09_of_Goal wrote:Do you guys realize that Demichelis has been one of the best CB in la liga this season? i mean, he has been playing very well, just like Toulalan who has been playing at excellent level this season as DM. that's the kind of player that do not get credit. Turan has been great, Gabi holding it down in the midfield for Atletico, Dominguez, Luis Felipe...

Yep, as shocking as it is for Demi.

Atletico played very well on the weekend, Simeone now in charge they may do well for the next couple weeks before it comes falling down again lol

Iraizoz is underrated.

If Amorbieta can just calm down he'll be an undispuited starter as well.

Jesus at Atletico

But wait...how do you rate Ander?......I've began to think he's a bit underrated in terms of world talent?

The Franchise wrote:Santi Carzorla, Arda Turan, Filipe, would all start without a doubt.

Diego, Del Moral, Adrián López, Perotti, Medel, Javi Varas, Godin, Jesus Navas, Reyes, Isco, Toulalan and Monreal all have a legit shot.

The only Bilbao players who are 100% starters are Javi Martinez, Iraola LLorente, maybe Muniain and at quite a reach Ander.

None of the names you mentioned with the exception of Carzola are better than their counterparts at Athletic, like I said Athletic have a fantastic bunch of extremely gifted players who are a lot better than Sevilla, Malaga and Atletico's journeymen. Top 4 finish should be their least target this season.

buddytaller wrote:

The Franchise wrote:Santi Carzorla, Arda Turan, Filipe, would all start without a doubt.

Diego, Del Moral, Adrián López, Perotti, Medel, Javi Varas, Godin, Jesus Navas, Reyes, Isco, Toulalan and Monreal all have a legit shot.

The only Bilbao players who are 100% starters are Javi Martinez, Iraola LLorente, maybe Muniain and at quite a reach Ander.

None of the names you mentioned with the exception of Carzola are better than their counterparts at Athletic, like I said Athletic have a fantastic bunch of extremely gifted players who are a lot better than Sevilla, Malaga and Atletico's journeymen. Top 4 finish should be their least target this season.

Yeah...they are.

As I said, 4 at most Bilbao players would keep their place...its possible only 2 to be real honest.

Arda, Filipe, Navas, Isco and Toulalan are journyman lol

@rag, I love Ander, but there is no assurances he would start if we combined all these teams to make an 11.