La Liga Week 3

CorkMan

Malaga are playing Mallorca now. Baptista is back for Malaga, he got 9 goals in 11 games for them last season, so I think he will help them a lot. Usual others (Cazorla, RVN, Joaquin, etc) starting.

Barca against Osasuna at 7PM. I wonder how Barca will approach this match, Guardiola really switched his side around in the first 2 weeks of La Liga. I wonder what his side will be tonight? Surely Fabregas will start in lieu of Iniesta being injured, and Thiago being put on the bench.

Real Madrid will be away to Levante tomorrow night at 7PM, C.Ronaldo has a bit of an ankle problem (he showed a bloody ankle on TV after the Zagreb match) and might make it still. (BTW, my wireless mouse has full batteries ATM, so I can only use my keyboard, so sorry for no matchday pastes.)

Johner

Malaga hammered Granada last week?

fillmore jive

malaga are away to mallorca

CorkMan

It came up on ESPN's website that they would play Granada.

I will edit the OP.

Cypher_sounds

Valencia go 1 up against Gijon, Soldado with the goal, his 4th of the season.

CorkMan

Soldado is coming along great. Surely he will be challenging along with Negredo for a striker role in Spain's team. (If Torres get dropped)

Just saw on Real Madrid's twitter that Ronaldo has been included in the 20 man squad. Kaká has been included too, appearently he got a muscle train which made him miss the CL match against Zagreb.

EDIT: Just saw Barca's starting XI. Cesc is included in it, as well as Puyol. Guardiola has probably recognised the slim margin that has seperated Madrid and Barca for the top prize in previous seasons, and reckons even the 2 points so far dropped could be a lot come the end.

CorkMan

Mourinho has said that his aims this season are to get 40 points and to avoid relegation.

dagdha

Barca team to play Osasuna:

Víctor Valdés, Dani Alves, C. Puyol, J. Mascherano, E. Abidal, S. Busquets, Xavi, Thiago, C. Fábregas, L. Messi, D. Villa

Subs:J. Pinto, S. Keita, I. Afellay, A. Correia, A. Fontàs, Maxwell, Pedro

Osasuna:

A. Fernández, M. Bertrán, Roversio, Rubén, J. Raitala, F. Puñal, R. García, Damiá, Lolo, R. Lamah, Nino

Subs: J. Calleja, M. Flaño, Ricardo, K. Sola, Álvaro, I. Baldé, D. Copovi

It's great to have Puyol back starting games although I don't think he will last the full game. His leadership skills are were really lacking the last couple of games.

Bodhisopha

Fantastic start to the season for Saldado and Valencia. They could reduce the gap somewhat this season in that they might do better against the rest of the field than in previous years.

Bad defeat for Villareal. Good chance they'll drop out of the top 4.

JPA

CorkMan wrote: »

Soldado is coming along great. Surely he will be challenging along with Negredo for a striker role in Spain's team. (If Torres get dropped)

Just saw on Real Madrid's twitter that Ronaldo has been included in the 20 man squad. Kaká has been included too, appearently he got a muscle train which made him miss the CL match against Zagreb.

EDIT: Just saw Barca's starting XI. Cesc is included in it, as well as Puyol. Guardiola has probably recognised the slim margin that has seperated Madrid and Barca for the top prize in previous seasons, and reckons even the 2 points so far dropped could be a lot come the end.

What do you mean? Like why would he be resting anyone now?

CorkMan

Bodhisopha wrote: »

Fantastic start to the season for Saldado and Valencia. They could reduce the gap somewhat this season in that they might do better against the rest of the field than in previous years.

Bad defeat for Villareal. Good chance they'll drop out of the top 4.

Malaga won away at Mallorca, not a bad result. I think if Baptista can get 18-20 goals this season Malaga can make a strong claim for the Champions League.

CorkMan

JPA wrote: »

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What do you mean? Like why would he be resting anyone now?

His bench on the 2nd day of the season had Puyol, Messi, Iniesta, Villa on it. The 1st day he had rested multiple big name players too.

JPA

CorkMan wrote: »

His bench on the 2nd day of the season had Puyol, Messi, Iniesta, Villa on it. The 1st day he had rested multiple big name players too.

Because the CL game was coming up.

Mars Bar

I like the Osasuna shirts. Nice colour, nice shape and no sponsor on the front.

Pedro dropped?

parc

Anybody have an amazing near HD stream that never lags by any chance?

dagdha

Goal Messi!

Mars Bar

Barca one up already...

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

Superb team goal, Messi just tapping it in.

dagdha

That was a lovely worked goal

parc

Like, the stream goes down the second before the goal...ffs

also gotta stop checking the threads...the goals are up before I see them on screen, takes away the surprise but I NEEEEED a decent stream

(anyone got a decent link?)

Mars Bar

Messi got greedy there, should have gone out to the left.

Anyone else get the feeling Osasuna could be in for a long day? Hopefully they'll be able to do a Real Sociedad on it though.

mayordenis

Soldado is a genius.

CorkMan

Who? Messi is playing?!?!

dagdha

What a goal from Fabregas!!

mayordenis

But Messi is the genius.

Mars Bar

Fabregas is living his dream. Lovely finish, absolutely beautiful. What an assist from Messi though.

Fabregas should cut the hair though. Don't like it.

Bodhisopha

Very nice. Great strike.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
Great pass, super finish!

CorkMan

Arsenal really got done for. They should have got more for Fabregas.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

Sneaky handball there from Messi, good spot by the ref.

fillmore jive

fabregas the hippy he could do with a haircut

mayordenis

CorkMan wrote: »

Arsenal really got done for. They should have got more for Fabregas.

Ah sure they nicked him or Barca for nothing, got about 8 great years out of him and still got 30 or so million for him, just to give him back to the team the nicked him from.
They didn't do all that bad.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

mayordenis wrote: »

Ah sure they nicked him or Barca for nothing, got about 8 great years out of him and still got 30 or so million for him, just to give him back to the team the nicked him from.
They didn't do all that bad.

But would he be at the level he's at without Arsenal and Wenger? I'd be feeling very hard done by if I was an Arsenal fan.

dagdha

fabregas should of finished that, would of been a great goal.

mayordenis

THFC wrote: »

But would he be at the level he's at without Arsenal and Wenger? I'd be feeling very hard done by if I was an Arsenal fan.

I suppose you're right, Barca haven't been producing any decent players really, especially good passing midfielders.

Bodhisopha

Messi's passing in unreal tonight.

CorkMan

85% possession for Barca.

WTH.

Cypher_sounds

I agree, great finish from the ex gunner.

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dagdha

Alves is actually putting in some decent crosses in the air for a change

Johner

The gay head on Fabregas. Some player though.

dagdha

Great run and goal from Villa

mayordenis

Johner wrote: »

The gay head on Fabregas. Some player though.

?
That's a fairly thick comment.

CorkMan

I wonder if Messi, Fabregas, Xavi or Villa will get taken off at halftime? Barca have Valencia mid-week.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

mayordenis wrote: »

I suppose you're right, Barca haven't been producing any decent players really, especially good passing midfielders.

No need to be so ignorant about it. How well would he have developed with Xavi & Iniesta in the side though, rather than been playing 1st team football in a rougher league since he was 16? Certainly wouldn't be the same player. You can even see it in the team now, out of himself, Xavi, Iniesta, Thiago, Busquets & Keita he ceratinly the bulkiest.

Mars Bar

Own goal is in action over in Spain too!

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

rofl

dagdha

5!! fabregas with a super assist

Johner

This could be double figures.

Mars Bar

Jaysus. Double figures on the card?

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

JJJJJiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiizzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

markie29

great turn and assist by fabregas for barcas fifth goal.