Re: The Official LaLiga Thread

[BarcaLearning]

De Jong is painfully misused.

I'm not even saying this because I'm a big fan of his, but just look at Modric. In possession, Modric almost plays like a RCB at times. He's covering for the RB who plays high up the pitch. He plays behind the ball.

Frenkie should be playing in an identical role for Barca, but instead, he's playing just off Luuk De Jong like he's a second striker. Even Ten Hag said Frenkie isn't a #10 and that he once subbed him off for moving higher up the pitch than he should have.

He should be behind the ball, not making runs ahead of it. Hopefully, when Fati's back, Xavi changes the roles in the left triangle.

Barcas been playing players out of their best positions for yrs, partly to compensate for Messi though, but De Jong now still due to us needing more goal threat n link up in the middle.

Agree that once our attack is improved, Frankie should be able to play deeper n focus more on his best position n attributes...

[FennecFox7]

Man, irregardless of what anyone thinks; Luuk de Jong really turned it around this season. This guy looked like a Sunday league player at the beginning of the season and has played good in the past three games. He is far better then depay who has been a disappointment. I believe Barca should keep dembele if he lowers his wage demands. He tore carvajal apart. The way he uses two feet to dribble and play is impressive. He’s truly two footed. He’s better as a LW then a RW imo.

As for madrid, I thought Madrid played fine. If anything it was Barca who played a very good game. Madrid did the right thing defending the lead, since the team hasn’t been rotated and they would die if they had to play a high line and press. However Barca did a great job passing the ball, with (can’t believe I’m saying this) Luuk occupying the CBs and allowing the wingers and midfield to get more involved. He actually looked good on the ball. When he came off, depay was awful and Madrid regained control. Depay has zero hold up play. It might be the worst out of any top level CF. Which is baffling since he’s in great shape.

Vini being Vini and Benz being Benz won the game for us. They are putting in ballon d’or performances. If they continue this into the CL, they could carry us far

[halamadrid2]

Dembele plays like Vini did when he was 18. Alot of umph but nothing to show for it in the end. It was mostly his turnovers we wxploited last night. The dude wants Balon d'or wages playing like a guy without a brain

[Myesyats]

Enormous talent reserves that will never be fully materialized due to his low iq. It's quite sad actually, and you cant even talk about him in terms of a youngster anymore since he turns 25 in may, time flies although he spent most of that time in medical facilities

[danyjr]

Barcelona looked decent. The team is incredibly young and the talent is there. But they are still a team very much in the early stages of a rebuild. It will take them minimum two seasons to become a European powerhouse again, provided they can find the funds to renew their old guard as well as add a couple of world class players to their squad.

Attacking play right now is weak. There is no creativity in midfield, no meaningful wingback overlaps, no running behind the ball or combination play. All the creative attacking is coming from wingers and for that you need 1) extremely good wingers and 2) a good number 9/false 9/AM to finish the created chances off. Only Dembélé fits the bill here and he has an awfully high turnover and is very inconsistent. There either needs to be that or systematic attacking play with pre-trained movements and combination play. Solely adding numerical superiority in the final third is both lazy and risky, as seen in the match yesterday.

Questions remain on Xavi. I feel right now he is very much an inexperienced but also more stubborn version of Arteta. I also don't get his obsession with Spanish players. Yesterday I heard he wanted Isco...WTF

[halamadrid2]

Bilbao through to the final. Deserved win

Wonder how much longer Cholo will stick around. They don't have the same mentality anymore. They are not buying into his fotball

[Myesyats]

Barcelona looked decent. The team is incredibly young and the talent is there. But they are still a team very much in the early stages of a rebuild. It will take them minimum two seasons to become a European powerhouse again, provided they can find the funds to renew their old guard as well as add a couple of world class players to their squad.

Attacking play right now is weak. There is no creativity in midfield, no meaningful wingback overlaps, no running behind the ball or combination play. All the creative attacking is coming from wingers and for that you need 1) extremely good wingers and 2) a good number 9/false 9/AM to finish the created chances off. Only Dembélé fits the bill here and he has an awfully high turnover and is very inconsistent. There either needs to be that or systematic attacking play with pre-trained movements and combination play. Solely adding numerical superiority in the final third is both lazy and risky, as seen in the match yesterday.

Questions remain on Xavi. I feel right now he is very much an inexperienced but also more stubborn version of Arteta. I also don't get his obsession with Spanish players. Yesterday I heard he wanted Isco...WTF

You've been very negative lately, finally something constructive instead of bashing the team. Thank you !!!

This team has potential and we will be back!

[Mamad]

Be careful Alexjanosik may come back.

[FennecFox7]

I know alex went completely overboard with the Messi stuff, which is understandable as I kinda distanced myself from that, but he criticized the whole old guard and advocated for a return to la masia and the Barca way. That’s perfectly fair minus the Messi hate.

[Myesyats]

Messi gave us the most decorated 10 years in the club's history. Alex can return but his dignity never will

[danyjr]

No problem with criticising Messi either, if Messi wasn't the ONLY thing he ever complained about.

Scapegoating him for every failure when there were a dozen more critical issues within the club was why he is a clown and will always be remembered for as one.

[danyjr]

Bilbao through to the final. Deserved win

Wonder how much longer Cholo will stick around. They don't have the same mentality anymore. They are not buying into his fotball

I think more than the players' mentality it is the outdated tactics. The whole team is so defensively/underdog minded they have no answers when they go a goal down and need to attack. They couldn't beat the press from Athletic. They couldn't move the ball to dangerous areas. Even in the dying minutes of the game they couldn't push the ball forward for something to happen. It was hopeless.

Outdated system from an overly antagonistic coach. Sad.

[halamadrid2]

With their current crop of players you are asking them to do something foreign when you ask them to defend a lead. You are never going to get high workrate from the likes of Carrasco, DePaul, Lemar and Felix. That type of football worked when they had warriors like Godin, Juanfran and Miranda. There is essentially a class of philosophies at that club and Cholo has got to adapt to the current players but he has proven himself unable to do so

I doubt they get themselves out of this funk anytime soon. Last season was an anomaly imo. They could benefit from a coach and new ideas while Cholo deserves to leave the club on a high

[BarrileteCosmico]

Cholo is their Ferguson, won't be making any moves soon

[halamadrid2]

Cholo is the highest paid manager in Spain and one of the highest paid in Europe. Atleti have also invested quite alot on this squad for them to be happy with their current situation. Let's see how long he survives before the heat gets to him

[Myesyats]

I also don't get his obsession with Spanish players. Yesterday I heard he wanted Isco...WTF

Isco lol. No way you believe that we will sign this madrid reject

Morata has also been discarded as reported. We're heavily linked with Gaya for LB though but that was even before Xavi arrived so cant pin that on him

[halamadrid2]

Isco on a free could be very tempting imo

Morata has the best agent in history. Imagine if he joins Barca, his agent should get the Guinness world record

Barca have been linked with Gaya for along long time. Wonder why he hasn't joined yet. I like him, classy player

[Myesyats]

There's still some traction regarding morata. It died out a little, but it is implied Depay could go to Juve to somehow make this happen. Tbh morata would probably fare better, depay is a dead man now

Gaya will have 1 year left on his contract this june so it could happen this summer since Valencia will be forced to sell him

[Mamad]

Isco on top form is better than everything Barca have right now. but i think he is done with football.

[Myesyats]

Sure Call me back when he's in form, feels like ages since he last was in that state of being

[BarcaLearning]

Didnt watch Atletico vs Athetico But definitely they are poor this season. I thought Simone had to go 2-3 seasons back sicne they were stagnant n prolly regressed too, similar to EV for us to some degree, as in more of the same n the performances are not improving. Last season was really weird how they grind out 1-0s all the time n a pissed of Suarez got his revenge on Barca

Simone clearly doesnt know how to get his team to attack, and so if his usual defensive football arent working either, he prolly should go... otherwise it might turn out to be just more of the same, like Wenger at Arsenal? Depends on what the club owner n their fans really I guess, more trophies or happy with CL n top 2-4...

[BarcaLearning]

Real walks to first trophy of the season the Supercup Totally outplaying Bilbao as usual... Modric at 36 running the show still.

[BarcaLearning]

Anyone watched Betis lately? Just beat Sevilla n third somehow, leader of the race for 3rd still... how the feck they do this with the likes of Fekir

[halamadrid2]

Fekir is a big reason why they are doing so well this season

Besides Betis v Sevilla is always entertaining. Proper derby

[Myesyats]

Fekir was supposed to be world class. His Liverpool move broke down after injuries got the best of him. He's still doing good at betis but in another dimension he could be in Salah's position right now

[BarcaLearning]

Pretty bad luck for Real there, MArcelo seem to be be wrongly sent off, n then they concede that goal from a very unlucky FK shot deflected twice

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