La Liga Transfer Rumours and General Chat

dreamers75

Atletico dont need to hold onto anyone, their problem has never been a team good enough but moreso a team consistent enough. The players they have had are top class players just not for a season

Always had the players just didnt like the cold/rain/sun/shine off the ball etc:

If Aguirrie can mould some conistency into that team they could get top 4 each season. bear in mind pernea still plays at the back for them so hilarity will always ensue

Maxi is too slow and cant tackle ruling him out of midfield where his skill deserves, absolute sublime footballer tho, his shooting and passing are world class, just his lack of pace is apparent i would like to see him play inside or have a fit attacking fullback behind to allow him to come inside and dictate games more.

redout

I would not call him as good as Gerrard. This season yes he has been playing quality football and that is beyond question but the major difference is that Gerrard has been world class for several years. It will be interesting to see if Maxi Rodriguez keeps up his form after xmas and carries it into next season.

dreamers75

redout wrote: »

I would not call him as good as Gerrard. This season yes he has been playing quality football and that is beyond question but the major difference is that Gerrard has been world class for several years. It will be interesting to see if Maxi Rodriguez keeps up his form after xmas and carries it into next season.

The defintion of World Class is International Football, i recall on more than a few occasions Maxi actually showing up and performing for his country, something i have yet to see from Gerrard.

Fairly sure Maxi would do if bought by a club that could assemble a team to play in the Champions League and be labelled world class solely due to that or his peformances in a sub standard league.

eZe^

dreamers75 wrote: »

Atletico dont need to hold onto anyone, their problem has never been a team good enough but moreso a team consistent enough. The players they have had are top class players just not for a season

Always had the players just didnt like the cold/rain/sun/shine off the ball etc:

If Aguirrie can mould some conistency into that team they could get top 4 each season. bear in mind pernea still plays at the back for them so hilarity will always ensue

Maxi is too slow and cant tackle ruling him out of midfield where his skill deserves, absolute sublime footballer tho, his shooting and passing are world class, just his lack of pace is apparent i would like to see him play inside or have a fit attacking fullback behind to allow him to come inside and dictate games more.

Good post, although I don't think Maxi's speed rules him out of being a central attacking midfielder, Scholes is an example of a midfielder who can't tackle well and isn't that pacey.

redout wrote: »

I would not call him as good as Gerrard. This season yes he has been playing quality football and that is beyond question but the major difference is that Gerrard has been world class for several years. It will be interesting to see if Maxi Rodriguez keeps up his form after xmas and carries it into next season.

I agree with what you're saying, and that's why what I said will be seen as controversial opinion, because he is relatively unknown compared to the stardom of Gerrard. I was just making the point that I think Maxi is as good footballing wise, he just needs to make that extra step up that Gerrard has.




One of my favourite all time goals, a bit of a Gerrard-esque moment too. Bad foot volleys ftw.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMUd520np9M

Bounty Hunter

Jaysus thats what you call a bad foot!

dreamers75

eZe^ wrote: »

Good post, although I don't think Maxi's speed rules him out of being a central attacking midfielder, Scholes is an example of a midfielder who can't tackle well and isn't that pacey.

Scholes has always had a ballwinning crab behind him, Assuncao is possibly the 1st consistent one atletico have had in a while a proven player who will do the dirty and give it to the better players for an entire season.

Im a big Maxi fan possibly a bigger scholes fan Would liek to see Atletico become a consistent top 4 team along with Sevilla and Villareal, just think Maxi slowness have dictated him being stuck on the wing for both club and country.

Could argue there were better players for country to play in the middle, but cant argue there were more consitent players at club just noone good enough to be consistent for a season. Shame really.


class video

gimmick

I think I posted something similar about Maxi recently. I think he is different class tbh.

Revista was saying yesterday, albeit very briefly that Villa to Barcelona. Think Hunter said similar on Newstalk as well yesterday morning. My only quibble with this would be it puts Bojan down the pecking order and he could pout and feck off?

eZe^

gimmick wrote: »

I think I posted something similar about Maxi recently. I think he is different class tbh.

Revista was saying yesterday, albeit very briefly that Villa to Barcelona. Think Hunter said similar on Newstalk as well yesterday morning. My only quibble with this would be it puts Bojan down the pecking order and he could pout and feck off?

There's almost no way Barca will buy a striker like Villa in the transfer window. I'd prefer Aguero anyway... :pac:

gimmick

Either or which Id be happy with . What you mean by a striker like Villa??

eZe^

gimmick wrote: »

Either or which Id be happy with . What you mean by a striker like Villa??

As in one of the best strikers in the world. He'll cost at least 60 mill I'd say.

anonymous_joe

gimmick wrote: »

I think I posted something similar about Maxi recently. I think he is different class tbh.

Revista was saying yesterday, albeit very briefly that Villa to Barcelona. Think Hunter said similar on Newstalk as well yesterday morning. My only quibble with this would be it puts Bojan down the pecking order and he could pout and feck off?

Isn't Bojan looking a bit emotionally unready this season?

Perhaps a drift down the pecking order would be good for the bugger's self esteem.

eZe^

anonymous_joe wrote: »

Isn't Bojan looking a bit emotionally unready this season?

Perhaps a drift down the pecking order would be good for the bugger's self esteem.

Everytime he has played he has been very disappointing really, and since he is so young he is getting down about it. Last season he was excellent, and now that he's not scoring every 2/3 games he is being harsh on himself and it's only making it harder for him. He just needs a bit of a confidence boost and I'm sure Guardiola can manage his self esteem if he can put up with the likes of Eto'o.

How much further down the pecking order do you propose? Cacares has been played as much as Bojan this season ffs!

anonymous_joe

eZe^ wrote: »

Everytime he has played he has been very disappointing really, and since he is so young he is getting down about it. Last season he was excellent, and now that he's not scoring every 2/3 games he is being harsh on himself and it's only making it harder for him. He just needs a bit of a confidence boost and I'm sure Guardiola can manage his self esteem if he can put up with the likes of Eto'o.

Indeed. Ah I love young Krkic. :P

Let's face it, everyone loves an outrageously talented youngster.

I think it's very difficult to score regularly/play well regularly as an underdeveloped kid. He's not exactly huge, and he's going up against adults at the peak of their physical fitness. Married to that is the fact that he's no longer an unknown variable - people can react and even pre-empt him, something hitherto impossible.

What formation are Barca playing mainly this year? (Curse my lack of Sky Sports)

4-5-1/4-3-3 with Messi Etoo and Henry in the triangle?

eZe^

anonymous_joe wrote: »

Indeed. Ah I love young Krkic. :P

Let's face it, everyone loves an outrageously talented youngster.

I think it's very difficult to score regularly/play well regularly as an underdeveloped kid. He's not exactly huge, and he's going up against adults at the peak of their physical fitness. Married to that is the fact that he's no longer an unknown variable - people can react and even pre-empt him, something hitherto impossible.

What formation are Barca playing mainly this year? (Curse my lack of Sky Sports)

4-5-1/4-3-3 with Messi Etoo and Henry in the triangle?

It's too attacking to call it a 4-5-1. It's more of a 4-1-2-3. Yaya/ Busquets in DMF would break forward every now and then to join the attack. Henry at the start was hugging the left touch line as an out and out winger, but recently he's been given the option to cut inside and shoot. He's scoring every two games, and probably setting up an assist at the same rate.

Guardiola has also been employing Messi in a more central role every now and then, and he's playing well as a 2nd striker figure in the middle. Both his goals against Sevilla are a good example of how he can play through the middle. The most important thing has been the movement of the front 3, they rotate regularly and Xavi/ Iniesta/ Busquets/ Toure/ Gudjonhsen have been feeding them well. Iniesta has been out for the past 6/7 games and he hasn't been missed that much, can't wait for him to get back to playing in the new year.

mormank

dreamers75 wrote: »

Scholes has always had a ballwinning crab behind him, Assuncao is possibly the 1st consistent one atletico have had in a while a proven player who will do the dirty and give it to the better players for an entire season.

Im a big Maxi fan possibly a bigger scholes fan Would liek to see Atletico become a consistent top 4 team along with Sevilla and Villareal, just think Maxi slowness have dictated him being stuck on the wing for both club and country.
Could argue there were better players for country to play in the middle, but cant argue there were more consitent players at club just noone good enough to be consistent for a season. Shame really.


class video

this statement is incorrect. i know it is what you think but what you think is incorrect. how does someone being slow banish them to being a winger?? if anything its the exact opposite!! lookat riquelme, he is the slowest player ever to play football possibly and yet argentina couldnt perform in the past 5 years without him in the centre...you need to rethink what you meant here and post again. this is an incorrect statement

gimmick

Just bought my tickets for Barcelona Vs Depor. Gol Nord, 2nd tier by the corner flag. They look decent enough on the website anyway. Really looking forward to it, but knowing my luck, Depor will win 0-1 in a drab terrible game in monsoon conditions.

eZe^

gimmick wrote: »

Just bought my tickets for Barcelona Vs Depor. Gol Nord, 2nd tier by the corner flag. They look decent enough on the website anyway. Really looking forward to it, but knowing my luck, Depor will win 0-1 in a drab terrible game in monsoon conditions.

Please tell me you've watched Deportivo this year or last year? They have been the ugliest team in La Liga by far, parking the bus would be an understatement! Hopefully you'll get to see Messi and co. break down a dogged defense and score a few goals. Is it your first time at the Camp Nou?



Lads, just read an interesting statistic, from January 08 to December 08 Samuel Eto'o scored 44 goals in 50 appearances for both club and country. That's more goals and a better ratio than any other player in world football in the same period. How lucky are we that nobody made a solid bid for him, because in my mind he is the best striker in the world.

gimmick

eZe^ wrote: »

Please tell me you've watched Deportivo this year or last year? They have been the ugliest team in La Liga by far, parking the bus would be an understatement! Hopefully you'll get to see Messi and co. break down a dogged defense and score a few goals. Is it your first time at the Camp Nou?

I have seen their game Vs Madrid and maybe one other. It was either that or the Mallorca game this weekend, and that did not suit everybody. It will be my first game at the Camp Nou, but have been to Barcelona twice before, both times they were away, so had to settle for Espanyol. I have done the stadium tour and museum etc . Looking forward to doing the museum again.

redout

Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta is set to return for the Spanish League leaders following two months out through injury.

The Spanish international came through training with no reaction to a muscle injury in his right leg.

He could now be included in Pep Guardiola's squad to face Mallorca on Saturday.

Guardiola said: "Andres will be a big reinforcement for us in the second part of the season."


http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11827_4722108,00.html


Nice to be sitting ten points clear and to have one of your top players return.

eZe^

He" is many people’s favourite scapegoat, but as we head towards the ‘equator’ (as they say in Spain) of the 08/09 season I feel that a lot of credit is owed to our president and most of it is going unpaid. This campaign shows every sign of being hugely successful and just as we look to criticise the man at the top in barren times, so must we give him his dues in times of plenty.

Late last season Laporta showed great steel, whilst everyone around him lost their head, the one man who couldn’t afford to did not. Kipling identified that quality as the true mark of a man; I see it as the mark of a true leader. Laporta lost friends and colleagues as the fervour whipped up by Oriol Giralt and his minions threatened to overwhelm Barça but he never lost his nerve.

This is not an unequivocal apology for Laporta and all he has done; I merely seek to provide a bit of balance against the voices that shout so loudly when the president proves his humanity by making a mistake. At times Joan has acted in a manner unbefitting a president of FC Barcelona, his style of leadership has succeeded in alienating many members of his original board but two years of sporting failure largely caused by others (please not the use of the word ‘largely’ I do not absolve the president of all blame) by no means serves as justification for ousting a man who has provided economic rejuvenation, two leagues, a champions league and a style of football that proves the president’s credentials as a man who is Barça to the core.

Laporta took over with Barça on the brink of financial oblivion and through his restructuring of the club; through his canny choices of personnel and through his enthusiastic leadership he achieved a sporting rejuvenation of FC Barcelona. As we are becoming all too aware, the economy is cyclical, it suffers peaks and troughs. The same is true of football. The key in all of this is how our leaders succeed in keeping us at the peak and how they manage to ensure that we don’t stay in a trough for too long. This is partly achieved by building solid foundations that can be built upon once more if the walls fall down as they inevitably will at some point.

Certain political figures forgot the benefit of solid foundations, content to enjoy life on the crest of the wave whilst not bothering to consider the consequences when they hit shore. Ramon Calderón forgot about his foundations, spending wildly and failing to adequately manage the youth system whilst Laporta has dedicated his presidency to Barça’s foundations. This is why we are seeing the phoenix rise from the flames far more rapidly and dramatically than we dared thought possible in the summer after the side which should have been the second incarnation of the Dream Team found itself resembling a pile of smouldering ashes; the ambiton, the hope and the ability drained away. Because of our solid foundations of financial stability and a Masia replete with talent we were able to bring through new blood from outside and from within Meanwhile the club continues with a consistent and professional policy of contract renewals to ensure that the team has continuity. Through this policy as well as the promotion of La Masia Laporta has ensured that the fans have a side they can identify with. Long term symbols of the Barça of this generation maintain the same spirit, the same style and the same identity. Names such as Etoo, Puyol, Xavi, Valdes have been ever present for much of Laporta’s reign. Few other sides enjoy such stability in their playing personnel and it is only through constructing this long term spine for the team that allows Barça to be regenerated with just a few tweaks of the supporting cast.

We may not have a perfect President but in Joan Laporta we have a man who is now on course to build his second successful Barça side whilst promising to leave a legacy of renewed impetus from socis and penyes as well as a solid business model and a renewed sense of lustre about Futbol Club Barcelona. It’s very easy to knock the man at the top, at times it’s positively fashionable but as culés we have a responsibility to balance the criticism with the acknowledgment and respect that our President has earnt.

Laporta focusing on la masia is very profitable. It is what sets us apart from other top-teams. The sheer number of la masia boys in our current squad, not to mention the stars across the world, is such a boon for barca."

valdes
pique
puyol
sanchez
busquets
xavi
iniesta
pedro
messi
bojan
cesc
merida
reina
arteta
sergio garcia
de la pena


Has any other youth system in history had a boom where they have produced that number of talented players in such a short period of time? Maybe a great Ajax team when I was too young to notice?

anonymous_joe

Ajax, Man United, etc. It does happen.

Making use of that talent is an extraordinary achievement though.

redout

West Ham have are famous for knocking out some class players over the years.

They had 3 players from their academy in the England team that won the 66 world cup.

Peters
Moore
Hurst

Now thats quite impressive and all 3 started the final with two of them scoring. Hurst with his hat-trick and Peters with the other.

eZe^

anonymous_joe wrote: »

Ajax, Man United, etc. It does happen.

Making use of that talent is an extraordinary achievement though.

There is a difference between a golden age and churning out an entire starting squad where 60% of the players are world class.

---

Reina

---

--Oleguer

---

Puyol

---

Pique----F. Navarra----

---

Busquets

---

---

Xavi

---

Cesc

---

---

Messi

---

Guiza

---

Iniesta

---

No Bojan, Luis Garcia, Luque, Valdes, Rufete, De la Pena, Arteta, Sergio Garcia.


Anyway, I read an absolutely fantastic article on David Silva by Sid Lowe today. I never knew Valencia offered his father a job as a security guard so that his family could move over and support him, class act.

"""He stands three little days short of his 23rd birthday and six inches short of six foot. He's a millionaire and champion of Europe yet still lives with his parents. Not just lives with them, in fact, works with one of them too: his dad, a former Canary Islands copper, is a security guard at Paterna, the training ground where he rolls up every morning behind the wheel of a shiny black motor. Mic-wielding mentalist Pepe Reina called him "that guy there, the very little one" and waved his hand by his knee like a patronising passer-by ruffling a toddler's hair just in case anyone didn't get the message. Almost everyone else, meanwhile, calls him el chino.

In fact, he was born in Arguineguín – the same Canary Islands town as Juan Carlos Valerón – and his name is David Jiménez Silva. As Reina recognised, "he might barely measure 1.50m but he has talent to die for". Former Liverpool winger Antonio Núñez declares him "among the most impressive footballers I've played with" – and Núñez played with the galácticos. El País says he has "a mine in his left foot", which might sound dangerous – especially for his left leg – but is a reflection of his talent, and there's temperament too: Silva is a tough, feisty little sod, Luis Aragonés insisting he has the "most balls" in the Spain squad, a former team-mate recalling the repeated kickings he took by cooing: "he just took it – he must have horchata [Valencia's cold milk drink] for blood." He certainly has mala leche, the bad milk Spaniards equate with fight.

This summer, Barcelona tried to sign him. And this weekend, he showed why, scoring one goal that was not allowed and two that were as Valencia climbed into second by inflicting Atlético Madrid's first defeat in 15 with an impressive 3-1 victory. This weekend, ran the headline in AS, "David Silva danced on Atlético's grave"; this weekend, Sport found space amid the huge adverts for its unique reversible Barcelona coat – the only jacket that's equally rubbish both ways round – to admit that someone who doesn't play for Barça was quite good. According to Marca, he was the best present you could wish the three wise men to bring you. (Certainly better than myrrh. Well I really wanted a Scalextric set but this red resin stuff is brilliant!!) According to El Mundo Deportivo, he was the "motor of the week", sponsored by Opel (the car, not the fruits). And, according to AS, he was worthy of the jornada's Gold Award.

Which is pretty good for anyone who doesn't play for Madrid. Better still on a weekend in which Andrés Iniesta came back from injury to score a quite-possibly-offside goal as Barcelona beat Mallorca 3–1, prompting Lionel Scaloni – who has clearly had a very, very easy life – to declare it "the worst thing that's ever happened to me"; a weekend in which Hugo Sánchez made his debut as Almería manager and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and, ahem, "Lass" made theirs for Madrid; in which Arjen Robben, Andoni Iraola, Yaya Touré, and Aritz Aduriz scored blinders and Asier Riesgo saved penalties; and in which Juande Ramos carefully clipped his nails on the Bernabéu bench. Hell, even in his own match there was competition from comically incompetent referee Rodríguez Santiago. But still Silva was the star.

Not bad for a footballer rejected by Madrid, who joined Valencia at 14 and was singled out as a special talent at 15 only to be dismissed as a "fútbol sala player" and a "myth" by one dressing-room heavyweight when he was promoted to the first-team squad. Not bad, above all, for a player starting his first match for four months on Saturday night; his first since the opening day; his first since overcoming the ankle injury that forced him into injections before every Euro 2008 game and an operation in September. It was, said Marca, "a blessed return". Silva had "arrived and kissed the saint", which might not have pleased Roger Moore but delighted Valencia's fans. The ones that bothered to turn up, anyway. "Silva," Marca insisted, "has changed Valencia's face". Victory, El País added, was "all thanks to Silva".

That's probably pushing it but you could see their point. David Villa, Joaquín Sánchez and Juan Mata were impressive too. And if Silva has changed Valencia's face, they haven't exactly gone from Rosy de Palma to Elsa Pataky. Even without him (and any money), coach Unai Emery – the man who performed a miracle with Almería – had recovered the squad that was a laughing stock last season, the team that was humiliated by Madrid and Barcelona, ended up with the captain facing the president across a courtroom, the coach Quique Sánchez Flores sacked because they weren't top and Ronald Koeman sacked to make sure they weren't bottom. Without Silva, Emery even took Valencia top in week five. "They're not missing me," the midfielder insisted.

He was wrong. Despite Valencia's undoubted improvements, without him the feeling remained that something was missing, even with Mata and Villa in the side. A little more creativity, a little vision, a little spirit, a little spark. A little something special.

And that's the point: it's not just that Valencia won with Silva back in the side – after all, they had won eight times without him – or even that he scored two great goals. It was that they played their best football at last; that with a defensive midfielder less and a visionary more, there was something more convincing about them; that they scored three but could have got five.

It was that however much Atlético showed that they may not be good enough to challenge the big boys and certainly aren't good enough when they haven't got everyone available – they've collected just one point in the eight games they've played without Simao, Maxi, Forlán or Agüero and just one in five against Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Villarreal and Sevilla – Valencia were truly impressive; that, even allowing for Atlético's "defence", that the side that failed to score against Madrid, Barcelona and Sevilla got three the day that Silva rode back into town. It was that as La Liga started up again and a disastrous 2008 was left behind, Valencia climbed back to second – and that this time you get the feeling they might even stay there."""

What a journalist, even if he is a dirty Madridista.

eZe^

Messi scored a hat-trick and a standing ovation away to Atletico Madrid in the Copa Del Rey, Barca have won the first leg 3-1. Was a very good game considering we didn't have Valdes, Eto'o, Henry, Xavi, Puyol, Marquez or Abidal. The midfield of Keita, Yaya and Busquets dominated, and filled any gaps when Alves bombed forward, his link up play with Messi was incredible, the first goal and the red card that led to the penalty highlight their telepathic understanding, Alves gets a lovely back heel assist.

19 goals and 9 assists from 21 appearances for Messi so far this season, not a bad return really..

Highlights;


http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/1940736/

eZe^

I really miss Ronaldinho tbh, I was thinking earlier about how he should only be peaking in his career now, he really threw it all away. Imagine a team with Ronaldinho of 04-06 and Messi this season as wingers, Eto'o as a striker and Iniesta/ Xavi supplying the balls from midfield, unstoppable attack really.... It makes me sad thinking of how badly downhill it all went.

Third_Echelon

eZe^ wrote: »

I really miss Ronaldinho tbh, I was thinking earlier about how he should only be peaking in his career now, he really threw it all away. Imagine a team with Ronaldinho of 04-06 and Messi this season as wingers, Eto'o as a striker and Iniesta/ Xavi supplying the balls from midfield, unstoppable attack really.... It makes me sad thinking of how badly downhill it all went.

Yeah, savage player. During that period he was untouchable. The game against Madrid at the Bernabau springs to mind where he scored 2 or 3 and the madrid crowd were applauding him.... Probably one of the best performance I have ever seen from an individual in a team ever.

Ronaldinho came to the point where he was getting too big for his boots and had quite an inflated ego. I think Rijkaard was to blame for some of this as well. Stories I've heard about nights out etc and his stance towards some things that went on... anyway, an English manager wouldn't have stood for it. Perhaps a bit more discipline on Ronaldinho's part and he'd still be there.... He's only 28 and as you said, this is his prime where experience and skill are at their height.

Sad to see him leave Barca, but I think the fans were glad to see the back of him.

eZe^

Third_Echelon wrote: »

Yeah, savage player. During that period he was untouchable. The game against Madrid at the Bernabau springs to mind where he scored 2 or 3 and the madrid crowd were applauding him.... Probably one of the best performance I have ever seen from an individual in a team ever.

Ronaldinho came to the point where he was getting too big for his boots and had quite an inflated ego. I think Rijkaard was to blame for some of this as well. Stories I've heard about nights out etc and his stance towards some things that went on... anyway, an English manager wouldn't have stood for it. Perhaps a bit more discipline on Ronaldinho's part and he'd still be there.... He's only 28 and as you said, this is his prime where experience and skill are at their height.

Sad to see him leave Barca, but I think the fans were glad to see the back of him.

The fact that he couldn't sustain his 04-06 form means he will never be put into the record books as someone of Zidane's or Maradona's stature, but I think that for two or three seasons he was better than any player I've ever seen in my life.

If you were to compare Zidane's most impressive two seasons and Ronaldinho's, I think Ronaldinho's would be better imo. It's just that Zidane stayed a legend his entire career, whereas Ronaldinho let too many factors ruin all that ability.

Third_Echelon

eZe^ wrote: »

The fact that he couldn't sustain his 04-06 form means he will never be put into the record books as someone of Zidane's or Maradona's stature, but I think that for two or three seasons he was better than any player I've ever seen in my life.

If you were to compare Zidane's most impressive two seasons and Ronaldinho's, I think Ronaldinho's would be better imo. It's just that Zidane stayed a legend his entire career, whereas Ronaldinho let too many factors ruin all that ability.

fair point I suppose... I think if he is successful at Milan and gets back to some sort of decent form, I think he can be in that same bracket as Zidane and Maradona. Every player has a pinnacle, and ronny's was that 04-06/07 period.

I would like to see him have a crack in the premier league, but after his Milan contract is up he'll be 31, so perhaps he'll be past his best by then.

UnitedIrishman

eZe^ wrote: »

I really miss Ronaldinho tbh, I was thinking earlier about how he should only be peaking in his career now, he really threw it all away. Imagine a team with Ronaldinho of 04-06 and Messi this season as wingers, Eto'o as a striker and Iniesta/ Xavi supplying the balls from midfield, unstoppable attack really.... It makes me sad thinking of how badly downhill it all went.

Was reading an interview there in FourFourTwo with him and when you look back at it he was just unbelieveable. There were things he could do on a football pitch that others wouldn't be able to do in a lifetime.

That said he looked a shadow of himself towards the end and the Barca nightlife was really all he was interested in - much like Kluivert before him.

Milan is probably the best place for him to be at the minute but it's a pity they don't have some youth around him. He could be the central figure in the side with the younger guys playing off him. But he doesn't really get to shine as a figurehead in this Milan side because everything is geared towards everybody having a job and they must do that job for the team. I know its the same in most sides but for Barca there is something different, a fluency of players where they play off instinct and with creativity.

I hope he can regain some sort of form but a lot of the experts including Ballague reckon he'll never be close to number one again.

redout

I have watched him 5-6 times this season for Milan and he does show glimpses of his former self but nothing more. Kaka supposedly said they cant play together in the same side without his game suffering.

redout

New Report Reveals Massive Debts In La Liga

A report issued today has revealed that some of the most successful clubs in Spain are massively in debt, and are technically bankrupt...

Clubs in Spain have never been shy of flashing their plastic cards over the years but, according to a report today, most of those doing the spending have exceeded their credit limits.

The study, which comes from the University of Barcelona, was published by the newspaper La Vanguardia today, and reveals that in total, during the 2006/2007 season, La Liga clubs were in debt to the tune of €3,000,000,000.

According to the report, most of that debt comes from signings, which total €1,332,100,000, and it is no surprise to see Real Madrid at the top of the list.

The defending La Liga champions lead the way with a debt of €527,000,000, whilst close behind them are the capital's other major side, Atlético Madrid, with €430,000,000.

Behind those two come Barcelona, who have a debt of €388,000,000, and according to José María Gay de Liébana, author of the report, the only clubs who saved during that season were Villarreal, Racing Santander, Deportivo La Coruña and Gimnastic de Tarragona.

Speaking to the newspaper today following the report, Liébana sounded concerned by the findings and even admitted some clubs are techincally bankrupt.

"In general, the clubs suffer from a worrying and distinct lack of capitalisation," he mused.

"Some clubs are even in a technical situation of bankruptcy, that is to say that their assets are lower than the existing debt and, consequently, with all their assets and investments, are not in a position to pay off their debts."

Liébana also acknowledged that many of the teams in the report have now been relegated, such as Zaragoza, Gimnastic, Levante, Celta Vigo and Real Sociedad.


http://www.goal.com/en/news/722/la-liga/2009/01/07/1048072/new-report-reveals-massive-debts-in-la-liga

eZe^

Heard an interesting statistic, Barcelona so far this season have already scored the same amount of goals that Benitez's Valencia side scored in their entire league winning campaign...

gimmick

Nice little read this, from The Spanish Thing in Football365

Young Guns Having Fun In La Liga
Posted 12/01/09 10:47
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2009 isn't a great time to be a young, groovy hipster in swinging Spain.

Gone are the balmy nights of boozy 'bottelóns' in the street - urine-averse, truncheon-wielding police saw to that.

And the days of easy employment now belong in the times of yore.

After a decade of living la vida loca, Ricky Martin style - in some specific parts of the city, at least - the credit crunch has squashed Spain to squeaking point with the unemployment level now at 13%, nearly twice the European average.

Those who had left the warm and fluffy abode of their parents to grasp the bottom rung of the property ladder are now being firmly foreclosed and returning to the family womb with more than just bags of washing.

The country's 'Generation Y' which had never had it so good, has become the 'Generation Why?' as it witnesses all it held to be firm and friendly ripped apart by the ravages of a recession.

Of course, there are still those fortunate few for whom everything is fine and dandy, people like the-sitting-on-a-mattress-of-money, Fabio Cannavaro who declared, last week, that everything in Spain was 'quite good'.

But there is one teeny, tiny ray of hope lighting up this lamentable landscape - a beacon of youthful joy that has been lit by two go-getting funsters who are giving the old fogeys the finger and blowing fresh air into the crusty corridors of la Liga - Pep Guardiola and Unai Emery.

When Guardiola was given the dubious honour of becoming the Barcelona boss last summer, this column suggested that the club had made a marble-losing move.

It argued that a tough old cookie like Jose Mourinho or Villarreal's Manuel Pellegrini would be better suited to handing the extraordinary pressures that build up in Barça's boiler room - pressures that would crush a former player with just one year's experience with the side's 'B' team.

But, with the first half of the season nearly over, this column is happy to admit that it was very, very, very, very wrong.

Even more so, in fact, than when it predicted that Stan Collymore would become one of the greatest strikers in the world; that the ballroom-dancing fad would never catch on and that the 1990's would be the time for Guru Josh.

Just seven points dropped from eighteen league matches, a twelve point lead over Madrid and a goal difference of 41 suggests that Pep may have, in fact, some inkling of what he is doing. Unlike your correspondent, perhaps.

Of course, the 37-year old novice is helped by having an unbelievably brilliant team and the best player on the planet, Leo Messi.

The Argentine was so good in a midweek cup clash at Atlético Madrid, that the home fans began singing his name, once his third goal had gone in and awarded him a standing ovation when he was substituted.

Messi was back in business, on a sub-zero Sunday night in Pamplona, with a late winner against Osasuna, a goal that was his 20th in all competitions this season.

Nevertheless, the final two years of Frank Rijkaard's reign showed all too clearly that it's not enough to have an incredible group of players at your disposal - an iron will, big stick and cunning tactical plans are important weapons too.

Rijkaard's approach was to turn a blind eye to his players' off-the-field activities when the going was good. But it was a strategy that eventually failed when these excesses span out of control and the resulting squabbles and spats destroyed the dressing room.

"I think Rijkaard had too much confidence in us," admitted Samuel Eto'o in November, reflecting on the Dutchman's final days.

Guardiola seems determined to ensure that this loss of control never happens again. The playing legend took over the post with a reputation for being an introverted, hard-to-please character who would keep both his players and the press at arm's length.

And to an extent, this has turned out to be true. But over recent months, with his team winning game after game, Pep's frosty exterior has thawed a little.

On Tuesday night, Guardiola breezed into the Copa del Rey post match press conference at the Vicente Calderón with a cheerful 'happy new year' to the media - Bernd Schuster would often throw acid - despite suffering from a particularly heavy cold.

He then proceeded to handle himself - as it were - in Spanish, Catalan and English giving thoughtful answers to sometimes pointless probes.

It was a bravado display that was endearing enough to give The Spanish Thing a bit of a man-crush and it feels no shame in admitting it.

A short survey by the column this week, has revealed that Pep is the person men most want to be and women want to be with. Basically, as The Inspiral Carpets once observed, he's as cool as f**k.

Guardiola won even more Brownie points later in the week, by attacking the 3,000 euro punishment handed to Freddie Kanouté for celebrating a midweek goal by displaying a t-shirt with the word 'Palestine' on the front.

"The fine is completely excessive," blasted Pep. "Every war is absurd and too many innocent people have died for us to be fining people for things like this."

As always this season, Pep's challenge is to maintain footballing expectations to a reasonable level. And it's not an easy task with the local Catalan press demanding a triple crown-winning season from their beloved Barcelona.

"The treble has not been won here for 109 years and I can't accept that we will win it. It's an absurd thought," was the complaint from Pep on Friday, - but it's a argument that is falling on deaf journalistic ears in Cataluyna.

While Guardiola is undoubtedly the coolest cat in the Spanish Primera, Valencia's Unai Emery is not far behind on the funky front.

Whilst the Barcelona boss has already aged in the eight months he has been in charge at the Camp Nou, the 37-year old Emery still looks like he is barely out of his twenties.

In many ways, Emery's task in Mestalla is that much harder than Guardiola's.

Whilst he is also relatively inexperienced and in just his second season of top flight football and had to take over a shattered side, Emery has had to deal with the unstoppable forces of Mestalla boardroom battles and the potential financial meltdown of the club.

It would be enough to send even the most experienced of managers slightly mad, but Emery is keeping the horrors at bay and has lead Valencia into fourth place, just one point and two places behind Real Madrid.

What's more, he has managed this feat with virtually the same squabbling, sniping squad from last season which flirted with relegation.

Both Emery and Guardiola are united by the fact that they are both excellent tacticians and work tirelessly with their players on the practice pitches - something that neither Koeman nor Rijkaard were prone to do.

Emery does not have the same glittering playing record as Guardiola to gain the trust of his squad, but relies on winning the footballers' confidence by proving that his sometimes maddening methods get results.

The Valencia boss has also proved that he can be as hard as nails, as shown by his boisterous booting of veteran centre-back Ivan Helguera out of the squad for the crime of writing something a bit rude on his precious tactical white board.

The youthful pair of Emery and Guardiola are very much the exception to the rule in la Liga - a league where the old guard still runs the show.

From José Antonio Camacho (53) at Osasuna to Juande Ramos (53) at Madrid, Miguel Angel Lotina (51) at Deportivo to Manuel Pellegrini (58) at Villarreal, it's a generation that looks set to stay for a few more years to come.

But the bosses of two of Spain's biggest guns are signalling that they are willing and able to step into their slippers, when the Old Boys' time is up.

redout

Gonzalez could depart Barca

Celtic linked with young midfielder

Last updated: 12th January 2009

Barcelona midfielder Abraham Gonzalez could be set to depart Camp Nou during the winter transfer window.

Gonzalez, who has been linked with a move to Celtic, has been promoted from the Barcelona B team to Pep Guardiola's squad and has featured in the Copa del Rey this season.

Now his agent, Rafael Anguita, has admitted that the former Terrassa player could be set to move away from the La Liga leaders.

Bhoys boss Gordon Strachan secured the services of Marc Crosas from Barca in the summer and could now be set to launch a second raid, with scouts reported to have watched the 23-year-old Gonzalez in action.

Anguita said: "We can negotiate with any club but are staying calm.

"Spanish and foreign teams are interested in Abraham. We have not received a firm offer but he is ready to move if the deal is right."

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11827_4783903,00.htmlGonzalez could depart Barca



Finnan on comeback trail

Experienced defender returns to training following latest injury

By Francisco Acedo Last updated: 10th January 2009

Finnan: Returned to training

Espanyol defender Steve Finnan has begun training with his team-mates as he returns from his latest injury blow.

The former Liverpool full-back has struggled with injuries since his arrival in Spain during the summer.

But he is now on the comeback trial from the latest setback - to his right leg - with team doctor Ignacio Sitges saying things are "positive" although there is no concrete date for his return to action.

The experienced right-back has recently been linked with a move to Tottenham and Arsenal, but Espanyol insist that they have no plans to let him go.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11827_4776892,00.html

Galvasean

I caught the last twenty minutes or so of Barce's game against Osasuna.

:eek::eek::eek: at Messi's goal.

redout

Galvasean wrote: »

I caught the last twenty minutes or so of Barce's game against Osasuna.

:eek::eek::eek: at Messi's goal.

+1

When I saw it I just sat there and was like "Did that go in !"

eZe^

God I love Pep.

gimmick

Not the most relaible of sources, but Benzema to Barca?

http://www.barcaloco.com/

eZe^

Dani Alves: the best player in the world (well, after Leo Messi)

He might only be a right-back, but Barcelona's Dani Alves would be the world's best player if it wasn't for a certain Argentinian

Madrid didn't want him, Liverpool didn't want him enough, and Chelsea wouldn't pay for him. After all, they reasoned, he's only a full-back. Forget dark and brooding or squeaky-clean: he doesn't do adverts, has a cheeky grin rather than a winning smile, a wife not a WAG, and couldn't pout if his life depended on it. He came to Europe for a million euros when that wasn't a million pounds, isn't the outstanding man for his club, doesn't play regularly for his country, and didn't get a single vote at the Fifa World player awards. Not even from the representative from Guam, who was too busy pencilling in the words Frank and Lampard. Hell, even Cameroon captain Rigobert Song preferred to spoil his ballot paper than vote for him.

But don't let that fool you. Because Dani Alves is still the world's best player. Well, maybe not the best. That's Leo Messi. And that's also the point. Because while in Brazil they giggled at the unlikeliest of metrosexuals, commenting more on the six tubs of facial cream Alves had confiscated at the airport than the six touches he had on the pitch last time he travelled thousands of miles for a handful of international minutes, while he got ignored by Fifa's judges and France Football's correspondents, while he'd never launch a Cristiano-esque crusade – Gazzetta today, L'Equipe tomorrow, Kicker the day after - and while, above all, the eulogies fall on the unbelievably brilliant Messi, Alves has built a case to be considered the world's second best player.

From right-back.

And right-wing. And just about everywhere else. Roman Abramovich decided €30m was too much for a defender but Alves is not just a defender. He's a one-man band wearing cymbals on his knees, a drum on his back, Johnny Cash's harmonica strapped to his gob and Barça sweatbands on his wrists like a 10-year-old suffering a Peter Withe fixation. He offers killer passes and crunching tackles: a screeching lunatic kid, perfect technician, tactical genius and - let's face it - sneaky little cheat, all wrapped into one hyperactive ball. A footballing Sonic the Hedgehog.

You've got to love him. Or least you would have to if you weren't so busy loving Leo. Take this weekend. It was the first game of the season's second half and Barcelona had broken more records than Toxteth O'Grady: more points than any other team ever, the biggest lead ever, and the best debutant coach in Pep Guardiola. They'd completed over 2,000 more passes than anyone else, had more corners, more shots, and conceded the fewest goals, scoring a staggering 59 as well as hitting 17 posts – more posts than Espanyol have goals, enough to have given then a 100% record.

Something, though, was missing. And not just defeat for Madrid, who scraped another win off Raúl's ear. Barcelona sought revenge on Numancia, the only side to beat them. They also sought reassurance after the sinister shadow that saw off Ramón Calderón cast a cloud over Catalunya. Florentino Pérez, said Marca, would soon make a comeback – with Messi under his arm. All it would take is a little persuasion and his buy-out clause: €150m (plus 46% tax). That Marca talked it up was no surprise; the consternation it caused in Catalunya was. They actually took it seriously. The charmingly titled crappingyourselfometre appeared to be firing up again. Suddenly, they were spitting denials, shooting evils at that geezer looking at their bird, and begging like terrified lovers. It couldn't have been more desperate if they'd stalked Messi round Sainsbury's or spent the small hours tearfully breathing down the phone, silently picking the petals off a daisy.

So, when Messi scored the opener for a struggling Barça with a clever flick four minutes into the second half, they breathed a sigh of relief. When he kissed the Barcelona badge, they went all gooey. When he scored another, provided an assist and was denied a hat-trick by the bar, leading them in a brilliant 45 minutes that finished 4-1 and eclipsed a ropey first in which, but for the ref, they would have been trailing, they were doing cartwheels. And when he insisted he'd "never leave", they were dancing through a summer meadow.

"We Love You Messi", simpered Sport's cover, its editor declaring "Messi's kiss not just any kiss", and "this won't be like Figo because Messi is nether a money grabber nor a gypsy". Mundo Deportivo emblazoned "Messi Barcelona" across its front page. And Joan Laporta was losing the plot. "They're trying to destabilise us," he ranted, "and Madrid have an unfair advantage because they have the support of institutions we all pay for – especially the Catalans." "Messi," he added, "proves he's happy with brilliant performances every game."

He was half right. Messi was brilliant again. But amid the dreamy eulogies, another decisive performance from Alves went relatively unnoticed. The Brazilian is the only consistent starter who wasn't there last season when they finished 18 points behind Madrid. Now they are 12 ahead. That's not to say he's responsible – Guardiola's been immensely impressive, Eto'o's scored 19 in 19, Henry is winning not whining, Xavi controls games, and Iniesta's touch and vision is wonderful – but his contribution has been colossal. He's buried the mistaken belief that Barça need defenders who defend – a belief that saw off Belletti and took the balance and element of surprise with it - and has brought dynamism, bite and desire, helping inject life into a moribund mob.

In September, Alves insisted he wouldn't be the Sevilla Alves. Under Guardiola's guidance, he's been better - and he was pretty good before. It's no coincidence he's played more minutes than anyone else or that Barcelona's right wing has delivered three times as many goals as the left, with the full-back providing 10 assists. Not just any assists either, key assists: assists that opened the scoring against Valladolid, saw off Betis 3-2, equalised against Getafe and Osasuna, and broke Saturday's deadlock. But it wasn't just that Alves produced a brilliant flick and headed pass for Messi. It was that Barça turned to him in need, that in the opening four minutes of the half, they'd already speared five balls his way.

For all their collective brilliance, Barcelona have been accused of Messi-dependency. But who wouldn't depend on him? And, besides, Messi's not alone. He might be just a right-back, he might not be glamorous and he might not even be the best player in the team, but right now Daniel Alves might just be the second best player in the world.


-Sid Lowe

Good article;

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2009/jan/26/dani-alves-barcelona-leo-messi

Mgoraf

Who do you think has been the best signing in the League so far?

Frisbee

eZe^ wrote: »

A footballing Sonic the Hedgehog.

That is the greatest phrase I've ever heard

eZe^

Mgoraf wrote: »

Who do you think has been the best signing in the League so far?

Alves hands down tbh. He's 40% of the reason why Messi has been so good this season.

I think at the end of the season Lassana Diarra could prove to be one of the signings of the season, as well as Romaric.

Why has nobody made a bigger deal over Alves' assist for Messi this weekend, I know it was offside, but it was audaciously good.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsBGCIUjsgY

Mgoraf

eZe^ wrote: »

Alves hands down tbh. He's 40% of the reason why Messi has been so good this season.

I think at the end of the season Lassana Diarra could prove to be one of the signings of the season, as well as Romaric.

Why has nobody made a bigger deal over Alves' assist for Messi this weekend, I know it was offside, but it was audaciously good.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsBGCIUjsgY

Agree about Diarra and Romaric, Romaric has been quality, and Diarra is just what Real need. By far there best CM IMO. I don't rate the other Diarra at all.

Aranzubia to Depor has been very good, he was free too.

It would have been a different story if Messi or Ronaldo did that

dfx-

Personally, I'd have my doubts as to whether that was a header that landed at Messi's feet or whether it was a ball to Messi..

eZe^

Either way, it's a great great bit of skill.

redout

Drenthe says that he is feeling sad at Madrid. I actually witnessed it at the match on sunday when he came on. The Madrid faithful dont seem to like him for some reason and instead seem to throw abuse at him while he is on the pitch. The part in the article were he says the crowd laughed at him when he tripped during the match is spot on. I was there and saw him trip up and the Madrid supporters around me started pissing themselves laughing at him. At the time I actually said to myself that it was a bit odd why they were doing that. After the match in a tv interview he said this stuff then added "I feel like ****" in english because he did not know how to say it in Spanish. I cant see the guy remaining longterm if he keeps getting this abuse from his own support.



http://www.marca.com/2009/01/26/futbol/equipos/real_madrid/1232928028.html

Mgoraf

http://www.skysports.com/video/clips/0,23791,13991_4859149,00.html

This weeks Revista Xtra.

yahoo_moe

redout wrote: »

The Madrid faithful dont seem to like him for some reason and instead seem to throw abuse at him while he is on the pitch

Any racist element to the abuse or was it just general? The Madrid fans have a bit of a reputation - but at the same time, I don't think Drenthe's really a "Madrid class of player" so hard to say...

Mgoraf

Real Madrid have made their choice for the Champions League this season and Lassana Diarra will be the one who plays, rather than Klass-Jan Huntelaar.

Full Story

No surprise really, they definetly need him for the CL. Started very well there...

gimmick

I do not understand why he is being made execpt either. He is cup tied afterall.