La Liga 2017/18

[Capitan Puyol]

Montella OUT !

 

[El Gato]

Seville are such a mess since Jorge left. How did Atleti lose to them?

 

[Devils]

Sad to see Sevilla in this state.

Terrible.

 

[serghei]

Seville are such a mess since Jorge left. How did Atleti lose to them?

Atletico are a mess too at times. Managed to get 2 points vs Qarabag in CL. Pretty sure they can fuck up vs still a good team like Sevilla if they managed that feat.

 

[El Gato]

Atletico are a mess too at times. Managed to get 2 points vs Qarabag in CL. Pretty sure they can fuck up vs still a good team like Sevilla if they managed that feat.

It's strange how Simeone has prioritised this season after crashing out of the CL. With Real in behind 8 pts (let's say 5 since game in hand), their priority must have been Copa where they got completely doinked.. I mean Europa League is stacked this year so they can get challenged there, but it's so uncharacteristic of them to fluff it that bad. Diego needs to invest in serious defensive replacements using the Griezmann money.

 

[Messi983]

Sevilla has been better recently but Montella rotated too much today. Starting three new players who have been with the team for just 2-3 days and Carrico coming back after 4 months injury in a tough away game. Looks like something would do.

 

[Messi983]

It's strange how Simeone has prioritised this season after crashing out of the CL. With Real in behind 8 pts (let's say 5 since game in hand), their priority must have been Copa where they got completely doinked.. I mean Europa League is stacked this year so they can get challenged there, but it's so uncharacteristic of them to fluff it that bad. Diego needs to invest in serious defensive replacements using the Griezmann money.

They already invested Griezmann money in Diego Costa and Vitolo.

 

[DonAK]

People here were like: Anyone with Sevilla can do what Sampaoli did

 

[El Gato]

They already invested Griezmann money in Diego Costa and Vitolo.

Vitolo came out of their summer budget, no? And I assume Griez will cost anyone anything upwards from 120, so they should have a good 60M to spend on a RB and maybe a CB.

 

[FCBfan22]

Vitolo came out of their summer budget, no? And I assume Griez will cost anyone anything upwards from 120, so they should have a good 60M to spend on a RB and maybe a CB.

Griezmann will cost 100 million exactly.

 

[serghei]

It's strange how Simeone has prioritised this season after crashing out of the CL. With Real in behind 8 pts (let's say 5 since game in hand), their priority must have been Copa where they got completely doinked.. I mean Europa League is stacked this year so they can get challenged there, but it's so uncharacteristic of them to fluff it that bad. Diego needs to invest in serious defensive replacements using the Griezmann money.

Looks to me like he's at the end of his stint. His squad has been largely the same for years, only older now. And the new players he brought in aren't of premier quality.

He already overachieved with Atletico. To do it consistently is impossible.

 

[DonAK]

Some of their recent signings been very disappointing.

Marcelino would have been the perfect successor, but now Valencia have him.

It's going to be difficult for Atlético to find a proper replacement.

 

[Messi983]

Vitolo came out of their summer budget, no? And I assume Griez will cost anyone anything upwards from 120, so they should have a good 60M to spend on a RB and maybe a CB.

Griezmann has a 100m release clause and they've spent that much on Vitolo and Costa, that was my point.

But of course they also got around 70m for selling players like Theo and Oli Torres last summer and money should be no problem if they want to reinforce defense or other parts of the team. It's also possible that PSG will pay Oblak's release clause so they would have another 100m to spend but this would cause them more problems than good because it wouldn't be easy to find a replacement for him even though they have a great history with GKs over the last decade. So maybe if Courtois won't renew his contract with Chelsea and he wants to return to Spain it would be better for AM to send Oblak to Chelsea for Courtois and money instead of risk losing him to PSG. Just speculations but I think there will be some big GK movements in top clubs in summer with PSG, Madrid, Arsenal,... all possibly looking for new goalkeepers.

I think when it comes to defense bigger problem could be Simeone's loyalty to some of his veteran players like Juanfran, Godin and Filipe to bring in younger players that would push for their spots. Though he has started to play Vrsaljko ahead of Juanfran over the last month after there were pretty strong rumours Vrsaljko wanted to leave in January. We'll see what will happen but I agree Atletico needs some fresh blood in their defense.

 

[El Gato]

Looks to me like he's at the end of his stint. His squad has been largely the same for years, only older now. And the new players he brought in aren't of premier quality.

He already overachieved with Atletico. To do it consistently is impossible.

Far from impossible. And overachieving is not at all what he aimed for ever since the Liga title. He wants to permanently end the duopoly, but he's not as flexible with his ideas it seems. Clearly he wants to be there until and maybe even after Messi decline commences to build and capitalise on that if Barca don't find the successor. On one hand it's a shame it's not working out, on the other I feel little pity with how much of a prick team they are most times. It's like watching Keane or Gattuso get one over you.

 

[Messi983]

Betis vs Villarreal starting now, Bartra already in the lineup. Also seems to me like they will play 5-3-2/3-5-2. Didn't expect Setien to change his formation but given their defensive struggles it's also understandable he's trying something new.