The LaLiga Thread

[Losmeister]

btw.. is cripps really banned?

[pawiel]

good game by Vermaelen tbh

[Angelito]

Uncle Flo wants Icardi apparently.

Susprised why they're not in for Alexis Sanchez. If they offer Arsenal a fee of around £30m, the board will take it. Could also give us Asensio in return.

so.... the eternal question, for me at least, comes up again...

how much of Rm's success had to do with zidane if this season they are so far off the mark? same manager drastically different results..

i mean, ffs, ancelotti fired mid season...

Zidane replaced Benitez. Madrid sacked Carlo in the summer.

As for Zidane, as I said last season, he still has a lot to prove. Even last year, Madrid wouldn't have won the CL if the referee wasn't as appaling in the QFs against Bayern. It was the same case in the League—ref awarding every 50-50 call to Madrid.

Nonetheless, Zidane's legendary status at Madrid drove Real's results. It is difficult not to respect a club legend who has all the backing of the club. Kinda like Heynckes at Bayern currently. Those players who drove Ancelotti out won't be able to do the same to Jupp.

Real's current dip is also a normal curve. They have won 3 of the last 4 CL. After such a successful period, a dip is normal. What's not normal is the reaction and to expect anything otherwise.

Every sprint is followed by a cool down. And football is no different. Yet, owners, pundits, and journalists seem oblivious to this.

Look at how the media talked about Pep last season. They were berating him, criticizing him for his style, claiming that he was "found out." Nobody thought of the juggernaut he was creating at City. And this season, they're all wanking at the mere mention of Man City.

Real were obviously lucky last season. They weren't wise in the summer. Like pundits and journalists, the board people and coaching staff were drooling over Real's world class players. Even their bench players were world class.

People were already claiming Asensio to be the best player in Barcelona and sixth best world class player in Madrid after Ron, Modric, Tony "Better than Xavi" Kroos, Marcelo, Ramos, and Isco.

On paper, Real Madrid's side was ready to win the FIFA World Cups in Russia and Qatar—both at once. Only the great Brazilian side of 1970 could stop Madrid and even that was arguable.

But... There was a flaw in the plan.

Barca signed Paulinho.

And dear God, football happened.

Paulinho.

Whoever identified him at Barca must be awarded the Nobel Prize. Rabbit truly out of the hat.

Zidane needs to be given time. This season and next season. You can't just sack him after his accomplishments since taking over. That's when we will get to know the real manager in Zidane.

It's Florentino Perez tho.

[Losmeister]

thanks for the thoughtful response, Angelito...

I get it about peaks and valleys, but i tend to think more in terms of the collective consciousness/performance of groups (players) rather than attribute it to managerial/coach influence.

[Santi]

You say that but half of the managers job is getting the players to buy in and give that collective performance.


Otherwise you wouldn't see a turnaround like at Everton or Palace this year.

[Schlandi]

What's so special about the Brazil 1970s side?

[GoonerAlexandre]

What's so special about the Brazil 1970s side?

elkanofan will tell you how much harder football was in that time, and how great their players were.

But if you, like me, do not believe that football was harder in earlier times than it is now, then there was nothing special about them

[Losmeister]

You say that but half of the managers job is getting the players to buy in and give that collective performance.


Otherwise you wouldn't see a turnaround like at Everton or Palace this year.

manager is not merlin, casting spells...

again, world of difference in RM this year b/c Zidane is not getting them to buy in, they opted out?


anyway... i enjoy discussing it,... been a sports fan for more than 4 decades i i feel that part of it remains semi-inexplicable/mysterious... the whole group vibe both when it goes bad and when it goes good

[Santi]

I get it and agree there's a limitation to what a manager is capable of doing with a certain set of players/attitudes but you have examples like Fergie who was incredible at continually galvanising his team and bringing them back for more every single year for 20 years.

Seen anyone else do that? I haven't, every time now it's a couple of years success followed by failure in comedic fashion (Zidane, Mourinho, Ranieri, Di Matteo, Koeman, Luis Enrique, Rodgers etc etc.) Personally I credit that to Fergie and will always rate him as the GOAT manager...even if he does look like a right grumpy c*** 24/7...and see it as a weakness in other managers that they can't achieve this. I don't expect miracles from every manager but surely we should be seeing more sustained success than we have in recent years.

What I find incredible these days is the player power is higher than ever and they just sometimes decide 'f**k this we're not playing for you anymore'. Enough examples in the last year or two - Jose at Chelsea, Wenger seems to have lost half of the players here, Pubis at WBA, Hughes at Stoke, Koeman at Everton. I can't decide if it's down to the manager (which makes less sense the more they've previously won) or down to the players just being spoiled brats these days.

[Sims]

Love Diego Costa

Nets a league comeback goal

Celebrates with fans whilst on a yellow

Gets sent off

Hero. Already elbowed about 3 players as well

[GoonerAlexandre]

La Liga refs take 68 minutes to do what no PL referee dared to do for years

[Losmeister]

I get it and agree there's a limitation to what a manager is capable of doing with a certain set of players/attitudes but you have examples like Fergie who was incredible at continually galvanising his team and bringing them back for more every single year for 20 years.

Seen anyone else do that? I haven't, every time now it's a couple of years success followed by failure in comedic fashion (Zidane, Mourinho, Ranieri, Di Matteo, Koeman, Luis Enrique, Rodgers etc etc.) Personally I credit that to Fergie and will always rate him as the GOAT manager...even if he does look like a right grumpy c*** 24/7...and see it as a weakness in other managers that they can't achieve this. I don't expect miracles from every manager but surely we should be seeing more sustained success than we have in recent years.

What I find incredible these days is the player power is higher than ever and they just sometimes decide 'f**k this we're not playing for you anymore'. Enough examples in the last year or two - Jose at Chelsea, Wenger seems to have lost half of the players here, Pubis at WBA, Hughes at Stoke, Koeman at Everton. I can't decide if it's down to the manager (which makes less sense the more they've previously won) or down to the players just being spoiled brats these days.

yeah... friggin fergie... a mystery that scottish sonofagun...

yes, the players millionaires all..

good example here in Murica is bellicheck.. forst as Dcoord with Parcells and now as HC at Pats... ffs, winning machine...

[Losmeister]

btw... Barca is absolutely humming

mnow ith dembele back and adding coutinho? Barca Mancity showdown would be crazy

[Angelito]

Real lose to Villarreal at home.

Fornals.

[knowledge93]

Real lose to Villarreal at home.

Fornals.

That chip was exquisite