Village Idiot

Sad to see him depayrt PSV; I wish these top teams in middling leagues were able to retain their talent a bit more.

I think this whoscored article nailed it, tbf: http://www.whoscored.com/Articles/dj9-xanyw0w5lqrvgqfscg/Show/Player-Focus-Messi-Worth-More-Than-Just-His-Weight-in-Goals-to-Barcelona

Nowadays Barça is a catchy rock'n'roll tune. Pep's team was a night at the opera.

I understand what you're saying, and I agree with you up to a point. Messi has much more in his arsenal to impact a game, but it's unfair to say that Ronaldo "doesn't turn up". I don't particularly think he doesn't turn up, I think he's easier to shut down and there's many examples of such. Yeah, but it has more to do with the opposition's style than anything else. I.e. Atlético are great at denying space, but we quite suck at it. Yet we are the "bigger" team.

I understand what you're saying, and I agree with you in general. Messi has much more in his arsenal to impact a game, but it's unfair to say that Ronaldo "doesn't turn up".

That f***ing fall. Can't stop laughing.

You're gonna make me feel dirty for defending Cristiano f***ing Ronaldo, but look at the past two games (Sevilla and Juve) and see who scored the goals that are keeping Real Madrid both in La Liga and the CL. Yeah, he doesn't have a good photo in a CL final like Messi does (except looking like a c*** showing off his muscles), but he's saved his team in some clutch moments. If he missed the one against Juve, where he btw for the rest of hte game was as invisible as Bale he should've been slaughtered. I can think of other domestic big games (Clásicos, mainly) where he's delivered the goods, but I'm gonna defer this to Froggy. Like fuck I'm going to keep defending Real Madrid players.

You're gonna make me feel dirty for defending Cristiano f***ing Ronaldo, but look at the past two games (Sevilla and Juve) and see who scored the goals that are keeping Real Madrid both in La Liga and the CL. Yeah, he doesn't have a good photo in a CL final like Messi does (except looking like a c*** showing off his muscles), but he's saved his team in some clutch moments.

Fair enough, I can't imagine rating a player based on what he does against Cordoba or Granada or Getafe for that sake though. CRonaldo doesn't perform nearly close to what Messi and Zidane did in big game, he disappears way too easily for my liking. The other impose themselves in big games. Yet every other player plays against Córdoba and Getafe (or Burnley or Cagliari or whatever) and only those two have that kind of impact. They are the best in the world every game; the year we had Ronaldo is the only other time when I have seen a player being so consistently dominant.

Not really, he just didn't became known until his 30s, because Brazil never picked him and thus only gained international recognition when he switched to Spain. He didn't have that much left in the tank after 2008.

I have seen Zidane sleepwalk through way too many games to put him at the top of footballing altars. I think it takes something special for Messi and Ronaldo to be Messi and Ronaldo almost every game. That's why both have these ridiculous stats in addition of performing in big games. Their consistency is ridiculous.

I was about to say the same, I can't think of 20 players better than Cronaldo... Messi, Pelé, Maradona, Cruyff...? Probably the original Ronaldo if he hadn't shattered his knee, but he did f*** up his knee so we'll never know.

Aye, when I went I would guess that real top tier was only 1/3 full and that middle section 2/3's full so you could move down and take someone's seat who had not attended Yeah, I do that all the time when I go. The stadium is actually too big. We rarely fill it to the brim; but the 80k+ season tickets all sell out, so it's a cash cow.

It's a sensible arrangement, imho. I'm a bit bearish about future TV income though. The Spanish domestic market has collapsed these years, and out of the three broadcasters that usually bid for La Liga rights, one is bankrupt and the other two are merging.

Old Trafford is smaller than the Bernabéu or Camp Nou, though. Camp Nou seats 100k, you just can't do that without very high sections. But yeah, those two are the only 80k+ seaters I have been in, so I really can't compare.

The Bernabéu is "shorter" than the Camp Nou (the Camp Nou is larger); so uptop feels closer there. It's still quite removed though, it just happens in those huge stadiums. I always pick nosebleed section seats when I go to Camp Nou. Cheaper seats = more games I can attend.

The new deal is 50% of TV revenues equally shared between all clubs, and the remainder awarded depending on league position and TV audiences pulled (in a formula yet to be determined). There's also a provision that no club can get less money than it gets now (intended to protect Barça and Madrid, although it will benefit Atlético/Valencia in the short term too); so it will be a while until the others "catch up". What will happen is that Barça and Madrid will see their TV revenue frozen while the rest of the league grows.

The last Real Madrid ass man is managing in the C'ship. It's not unreasonable that he would come to you even in your current predicament. He's essentially untested. My Madrid friends (yeah, I have those) rave about him; I would be intrigued if you signed him.

Agree. I'm going to the Nou Camp to see him at some point, I need to see him in the flesh. The good thing of having had to return to Spain, is that at least I can see him in the flesh. That I will be able to tell to my sons.

Currently or the new model? This is fairly outdated (figures are a bit higher across the board for La Liga), but gives a good idea. http://s9.postimg.org/g34bmekfz/ligaabcweb644x550.jpg

Messi about his second goal: "It happened in just one second, I thought that he (Boateng) would wait for me to come in with my favored foot so I cut outside". Fucker makes it sound so simple. Maybe it is, afterall.

This strike is *because* we just changed to collective bargaining and the Spanish FA and the Players' Association aren't happy with their share.

La Liga and the High Council of Sport (the government's board that regulates sports) have rejected the FA's demands and the strike. La Liga's members will meet on Monday to look at the situation. Ultimately, even though La Liga is the one that organizes the competition, the Spanish FA provides the referees. No referees, no game.

Also, Suárez has done 0 controversial stuff this season so far. He's been one of our cleanest players (okay, not that high a watermark with Busquets, Alba, Alves around). That said, he's hyper-competitive, you can see when he takes to the pitch that he's dialed up to 11. So far it hasn't translated into him losing his shit. He reportedly received counseling after moving here, dunno if that's having an effect or it was just the Liverpool air driving him mad.

Suarez man. I've said it before, but he must have one of the strangest personalities in sports. He does loads of charity work off the pitch and seems to be the family man and is extremely nice to fans off the pitch, but on the pitch it's like he's in another world. Not that surprising to be frank; a lot of people are hyper-competitive in the pitch. Mou himself, for example, is reportedly a great guy outside football.