SirBalon Posted September 8, 2018 Share Posted September 8, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirBalon Posted September 14, 2018 Author Share Posted September 14, 2018 Huesca v Rayo tonight at 20:00bst to start league issues going once again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirBalon Posted September 15, 2018 Author Share Posted September 15, 2018 Huesca lost 0-1 to Rayo in yesterday's game. Right now the Atlético Madrid v SD Eibar is being played at the Metropolitano. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted September 15, 2018 Share Posted September 15, 2018 I didnt realise Giannelli Imbula is at Rayo. Bit of a fall from grace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
...Dan Posted September 15, 2018 Share Posted September 15, 2018 Atletico looked to have lost it when Eibar opened the scoring in the 87th minute, but 19 year old Borja Garcés, on for his debut with 20 minutes to go, grabbed an equaliser in the final few seconds of stoppage time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirBalon Posted September 15, 2018 Author Share Posted September 15, 2018 3 minutes ago, ...Dan said: Atletico looked to have lost it when Eibar opened the scoring in the 87th minute, but 19 year old Borja Garcés, on for his debut with 20 minutes to go, grabbed an equaliser in the final few seconds of stoppage time. God forbid trying to criticise Diego Simeone after everything he's done at and for Atlético Madrid. But the guy has no excuses... Not now, certainly not this season! He's been given everything he asked for and more. But yet he's starting this campaign as he has started others... No doubt as always he'll get the team performing once again especially in the second half of the season, but by then it's nearly always too late. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirBalon Posted September 15, 2018 Author Share Posted September 15, 2018 REAL SOCIEDAD 1-0 FC BARCELONA (HT) Elstuondo with a goal after 12 minutes sees La Real go in at half-time in the lead. Barça in truth have dominated the chances in attack but haven’t been able to materialise any in the first period. This is ALWAYS one of the toughest away fixtures for Barcelona during the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirBalon Posted September 15, 2018 Author Share Posted September 15, 2018 Atleti and Simeone are being seriously criticised for today’s performance against Eibar at home in the Metropolitano. In truth there is no excuse with all due respects to Eibar who are never easy to play against. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirBalon Posted September 15, 2018 Author Share Posted September 15, 2018 REAL SOCIEDAD 1-2 FC BARCELONA (FT) Second half goals from Luis Suárez and Ousmane Dembélé handed victory to Barça but not without suffering during the rest of the game. But at least it ended in 3 points for Barcelona where this game usually ends up the opposite way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirBalon Posted September 15, 2018 Author Share Posted September 15, 2018 ATHLETIC CLUB BILBAO 1-1 REAL MADRID CF (FT) Firet points dropped by Real Madrid this season away to Athletic but these sorts of points are permissible. Not an easy place to go to and it could've been a lot worse to be honest. A great day for Barça though with Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid dropping 2 points respectively. Athletic are also unbeaten so far this season which is a great start for Eduardo Berizzo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 What a game Athletic vs Real Madrid was, probably the most exciting, end to end, fiery game I've seen so far this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirBalon Posted September 16, 2018 Author Share Posted September 16, 2018 So, when Kepa departed Bilbao for his adventure in London with Chelsea, the Athletic Bilbao president Josu Urrutia said this... ""We wish Kepa the best for the future, Chelsea have signed a marvellous young keeper. But we'll be OK because we've got more of these in Lezama (Lezama is the Athletic academy) and we'll soon see this is a fact." UNAI SIMÓN Is it too early to put pressure on the just turned 21 year old? As they say, you are only as good as your last game and in this sense Simón's performance against Real Madrid in the New San Mamés was extraordinary and the truth is that he's a very good keeper indeed. They're already giving him the title of the new Iribar (José Ángel Iribar) who is one of the biggest goalkeeping legends in Spanish football history. 'UNAIRIBAR' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carnivore Chris Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 He's been good all season thus far and a real stand out. I suppose it's probably easier to replace a cracking goalkeeper than it is to replace a top class midfielder or striker though, especially in their position. What Athletic lack the most is a top forward to replace the goals from Aduriz. They've had a solid start to the season to be fair and were unlucky not to take all 3 points, rather than 1, last night, in what was a very intense game, as always between Athletic and Real. Massive result for Barcelona in what is often the most difficult place to go during the league campaign. When la Real went 1-0 up, I was expecting it to be another one of those nights, but nice comeback in the end and good to see Suarez and Dembele continuing to get the goals. I can already see a quality front 3 forming between themselves and Messi this season. I was never sure about the midfield that started yesterday mind and I knew that Valverde would have ended up changing things in this area at some point during the game. Both goals were scrappy, but deserved in the end. I'm glad Dembele is starting to show what he's about. I always knew he would turn it around as he didn't exactly have it easy in his first season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirBalon Posted September 16, 2018 Author Share Posted September 16, 2018 6 hours ago, The Rebel CRS said: He's been good all season thus far and a real stand out. I suppose it's probably easier to replace a cracking goalkeeper than it is to replace a top class midfielder or striker though, especially in their position. What Athletic lack the most is a top forward to replace the goals from Aduriz. They've had a solid start to the season to be fair and were unlucky not to take all 3 points, rather than 1, last night, in what was a very intense game, as always between Athletic and Real. Massive result for Barcelona in what is often the most difficult place to go during the league campaign. When la Real went 1-0 up, I was expecting it to be another one of those nights, but nice comeback in the end and good to see Suarez and Dembele continuing to get the goals. I can already see a quality front 3 forming between themselves and Messi this season. I was never sure about the midfield that started yesterday mind and I knew that Valverde would have ended up changing things in this area at some point during the game. Both goals were scrappy, but deserved in the end. I'm glad Dembele is starting to show what he's about. I always knew he would turn it around as he didn't exactly have it easy in his first season. You know... Rijkaard lost at Anoeta (Real Sociedad), Guardiola lost there, Tito Villanova lost there, Tata Martino lost there and Luis Enrique lost there... None of them managed to win away to La Real in La Liga and Ernesto Valverde has won both games last season and so far, this. It wasn’t pretty because Real Sociedad played a brilliant game especially in the first period and had they gone 2 up Barça would’ve collapsed without a doubt. It was the changes Valverde made in the second period with Busquets and Coutinho coming on that changed it all and note the fact that Semedo coming off and Sergio Roberto being moved to the right-back position gave balance to the side (Semedo had a nightmare). What Valverde has to look at though is when he brought on Arturo Vidal for Ousmane Dembélé it all lost equilibrium in midfield. I’m not so sure Vidal is cut out for the Barça system but only time will tell on that one. On another note... Espanyol’s start to the season is tremendous and winning today 1-0 with a Sergio García goal puts them in a Champions League position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 It was great to see Barcelona and Madrid be fully stretched in competitive fixtures this weekend. Really makes the highlights more enjoyable for a neutral. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carnivore Chris Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 2 hours ago, SirBalon said: You know... Rijkaard lost at Anoeta (Real Sociedad), Guardiola lost there, Tito Villanova lost there, Tata Martino lost there and Luis Enrique lost there... None of them managed to win away to La Real in La Liga and Ernesto Valverde has won both games last season and so far, this. It wasn’t pretty because Real Sociedad played a brilliant game especially in the first period and had they gone 2 up Barça would’ve collapsed without a doubt. It was the changes Valverde made in the second period with Busquets and Coutinho coming on that changed it all and note the fact that Semedo coming off and Sergio Roberto being moved to the right-back position gave balance to the side (Semedo had a nightmare). What Valverde has to look at though is when he brought on Arturo Vidal for Ousmane Dembélé it all lost equilibrium in midfield. I’m not so sure Vidal is cut out for the Barça system but only time will tell on that one. On another note... Espanyol’s start to the season is tremendous and winning today 1-0 with a Sergio García goal puts them in a Champions League position. Valverde doesn't get enough credit as far as I'm concerned. Last season he didn't get anything wrong other than the second leg against Roma. That was a big one, so you can see why it sticks in some minds, but that's where he now has to prove people wrong this term. He has been doing everything else right though and the football is better under him this season now that Messi, Suarez, Coutinho and Dembele are all playing in the same side with Rakitic and Busquets to compliment them. One thing he also has on Pep and Enrique is his experience prior to joining the club. He certainly knows what he is doing and he has been about. That brings me to Coutinho. I personally believe he's been a saviour and certainly makes the team tougher to beat, it's also already at the stage where you notice his absence. He made an impact when he came on yesterday. Maybe not directly, but his presence was felt without a doubt. He is a player who is always trying to make something happen. I don't really think Vidal is suited either and when everyone is fit, Arthur needs to be getting minutes ahead of him in situations like this for me. You can see the idea behind the Vidal singing though as he definitely offers strength in depth and can really get stuck in in those tough and edgy games. It has yet to be seen yet but we'll see what happens. 2 minutes ago, The Palace Fan said: It was great to see Barcelona and Madrid be fully stretched in competitive fixtures this weekend. Really makes the highlights more enjoyable for a neutral. I've been unimpressed by both Atletico and Valencia thus far though. Both looked in great shape leading up to the season, they have some top players and also more than competent managers(especially in Atletico's case, who have one of the best in the world), so you'd expect more from them. I'm sure they will soon book their ideas up, but it'll likely be too late to pose a real challenge, which is what both should have been looking at this year. Especially Atletico, their squad is as balanced as you will get and easily the best squad that Simeone has had at his disposal. They have no excuses. They may not quite spend what some other clubs do, but Saul and Koke are players who would get into any side in the world and didn't cost them a bean in transfer fees, Godin and Griezmann would both be worth 5 times more than what Atletico paid for them if still the same age they were when signing for them, Oblak is a top 3 keeper in the world and they have as strong depth as anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirBalon Posted September 17, 2018 Author Share Posted September 17, 2018 GIRONA FC v RC CELTA VIGO (20:00bst) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirBalon Posted September 18, 2018 Author Share Posted September 18, 2018 GIRONA FC 3-2 RC CELTA VIGO (FT) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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