Also, Atletico under Radomir Antić won it in 1996.
La Liga 25/26
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Also, Atletico under Radomir Antić won it in 1996.
Birdy
Senior Member
Well, that's wrong parsing of periods.
from 1990-99 it was all Barca and Madrid, with the exception of Atletic in 1996 (once every 10 or 20 years Atleti wins)
But from 1999 up until 2004, it was a strange 5-yr period (that is the correct period) where Barca was in steep decline, and only Madrid was there. But they managed to fuck up many LLs those years to Deportivo, and twice to Valencia.
More like Barca declined and failed to compete with Madrid, than LL being so competitive that the rest reached the levels of Madrid and Barca.
Birdy
Senior Member
Valverde is a box to box like you said.
IMO the closest player to him is Henderson: great energy, amazing defending, great shot from distance (Valverde even better there), great cross from the right
BUT also: poor in tight spaces, unable to pass the ball through and short with the precision required for a deep-lying md, can't control tempo
In short, you never use such player in the position Kroos would occupy, next a defensive-minded md like Tchouameni.
Arda Guller is also suboptimal there for other reasons.
Madrid still hurt in the middle of the pitch and is something we can take advantage of
JamDav1982
Senior Member
Valverde is a poor mans Steven Gerrard. Said it before.
Athlete that can run all day and cracking striker of a ball. Not quite agressive defensively but still has dig to him.
Liverpool coaches struggled in same way to get Gerrard functioning as a midfielder to dominate ball in middle.
England the same.
His best years at Liverpool he was more or less given free reign or played from right.
Athlete that can run all day and cracking striker of a ball. Not quite agressive defensively but still has dig to him.
Liverpool coaches struggled in same way to get Gerrard functioning as a midfielder to dominate ball in middle.
England the same.
His best years at Liverpool he was more or less given free reign or played from right.
JamDav1982
Senior Member
The issue for Xabi is that Tchouameni has been the better of the two this season when deep.
If anything Valverde looks more suited to the roles of Bellingham and Guler ysterday as more mobile than both to get into box for goals and to get to help the others defend.
While the freedom they get they pop up wide also and Valverde knows that area.
The praise Valverde got last season was a joke also. He did a job by covering different positions but most games he played v top side in midfield he was found wanting.
Scored some screamers as has that in locker but his overall play in midfield was bang average.
The one time Real played well v Barca last season was in 2nf half of final and moved him to RB again.
Real want Rodri that is where they are at and would have gone for him sooner but for the ACL.
Wharton seems to be one of their fallback options going by press.
If anything Valverde looks more suited to the roles of Bellingham and Guler ysterday as more mobile than both to get into box for goals and to get to help the others defend.
While the freedom they get they pop up wide also and Valverde knows that area.
The praise Valverde got last season was a joke also. He did a job by covering different positions but most games he played v top side in midfield he was found wanting.
Scored some screamers as has that in locker but his overall play in midfield was bang average.
The one time Real played well v Barca last season was in 2nf half of final and moved him to RB again.
Real want Rodri that is where they are at and would have gone for him sooner but for the ACL.
Wharton seems to be one of their fallback options going by press.
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serghei
Senior Member
The key to use a player like Valverde is get him freedom to move up and down. He can pop in and bang goals, but if you limit him by having him staying back and almost play like a deep lying playmaker, you're asking for trouble. As said, 3rd midfielder, when you already have a DM and a creative player is his best spot.
Valverde's issue is that the offensive coompartment is full of players who slack off defensively, so Alonso has sacrificed him to keep some kind of balance.
Valverde's issue is that the offensive coompartment is full of players who slack off defensively, so Alonso has sacrificed him to keep some kind of balance.
RedxMAK
Well-known member
Great point. But it would be unfair to say it wasn’t competitive, this is like saying the early 80s had the Basque clubs dominating because Barcelona kept throwing the league in some way or another and Madrid having a transitional period. The late 90s and early 2000s at least had great teams that can compete for the title like Deportivo and Valencia. Usually these days even if Madrid and Barcelona are in their worst state they can always finish 2nd comfortably. And only once in a half decade or so Atletico take advantage of the Clasico clubs’ mistakes and win the league for themselves.
Chainsaw
Killahead
Rassvet
Well-known member
EV dominated La Liga in 17-18 playing him there with Busi
serghei
Senior Member
IIRC it was a 4-4-2. 4 man midfield. Not double pivot.
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