Hans-Dieter Flick

[serghei]

Yeah, not a fan of bashing a club tier 1 legend that also proved himself as a manager by winning a big title during bad times... but I can't deny that if Flick continues at the same rate he will be better than Xavi. I don't see how we will not win this league considering Madrid's shitty football, and we are well set in CL also to get pretty far.

Things are lining up for Flick, and he deserves it. He had a great start with multiple injuries, and now starters are coming back. His football is gonna go up a level I think, and while the games also become harder, his Barca is tough to play against. We create so many chances per game.

Madrid is in trouble. Not only they have lost their best creator and tempo setter in midfield in Kroos, but also Mbappe looks clueless as a no9. They haven't replaced Benzema at all, even lost Joselu who could have brought them some goals this season, and now their biggest leader in Carvajal is out for the season also. We got this. Vinicius, Courtois, Kroos, Carvajal and Valverde were their big shots in each compartment. 2 are gone, and one has lost his big star status in favor of the new face of the team - Mbappe, and seems to be rattled.

 

[Andresito]

Wouldn't be the first time Madrid started off like shit and managed to win titles the end. They barely win to stay alive in all comps at the moment and then put in an extra gear or two later.

Then after the season there will the same old talk about 'peaking at the right time' and how we looked fatigued in the end. I won't draw any conclusions at this point.

But I must admit I enjoy watching us play and can't wait for next game. Two games a week is a big positive from that pov.

 

[serghei]

Wouldn't be the first time Madrid started off like shit and managed to win titles the end. They barely win to stay alive in all comps at the moment and then put in an extra gear or two later.

Then after the season there will the same old talk about 'peaking at the right time' and how we looked fatigued in the end. I won't draw any conclusions at this point.

But I must admit I enjoy watching us play and can't wait for next game. Two games a week is a big positive from that pov.

Yeah, in CL. In La Liga they haven't won back to back titles in over 15 years.

It's up to us to continue playing like we are currently playing. Of course an implosion in our team is gonna give them options, but at this rate, we are looking capable to put up a 90+ points league season.

 

[ajnotkeith]

Yeah, not a fan of bashing a club tier 1 legend that also proved himself as a manager by winning a big title during bad times... but I can't deny that if Flick continues at the same rate he will be better than Xavi. I don't see how we will not win this league considering Madrid's shitty football, and we are well set in CL also to get pretty far.

Things are lining up for Flick, and he deserves it. He had a great start with multiple injuries, and now starters are coming back. His football is gonna go up a level I think, and while the games also become harder, his Barca is tough to play against. We create so many chances per game.

Madrid is in trouble. Not only they have lost their best creator and tempo setter in midfield in Kroos, but also Mbappe looks clueless as a no9. They haven't replaced Benzema at all, even lost Joselu who could have brought them some goals this season, and now their biggest leader in Carvajal is out for the season also. We got this. Vinicius, Courtois, Kroos, Carvajal and Valverde were their big shots in each compartment. 2 are gone, and one has lost his big star status in favor of the new face of the team - Mbappe, and seems to be rattled.

Xavi's squad was more than good enough to win LaLiga.

If Flick wins LaLiga this season, it is because he did an amazing job in spite of ridiculously harsh injury problems, not because Madrid's squad is struggling, and it isn't 'lining up for him' at all. He is still facing a real deficit in terms of squad quality vs Madrid and nobody can deny this.

 

[serghei]

Xavi's squad was more than good enough to win LaLiga.
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If Flick wins LaLiga this season, it is because he did an amazing job in spite of ridiculously harsh injury problems, not because Madrid's squad is struggling, and it isn't 'lining up for him' at all. He is still facing a real deficit in terms of squad quality vs Madrid and nobody can deny this.

All managers that win a league title against rivals with superior squads deserve high praise. That's not up for debate. Of course, some at the time said Barca and Madrid squads were similar, which was hilarious.

Situation today is similar. Some things are worse, some are better.

 

[ajnotkeith]

All managers that win a league title against rivals with superior squads deserve high praise. That's not up for debate. Of course, some at the time said Barca and Madrid squads were similar, which was hilarious.

Situation today is similar. Some things are worse, some are better.

That looks pretty damn good to me man.

Even had the privilege of having likes of Raphinha, Depay, Kessie as bench in this game.

 

[serghei]

View attachment 11150
That looks pretty damn good to me man.

You realize you're comparing that side to the team that were CL + La Liga holders?

You probably have 1-2 players there that could have made their team.

A hilarious take. Was then and still is now.

Courtois > Stegen
Carvajal > any fullback of ours
Kroos > any midfielder of ours
Valverde > De Jong
Benzema > Lewandowski
Vinicius > Gavi on the wing
Rodrygo > Dembele

Probably Araujo gets in at CB instead of one of Alaba and Militao.

 

[ajnotkeith]

You realize you're comparing that side to the team that were CL + La Liga holders?

You probably have 1-2 players there that could have made their team.

A hilarious take. Was then and still is now.

Has nothing to do with the team on paper.

 

[serghei]

Has nothing to do with the team on paper.

It has everything to do with the individual quality of the players.

 

[ajnotkeith]

You realize you're comparing that side to the team that were CL + La Liga holders?

You probably have 1-2 players there that could have made their team.

A hilarious take. Was then and still is now.

Courtois > Stegen
Carvaval > any fullback of ours
Kroos > any midfielder of ours
Valverde > De Jong
Benzema > Lewandowski
Vinicius > Gavi on the wing
Rodrygo > Dembele

Probably Araujo gets in at CB instead of one of Alaba and Militao.

Its not very useful to compare like this because many of them are playing different positions, but I am not really in agreement that those are as simple as you claim.

Benzema better than Lewandowski? Benzema was being injured like every other game and missing half the season because of muscular fatigue, he could barely play any LaLiga games, how could he possibly have been a better player?

Maybe in a one game situation people would take Benzema, but for that LaLiga season Lewandowski was clearly better.

 

[ajnotkeith]

It has everything to do with the individual quality of the players.

You don't remember what you said two seconds ago?

Yeah, in CL. In La Liga they haven't won back to back titles in over 15 years.

It's up to us to continue playing like we are currently playing. Of course an implosion in our team is gonna give them options, but at this rate, we are looking capable to put up a 90+ points league season.

 

[serghei]

You don't remember what you said two seconds ago?

I remember. Which is why I told you that any manager that wins a league title against a rival with a superior squad deserves respect and appreciation. Was the case for Xavi 2 years ago, and will be the same with Flick.

 

[jamrock]

View attachment 11150
That looks pretty damn good to me man.

Even had the privilege of having likes of Raphinha, Depay, Kessie as bench in this game.

Good team, funny seeing busquets in their a player who was so hated by many that season.

In retrospect, it showed how vital he was to us winning the league.

But no one said that team was bad, but real Madrid on paper and in actual achievements were better going into the season, no debate their.

Especially for those who were activity telling us that season, how

Kounde
Christensen
Raphinha
Lewa

Were all terrible to bad signings

A more appropriate comparison to flick now, would be last season where we also have a bunch of injuries and at his point of the season, he's only 2 points better off.

We learnt from last year, we can't have pena in goal for more than 3 games at most.

But if we are comparing the best available team Xavi had, to the best available team flick has, it's about equal.

 

[iniestaGOAT]

View attachment 11150
That looks pretty damn good to me man.

Even had the privilege of having likes of Raphinha, Depay, Kessie as bench in this game.

Stop it ASAP
That bum DEMBELE had 0 to do with us winning the league,
He was injured half the season.

 

[serghei]

Flick's attack and midfield is better than Xavi's from 22-23. Supercharched Raphinha that is well settled now with Barca, Yamal the wonderkid, on form Lewa, Olmo as new signing...

Not to mention that the kids are more experienced now. Overall, the team is better, albeit with more injury problems, which is funny in its own right since we've been told how amateurish Xavi's staff was and how things will be a whole lot better with Flick.

Zero reasons to be very pessimistic. Everything is going great. Key players on fire, injured players coming back soon... Madrid in trouble. It's all lining up for us like in 22-23, with better football even.

I just don't see Madrid producing enough points this season to stop us. They will probably start focusing on CL by march or so if they drop 8-9 points behind.

They are -3 with a lot of luck. Shuld have been -6 already.