Neil Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 They're in a rare situation of being severely tested so will be interesting to see how they react. 9 points from 6 away games. Don't think anyone would have predicted that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ketsbaia Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 Its all over - gutted 6 points is probably too much, even at this stage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiresias Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 Everyone kind of assumed Real being ahead was a blip, but is it just me, or are Real a better team than 'thebestteamever' this year. Starting to wonder if everyone rather underestimated Mourinho last season, that he was combative etc etc but hadn't got everying clicking...wonder if Guadiola has somehow tweaked away some of the magic that propelled them to last season. Too soon to tell, and of course the true test is the derby (remember people thought they were evenly matched last season then Messi demolished Real completely), and how well they stomp through Europe. As a lover of Barca's style I think Real get overly maligned, they're really no more ugly corporate than Barca are really, and they are absolutely blindingly quick, but somehow if they quash all before they'll not get all the 'unplayable' 'best team ever' articles. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David28 Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 Mission (almost) accomplished. http://www.ran.de/de/fussball/international/1101/Bilder/format/jose-mourinho2-1000_485x364.jpg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmojorisin75 Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 objectively what sort of football are real playing these days then? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiresias Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 Their emphasis tends to be on just speed of attacks, they'll launch an attack and it'll be in the net ludicrously fast, seem to just be trying not to allow defences to get organised to soak up pressure. Theoretically a team could park the bus better if they never opened up but it's not like every player they have isn't good enough to find a way through. Think giving Khedira an advanced role is a good tweak to his Pepe idea last season, playing a destructive player high up pitch to disrupt attacks starting at back is smart, but Pepe was too reckless and too far out of position, Khedira seemed better suited, and suspect that'll be the plan against Barca. It'll be interesting to see if this plan works, and makes its way to international level, Khedira playing there for Germany against Spain could well be the tactical ploy of the Euros, indeed though with less players in common Germany and Spain are mirroring the Barca Real battle at the moment oddly. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 Real were fantastic in the last 2 months of last season and have carried that into this season. They look unstoppable, basically; while Barca have fallen apart. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 I wouldn't say they've fallen apart. Pep just needs to get them back to what they were, and stop thinking he's clever by playing no defenders. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiresias Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 yeah, wonder if the slightly bulked out squad has exposed a tendancy to over-tinker in Guadiola that was never really obvious before. I'm quite a fan of tweaking, but it's gone a bit wrong, and the margin for error is sooooo tiny Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guinness_fiend Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 objectively what sort of football are real playing these days then? Barca-lite. They pass the ball very well but, unlike Barca, turn it over an alarming amount. However, the sheer physicality of the team is terrifying. They also have a team full of goal scorers, whereas Barca have been struggling of late (Villa has been dreadful this season, despite bagging a handful of goals at the beginning of the campaign). I'm looking forward to El Clásicos, as they'll be a real litmus test for how much Real have progressed since last season. Many Spanish pundits are already claiming that Real will have the edge, but I am not convinced. As soon as Barca play themselves out of the rut that they are currently in, I have every belief that they will be back to world-beating form in no time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirLes9 Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 Why do Puyol & Pique hardly ever play together? Are they both carrying injuries or something? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 Poor Betis. 4 wins out of 4 at the start of their campaign. 1 draw and 8 defeats later... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiresias Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 Barca-lite is a bit off to me, it's not really quite going for that possession led, it's more direct in a way, they haven't got a Messi to dance through tight defences, they rather have to rely on the other team having some possession and opening themselves up a bit. It's more classic Mourinho style of relentless attacking. With Sanchez fit again can imagine Villa being dropped soon. Classico will be interesting, but I suspect a disappointment, Madrid will probably defend too well for current out of sorts Barca to get through and Barca keep ball too well to give too many opportunities to Real. Probably decided by a few moments of quality by either side and will be nowhere near as decisive as that thumping Barca gave Real last year. Still, a Barca win and they're in better shape. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Village Idiot Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 The team is really off physically, all the bad games we have had (like against Getafe) we have been very static and with the lack of offensive movement that has always been so important for us. Not playing one of Cesc or Iniesta (who was still carrying a knock) was a bad move, I think their movement off the ball is pretty key to afford Xavi space. He was dwelling on the ball so so much this weekend, with nobody to pass it to. Madrid are in top form, but I don't think they will be able to keep up all year like this. It seems to me they are a couple notches over everybody else athletically at this point of the season. Of course, we have to still be there when they have a dip. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Village Idiot Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 Regarding Alexis, I really like the guy and I think had he been fit we would have fared better these past two months. He provides exactly what we lack when we become "bad-Barça": movement and directness. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The College Dropout Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 Madrid are the fastest and strongest team in La Liga. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiresias Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 Sid Lowe's column has some interesting stuff in http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/nov/28/la-liga-blog-barcelona-real-madrid Barcelona are not playing as they once did. Their possession is going up – it averages 72.44% this season compared to 69% and 68% in the previous two – but the number of shots is down slightly. The shots they are getting are less clear, too. That was already happening to some extent last year – the Copa del Rey final, with Messi dropping ever deeper, was an example – but now it is more concerning for the Catalans. Messi is so brilliant as to disguise certain problems but they are there. Building to Messi is one of the factors that has narrowed Barcelona, creating a jam, and few players go outside as Thierry Henry once did – the absence of Pedro, through injury, has been significant, while the introduction of Isaac Cuenca could be an important variation, as could the return to fitness of Alexis Sánchez. As yet, though, there has been little impact away from home Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToonCanuck Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 The team is really off physically, all the bad games we have had (like against Getafe) we have been very static and with the lack of offensive movement that has always been so important for us. Not playing one of Cesc or Iniesta (who was still carrying a knock) was a bad move, I think their movement off the ball is pretty key to afford Xavi space. He was dwelling on the ball so so much this weekend, with nobody to pass it to. yeah,it seems like everyone but messi has been injured,for peroids this year,puyol,pique,alexis,pedro,alfellay,iniesta,cesc would be hard for any team. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Village Idiot Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 I don't think they'll have trouble this weekend against Sporting given their current form, but this statistic is pretty interesting: since they signed him, Real Madrid have lost 43% of the games where Xabi Alonso hasn't played. Nice game yesterday at Camp Nou, Rayo Vallecano went for it which is always good to see and was great to see Alexis scoring a brace. I think he'll play a big part in any success we may have going forward. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Village Idiot Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 Atlético de Madrid have released a video showing a virtual visit to their future stadium: Visita 3D al nuevo estadio del Atlético de Madrid Looks pretty imposing but I have my doubts they can fill the planned 70k seats, particularly since the Calderón is right at the centre of town but this one will be in the outskirts. The move is planned for 2015. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Village Idiot Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 The dressing room at 3:00 really looks overdone and impractical, like most dressing rooms I see in new stadiums nowadays. Nothing like sitting on a couch during team talks I guess. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Craig-NUFC Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 Looks like a trailer for a post-apocalyptic film. Are Athletico doing well financially, or is this potentially going to cripple them? edit: Also nice to see Iniesta helping out Albacete again and becoming major shareholder. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Village Idiot Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 Looks like a trailer for a post-apocalyptic film. Are Athletico doing well financially, or is this potentially going to cripple them? edit: Also nice to see Iniesta helping out Albacete again and becoming major shareholder. The Madrid city council is funding it in exchange of the land of the Vicente Calderón, which the city needs in order to enlarge the road that runs through it (which is a major entrance into the city) http://www.fussballtempel.net/uefa/ESP/Vicente_Calderon_A2.jpg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 Shame when clubs move for non-footballing reasons. The VC was fine aside from a lack of corporate bits. Good location too. When are Athletic scheduled to move grounds? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 The move is planned for 2015. Edit: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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