General La Liga Discussion

[SirBalon]

14 minutes ago, Spike said:

I don't usually keep up to date with transfers at all, so here I am (two weeks late) clenching my ass because Gabi left for Human Rights Abuse™ and Alvaro Odriozola has joined Real Madrid. 

Apart from those two moves you also have the Arthur signing to Barça coupled with the Lemar capture by Atlético Madrid before the World Cup started. Nothing more major to be honest if you don’t count Cristiano moving from Real to Juve. 

[Spike]

6 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

Apart from those two moves you also have the Arthur signing to Barça coupled with the Lemar capture by Atlético Madrid before the World Cup started. Nothing more major to be honest if you don’t count Cristiano moving from Real to Juve. 

Odriozola is the most shocking for me. Now Real have the two best fullbacks in Spain on the same flank, in fact I'd go as far to say they have the strongest right flank in the world if Lucas Vazquez is also taken into consideration.. I thought he'd stay at la Real longer but I suppose he was probably convinced by the heirarchy that they need the cash.

[Spike]

@SirBalon Barcelona also singed Clement Lenglet

[SirBalon]

3 minutes ago, Spike said:

@SirBalon Barcelona also singed Clement Lenglet

True, forgot about that and the Barcelona fans are really happy with that signing. He is quality and very young!

[SirBalon]

6 minutes ago, Spike said:

Odriozola is the most shocking for me. Now Real have the two best fullbacks in Spain on the same flank, in fact I'd go as far to say they have the strongest right flank in the world if Lucas Vazquez is also taken into consideration.. I thought he'd stay at la Real longer but I suppose he was probably convinced by the heirarchy that they need the cash.

That’s why I thought Odriozola was mental to make the move. At his age he needs to be playing and with this move that’s not going to be the case. 

[Carnivore Chris]

49 minutes ago, Spike said:

I don't usually keep up to date with transfers at all, so here I am (two weeks late) clenching my ass because Gabi left for Human Rights Abuse™ and Alvaro Odriozola has joined Real Madrid. 

If you ask me, Atletico need to move on from Gabi anyway as he's reaching the end of his career now at 35. If they want to progress, they need to be looking at younger, more in their prime players.

 

15 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

True, forgot about that and the Barcelona fans are really happy with that signing. He is quality and very young!

He was class last season against Man United in particular. Very good signing, although it's a shame that it's not at the expense of Vermaelen as opposed to Yerry. That's nothing against the Belgian as he's a reliable defender when fully fit and at his best, although keeping him fit is impossible and if say, Umtiti, was to receive an injury tomorrow, then it would be a risk to have to rely on Vermaelen staying fit.

Edited July 18, 2018 by The Rebel CRS

[Carnivore Chris]

@Spike Speaking of Atletico signings, they have purchased Rodri from Villarreal in this window. A very talented, defence-minded midfielder, who at 22, has a big career ahead of him.

[Spike]

3 minutes ago, The Rebel CRS said:

@Spike Speaking of Atletico signings, they have purchased Rodri from Villarreal in this window. A very talented, defence-minded midfielder, who at 22, has a big career ahead of him.

I know. He is also from the academy as well

[SirBalon]

8 hours ago, Teso dos Bichos said:

Turkish journalist Firat Gunayer of TRT Spor is reporting that La Liga new boys Rayo Vallecano are negotiating with Besiktas for the transfer of striker Alvaro Negredo

The 32-year-old hitman, who is best known for his days with Sevilla and Man City, would be returning to his boyhood club where he played from 2001-05. Last season, Negredo managed 15 goals in all competitions for Besiktas.

Álvaro Negredo will demand a wage that is prohibitive for a club like Rayo and this is how clubs like them have ended up with big financial issues in the past.  Rayo Vallecano had there best moments from either nicking young promising players from the big club academies or getting them on long loans... That's how they should keep on functioning!  Negredo has nothing to offer Rayo these days.

[Kowabunga]

Lunin is apparently close to going to Leganés on loan (instead of Rayo).

https://www.marca.com/futbol/real-madrid/2018/08/22/5b7d8147e5fdea853e8b465d.html

The reason given in the link above ("Real Madrid decided Leganés because it is located in the Community of Madrid") is bogus. Despite a distinct identity Vallecas is still part of Madrid and the Madrid region. I secretly suspect Rayo has found secret selfies of the "youngling" with a Ukrainian nationalist flag or his school folder wrapped with photos of Bandera. More plausible.

Edited August 22, 2018 by Kowabunga

[Kowabunga]

Leganés present their team mascot, a cross between Leonardo the TMNT and Pickle Rick. Love it for obvious reasons. 

[SirBalon]

Today we have the Deportivo Alavés v Real Madrid which sees two coaches from the Barcelona side of the 90s (Cruyff's final Barça squad turned into Sir Bobby Robson's) go head-to-head today in the shape of Abelardo Fernández (Alavés) and Julen Lopetegui (Real Madrid).

But that side that was later inherited by Sir Bobby Robson now has various high end coaches plying their trade around football in Europe...

• Luis Enrique (Spain national team)
• Julen Lopetegui (Real Madrid CF)
• Abelardo Fernández (Deportivo Alavés)
• Pep Guardiola (Manchester City)
• Jose Mourinho (Manchester United)
• Albert Celades (Assistant coach Real Madrid CF)
• Juan Antonio Pizzi (Saudi Arabia national team)

[Guest]

Luis Advincula linked to Atletico Madrid... it makes sense really. They've acquired Santiago Arias, who is not a bad player by any means but vastly inferior to Luchito. I personally really want to see this happen. I don't quite think Advincula is the best right back in the world like some people here are saying, but he's definitely one of the most underrated. Going to Atletico might cement that for me.

And to think he was deemed not good enough for Tigres 

[SirBalon]

11 minutes ago, Blue said:

Luis Advincula linked to Atletico Madrid... it makes sense really. They've acquired Santiago Arias, who is not a bad player by any means but vastly inferior to Luchito. I personally really want to see this happen. I don't quite think Advincula is the best right back in the world like some people here are saying, but he's definitely one of the most underrated. Going to Atletico might cement that for me.

And to think he was deemed not good enough for Tigres 

It's probably (and not even then) the only position Atleti need to look at to add depth.  Atlético Madrid have money these days so it's not beyond them to bolster that squad even more for the forthcoming January transfer window.

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

It's probably (and not even then) the only position Atleti need to look at to add depth.  Atlético Madrid have money these days so it's not beyond them to bolster that squad even more for the forthcoming January transfer window.

Advincula is 5 times the player Santiago Arias is. He always has been. It's actually embarrassing how Tigres didn't want him, when he's clearly better than any right back in the America's.

There is no logic in football. If Advincula was from Argentina, he'd be at a top club by now.

[SirBalon]

1 minute ago, Blue said:

Advincula is 5 times the player Santiago Arias is. He always has been. It's actually embarrassing how Tigres didn't want him, when he's clearly better than any right back in the America's.

There is no logic in football. If Advincula was from Argentina, he'd be at a top club by now.

I kind of agree but you're going down the Costa Rica argument route again which you know I disagree with mate.

[Guest]

1 minute ago, SirBalon said:

I kind of agree but you're going down the Costa Rica argument route again which you know I disagree with mate.

I see no other argument for Arias who isn't that good to get an easy move to Atletico, where as Advincula who has always been good struggled to get minutes at Tigres and Bursaspor. It's the unfortunate truth but Argentinians, Brazilians and even some Colombians get easy moves just because of their nationality and population. Peruvians do not. 

Say what you want about the FIFA rankings but it does count for professional clubs who choose what nations to look in. Advincula was dominant at all his clubs when he actually got minutes. It's because full backs like him are hard to come across. He's balanced, he can defend and attack. Look at Marcelo, while objectively he's a much better full back, he's not balanced at all. 

Not to mention he's also the fastest player in the world. I'm not sure why Tigres wouldn't give him a chance. I've seen Mexicans on Twitter say that Tuca Ferreti got it all wrong.

[SirBalon]

The LFP (La Liga) are planning to name the La Liga MVP (Player of the season award) the Trofeo Messi in honour of the FC Barcelona and Argentina international.

With this his name will join the other two illustrious football legends with awards to their name in the shape of the top scorer award being called the Trofeo Pichichi in honour of the Athletic Bilbao striker from the 30s Rafael “Pichichi” Moreno and the best keeper award for the season called Trofeo Zamora in honour of Espanyol and Real Madrid keeper from the 40s Ricardo Zamora.

 

Rafael “Pichichi” Moreno

Ricardo Zamora

Lionel Messi

[Dan+]

Thoughts on Brais Mendez? @SirBalon @The Rebel CRS

ITK of ours reckons we're going to match his release clause.

[SirBalon]

20 minutes ago, Dan said:

Thoughts on Brais Mendez? @SirBalon @The Rebel CRS

ITK of ours reckons we're going to match his release clause.

He's had very good reviews in the games that Celta have dominated and he even got an international call up by Luis Enrique for Spain during this period.  

He's a very technical attacking midfielder with a deft touch to creating chances in the opponent's area.  At 23 he would be a great acquisition but I do question the move for only one reason...

Have you seen Celta Vigo play mate?

Before he played at Celta he was at Villarreal who play a very similar type of football to that of Celta Vigo and was the reason why Celta signed him apart from the fact he's a native Galician and from the province of Pontevedra which is where Vigo are situated.  But fundamentally, he has played all of his young football career at clubs that play a particular brand of football which almost brings me to start a sermon on players that have come to the Premier League from abroad, looked good and failed. 

This isn't me taking a whack at Leicester City at all mate and Infact it can be looked upon in the opposite way of saving the club money UNLESS there are plans to employ a coach that plays that brand of football and change many things in the club's football make-up just to make a 23 year old footballer slot seamlessly into place.

What I'm saying is that it's a risk not only for HIS career, but also for spending money in that manner which is very common (I've written so many lines on this over time here) in the English Premier League.  I'm always writing about signing players that fit and are really required.

He's a good young player mate and quite a number of clubs have been circling around him mostly Italian clubs, so I don't know what else to say.

Maybe @The Rebel CRS can add something to this which may actually shine a light on the fact you actually do need a player like him.

[Dan+]

1 hour ago, SirBalon said:

He's had very good reviews in the games that Celta have dominated and he even got an international call up by Luis Enrique for Spain during this period.  

He's a very technical attacking midfielder with a deft touch to creating chances in the opponent's area.  At 23 he would be a great acquisition but I do question the move for only one reason...

Have you seen Celta Vigo play mate?

Before he played at Celta he was at Villarreal who play a very similar type of football to that of Celta Vigo and was the reason why Celta signed him apart from the fact he's a native Galician and from the province of Pontevedra which is where Vigo are situated.  But fundamentally, he has played all of his young football career at clubs that play a particular brand of football which almost brings me to start a sermon on players that have come to the Premier League from abroad, looked good and failed. 

This isn't me taking a whack at Leicester City at all mate and Infact it can be looked upon in the opposite way of saving the club money UNLESS there are plans to employ a coach that plays that brand of football and change many things in the club's football make-up just to make a 23 year old footballer slot seamlessly into place.

What I'm saying is that it's a risk not only for HIS career, but also for spending money in that manner which is very common (I've written so many lines on this over time here) in the English Premier League.  I'm always writing about signing players that fit and are really required.

He's a good young player mate and quite a number of clubs have been circling around him mostly Italian clubs, so I don't know what else to say.

Maybe @The Rebel CRS can add something to this which may actually shine a light on the fact you actually do need a player like him.

I'm going to be a prat here and answer your question with a question - have you seen Leicester play these days?

By no means is this me bigging Leicester up, because I'm not completely sold that we've done the right thing here, but we play a far more possession based game than we did a couple of years ago. I don't know about you, but I saw Leicester 2016 as a bit of an Atletico-lite. Obviously not exactly the same, but similarities in some of the style although of course Atletico had the better players.

In the last year we've adopted a far more possession based approach, and I think it's been pretty ineffective for most of the time - the odd game where it comes off we look very assured, but I think our players aren't entirely suited to this game. Maybe an addition like Mendez will slot in and take it to another level.

I have exactly the same principle as you regarding signing players who fit - that was the foundation of our success, they fit the system and they had the right character to fit the dressing room. Ever since the title win, we have deviated from it for no obvious reason at all and our transfer approach has been largely scattergun, which for me is the main reason we have regressed as quickly as we rose. We are investing more in younger players now though and there appears to be a desire at the club to promote youth, and while I think we're a way off seeing it click into place, it's in its infancy.

I am yet to be sold however, that Claude Puel is the answer. But make no mistake, this isn't the 30% possession a game Leicester anymore.

[SirBalon]

6 hours ago, Dan said:

I'm going to be a prat here and answer your question with a question - have you seen Leicester play these days?

By no means is this me bigging Leicester up, because I'm not completely sold that we've done the right thing here, but we play a far more possession based game than we did a couple of years ago. I don't know about you, but I saw Leicester 2016 as a bit of an Atletico-lite. Obviously not exactly the same, but similarities in some of the style although of course Atletico had the better players.

In the last year we've adopted a far more possession based approach, and I think it's been pretty ineffective for most of the time - the odd game where it comes off we look very assured, but I think our players aren't entirely suited to this game. Maybe an addition like Mendez will slot in and take it to another level.

I have exactly the same principle as you regarding signing players who fit - that was the foundation of our success, they fit the system and they had the right character to fit the dressing room. Ever since the title win, we have deviated from it for no obvious reason at all and our transfer approach has been largely scattergun, which for me is the main reason we have regressed as quickly as we rose. We are investing more in younger players now though and there appears to be a desire at the club to promote youth, and while I think we're a way off seeing it click into place, it's in its infancy.

I am yet to be sold however, that Claude Puel is the answer. But make no mistake, this isn't the 30% possession a game Leicester anymore.

I like your post because you have understood it and you are putting questions to it all yourself...  That's something most football fans don't do and they just want signings in any way shape and form especially when they're getting good reviews in their country's press.

As for your question... I've seen three Leicester City games mate (Arsenal v Leicester, Leicester v Liverpool and Leicester v Everton) and they've all been very different which isn't a bad thing but also didn't give me the necessary knowledge to understand what was going on with the football.

A style isn't just determined by possession mate...  For example Villarreal tend to have quite a bit of possession but they're also quite direct by using wide players a lot and don't tend to go through the middle.  Celta traditionally play like that although the Galician club does tend to be more dynamic than the more paused Castellonense (Villarreal) club.

Let's see what happens mate.  I know Napoli and Torino have been sniffing around Brais a lot and there were rumours of AC Milan also (hope that last one isn't true for the kid's sake).

[Dan+]

9 hours ago, SirBalon said:

I like your post because you have understood it and you are putting questions to it all yourself...  That's something most football fans don't do and they just want signings in any way shape and form especially when they're getting good reviews in their country's press.

As for your question... I've seen three Leicester City games mate (Arsenal v Leicester, Leicester v Liverpool and Leicester v Everton) and they've all been very different which isn't a bad thing but also didn't give me the necessary knowledge to understand what was going on with the football.

A style isn't just determined by possession mate...  For example Villarreal tend to have quite a bit of possession but they're also quite direct by using wide players a lot and don't tend to go through the middle.  Celta traditionally play like that although the Galician club does tend to be more dynamic than the more paused Castellonense (Villarreal) club.

Let's see what happens mate.  I know Napoli and Torino have been sniffing around Brais a lot and there were rumours of AC Milan also (hope that last one isn't true for the kid's sake).

A lot of it is experience of seeing how we spend our money and I've almost naturally become inclined to get a bit picky about signings. Obviously I want signings to be made but I want us to have done due dilligence on every one of them to ensure the best possible chance that they will be a success here - we've not done that anywhere near enough in the last three years. If you look at our summer of 2015 we signed a number of players who came here and slotted in almost effortlessly. That's what I want. I don't want us blowing money on the wrong man. If there's any way a club of our size will have any success, it's by using our money effectively.

Three games isn't really enough but you've acknowledged that. The Arsenal game was a good example of us really - first half we were very good but seemingly at half time we collapsed, so we're not quite there yet.

I agree that possession isn't the whole thing behind a team's style, but I do think it does make up quite a significant part of your approach to a game and we have changed ours quite significantly.

I do think we are probably a quality player short in the position he plays so he could actually come in and make quite a difference if he's any good. I'm liking the reviews though.

[Guest]

Another assist for Luis Advincula.

I could sound biased but you could make a genuine argument he's in the top 5 right backs in the league. I do hope the interest from Atletico Madrid is real. Much better than Santiago Arias.

[SchalkeUK]

Any Rayo Vallecano fans on here.  If so, please accept the apologies of all 04 fans for passing on our worst payer of the past seasons to you in the hope that someone is silly enough to accept him! I suppose a new club might inspire something different from a guy who used to be good - no very good - but has lost all skill and sometimes even belief in himself.  That could be down to the disgraceful man-management set up at 04 at present.  My contacts there tell me off the field he is a great guy - honest and respectful so maybe - just maybe the move will be positive.  I will be watching with interest.  Good luck Franco