La Liga 09/10

[vicente_14]

Question for Village Idiot, is Ruben Rochina going to make the step up to the first team and be a success?

Seen flashes of him, and he looked impressive, with a great left foot.

[Village Idiot]

He's a talent, but he's not going to figure for the first team yet. And it's going to be hard for him to make it here, he's pretty much a fox in the box kind of player, and you can see how hard it is for Bojan to get playing time in that position (and Bojan makes a decent winger in a 4-3-3 which I don't think Rochina would be).

 

But he just got promoted to our B team and just recovered from a serious injury, so it's still a bit early to tell.

[vicente_14]

Cheers, i remember seeing him play alongside Bojan in the summer, I think at Wembley.

Whats the feeling with Bojan, is he going to have to move on to fulfill his potential?

[Segun Oluwaniyi]

Maybe it's me, but I think Bojan needs to put on weight or take Messi's HGH pills or something. I think his size is holding him back.

[Guest palnese]

Cheers, i remember seeing him play alongside Bojan in the summer, I think at Wembley.

Whats the feeling with Bojan, is he going to have to move on to fulfill his potential?

 

There's no reason for him to move on already. He's training with the best players in the world every day. No better way to improve your game IMO.

[Village Idiot]

Cheers, i remember seeing him play alongside Bojan in the summer, I think at Wembley.

Whats the feeling with Bojan, is he going to have to move on to fulfill his potential?

 

There's no reason for him to move on already. He's training with the best players in the world every day. No better way to improve your game IMO.

 

Yes, that's the reason that Guardiola gave back when he blocked a loan move. He's training with the likes of Messi, Ibrahimovic, Henry... every day, that's probably better than what's going to get by playing in a middling La Liga side.

[Optimistic Nut]

Village, do they talk about Jose Enrique in Spain?

[Village Idiot]

Village, do they talk about Jose Enrique in Spain?

 

No.

 

Need to get promoted for that, and then it will only be between the time press devote to talk about Fernando Torres' last haircut and Cesc's last bowel movement. They are the only two footballers outside Spain that get any attention from press and TV.

[Village Idiot]

Fun fact, Cronaldo has given 22 interviews since joining Real Madrid, while he just gave 2 (to non-club media) during his entire last season with Manchester United.  In total he has been involved in 37 promotional events of different kinds since joining them. That doesn't count the ones he has separate from the club, like his photos for Armani, advertising a Portuguese bank, etc...

 

Surprisingly, in between he manages to be a damn good footballer.

[Village Idiot]

Oh, and I didn't post this when it happend a few weeks ago, but Juanma Lillo has taken charge of Almería. I'm glad to see him back to managing, his interviews are absolute crackers (probably the smartest Spanish manager around, but not really the most successful) and he always wants his teams to play silky football, which is usually his downfall. He is also very close to Guardiola (who considers him a bit of a mentor), and Pep wanted him to manage Barça when he was running for the DoF post in 2003.

[ponsaelius]

QUESTION for Village Idiot, or anybody else who knows the answer:

 

I see Villarreal B are doing very well in Segunda Division. I understand if they were to finish in the promotion places they wouldn't be allowed promotion due the first team being top flight?

 

What happened if Villarreal got relegated and Villarreal B got promoted? What happens then?!?

[Mr. Snrub]

Instead of getting promoted, Villarreal B get relgated.

 

Same happened with Atletico not too long ago didn't it..

[ponsaelius]

Instead of getting promoted, Villarreal B get relgated.

 

Same happened with Atletico not too long ago didn't it..

 

Wow, harsh as out 

 

EDIT: Looked it up and Atletico B were relegated to the 3rd tier after Atletico were relegated from La Liga, the B side finished 17th though so it's a bit different to the circumstances I'm suggesting.

[Village Idiot]

QUESTION for Village Idiot, or anybody else who knows the answer:

 

I see Villarreal B are doing very well in Segunda Division. I understand if they were to finish in the promotion places they wouldn't be allowed promotion due the first team being top flight?

 

What happened if Villarreal got relegated and Villarreal B got promoted? What happens then?!?

 

B sides cannot play in the same tier as the mother club, and are not eligible for promotion if the mother club is at the next tier. So in this case, both would be relegated and no "swap" could be possible (as the B side wasn't able to get promoted in the first place).

 

 

[Village Idiot]

Pending the finish of the Real Madrid - Málaga (which the white scum is winning) I'm going to do a bit of a wrap up of the first half of the season.

 

1) FC Barcelona(49, +39): so far so good. We don't look as relentless as the last season, but we still are pretty good and have flashes of sheer brilliance. Last year we finished on 50 points, this on 49.

 

2) Real Madrid (44, +29): they are obviously much improved over the last year, and admittedly the team hasn't gelled yet, and Pellegrini hasn't really figured a formation or an XI yet. They will be there at the end of the season. Yes, Cronaldo is good.

 

3) Valencia (39, +17) : they have been able to put their financial problems behind and surge back to their expected level. The Silva/Villa/Mata trident is as good as any in the league, and Bánega's emergence has been a pleasant surprise. They still lack the consistency to really mount a title challenge, though (this week they just conceded a 0-0 draw against a team in the relegation zone)

 

4) Mallorca (34, +12): the surprise of the season so far, with a 100% home record. Still, they have benefited from a hugely favorable calendar (easy teams at home) and they away record is pretty bad. I expect them to settle for a respectable midtable finish when this ends, but given the turmoil at the club it's very good news that they won't be sweating over relegation this season.

 

5) Deportivo (34, +4): Good season so far built over a very good defensive record. I see them dropping down a bit later in the season.

 

6) Sevila (33, +8): Sevilla has faltered this last two months, after a great start. The ACN has been particularly harmful (lost all but one of the matches while it's been playing), but they should recover and challenge for a top 4. No title challenge despite their president's early words this season.

 

7) Getafe (30, +3): So far their best season of all time. They deserve it since they play some nice football.

 

8) Athletic (30, +0): Good season for them, looks like they won't have relegation worries and keep once more their 100% record at the top division with only local players 

 

9) Villarreal (26, +4): They are recovering after a dreadful start. They should be challenging for Europe by the end of the season.

 

10) Sporting Gijón (24, -1): Good season for them, they seem to be avoiding a relegation scrap.

 

11) Atlético Madrid (23, -1): A shambles. They have improved somewhat after firing Abel, but not nearly enough. Missing out on Europe would be a financial disaster for them.

 

12) Osasuna (23, -3): As expected.

 

13) Racing Santander (23, -4): Canales' explosion has saved them from a horrendous start, but the team has to improve massively if they don't want to depend on the boy to get them out of relegation.

 

14) Espanyol (20, -13): Awful, truly awful. They can't score for their lives (Messi alone has scored more goals than their entire horrendous team), and they need to solve that if they don't want to be dragged into relegation, since they are living off a string of 1-0s they nicked at the start of the season.

 

15) Almería (18, -11): Funny team. They always look tough to beat (and they put both Real and Barça in trouble at their turfs), yet they are always beaten. They are feeling the loss of Negredo since nobody has stepped up to the scoring plate. New manager Juanma Lillo should, however, provide tons of entertainment off the pitch and with a bit of luck inside the pitch, too.

 

16) Málaga (17, -5): Doing the Málaga thing. Which is to look good and lose.

 

17) Valladolid (17, -12): Doing the Valladolid thing. Which is to look bad and lose.

 

18) Tenerife (17, -20): Further proof that silky football with a shoestring budget gets you mauled. Second worst in goals against, third worst in goals scored. It's a pity though, I wish they did better since they do really attempt to play a very nice brand of football.

 

19) Zaragoza (14, -21): Shambolic, truly shambolic. The squad is actually talented, but they seem to be completely shot and without an ounce of morale at the moment. Opposition rips through them like paper (average two goals against per game, highest in the league) and they just seem a squad of headless chickens at this point The managerial change doesn't seem to have helped a single bit and I don't know what it would take for them to get out of there.

 

20) Xerez (8, -26): Relegation certainties since pretty much the start, now remains what kind of record they are able to achieve.

[Village Idiot]

Cronaldo got hit with a 2-match ban. Madrid have appealed. Final decision will be reached on Thursday (they rarely overturn bans, but will see...)

[Delima]

Yes, Cronaldo is good.

 

VI can you please do a 313 words comparison on Cronaldo and Messi as you perceive it.

[Village Idiot]

FC Barcelona has made public today that the 6 trophies conquered the past year have cost us €50m in player bonuses and transfer addons triggered.

 

Happily paid. 

[Guest Treks]

Quite fancy Barca to extend their lead at the top this weekend. Fail Madrid have got to travel to Riazor. No Ronaldo, Could be mightly tricky imo. Altho i hope Depor don't miss Filipe too much. Him and Guardado have been terrific down there left flank this season. As for Barca, They will roll Sporting over. Ibra is due a league goal. As is Iniesta, Who i must say form has improved greatly over the last few games. Just needs to find the back of the net.

[Village Idiot]

Real hasn't won at Riazor since 1991/1992. Hopefully that streak can be extended one more year, missing Ronaldo and Higuaín (their two best players this season) can hurt them a lot.

[Village Idiot]

Villarreal just sacked Valverde following the 0-2 defeat against Osasuna. No word on the substitute yet.

[Village Idiot]

I was bored, and gathered some stats:

 

La Liga top shooters: (Shots/Minutes per shot/Conversion rate - rounded to nearest 0,5%)

 

1) David Villa - VAL - 79 (one every 22,32m) - 18%

2) Cristiano Ronaldo - RMA - 78 (1/12,63m) - 11'5%

3) Alfaro - TEN - 74 (1/21,88m) - 4% (poor sod)

4) Forlán - ATM - 72 (1/23,98m) - 11%

5) Messi - FCB - 67 (1/20,60m) - 22'5%

6) Nino - TEN - 66 (1/28,65m) - 7'5% (Tenerife needs better strikers)

7) Soldado - GET - 62 (1/26,58m) - 16%

8) Ibrahimovic - FCB - 59 (1/23,08m) - 18'5%

9) Rossi - VLL - 53 (1/26,98) - 9%

10) Negredo - SEV - 51 (1/25,93) - 8% (doesn't include today's brace which will bump him up)

 

Comments:

1) Cronaldo does really hoard Real's attacking play, only guy in the top 10 and he's missed quite a few games this season.

2) Messi 

3) No wonder Tenerife is going to get relegated

[Neil]

Villarreal just sacked Valverde following the 0-2 defeat against Osasuna. No word on the substitute yet.

 

Serves him right for fucking my bet up.

[Village Idiot]

La Liga has finally bowed to the pressure of media rights holders, and has followed in the steps of the PL allowing for Primera División games to be played in Monday, and Segunda games to be played in Friday. This allows to have at least one broadcast game every day most weeks with Cup/European competitions.

 

Another change being championed but not yet approved (and I hope it never comes to pass), is using a scheduling scheme similar to yours, with games being played from noon onwards, instead of the evening.

[Disco]

La Liga has finally bowed to the pressure of media rights holders, and has followed in the steps of the PL allowing for Primera División games to be played in Monday, and Segunda games to be played in Friday. This allows to have at least one broadcast game every day most weeks with Cup/European competitions.

 

Another change being championed but not yet approved (and I hope it never comes to pass), is using a scheduling scheme similar to yours, with games being played from noon onwards, instead of the evening.

 

too hot surely for some fixtures?

 

Think the night match thing is really good, one thing that is symbolic of Spanish football for me.

 

It won't be long before all leagues go the way of the Argentine Primera where every match kick off is staggered for tv.