[capybara]

Day 1 - Aug 21
Osasuna - Valencia
Real Soc - Atlético
Villarreal - Sporting
Málaga - Barcelona
Betis - Sevilla
Espanyol - Granada
Rayo - Mallorca
R Madrid - Athletic
Levante - Zaragoza
Racing - Getafe


So the fixtures are out,god the close season is shorter and shorter. Barca away to Malaga which could be tough and Real face Bilbao

This post has been edited by capybara: 09 February 2012 - 13:34

[fueradejuego]

Betis vs Sevilla on the opening day.

Fight!!!!

[Swampy]

And Geta have a trip to visit the Cantabrones.

Hope we f**k them 4-1 like last time we played them on opening week (two seasons ago.)

In other news I hope Zaragoza go down and bankrupt, this time. They came back up last time but I have my grave-dancing shoes ready for them

This post has been edited by Swampy: 09 July 2011 - 17:34

[VillaKnollBoy]

fueradejuego, on 09 July 2011 - 12:48, said:

Betis vs Sevilla on the opening day.

Fight!!!!

Tidy, decent stadium is the González Cordón, not a lot of love lost either.

[capybara]

http://news.bbc.co.u...ll/14147108. stm

Wenger not happy about Xavi trying to bring Fabregas to Barca. I wonder if he will ever go..?

[J_Stewart]

fueradejuego, on 09 July 2011 - 12:48, said:

Betis vs Sevilla on the opening day.

Fight!!!!

That could be absolutely brilliant, both for the football on show and the inevitable ruck that's going to burst out.

Malaga - Barca as well, that could be a cracking first game of the season.

[fueradejuego]

Bilbao have appointed Bielsa as manager. Should be interesting to see how they adapt to his style.

Bilbao have a number of young players who Bielsa could mould whilst his hard pressing style should be easy for a physical Bilbao team to mimic particularly for players like Martinez and Torquero.

[HEED]

Malaga have seemingly appointed Fernanda Heirro as manager according to some twitter reports.

[capybara]

http://news.bbc.co.u...ll/14199784. stm

Barca really want Cesc

[FC_1919]

Edit the title so it's not in block caps!

[David W]

Me and my two brothers did a manager game on FM a few years back where we were Rayo, Granada CF and Atletico Madrid. A bit cool to see them all in the same division given that a couple of them weren't even in the Segunda back then.

Malaga aiming for top four?

[fueradejuego]

David W, on 19 July 2011 - 22:52, said:

Me and my two brothers did a manager game on FM a few years back where we were Rayo, Granada CF and Atletico Madrid. A bit cool to see them all in the same division given that a couple of them weren't even in the Segunda back then.

Malaga aiming for top four?

Malaga have spalshed the cash but whether that translates into a top 4 finish, I am not so sure.

I cannot see them overtaking Valenica in thirs spot which leaves Sevilla, Atletico Madrid, Athletic Bilbao and Malaga to tough it out with Villareal for 4th.

They should certainly seal a European place.


Everyone's favourite cheating, diving bandit, Diego Capel, appears to be on the verge of moving to Sporting Lisbon.

Camunas is leaving Osasuna for Villarreal (I think). Good deal for Camunas and Villarreal, less so for Osasuna given that the fee is rumoured to be £2million.

[AsdaLoyal]

Malaga are shaping up to be the new football manager team ...

[Long live the 69]

Malaga won't finish 4th, Valencia & Villarael will seal the CL places again.

[banterman86]

i see Jose angel, a one time Barca target has gone off to Roma

Anyone know if he's any good? Roma will be an interesting side to keep an eye on next year, i actually presumed Luis Enrique was the accepted Guardiola replacement at Barca.

Edit - Actually thinking about it who do spain have as option, or in the future, at left back apart from Capdevilla?

This post has been edited by banterman86: 20 July 2011 - 14:34

[HEED]

banterman86, on 20 July 2011 - 14:24, said:

i see Jose angel, a one time Barca target has gone off to Roma

Anyone know if he's any good? Roma will be an interesting side to keep an eye on next year, i actually presumed Luis Enrique was the accepted Guardiola replacement at Barca.

Edit - Actually thinking about it who do spain have as option, or in the future, at left back apart from Capdevilla?

If Jose Enrique get's a transfer to a top 4 team then they could do a lot worse than him, not sure about anyone from La Liga.

[Swampy]

banterman86, on 20 July 2011 - 14:24, said:

i see Jose angel, a one time Barca target has gone off to Roma

Anyone know if he's any good? Roma will be an interesting side to keep an eye on next year, i actually presumed Luis Enrique was the accepted Guardiola replacement at Barca.

Edit - Actually thinking about it who do spain have as option, or in the future, at left back apart from Capdevilla?

Didac of Espanyol will probably inherit the role. Capdevila's actually lost his place at club level. Still a very good player but on his way down.

[uni]

I've got a feeling that either Barca or Real Madrid are going to win the league.

[fueradejuego]

banterman86, on 20 July 2011 - 14:24, said:

i see Jose angel, a one time Barca target has gone off to Roma

Anyone know if he's any good? Roma will be an interesting side to keep an eye on next year, i actually presumed Luis Enrique was the accepted Guardiola replacement at Barca.

Edit - Actually thinking about it who do spain have as option, or in the future, at left back apart from Capdevilla?

I don't think Luis Enrique was ever going to take over at Barcelona following Pep. This seems to have been assumed on the basis of that was how Pep moved into the job.

Swampy, on 20 July 2011 - 14:45, said:

Didac of Espanyol will probably inherit the role. Capdevila's actually lost his place at club level. Still a very good player but on his way down.

Capdevila supposedly been offered a free transfer by Villarreal now that the likes of Catala have made the grade for the first team.

Aside from Didac, there is not really a glut of good left backs kicking about. You could do worse than consider Jordi Alba even as a makeshift left back in an emergency.

[banterman86]

fueradejuego, on 20 July 2011 - 15:15, said:

I don't think Luis Enrique was ever going to take over at Barcelona following Pep. This seems to have been assumed on the basis of that was how Pep moved into the job.

I am wholly comfortable in admitting that that was my logic.

[nessies long lost ghost]

I can't see my team, Athletic Bilbao playing so well as they did last season. They have kept their best assets though (so far) which is great news for the club.

[fueradejuego]

banterman86, on 20 July 2011 - 15:20, said:

I am wholly comfortable in admitting that that was my logic.

I thought that when I read your post but given it was you that made the post, I went easy on you

[banterman86]

fueradejuego, on 20 July 2011 - 22:07, said:

I thought that when I read your post but given it was you that made the post, I went easy on you

Shucks...

Why isn;t it on the cards? Given how so much of Barcelona;s recent success has been based around concepts of continuity and "getting" the club, surely evoking the old Anfield boot-room wouldn't be a bad idea?

And, whilst we may be getting ahead of ourselves talking about a Guardiola successor, surely Barca have to plan for it just now?

[fueradejuego]

banterman86, on 21 July 2011 - 07:27, said:

Shucks...

Why isn;t it on the cards? Given how so much of Barcelona;s recent success has been based around concepts of continuity and "getting" the club, surely evoking the old Anfield boot-room wouldn't be a bad idea?

And, whilst we may be getting ahead of ourselves talking about a Guardiola successor, surely Barca have to plan for it just now?

If you look at Barca's past managers, what we have now is a period of relatively calm amid normal periods of managerial instability.

Since the 1980's only Cryuff, Van Gaal (first spell) and Rijkaard have lasted more than 3 seasons in charge with numerous appointments lasting anything from a few months to just one season. You have guys like Robby Bobson and Raddy Antic taking charge for a season in between other appointments.

The only appointment to come from within has been Charley Rexach. All others have been external appointments.

The current way of thinking from Barca is around Cruyff's ideas but few managers have played like that since Cryuff's dream team. Van Gaal did to a degree and then Rijkaard began to push towards Cruyff's ideas but its Guardiola, who played under Cryuff, who has really progressed the idea.

[the jambo-rocker]

http://footballspeak...ga-preview. aspx

Decent blog from footballspeak on the preview of this season.