Atletico got their 3 points yesterday. Barca are on today, suarez earns a soft penalty which messi fluffs. Not a big fan of such easy penalties given by the refs.

I've never seen a player this good miss so many penalties

Maradona was a poor penalty taker.

messi just did a xavi turn on a player, dropped shoulders on another and then nutmegged a third before shooting straight at the keeper. All in one run. He seems to be on the wane though. I know, crazy.

They said that last year.

Meanwhile Rafa's first game as Real Madrid manager was against Sporting Gijon. Finished 0-0.

😆

Still the only manager in the world who doesn't get the three-point system. 😆

Madrid were boring and quite stale.

he got the system enough to win la liga twice with valencia.

Don't get the general hatred for Benitez either. At the same time people (read: the British press) turn on you if you call Bale out for being a complete waste of space.

It seems like people think that since he's both fast and can shoot, he must be world class.

Quincy Abeyie wrote:

It seems like people think that since he's both fast and can shoot, he must be world class.

Is that also why Real Madrid paid €100m for him?

Bale is a world class player in the right setup and environment. Needs to be the main man with complete freedom to try a mazy dribble or let one fly from wherever and whenever without getting abuse from team mates and the fans when he doesn't get it right.

Qwiss! wrote:
Quincy Abeyie wrote:

It seems like people think that since he's both fast and can shoot, he must be world class.

Is that also why Real Madrid paid €100m for him?

No, they did that because they are idiots.

Vermaelen just scored. He's actually looked good in his past two games - much like the Vermaelen of old.

Honestly if you look at Ronaldo's body language, he looks like he's on the losing team because he hasn't scored 😆

James is fantastic. One of my favourite players.

And I thought it was all World Cup hype

What a player James is....to think Benitez wants to put him on the bench 😆

I never thought James could be this could. I think he's bordering on world class now.

Hard not to call him world class if he's (currently) the best player on one of the best teams in the world.

He's brilliant. I never thought his world cup form would be the norm for him.

Same here, he was a good little player at Porto and Monaco but nowhere near his current level. Exploded at the World Cup and never looked back.

I hadn't seen him prior to the World Cup, but it was love at first sight. So much win.

Jackson Martinez scored a lovely goal against Seville.

13 days later

and an assist.

Bale was involved with almost all of them too.

Barcelona won 1-2 at the Calderon, Torres with the opener, Neymar equalised with a brilliant free kick. Looked like a different sport compared to the United Liverpool match. Messi came on with 30 minutes to go and of course got the winner, a bunch of world class players on the pitch and they look dire next to him.

8 days later

Angel Correa scored 30 seconds into his debut for Atlético. Torres also on the scoresheet, looks to have rolled back the years. We should really sign the guy in charge of scouting strikers for them, Correa looks incredible. And get Simeone too.

watched the barca game. Levante defending was abysmal. There are days when Barca goes out and faces absolutely no opposition whatsoever. 2 penalties, should have been three. wide open spaces everywhere. it's a bit of a sham at times. Messi has missed 6 of his last 12 penalties.

jones wrote:

Angel Correa scored 30 seconds into his debut for Atlético. Torres also on the scoresheet, looks to have rolled back the years. We should really sign the guy in charge of scouting strikers for them, Correa looks incredible. And get Simeone too.

Simeone that's who I want. It would be amazing.

The Correa guy is already a very hot prospect back in Argentina anyway.

We need to sign those prospects before they get famous. We always misses them.

6 days later

Messi out for 8 weeks.

Wonder how/if spanish football will change with the catalan election results.

Bebe, ex-United who not too long ago took this free kick:

scored this beauty this weekend:

That is some hit! Juninho would have been proud of that one.

I was at the Barca v Las Palmas game on the weekend (and was also at the Stoke game the weekend before that - I've seen Arsenal 3 times live and they've won every game so if the club wants to sponsor me to attend in future I'm all for it).

Anyway, watching the game live from high behind the goal at the Nike end of the ground (as opposed to the Qatar Airawys end) I was hugely impressed with Rakitic. Everything went through him and he has such technique and vision. What a lovely player.

He was just what they needed.

Sevilla won 2-1 against Barcelona. They were without Messi obviously but I don't think I've ever seen a team so unlucky, they hit the woodwork about six or seven times, including a Neymar free kick that rolled on the line for about four seconds 😆

La Liga is very balanced this season, Sevilla were in a relegation spot before this match day, as are Málaga who got a point vs Real last week or Bilbao who put four past Barcelona. Every team looks capable to take points off others.

Atlético 0-1 down against Real at home, Navas saved a penalty from Griezmann earlier.

If there's any youngster we should pay 50m for it's Correa, comparisons are always worth very little but this guy actually reminds me of Messi, he has everything in his locker. Pace, technique etc are important but he has some of those characteristics that only the greats have, thinking a second faster than everyone else, good decision making etc, 50m would be a bargain, throw 100m at them and ask for Gimenez on top, that's attack and defence sorted for the next 15 years.