2018-19 Spanish La Liga Discussion Thread

[Baphomet]

Gets underway today, Barcelona are the current holders.

[Hellcrooner]

Atletico is going to win this.

on other news Real Madrid is going to sue Inter Milan for talking to Modric who is under contract.

lets say this again.

Real madrid.

is going to sue inter milan

for talking to

Modric

who is under contract.

Wonder what a spurs fan feels when reading tht.


Monty Python at its finest.

[Foye]

Barca's to lose

[J-Mezzy]

Can Barca win the cl

[Baphomet]

Can Barca win the cl

Any team with Messi is in with a shot

Speaking of which, I need to make this year's CL thread soon too...

[J-Mezzy]

I think we have no shot and not because we depend on Cristiano, but because we had one **** transfer summee

[Jellybeans]

Song about RM season- Disturbed - The Sound Of Silence
I hope we finish in top4

[ecuhus1981]

I would love to see Atletico vie for the treble, and I think we have the depth to do it. One interesting little fulcrum will be at LB. If PSG successfully snatch Filipe Luis away, I honestly think it would be a hammer blow to our La Liga chances. Maybe not in the CL where Lucas outplayed him IMO, but in a long season, Filipe is the cagey vet we need. He is such a complete player, making up for alot of the deficiencies in possession and play-making around him.

Barcelona's rotations will be interesting. They have all the talent, but will everyone be content playing only 2 out of 3 matches? Vidal could be a godsend after losing Paulinho, but I'll reserve praise for that transfer until I see him healthy and gelling with the squad.

Real aren't dead yet. They have a war chest that neither Barca nor Atleti can boast, and FFP is about to finish their business in Paris. That opens up new possibilities to sign Neymar. At this point, that's the only move they can make IMO, to significantly swing things in their favor. Lewandowski, Kane, Aubameyang and other truly elite attackers are not leaving their current clubs at the 11th hour.

Beyond the Big 3, it'll be interesting, but I've written enough for now.

[Foye]

Real Madrid are kind of losers of the transfer window this year despite getting Courtois.
They must have a lot of faith in Asensio taking over at the wing.

While he is a terrific player, I don't think he is the goal scoring threat you would expect to see at the wings for a club like Real Madrid. Add in that they are still dependent on Benzema upfront...
Gonna have to hope for a huge season from Gareth Bale.

I'm curious about Vinícius Júnior...but he is only 18 and looks somewhat slow in highlight vids...but maybe that is just his unorthodox movements.

[ecuhus1981]

I don't mean to get too much into the minutae, but I'm really intrigued by how even the Top 3 teams look this season. If I had to rank each position, I would go:

GK: Oblak, Lloris, Ter Stegen

LB: Luis, Marcelo, Alba
LCB: Godin, Pique, Varane
RCB: Ramos, GImenez, Umiti
RB: Roberto, Carvajal, Juanfran

CDM: Busquets, Casemiro, Rodri
LCM: Kroos, Koke, Rakitic
RCM: Modric, Coutinho, Saul


LW: Griezmann, Bale, Dembele
RW: Messi, Isco, Lemar
ST: Suarez, Costa, Benzema

The positions don't perfectly match, because each squad uses different formations. Some will argue Vidal or Malcom over Dembele for Barca's starting XI, but I don't think either would affect their ranking.

[lambchop]

with Messi they would have won 12 - 1 at least.
Real Madrid without Ronaldo really isn't intimitdating anyone. I wonder if UEFA and La Liga will find a way to help Madrid secure 4th place or somehow make the champions league, cause them not participating in 2019-2020 would be a financial loss for sure

[Jellybeans]

with Messi they would have won 12 - 1 at least.
Real Madrid without Ronaldo really isn't intimitdating anyone. I wonder if UEFA and La Liga will find a way to help Madrid secure 4th place or somehow make the champions league, cause them not participating in 2019-2020 would be a financial loss for sure

Its not about missing goals from CR..
1.
This D is killing us..Ramos+our midfielders just dont care about it..First goal showd how our D works this season.
2.
No1 can finish in box.Idk why coach keeps playing with same players,who underperforms atleast a month...
Worst part is that i cant see a light at the end of the tunnel

[lambchop]

with Messi they would have won 12 - 1 at least.
Real Madrid without Ronaldo really isn't intimitdating anyone. I wonder if UEFA and La Liga will find a way to help Madrid secure 4th place or somehow make the champions league, cause them not participating in 2019-2020 would be a financial loss for sure

Its not about missing goals from CR..
1.
This D is killing us..Ramos+our midfielders just dont care about it..First goal showd how our D works this season.
2.
No1 can finish in box.Idk why coach keeps playing with same players,who underperforms atleast a month...
Worst part is that i cant see a light at the end of the tunnel

CR gets praised for his leadership and holding teammates accountable too. Teammates also at least have to try to match his energy on the pitch or somehow keep up with him in terms of effort. Not easy to replace that total package. But things might improve now without lopetegui

[ecuhus1981]

On the eve of the January transfer window, I think we should discuss needs and wants of the top clubs in La Liga. They may not happen in this window, but they will be the major moves I expect teams to make sometime in 2019. I'm classifying them as "big" and "small" moves, and these are relative terms. A BIG move for Sevilla could be a small move for Barcelona.

Here is my off-the-cuff rundown (ordered by current standing):

BARCELONA - They have enough midfield options, and I think they are fine in the attacking 3rd, since they have a "right of first refusal" clause for Alcacer. They really could use another CB. Matthias de Ligt has been on their radar for awhile, and I think they get him next summer. Strangely considering his vital role, Alba is out of contract in the summer IF they don't agree to a contract extension. Even if they keep Jordi, Barcelona will need to bring in a natural backup, perhaps former La Masia product Grimaldo.


ATLETICO - As woeful as Los Colchoneros have looked in front of goal, the biggest area of need is on the other side of the pitch. The 33yo CB Godin and the 33yo LB Luis are both out of contract this summer. Further complicating matters, the prodigy backup for both spots, Lucas Hernandez, is rumored to have agreed to terms with Bayern Munich. I *hope* that this is a move from Lucas' camp to pressure his current club into a permanent role in the starting XI, and not a sincere desire to leave. Regardless, we at least need to bring in one defender. Milan Skriniar makes a ton of sense. He's a cerebral and physical CB from a club (Inter Milan) with a friendly transfer relationship. His stellar aerial prowess on both ends would help soften the blow of Diego's departure. Smaller moves might be free-transfer reclamation projects like Alberto Moreno and Ander Herrera.


SEVILLA - They have quality and depth everywhere, and are punching above their weight class domestically. Rumor has it they are getting ready to say goodbye to Ever Banega (again), so they will needs a playmaker. Do they dare to dream for an out-of-favor Isco??? A young pure striker like Munir el Haddadi could add variety to their attack. 01/07 update: I predicted their minor move correctly! Munir has agreed to move to Sevilla on a free transfer this summer.


REAL - What do you give the one who has it all? I suppose it's about time for another Galactico: how about Neymar?

[ZoLo]

Messi is in an incredible form right now. If he continues to play like that, then Barca will win thing CL thingy.

Read on Twitter

Just a privilege for us to watch him play.

[ecuhus1981]

Well, we have 1 match left, and the top 3 spots are already set in stone:

1) Barcelona
2) Atletico
3) Real

Barca have a sour taste in their mouths after throwing away a 3-goal lead in the Champions League for the second year in a row (at the hands of Alisson!). But they were a cut above everyone else domestically all season. They have rotation holes in midfield and the backline, which both seem likely to be filled by Ajax. De Ligt and De Jong could be crucial players for almost any other club, but it speaks to their patience and the Blaugrana's cache' that they would accept understudy roles. They still need a pure attacker to develop behind aging talismen Messi and Suarez; Coutinho struggles to hold the ball, and Dembele struggles to stay match-fit. After denouncing Antoine Griezmann for making a spectacle of the possibility of his transfer last summer, Spanish and French media believ that Barcelona and the Atletico star are ready. Speaking of, with the departure of their star...

Atletico could be a mid-table club next season. Simeone's withering criticism and training regimen may have finally triggered a mass exodus. Godin is leaving for Inter Milan on a free transfer. Hernandez agreed in March to join Bayern this summer, and no longer trains in Spain. Filipe Luis and Juanfran are not under contract, and want multi-year extensions that los Colchoneros are unwilling to extend for 30-something fullbacks. Rodri and Saul are being courted by Premier League clubs despite large buyout clauses, and Vrsaljko is the latest rumored "want-away" star. Practically the only players not looking to bolt at the players we'd love to offload! Recent signee Lemar has never looked comfortable; there is always a transition period, but after 50 matches and no spark, it's time to re-evaluate his presence. Costa has always skirted the line of insanity, but seems to have plunged overboard, and has lost his finishing touch. Kalinic. Sucks. It's going to be a rough transition; hopefully, we invest in young stars to develop, and preach patience.

Real have looked dreadful at times. Under the leadership of Zidane again, they may take drastic financial measures to correct course. Hazard is a lock. Youngsters Eder Militao and Rodrygo have already agreed to terms. James Rodriguez returns unwanted, and may be used as makeweight in a transfer with PSG. They want Mbappe (who doesn't?), but PSG won't sell; Neymar is a nice consolation prize. Marcelo aged quickly, and his backups are either loaned out for another season, or just not made to be a full-time fullback. Ferland Mendy is high on their radar. Finally, Pogba still wants to join, and it appears that Real are ready to do Galactico business with Man United once again. Bale or Kroos may be the makeweight there, and Ballon D'Or winner (smh) Modric may finally get his wish to got to Inter Milan. It'll be an expensive new core, but younger and hungrier.

[Foye]

Atletico is about to fall apart yeah.

Especially if Griezmann leavea.

[HeartBreakKid]

well, it was nice while it lasted

[IAMZOOTED2]

Any Bilbao fans in here?