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Guest guinness_fiend

Keeps it interesting if nowt else. Think Barça may falter when the CL comes back into it whereas Real, virtue of their draw at least against APOEL, can send the ressies out.

 

I'd disagree with this.  I reckon that the Special One will play it safe and put out a reasonably decent team, as if the league goes tits up the CL would be the fall-back.

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I have never seen Mourinho putting out weakened sides in p*ss-easy games (only in ones were qualification was  already secured), but still they won't be demanded as much as we'll be from Milan.

 

Their problem is that a lot of their players look tired at the moment, and given that their are a side based primarily around athleticism, this is an issue. Xabi Alonso, in particular, looks particularly jaded and they depend a lot on him.

 

There was a stat in the Spanish telly about how Mourinho teams tend to lose a lot more points at the tail end of a season compared to their average ratio, I found it interesting.

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VI, any chance Malaga won't beat Rayo Vallecano?

 

Valencia - Zaragoza has made me sceptical!

 

Rayo are a pretty good side but Málaga have been very strong at home. Actually their season has been carried by their strength at La Rosaleda given they are a bit shit away.

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I have never seen Mourinho putting out weakened sides in p*ss-easy games (only in ones were qualification was  already secured), but still they won't be demanded as much as we'll be from Milan.

 

Their problem is that a lot of their players look tired at the moment, and given that their are a side based primarily around athleticism, this is an issue. Xabi Alonso, in particular, looks particularly jaded and they depend a lot on him.

 

There was a stat in the Spanish telly about how Mourinho teams tend to lose a lot more points at the tail end of a season compared to their average ratio, I found it interesting.

 

Fair point, I suspect they could beat APOEL going at 20% though but if I was Mou I'd chance it in the first leg and rest the likes of Alonso, Ronny etc. you can still play Ramos, Ozil etc as they'll be suspended in the liga.

 

On a Rayo note, what's the current with their financial predicament?

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I remember that in 2010, when Mourinho was still at Inter, they experienced something similar - leading the league fairly comfortable only to let their lead slip a bit in the last few weeks/months.

 

Think it could be down to the case that he likes to pick the very best team for every match and only really trusts a group of 12 or 13 players.

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I have never seen Mourinho putting out weakened sides in p*ss-easy games (only in ones were qualification was  already secured), but still they won't be demanded as much as we'll be from Milan.

 

Their problem is that a lot of their players look tired at the moment, and given that their are a side based primarily around athleticism, this is an issue. Xabi Alonso, in particular, looks particularly jaded and they depend a lot on him.

 

There was a stat in the Spanish telly about how Mourinho teams tend to lose a lot more points at the tail end of a season compared to their average ratio, I found it interesting.

 

Fair point, I suspect they could beat APOEL going at 20% though but if I was Mou I'd chance it in the first leg and rest the likes of Alonso, Ronny etc. you can still play Ramos, Ozil etc as they'll be suspended in the liga.

 

On a Rayo note, what's the current with their financial predicament?

 

Alonso is suspended for the APOEL game too, guess that's a rest for him.

 

Rayo got a new owner, who voluntarily entered administration in the summer. Getting rid of the previous owners - who were massive crooks - was key, and given they will avoid relegation they should be out of the woods.

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I remember that in 2010, when Mourinho was still at Inter, they experienced something similar - leading the league fairly comfortable only to let their lead slip a bit in the last few weeks/months.

 

Think it could be down to the case that he likes to pick the very best team for every match and only really trusts a group of 12 or 13 players.

 

He does that for Real Madrid, too. He has a core of players he builds the side around and rarely gets out to use the rest unless forced by injuries or suspensions. There was a stat a few months ago saying that his most used 11 players had played 80ish% of total minutes in La Liga.

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Guest neesy111

I remember that in 2010, when Mourinho was still at Inter, they experienced something similar - leading the league fairly comfortable only to let their lead slip a bit in the last few weeks/months.

 

Think it could be down to the case that he likes to pick the very best team for every match and only really trusts a group of 12 or 13 players.

 

He does that for Real Madrid, too. He has a core of players he builds the side around and rarely gets out to use the rest unless forced by injuries or suspensions. There was a stat a few months ago saying that his most used 11 players had played 80ish% of total minutes in La Liga.

 

Yeah while Barca have used the most players this season.

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I remember that in 2010, when Mourinho was still at Inter, they experienced something similar - leading the league fairly comfortable only to let their lead slip a bit in the last few weeks/months.

 

Think it could be down to the case that he likes to pick the very best team for every match and only really trusts a group of 12 or 13 players.

 

He does that for Real Madrid, too. He has a core of players he builds the side around and rarely gets out to use the rest unless forced by injuries or suspensions. There was a stat a few months ago saying that his most used 11 players had played 80ish% of total minutes in La Liga.

 

Yeah while Barca have used the most players this season.

 

Pep likes small squads, but he likes to dip into the B team to fill out and rotate. A lot of our rotation has been forced by injuries too, mind.

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I have never seen Mourinho putting out weakened sides in p*ss-easy games (only in ones were qualification was  already secured), but still they won't be demanded as much as we'll be from Milan.

 

Their problem is that a lot of their players look tired at the moment, and given that their are a side based primarily around athleticism, this is an issue. Xabi Alonso, in particular, looks particularly jaded and they depend a lot on him.

 

There was a stat in the Spanish telly about how Mourinho teams tend to lose a lot more points at the tail end of a season compared to their average ratio, I found it interesting.

 

Fair point, I suspect they could beat APOEL going at 20% though but if I was Mou I'd chance it in the first leg and rest the likes of Alonso, Ronny etc. you can still play Ramos, Ozil etc as they'll be suspended in the liga.

 

On a Rayo note, what's the current with their financial predicament?

 

Alonso is suspended for the APOEL game too, guess that's a rest for him.

 

Rayo got a new owner, who voluntarily entered administration in the summer. Getting rid of the previous owners - who were massive crooks - was key, and given they will avoid relegation they should be out of the woods.

 

Good to hear, always had a soft spot for them from their wasp on the front of the kit sponsorship back in the late 90s.

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VI, any chance Malaga won't beat Rayo Vallecano?

 

Valencia - Zaragoza has made me sceptical!

 

Rayo are a pretty good side but Málaga have been very strong at home. Actually their season has been carried by their strength at La Rosaleda given they are a bit s*** away.

 

Malaga 0-1 Rayo currently, Diego Costa penalty

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I have never seen Mourinho putting out weakened sides in p*ss-easy games (only in ones were qualification was  already secured), but still they won't be demanded as much as we'll be from Milan.

 

Their problem is that a lot of their players look tired at the moment, and given that their are a side based primarily around athleticism, this is an issue. Xabi Alonso, in particular, looks particularly jaded and they depend a lot on him.

 

There was a stat in the Spanish telly about how Mourinho teams tend to lose a lot more points at the tail end of a season compared to their average ratio, I found it interesting.

 

Fair point, I suspect they could beat APOEL going at 20% though but if I was Mou I'd chance it in the first leg and rest the likes of Alonso, Ronny etc. you can still play Ramos, Ozil etc as they'll be suspended in the liga.

 

On a Rayo note, what's the current with their financial predicament?

 

Alonso is suspended for the APOEL game too, guess that's a rest for him.

 

Rayo got a new owner, who voluntarily entered administration in the summer. Getting rid of the previous owners - who were massive crooks - was key, and given they will avoid relegation they should be out of the woods.

 

Good to hear, always had a soft spot for them from their wasp on the front of the kit sponsorship back in the late 90s.

 

The little wasp was actually the logo of the aforementioned crooked owners, the Ruíz-Mateos family.

 

But yeah, it's hard to not to like them. I lived right by Vallecas when I worked in Madrid. Their stadium has to be seen. Proper small neighborhood pitch, you can watch the games for free from the neighboring apartment blocks!

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Who's the one on the left?

 

Luis Enrique, Roma manager now. Also made 157 appearances for Real Madrid.  ;)

 

Fuck me, I can hardly recognise him

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ha!  i see cronaldo broke a record yesterday that messi will be forever unable to better, good for him :thup:

 

It helps that Ronaldo joined Real for a world record fee, and not a kid coming through the ranks.

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