La Liga Week 16

eZe^

Saturday, December 20, 2008
19:00 UK Real Madrid v Valencia
21:00 UK Espanyol v Atlético Madrid

Sunday, December 21, 2008
16:00 UK Deportivo La Coruña v Recreativo Huelva
16:00 UK Osasuna v Getafe
16:00 UK Numancia v Valladolid
16:00 UK Sporting Gijon v Almeria
16:00 UK Mallorca v Sevilla FC
16:00 UK Racing Santander v Málaga
18:00 UK Villarreal v Barcelona
20:00 UK Real Betis v Athletic Bilbao


Anyone willing to make a little bet on the Madrid game?

dfx-

Madrid 2-0
Atletico
Depor
Draw
Valladolid
Draw
Sevilla
Santander
Villareal
Betis

Tough game this week for Barca. Hope they kick on and keep up the momentum.

eZe^

It's all good, so far in our month of death we have scored 9 goals and conceded none. 9 points from a possible 12 against Villareal, Real Madrid, Valencia and Sevilla is an excellent return.

redout

I think Valencia are certainly capable of a win. Madrid's defence is not on top form and who is to say last weeks heroic's by Iker will be repeated this week. Any mistakes by Iker or the Madrid defence then you could be sure David Villa will sniff them out and punish them. David Silva is also now back to bolster Valencia.

dfx-

The only doubt (albeit it is a significant doubt) is that last week's 'toughness' and defensive performance was when they had esssentially nothing to lose away from home against a team they hate. It was a bit like Sarah Palin's debate performance for them.

When asked to attack again at home to a team like Valencia or even Osasuna, it's a different task. I still think the effect of a new manager will get them by for now.

eZe^

Raul benched with VDV starting. 4-2-3-1 with VDV behind Higuain?

Maybe;

Salgado

---

Metz

---

Canna

---

marcelo
Robben

---

Gago

---

Guti

---

Drenthe
=============VDV==============
==============Higuain

---

Valencia
Miguel

---

Albiol

---

Marchena----Del Horno
======Fernandes

---

Albelda
Joaquin

---

Baraja

---

Mata

---

Villa

---

redout

No David Silva neither. Bit of a surprise considering he made his comeback a week ago.

eZe^

redout wrote: »

No David Silva neither. Bit of a surprise considering he made his comeback a week ago.

Maybe it's so that Barca/ Real can buy him the transfer window as he's only played 4 games and thus can play for another Spanish team in the Liga if he leaves in the winter.

redout

Marca saying VDV for Raul is a shock. I dont get it myself.

Raul suffering from the flu ? Marca make no mention of that and say a shock. Where the hell does Sky get their information.

dreamers75

redout wrote: »

Marca saying VDV for Raul is a shock. I dont get it myself.

Raul suffering from the flu ? Marca make no mention of that and say a shock. Where the hell does Sky get their information.

At least Marca are actually in Spain


Good goal by real there 1-0 up

Real tearing them apart and valencia chopping up Robben, how dare they try take out a teams star player :rolleyes:

redout

Valencia are not at the races at all so far the first 30 mins. Del Horno is too much a liability and has to come off. David Villa's miss was shocking. David Silva needs to come on at half-time or else I see Madrid scoring again. Casillas looking a bit jittery again there for a moment.

eZe^

Valencia have been excellent the past 20 minutes. Fernandes is running the midfield, rinsed three Real midfielders already, what a quality player he is.

dreamers75

eZe^ wrote: »

Fernandes is running the midfield, rinsed three Real midfielders already, what a quality player he is.

Hes been awesome, dominating the petulant filthy dirty Guti who injured himself fouling Fernandez then cries for a free

redout

Jesus christ the glass man breaks again ! Raul on.

WTF! sky and their poxy information again. Now its Drenthe off and not Robben.

gimmick

Great first half. I have a feeling though that Valencia have had their chance to equalise. Only see Real scoring again and for it to finish 2-0

redout

Robben is a selfing bastard. Would anyone agree ? Twice in first have VDV in better goalscoring position screaming for the ball and robben waste's it. Now the third time at the start of the second half. Robben grow up and dont be a dick. VDV could have scored at least two by now if Robben bothered to pass !



Thank christ they took Del Horno off. He had a poor first half. Hopefully Silva will up the tempo a bit. But I reckon their leaving it a bit late he should have come on at half-time. **** that, Red for Marchena. Looking more like a madrid victory now.

gimmick

Thought Valencia were worth at least a point. Really enjoyed the game though.

I cannot stand Robben, always whining. Guti is little better.

Next game is an interesting one. It will either be a drab 1-0 or a high scoring draw. Hopefully the latter.

redout

Stunner from Maxi Rodriguez.

dreamers75

superb equaliser

ShoulderChip

watching this game, not too bothered by it though.

redout

ShoulderChip wrote: »

watching this game, not too bothered by it though.

Its not the best of games by the looks of it. Found myself flicking between this and the darts. Two great goals but.


Some goal from Espanyol, exceptional finish. Pity it was ruled out. Maxi Rodriguez with another good finish. Atletico move up to second.

eZe^

Bet my Madridista mate that Valencia would win tonight, and now that I lost the bet I was given the choice to put a picture of Guti or Raul in my sig on that forum for the next month. Seeing as Guti is definitely the player I hate the most still playing the game I chose Raul. Sigh, it's going to be a bad month. :pac:

redout

Marquez has been ruled out of Barcelona's trip to Villarreal tonight after failing to overcome a hamstring problem. Iniesta also ruled out.

Messi on Cruyff's criticism of him during te week:

Finally, Messi saved a few words for Blaugrana legend, Johan Cruyff, who had also criticised him for not knowing how to position himself to avoid being constantly kicked during El Clasico.

"I have very little interest in what Cruyff has to say."



Good man Leo. Cruyff was talking through his hole in my opinion. Guardiola backed up Messi also after the criticism.

Barcelona lineup:
Valdes; Alves, Pique, Puyol, Abidal, Xavi, Keita, Busquets, Messi, Eto'o and Henry

Villareal lineup:
Diego Lopez, Angel, Gonzalo, Godín, Capdevila; Eguren, Senna, Cazorla, Cani, Pires and Rossi

dfx-

eZe^ wrote: »

Bet my Madridista mate that Valencia would win tonight, and now that I lost the bet I was given the choice to put a picture of Guti or Raul in my sig on that forum for the next month. Seeing as Guti is definitely the player I hate the most still playing the game I chose Raul. Sigh, it's going to be a bad month. :pac:

Ouch:(

Should've just bet money:pac:

HalloweenJack

Osasuna 4-0 up against Getafe at half time! :eek::eek::eek:

redout

Lads you need to hit the red button on Sky to watch the first half of the Barca match.

An Citeog

Barça team,

Valdes

Alves
Puyol
Piqué
Abidal

Busquets
Keita
Xavi

Messi
Eto'o
Henry

redout

1 - 0 Villareal

Cant say thats a shock to be honest.

Big Chief

redout wrote: »

1 - 0 Villareal

Cant say thats a shock to be honest.

expected better from barca after what i thought was dominating the best part of the first half so it was rather against the run of play i thought and i fully expect barca to get the equaliser soon (while i typed this.. they did, supreme)

An Citeog

Yep, nice equaliser by Keita. Barça are playing some nice passing football but can't manage to get that final pass right or really trouble Lopez. Barça's defence is fairly all over the place though.

redout

I would hardly have called them dominating in the first half. They recieved as good as they got. Lucky not to be a goal down just before half-time when Rossi had his chance. They have been pretty normal tonight compared to their meanacing self's the past couple of months.



Great Sky has lost the signal. Boo !

Naughty Pique. Elbow, Red card. Strange that, he took out the yellow first even tough he had not given him one before. Ok, just checked and he got one when sky lost the signal I think.



Full-time: Villareal 1 - 2 Barcelona

Goals: Cani, Keita, Henry


Barca were lucky there at the death. How did Villareal not test the keeper, to put it wide with all the time he had was unforgivable. Last season that effort would have gone in with Barca's luck as it was. Barca take a 10 point lead into the new year.

End of year table 2008:

Barca----41
Sevilla---31
Atletico--30
Valencia-30
Real

---

29
Valencia-29

eZe^

Barca are on on 41 points, not 38. The most points any La Liga team has had at the winter break.

An Citeog

redout wrote: »

I would hardly have called them dominating in the first half. They recieved as good as they got. Lucky not to be a goal down just before half-time when Rossi had his chance. They have been pretty normal tonight compared to their meanacing self's the past couple of months.



Great Sky has lost the signal. Boo !

Naughty Pique. Elbow, Red card. Strange that, he took out the yellow first even tough he had not given him one before. Ok, just checked and he got one when sky lost the signal I think.



Full-time: Villareal 1 - 2 Barcelona

Goals: Cani, Keita, Henry


Barca were lucky there at the death. How did Villareal not test the keeper, to put it wide with all the time he had was unforgivable. Last season that effort would have gone in with Barca's luck as it was. Barca take a 10 point lead into the new year.

End of year table 2008:

Barca----41
Sevilla---31
Atletico--30
Valencia-30
Real

---

29
Valencia-29

Good win in the end for Barça although they were fairly dodgy at the back all game. Messi and Eto'o were never really in the game either and hopefully they'll get a nice break and come back firing on all cylinders in the new year.

As for Piqué's sending off, I thought the second yellow was extremely harsh. Both players only had eyes for the ball and if anything, Guille Franco actually jumped into him. Piqué didn't even catch him with the elbow either.

redout

eZe^ wrote: »

Barca are on on 41 points, not 38. The most points any La Liga team has had at the winter break.

Aye. I said they had a 10 point lead. oops.

eZe^

Barcelona now hold the record for most consecutive La Liga away victories. 6 wins in a row. Not the best performance, but Barca have showed that they can also win after going a goal down and by riding their luck. The most important thing was that we won when Messi and Eto'o were basically sh*t and invisible, Henry really came to the fore and put the team on his shoulders.

Villareal defended excellently the whole game, it's just a shame that the two goals they conceded were undefendable really, excellent goals, they executed their game plan perfectly. The way they exploited the Barca backline was so intelligent, Pires threading perfect balls through to the likes of Cani, Nihat and Rossi all night. I'm glad Nihat got a run out actually, my favourite Villareal player, and it also means he'll be even more prepared for the Real game in the new year. :pac:

Bateman

Have to take my hat off to Barcelona. I did think they were the most likely winners, before the start of the season, but never did I think that any team would be good enough to go into the winter break with a 10 point lead. The way they dismantled Valencia, won ugly against Madrid, and now went and won at Villarreal after falling a goal behind means they have done enough for me to suggest that there is absolutely no chance of them blowing it. They blew it in the second half of the season 2 years ago, but there is absolutely no chance of them doing it again. Don't fancy them for the Champions League, but each week that goes by, I find myself scratching my head and wondering who in Europe is going to beat them.

gimmick

Special mention here for Xavi. I thought he was absolutely immense again tonight. He pulls the strings so well, and no such thing as a stray pass from him.

Only really saw the 2nd half, and it was a league winners type match in that Barca did not play too well, but still took all three points. Thought Eto'o was denied a stonewall penalty, and the sending off was not a booking.

redout

Bateman wrote: »

Don't fancy them for the Champions League, but each week that goes by, I find myself scratching my head and wondering who in Europe is going to beat them.

If they play like they did tonight then their would be a few big european side's that would beat them.