Harry Kane

[serghei]

No they didn't... they picked up 1/6 from Sociedad, 3/6 from Barca, 4/6 from Atletico, 0/6 vs Villarreal, 4/6 vs Betis... if anything, they lost the league due to their poorer performance against the top6 teams.

True, poor games due to complacency. They are on and off in La Liga and have been so for many years.

The problem is that last year they were off, so this year they are gonna be on most likely. I hope they are inconsistent again. But if they are not, it's gonna be a close one, even if Barca retain last year's level in defense in terms of conceded goals, and that is a huge if.

 

[JamDav1982]

True, poor games due to complacency. They are on and off in La Liga and have been so for many years.

Just change excuses when proven wrong.

Proves its own point.

All about Reals 'elite mentality' a year ago.. now too weak mentally to maintain a title challenge.

 

[fergus90]

True, poor games due to complacency. They are on and off in La Liga and have been so for many years.

So Barca won the league purely because Madrid were complacent. To rectify that, they’ve got rid of their talisman and brought in Joselu to fire them to La Liga glory?

 

[JamDav1982]

Reason Real are 'on and off' in league...not as good as made out.

Simple.

If their issue is mentality to compete then that is just another weakness.

 

[serghei]

So Barca won the league purely because Madrid were complacent. To rectify that, they’ve got rid of their talisman and brought in Joselu to fire them to La Liga glory?

Not my argument. Your insertion of "purely" changes the meaning a lot.

First, Barca has to maintain its conceded goals stats. Because the offensive numbers from last year are bad, and they are likely to stay not so great.

If they do that and manage to get the 1-0, 2-1, 2-0 wins with such consistency, they can get the title again surely.

Let's see the levels of Christensen, Araujo, Stegen... not easy to keep up the level of last season. If they dip, a lot of those 1-0s, are gonna be 1-1s or even worse this time around.

 

[JamDav1982]

Real were not 'complacent' they were just not nearly good enough compared to Barca in league.

For large parts until Barca were streaking ahead their points total was similar to season before.

The season before Barca kept pace with Real and scudded them 4-0 in Bernabeu when sorted team out a bit in January.

That CL hiding by Real was coming to them... they were very fortunate to win CL year before in way did and was always going to be almost impossible to repeat.

Real like some on here over rated where they were as a team based on that double and upcoming season.

Now they will try to make some of changes to get more legs into midfield etc and obviusly try to get Mbappe this summer.

 

[ajnotkeith]

We were fortunate with goals conceded at times, but we were also top performers in almost every statistic (xg difference, goals conceded, scored, shots conceded, shots on target conceded, possession)... so we deserved to win in any case.

 

[serghei]

Reason Real are 'on and off' in league...not as good as made out.

Simple.

If their issue is mentality to compete then that is just another weakness.

Nonsense. If they are not as good they don't do the things they did in CL. Quite simple, this is 10-year-old logic. Not-so-good teams don't make like 9 CL semis or better in the last 10 years or something.

Common logic tells you that they are elite at their best but have consistency problems against smaller sides.

You can penalize Madrid for their lack of consistency in the league, but this is a different argument.

 

[Porque]

Who did Madrid beat in the CL last year though?

A couple of midtable EPL teams.

 

[fergus90]

The CL might be more glamorous but it’s usually a procession until the QF’s. Needs a shake up.

 

[JamDav1982]

Nonsense. If they are not as good they don't do the things they did in CL. Quite simple, this is 10-year-old logic. Not-so-good teams don't make like 9 CL semis or better in the last 10 years or something.

Common logic tells you that they are elite at their best but have consistency problems against smaller sides.

Nonsense.

They have one CL in 6 years and been to one final.

Same as likes of Chelsea and Liverpool in that time.

They were very unlikely to get outplayed and turn games round in same way again last season as you were told... and got scudded by first top team they met.

In 5 years they have 2 league titles and 1 CL.

Not the most 'elite' going.

They have not won more leagues as not been good enough and Barca were better last season as Atletico were two seasons prior.

 

[serghei]

The CL might be more glamorous but it’s usually a procession until the QF’s. Needs a shake up.

Not in our case lately. For the elite teams it's a formality until Last 16, but for the inexperienced CL teams like current Barca, even CL groups are hard if you get unlucky.

 

[JamDav1982]

Not in our case lately.

Indeed.

Varying factors.

But poorer teams than Barca going further last year.

 

[serghei]

Indeed.

Varying factors.

But poorer teams than Barca going further last year.

Yea, one of such factors being a shite squad.

 

[JamDav1982]

Yea, one of such factors being a shite squad.

Barca squad is 'shite'?

Yet 'elite' Real lost league by double digits to them?

Usual from Serghie.

Barca have better squad then two of the CL semi finalists last year and beat another to league title by double digits.

Says it all about Real to lose to 'shite' Barca.

Textbook Serghie waffle.