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Pre-season (2023/24)


bowlingcrofty

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47 minutes ago, joeyt said:

He looked a tad off the pace but loved seeing Muniain again. Love a diminutive continental number 10


 

He was class under Bielsa when he was there. They were incredibly fun to watch back then too, which is no surprise.

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1 minute ago, Manxst said:

Don’t have to be Basque - just come through a Basque youth team. Aymeric Laporte became the first Frenchman to graduate from Athletic’s youth system in 2012, was not born in the French Basque region and his only connection is a blood link from his great-grandparents.

Apologies. Impressive though. 

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Just now, relámpago blanco said:

Apologies. Impressive though. 

No need mate- had to Google it myself. Yeah, it is. Although these days there are a few mumurs about it being discriminatory 

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2 minutes ago, Kanji said:

Has there ever been bother for them to change the policy?

 

I'm by no means an expert in their history, but not to my knowledge. It's a different culture over there, their cultural attitudes are 50 years behind us in terms of multi-culturalism. Some older fans still don't understand how they have 2 black players on their team.

 

The Spanish government and FA aren't exactly preachy (with what they allow Real to get away with, being effectively a tax payer-funded team), and it would be a pretty big deal to try to alter the policy of the principal Basque Country football club. And for those that don't agree with their policies, there's always Sociedad down the road in Donostia/San Sebastian who don't have such a policy. I think Athletic are pretty much untouchable externally with regards to policy changes, the Spanish FA/government just couldn't do it and it'd be an excuse for the more extreme Basque nationalists to potentially cause some trouble.

 

The only potential change or relaxtion to the policy i could envisage would be if it came interally, i.e. from their own fans, and with the culture being so entrenched as it is, I don't think it'll change any time soon.

 

 

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9 minutes ago, Kanji said:

Has there ever been bother for them to change the policy?

I have lived in Bilbao for 25 years and the topic of conversation has always been if they should change their recruitment policy, don’t think they will change it tbh.

Really think it is great myself, just sometimes wish they would splash the cash and go for some of the better basque players available. Merino was a prime example of them not going the extra mile…

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Just now, buzza said:

I have lived in Bilbao for 25 years and the topic of conversation has always been if they should change their recruitment policy, don’t think they will change it tbh.

Really think it is great myself, just sometimes wish they would splash the cash and go for some of the better basque players available. Merino was a prime example of them not going the extra mile…

 

They don't tend to sign many of the Sociedad players, I'd always assumed it was because of their rivalry.

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Mainz, Bilbao, and Atalanta all finished 8th in their leagues. Mainz we dominated the game, and if it was a competitive game, their winning goal would not have been allowed. We beat both Bilbao and Atalanta. Now I’d be included to say that finishing 8th in those leagues is round about finishing 8th in the Premier League. This should show that we will be competitive in the league this season. On top of this we also went blow to blow with Benfica, who would think will be getting to the later states of the Champions League this season and should either win their league, or come close to doing so. 

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Just now, HawK said:

 

They don't tend to sign many of the Sociedad players, I'd always assumed it was because of their rivalry.

And the price. Yep, rivalry is high between these two, but at this level you would think the players wouldn’t mind…

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1 minute ago, Stifler said:

Mainz, Bilbao, and Atalanta all finished 8th in their leagues. Mainz we dominated the game, and if it was a competitive game, their winning goal would not have been allowed. We beat both Bilbao and Atalanta. Now I’d be included to say that finishing 8th in those leagues is round about finishing 8th in the Premier League. This should show that we will be competitive in the league this season. On top of this we also went blow to blow with Benfica, who would think will be getting to the later states of the Champions League this season and should either win their league, or come close to doing so. 

I think the prem top eight this year will be a lot stronger than la liga (top two in each excepted).

there is quite a drop from third to eighth place here tbf. The years when Atletico are playing well third is well contested.

 

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30 minutes ago, Stifler said:

Mainz, Bilbao, and Atalanta all finished 8th in their leagues. Mainz we dominated the game, and if it was a competitive game, their winning goal would not have been allowed. We beat both Bilbao and Atalanta. Now I’d be included to say that finishing 8th in those leagues is round about finishing 8th in the Premier League. This should show that we will be competitive in the league this season. On top of this we also went blow to blow with Benfica, who would think will be getting to the later states of the Champions League this season and should either win their league, or come close to doing so. 

 

Please tell me this isn’t a serious post.

 

Olot drew 1-1 with Barca this pre-season. Assume they’ll be suggesting they can win La Liga now.

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Just wanna say how much Ive loved this pre-season.

 

For the 1st time in a loooonnnnngggg time weve spent every week, every day even, taking one step forward without immediately taking 2 steps back.

 

Ive fucking loved it and we still might get a forward and look as though were in for Maddison. :celb1:

 

Just unreal.

 

 

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I've watched/listened to 2 podcast this week and both of them said that Dummett had a good performance against Bilbao.

 

Can someone clear this up because I thought he was awful in the second half. Was getting rinsed by their number 9?

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1 hour ago, STM said:

I've watched/listened to 2 podcast this week and both of them said that Dummett had a good performance against Bilbao.

 

Can someone clear this up because I thought he was awful in the second half. Was getting rinsed by their number 9?

 

I was sat on his side of the Gallowgate and kept an eye on him as it was his inclusion that gave me the only apprehension on the day. 

 

I honestly thought he had a good game, kept up with the passing and press beating possession that the back 4 are clearly going for, and he even put in some strong well timed tackles when his opposite was trying to beat him.  He didn't look out of place as such but he also didn't look like he should be there, his gate and pace gave me the impression of someone on the wane really. He was fine but I wouldn't want to see him facing the likes of Mahrez or Salah and I don't think he will. 

 

He clearly can't last more than 60 minutes mind which chimes with your 2nd half observation, he was starting to get beaten easily. 

 

 

Edited by Comegetasample

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  • 7 months later...

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