La Liga Round 12: Valencia CF - FC Barcelona 0-1

[Porque]

Just stick with Bellerin. Samu Castillejo is a bit tricky, but he isn't a pacy player. With that in mind I'd rather Eric-Kounde in defence with Bellerin on the right than Alonso-Eric in defence with Kounde on the right.

Sport have this lineup, dependent on Gavi fitness.

---- Hair ----
Kounde-Eric-Alonso-Balde
-----de Jong-------
----Gavi-Pedri----
Dembele----Ansu
------Lewy--------

Yeah, I'd go with that but with the defensive change mentioned above.

 

[ronniecro]

i expect we'll flop this one too

 

[JohnN]

We are gonna steamroll Valencia and once again believe we are a top team. We aren't. We are between average and top teams, with occasional good and bad performances. We just overpay players and think we improved.

 

[Gari]

Gattuso: "This season, Barcelona have two versions, and the one in La Liga scores a ton of goals and plays incredible football."Xavi confused everyone. It’s also not very clear how you can beat some honestly and completely honestly lose others. You need to somehow analyze the coaching staff.

 

[serghei]

Lol. Easily explainable by the fact that currently La Liga has only one elite side.

 

[Morten]

We are gonna steamroll Valencia and once again believe we are a top team. We aren't. We are between average and top teams, with occasional good and bad performances. We just overpay players and think we improved.

Whats annoying about this is you could well beat us to the league by bashing the lesser teams, even if you don't even win the return Clasico.

 

[JohnN]

Whats annoying about this is you could well beat us to the league by bashing the lesser teams, even if you don't even win the return Clasico.

RM is consistent against smaller teams also and find solutions for tough games. Bout the return, on the current state we would lose again, but it's too far to speculate and anything can happen in El classico anyway.
Don't believe we will continue winning in LL as we don' now.

 

[ajnotkeith]

Gattuso: "This season, Barcelona have two versions, and the one in La Liga scores a ton of goals and plays incredible football."Xavi confused everyone. It?s also not very clear how you can beat some honestly and completely honestly lose others. You need to somehow analyze the coaching staff.

Another low quality manager who has no idea about opposing teams or their issues. Bet Gattuso hasn't watched a single game Barca have played this season.

Part of the reason LaLiga is falling is not just because of playing staff but also because of poor coaches. All the top coaches are in EPL whilst the teams here are stuck with failures from other leagues like him.

 

[serghei]

Whats annoying about this is you could well beat us to the league by bashing the lesser teams, even if you don't even win the return Clasico.

True. Our only chance to win the title. Still think we'll need to beat you at home.

 

[JamDav1982]

Lol. Easily explainable by the fact that currently La Liga has only one elite side.

Aye and Barca are not that due to the coachs performance in Europe.

The squad at Barca is more than good enough to have won Europa and had a No 1 seeding in CL while more than good enough to get better of Inter Milan this season even when not.

 

[Porque]

Another low quality manager who has no idea about opposing teams or their issues. Bet Gattuso hasn't watched a single game Barca have played this season.

Part of the reason LaLiga is falling is not just because of playing staff but also because of poor coaches. All the top coaches are in EPL whilst the teams here are stuck with failures from other leagues like him.

Luckily for the sake of LaLiga, Setien is back managing in Spanish football.

 

[Gari]

Lol. Easily explainable by the fact that currently La Liga has only one elite side.

Elite Bayern calmly flew out of non-elite Villarreal. And after 8:2, they barely won 1:0 in the Champions League. Barca's problem is style mania at any cost, the quality of players is not enough for this style against top clubs. Real Madrid calmly parks the bus and does not worry. Add calendar density and trauma.

 

[fergus90]

Not seen any of Valencia this season so not sure what to expect from them. The mood around Barca seems very flat though so wouldn't be surprised if points are dropped.

 

[Morten]

RM is consistent against smaller teams also and find solutions for tough games. Bout the return, on the current state we would lose again, but it's too far to speculate and anything can happen in El classico anyway.
Don't believe we will continue winning in LL as we don' now.

Personally, i don't believe you will drop any points in the league for now, after the world cup though, teams wont be in the same shape as before, so who knows.

 

[JamDav1982]

Elite Bayern calmly flew out of non-elite Villarreal. And after 8:2, they barely won 1:0 in the Champions League. Barca's problem is style mania at any cost, the quality of players is not enough for this style against top clubs. Real Madrid calmly parks the bus and does not worry. Add calendar density and trauma.

Bayern in first game v Barca this season were clearly out of form and drew in the three league games before Barca arrived and lost the league game after.

Bayer at Camp Nou were missing multiple players and were enjoying the game at a cruise.

This idea Bayern are some unbeatable elite side this season so far is just excuses for Xavi from usual folk.

Madrid.. have not been great either. Other teams in La Liga have given them better games than Barca did and they have dropped points in last two CL games. Even v likes of Celtic they were ropey and could have conceded 2/3.

Shaktar, Leipzig and Osasuna can takes points off Real.. but they are too elite for Barca.