La Liga 2019/20

[Alik]

He meant that if we win all games we win the title no matter what Madrid do.

And if Madrid win all games they win the title no matter what we do

 

[serghei]

And if Madrid win all games they win the title no matter what we do

So it means the title is in their control, but in our control too. They will probably win the league though. Bigger squad, and their main players fresh, fit, and hungry.

We have injuries at key players, Messi looks off form, fitness state is a mess, and the squad is short because we sold and loaned too many players, not taking into account possible injuries.

 

[Luftstalag14]

I’ve learned to come to terms with losing out the title to them this season, I am more worried about how they are going to build upon this squad even further in the next couple of seasons to solidify their dominance and advantages over us. If Messi doesn’t want to renew I hope he tells us soon so we can start planning now with the money he will free up.

 

[serghei]

I’ve learned to come to terms with losing out the title to them this season, I am more worried about how they are going to build upon this squad even further in the next couple of seasons to solidify their dominance and advantages over us. If Messi doesn’t want to renew I hope he tells us soon so we can start planning now with the money he will free up.

Don't think they can do it. They will slack off again. Everybody expected to dominate starting from their top 2017 season and they collapsed with 2 dreadful seasons in the league.

 

[Luftstalag14]

Don't think they can do it. They will slack off again. Everybody expected to dominate starting from their top 2017 season and they collapsed with 2 dreadful season in the league.

I see. But this time is different, if they can beat us (with Messi still here and being quite good) to the title in a convincing manner right now, imagine what they can do, reinforced by the army of their star loanees, perhaps even with the addition of Mbappe, over us, a post-Messi rebuild Barça that will likely struggle for several seasons.

 

[serghei]

You mean us or Madrid?

Madrid. Their team is still dependant on players like Ramos, Benzema, Kroos.

 

[El Gato]

Their team is still dependant on players like Ramos, Benzema, Kroos.

Ramos? Yes, mostly. We can afford to rest him in Copa and in select best matchups of La Liga when the opponents are on terrible form. Benzema? Heading towards a maybe (we've won everything when he was out). Kroos? Long term, yes. Short term we can cope. And midfield is not an area we are not aware we'd need to strengthen.

 

[serghei]

Ramos? Yes, mostly. We can afford to rest him in Copa and in select best matchups of La Liga when the opponents are on terrible form. Benzema? Heading towards a maybe (we've won everything when he was out). Kroos? Long term, yes. Short term we can cope. And midfield is not an area we are not aware we'd need to strengthen.

Well see where we both are next season. You'd have been in big trouble this season without Benzema's goals that's for sure. Your backup for him has 0 goals in La Liga.

 

[El Gato]

Well see where we both are next season. You'd have been in big trouble this season without Benzema's goals that's for sure. Your backup for him has 0 goals in La Liga.

a) He has 1
b) He also has 3 starts total in La Liga, 1 as RW. Where's your 'Alcacer' logic gone on this one?

As a famous forward once said, goals are like ketchup. He has shown he doesn't lack skill already. All he needs is a time investment.

 

[serghei]

a) He has 1
b) He also has 3 starts total in La Liga, 1 as RW. Where's your 'Alcacer' logic gone on this one?

Dude, not trying to get into another long argument with you. My point is that you are dependent on some oldies. It's obvious that Benzema is basically your offense at this point as far as scoring goals is concerned.

 

[El Gato]

Dude, not trying to get into another long argument with you. My point is that you are dependent on some oldies. It's obvious that Benzema is basically your offense at this point.

Then why make sweeping statements? Point is moot. We're well aware a few 30+ players are important, though calling Kroos an oldie is a bit of a stretch since he's in the best shape since his arrival season when he played every game and didn't get jaded until April. At this point it's basically Ramos and Benzema who are unquestioned veteran 'oldies' featured every week.

As to offense being only Benzema, that's circumstantial at best. Many players actively won us games from Rodrygo, through Fede and all the way to Hazard who is now going to be back. Let's see if you make this same point next month, shall we?

 

[serghei]

Wolfe, you are with the team at the moment of where we were under Valverde in season 1. Which is, stop the bleeding, turn the screws back on, grind out wins through focused defending and being as clinical as possible.

This is fine as a 1st step, but it's still something that is build upon the old guard mostly, with some few fresh pieces here and there. But make no mistake, this Madrid is basically about players like Benzema, Kroos, Ramos, Varane, Casemiro etc. the old guard having a top season. I know you speak highly about players like Valverde, Mendy, but the reality is that they are fine pieces, but not of core importance. The team is driven by the old guard that has been reignited by Zidane.

The 2nd step is the hardest. Valverde basically stopped at step 1 and tried to prolong that until rendered useless because he didn't know anything about building a new team, beyond the influence of the veterans.

We will see whether Zidane will do the same or not. What will Zidane do when the players who today are playing well will not play that well because they will be even older and less motivated after a possible La Liga win this season. That's the key question for you guys.

 

[El Gato]

Wolfe, you are with the team at the moment of where we were under Valverde in season 1. Which is, stop the bleeding, turn the screws back on, grind out wins through focused defending and being as clinical as possible.

Nah, false equivalency. We've benched a 32 year old Marcelo and never played a consistent frontline, while you kept playing every old guard player possible and played the same 3-4 forwards, 2 of the same midfielders and 3 of the same defenders every game.
Nor are we grinding out wins through being clinical. With a full strength team we get buckets of opportunities and actually still struggle to score enough to do justice to the amount of chances we create, which is the opposite of what you did under Valverde when it usually took you 3 chances tops to score a goal.

it's still something that is build upon the old guard mostly, with some few fresh pieces here and there. But make no mistake, this Madrid is basically about players like Benzema, Kroos, Ramos, Varane, Casemiro etc. the old guard having a top season. I know you speak highly about players like Valverde, Mendy, but the reality is that they are fine pieces, but not of core importance. The team is driven by the old guard that has been reignited by Zidane.

If you're still not rating Fede as a core piece paramount to the defensive-oriented system working properly, you're clearly still not watching or are in denial. I can't really say much more bruh.

We will see whether Zidane will do the same or not. What will Zidane do when the players who today are playing well will not play that well because they will be even older and less motivated after a possible La Liga win this season. That's the key question for you guys.

That is true and it is natural. And again, it's quite obvious Zidane sees issues, but is pretty realistic what he can and can't fix in a given moment. He rates a bunch of Frenchmen from the current WC winning generation and praised them on several occasions, sometimes unprompted. Let's not act as if this will be the same team for the next 2-3 years. Zidane knows who he wants, but knows he won't be able to buy them immediately.

 

[serghei]

Nah, false equivalency. We've benched a 32 year old Marcelo and never played a consistent frontline, while you kept playing every old guard player possible and played the same 3-4 forwards, 2 of the same midfielders and 3 of the same defenders every game.
Nor are we grinding out wins through being clinical. With a full strength team we get buckets of opportunities and actually still struggle to score enough to do justice to the amount of chances we create, which is the opposite of what you did under Valverde when it usually took you 3 chances tops to score a goal.

That's because you don't have Messi and Suarez, the 2 best scorers in the league, because if you did, you would surely play them every week as well. In that sense, your team is in a bit of worse shape than ours was in 2017. We lost Neymar, sure, but still had 2 of the 3 best scorers in the league.

You didn't really bench 32 years old Marcelo. He got injured and Mendy had to play. Until the injury he played more than Mendy I think.

 

[El Gato]

That's because you don't have Messi and Suarez, the 2 best scorers in the league, because if you did, you would surely play them every week as well.

Sure, probably. Hence false equivalency and it is nothing like EV season 1. If this were the 17/18 squad and we played like we do now, you could make this argument. Here, you're simply wrong bro.