La Liga 2014/15 Discussion Thread

NIMAN wrote: »

I think they want Khedira to move on, freeing up space for Kroos.
They want Di Maria to move to PSG, to make room for Rodriguez.

And why wouldn't any team was Rodriguez in their team, he looks a fantastic prospect.
I wouldn't say they are buying up big names 'for the sake of it'. They are Euro Champions, and every team has to continue to strengthen. Both these players would strengthen even Real Madrid.

I dont see how they can accomodate Kroos and Rodriguez in the same team along with Ronaldo and Bale .

Do they play Kroos in a deeper role and drop Modric or Alonso ?

I suppose la Masia has the centre backs they desperately need?

Not from what I have read.
Graham Hunter sums it up well

This Barcelona board is patently one that is no better educated than the intricacies of playground football: attack a lot, try to score more than the other team and forget about defending.

Barcelona have needed replenishment in height, defensive organisation, physical fitness and pace at the back for pretty much three seasons now. They still haven't addressed that problem, and until those promises are fulfilled their club's fans will not be wholly won over by the addition of Suarez to Neymar and Messi.

NIMAN wrote: »

As good as Alonso was at Madrid last season, I think the WC proved he's on his last legs.

The signing of Kroos is one for the future. What it does to the future of Isco or Illarra at the club is another thing.

True Alonso is pushing on and looks really slow ,he was never fast but he looked like he had lead boots a few times last season.

I dont think Kroos will be a success though , he is an overrated player ,I have a feeling he will end up like Schneider at Real ,sold after a few years.

NIMAN wrote: »

Thing that always baffles me in football, is why Bayern would be happy to let one of their top players move on to one of their biggest Euro rivals?

I appreciate player-power is almighty but surely they could do something?

Strange that they left him go to Real allright ,might have been better off selling to Utd .

According to the club Kroos wage demands were too much and the club wasn't going to change its wage structure for him .
They did the same thing with Ballack in 2006 .

Beckanbeur had this to say in February

You have to make a decision as a club when someone's demands are going through the roof. There is not a single player who's worth changing your entire wage structure for. Nobody's indispensable. If the player wants to stay at Bayern, I can only advise him not to overplay his hand."

However Kroos was only earning 4.5m euro a year making him Bayern’s 15th highest paid player – less than the likes of Rafinha and Daniel van Buyten and on-par with squad player Claudio Pizarro.
Franck Ribery tops the list, earning €12m a year .
Bizarrely, that figure is matched by summer signing Mario Gotze.

Bayern Munich legends Philippe Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger earn €10m a year, and are both followed by Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer and another summer signing Thiago Alcantara on €8m a year.
4.5m euro is pretty poor for a player of Kroos calibre.
Worse still Pep Guardiola gets a record €17 million pre-tax annual income (nearly double that of the next-highest earner)

Alot of people say that Bayern played their best football at the latter end of the 2012-2013 season when Kroos was injured and Bayern had a better shape without him.

Guardiola prefers Thiago to Kroos ,not sure if I agree with that ,but both players are overrated in my book.