Spanish football 2014/2015: Page 21 - The Arsenal discussion community: One More in the Tolly

Spanish football 2014/2015

Jens

otfgoon wrote:
Jasard wrote:
Bale is done in Spain.

Hmm, cheeky bid? Raided Barcelona last year, it's Real's turn now.

Yeah, why not. That should go over well at White Hart Lane.

Ricky1985

It's interesting that slowly, season by season, since Guardiola left great passers of the ball like Xavi, Busquets and Iniesta struggle to keep their percentages up and control the game as a result. It's so much about the structure of the team in a possession game, and the discipline to adhere to that structure in every type of situation. They're still great players for the most part but it all looks a little off the cuff and under pressure they can't make that work anymore.

y va marquer

Risible from Mascherano

arsedocmd

Wonder if Madrid losing out on the trophies, crowd turning on players will drive ronaldo out. Wonder if he'd come back to manchester.

Tactics

Ricky1985 wrote:
It's interesting that slowly, season by season, since Guardiola left great passers of the ball like Xavi, Busquets and Iniesta struggle to keep their percentages up and control the game as a result. It's so much about the structure of the team in a possession game, and the discipline to adhere to that structure in every type of situation. They're still great players for the most part but it all looks a little off the cuff and under pressure they can't make that work anymore.

I don't think it's about Guardiola leaving, Xavi (in particular) and Iniesta detriorated physically about 3 seasons ago, they could no longer cover the required amount of ground, every 3 days, for 50-60 games a season. They became vulnerable defensively as a result. Martino tried to solve this problem by frequently playing 4 CMs. Enrique though is trying something different; he's making the midfield less important to the team, simplified their task so to speak. They no longer play dominant attacking football, the midfield is being bypassed a lot. It's mostly about getting it quickly to their 3 magicians upfront .

It still amazes me that some fans watch that Madrid performance but still buy into this myth that DMs are a must for every team. There is nothing that beats having very good organisation and good footballers in the middle of the park IMO. Barca consistently struggled to play out from the back with Mascherano in place of Busquets and they were thoroughly outclassed in the 1st half. Amazed some people still can't see the value of having footballers in that position at the highest level. Shocked to see Barca play on the break vs Madrid at the Camp Nou, never seen that before, not even when they were shite in the late 90s/early 2000.

Aguero is better than Benzema but I don't think there's a better striker for this Madrid team than the French man. When it comes to touch, passing, link-up play (combined with his pysical attributes) Benzema is one of the best I have ever seen. Madrid use 2 very direct and individualistic players out wide, a link player like Benzema is provides the best balance for the team.

125

Tactics

Lukazan wrote:
Bale needs to be the main man in a team to get the best out of him I feel.

He's a physical specimen, nothing special IMO. Lacks the technique and/or awareness to ever develop into a Ronaldo or Henry.

Still a quality goalscorer but massively overpriced IMO.

137

Rex

Is that £137 you value him at? Personally, I think that valuation is way off.

arsedocmd

His valuation seems to have increased 12mill within a post. Prolly Daniel levy in disguise here.

ChiliPalmer

Tactics wrote:
Ricky1985 wrote:
It's interesting that slowly, season by season, since Guardiola left great passers of the ball like Xavi, Busquets and Iniesta struggle to keep their percentages up and control the game as a result. It's so much about the structure of the team in a possession game, and the discipline to adhere to that structure in every type of situation. They're still great players for the most part but it all looks a little off the cuff and under pressure they can't make that work anymore.

I don't think it's about Guardiola leaving, Xavi (in particular) and Iniesta detriorated physically about 3 seasons ago, they could no longer cover the required amount of ground, every 3 days, for 50-60 games a season. They became vulnerable defensively as a result. Martino tried to solve this problem by frequently playing 4 CMs. Enrique though is trying something different; he's making the midfield less important to the team, simplified their task so to speak. They no longer play dominant attacking football, the midfield is being bypassed a lot. It's mostly about getting it quickly to their 3 magicians upfront .

It still amazes me that some fans watch that Madrid performance but still buy into this myth that DMs are a must for every team. There is nothing that beats having very good organisation and good footballers in the middle of the park IMO. Barca consistently struggled to play out from the back with Mascherano in place of Busquets and they were thoroughly outclassed in the 1st half. Amazed some people still can't see the value of having footballers in that position at the highest level. Shocked to see Barca play on the break vs Madrid at the Camp Nou, never seen that before, not even when they were shite in the late 90s/early 2000.

Aguero is better than Benzema but I don't think there's a better striker for this Madrid team than the French man. When it comes to touch, passing, link-up play (combined with his pysical attributes) Benzema is one of the best I have ever seen. Madrid use 2 very direct and individualistic players out wide, a link player like Benzema is provides the best balance for the team.

125

Great post, agree completely especially re. having good footballers over DM's and the magnificent Benzema. Although I wasn't as surprised that Barca played on the break having watched them quite a bit this season. As you touted well re. their midfield declining, and without Busquest, they aren't as superior in possession anymore, and playing on the break with the vision and passing of Messi, the genius of Suarez and the speed and skill of Neymar, it suits them much better imo. They're simply sensational.

Benzema is simply an oustanding footballer, how people still question him is beyond me, maybe it's because he doesn't score enough according to some. If he was playing for us, he'd score 30+ goals every season as he'd be the main man, which he isn't at Madrid.

QuincyAbeyie

I too cannot understand how some people doesn't rate Benzema. He's gotten to the point where he is irreplaceable in their system. His link-up play is pretty much perfect. There's a reason Real Madrid haven't tried to buy Falcao or Cavani.

evoh

How exactly for Bale want in technique? He is up there witht the best of them.

Irishgunner

The Suarez goal was so fucking good, I've been watching it in HD today (shitty stream last night), unreal first touch. That Benzema flick for Ronaldo's goal was class too.

Irishgunner

A selection of Ray Hudson quotes from last night's commentary 😆

"He'll be fine. He'll be back, like a werewolf."

"Referee giving yellow cards out like speeding tickets at the Indy 500"

"The face of a choirboy and the heart of a lion"

"He opens him up like a fresh fish"

"He's been cracking them with real TNT power"

"Brilliant! and the way he pulls away like tissue from a toilet roll"

"His finishing for the last game or two has been as sharp as a bag of wet mice"

"This cat in blue grows wings"

"Even Einstein would be amazed by how much space he was able to create"

"E = Messi²"

Burnwinter

"E = Messi²"

Ok, that is genius.

est

Cringe.

jones

The worst about Hudson isn't even the commentary (which can be funny to be fair to the magisterial magician) but the cringeworthy shrieks that sound like he just got stabbed, I get fucking goosebumps just thinking about it.

goon

I can't stand Sky's commentary for the Spanish football, they're always so slow to catch on to things or it just passes them by completely. Took them an age to figure out that it was Ronaldo and not Bale who was flagged offside when it was obvious from the beginning. They also seem to have become completely numb and blind towards displays of selfishness, few weeks ago you had someone shoot from an angle with 2 players lining up for a tap in and they didn't even mention it, just commented on the shot.

arsedocmd

jones wrote:
The worst about Hudson isn't even the commentary (which can be funny to be fair to the magisterial magician) but the cringeworthy shrieks that sound like he just got stabbed, I get fucking goosebumps just thinking about it.

It's like he's having a90 minute prostate exam.

Rex

You have that a lot in your line of work, do you? 🙂

arsedocmd

ofc, very very abridged versions though.

« Previous Page Next Page »