Topic: ⚽ Sportsbet.io ⚽ Spanish La Liga ⚽ Football Pool Discussion Thread - page 154. (Read 32600 times)

Frankly speaking, if Barca could sign some decent Right Back who can back track the pace of the opponent winger and stop the counter attacks then I prefer Trincao over Griezmann in the team. Trincao's style of play is much more Barca like than Grizzi's and he will surely have more impact than him on the game.

Could be I have missed his defensive contributions yesterday. I was watching the game with one eye while doing other stuff on PC so it is easier to spot plays with the ball then runs, openings and helping the full backs. That additional layer of defense in Barca squad is crucial since Messi doesn't play defense and if he is doing that well that is already a lot. I actually liked Braithwithe last season just because he was doing so much more defensive running than Suarez and Messi. Barca squad needs that desperately.

Just one note for the end. If Koeman wanted somebody to play good defense, run a lot and help right back he could have gotten some other cheaper player then Griezmann But I agree with you, as long as he is doing good job in defense and opening space for other players we can wait for him, not like Barca desperately needs more creativity with Messi in the squad.

Thanks! It was another good week for me. As I claimed before the round, so thus I delivered. 8 out of 10 correct predictions! Only if I have been more serious in the first round, I would be leading with 30+ points by now.

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Yeah! It was unexpected for me as well. Barca was surprisingly good, way better than my expectations. Special mention to Jordi Alba. Yesterday, he was looking way more fit and sharper than the entire last season. If he could deliver this kind of performance in every game then he is easily the best LB in the world. Better than Robertson and Davies anyday.

Pique had a good game. He was able to intercept and stop Villarreal's attacks at several occasions. Great defensive awareness from him. Pjanic was excellent. His minutes against Elche in friendly weren't so convincing last week but yesterday he simply showed why he's one of the best midfielder in just 30 minutes. His reading of the game, interceptions and forward balls are going to be very helpful for Barca throughout the season. I want him to replace Busquets as the starter.

I don't agree with you on Griezmann. Although, he was ordinary with the ball yesterday but his off-the-ball contribution was spectacular. First, he provided that additional layer of defense on the right side of the pitch. I saw him defending in the box many times which is uncommon for a forward (Simeone's effect). Second, his runs took 1-2 Villarreal defenders with him, thus creating space to attack for Fati, Messi and Coutinho. As a manager, I would be happy to start him provided he gives little extra in attack as well. Even, Koeman praised him after the game.

The only problem in team is Right-Back. Semedo is already delivered to Wolves thus leaving us only with Roberto as the option. Roberto is shit and we need to replace him as soon as possible. He is laggy in defense and if not for Griezmann, he would have conceded at least a goal. I heard many speculations on the name of Sergino Dest. It would be good to have young RB like him in the squad.

You said everything on my mind and much more. I was really not hoping for much at all. Got a lot of money bet on the game so I was just wanting to be quietly watching it but by the time we had the 2nd goal I was a lot more relaxed.

But like you said, Villareal were terrible so we can't base this season on this game (although to be fair, this was not supposed to be an easy game).

Pique definitely looks like he has got some rest. Coutinho reminds them he is an option always. Griezmann well. I hope it's just rust.

oops! i've overestimated Villareal and couldn't get a single point off this match. Congrats, @webtricks and @big_daddy, for winning the yellow cap (:

Looking forward to see how Barca performs in away games (next up, Celta Vigo), that's where they lost the most points last season

I do remember it happening a few times in Bundesliga and Premier League last season

i think Messi respects Pjanic and knows he's one of the best free-kick takers in the world and he should be given a chance whenever possible (plus, it was Pjanic's debut, messi was prolly trying to make him feel comfortable, i suppose)

It seems Barca came out with all guns blazing but I am still waiting for their first away game before accepting they will do good this season. I liked their game and they did better than I excepted or maybe it would be better to say that Villareal was very bad tonight. That Kubo guy did more for them after coming on around 75th minute then their whole team before that.

Few things about Barca I noticed and could be important going forward:
- Messi let Pjanic take a free kick so maybe he will be a bit more team player this season, we shall see. Or he lost some of gravitas in the dressing room, still captain though.
- Pique looked sharp and had great game, very important for Barca
- All the Barca kids looked good and hopefully we will see more of them
- Griezman was again terrible, don't know what is happening with him

When talking about favorite clubs I think it's funny for me personally, because before I was active in betting or not really interested in a bet at first, at least I had a favorite football club in every big league, like Barcelona in the Spanish La Liga, Juventus in the Italian Serie A and beyond. But after betting actively on football, at least the clubs I originally liked have slowly faded away, perhaps because of the many disappointments in betting. lol! So, I don't have a favorite club right now so yeah, with me not having a favorite club at least I think it will make it easier to bet deviates.

So I am putting you for Barca then?  Just kidding Real VARdrid it is Do you guys remember when was the last time when any team got penalty when nobody from that team even reacted (demanded penalty).

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Can't wait for Barca game tonight, really looking forward to see how they will look in the first game of new season. I have my bet on both to score for this one and Villareal to score on another ticket so I hope they will be shaky in the back and hopefully Messi will score or create at least one goal for home team.

The question for this season is whether Barca's disintegration continues. Obviously they've forced Messi to stay, and he's not happy about it. This is a test of how much of a professional he is... are we going to see him giving 100% in every game? Personally I think he will try to give 100%, but obviously it's difficult when you don't want to be there. Surely it's going to affect his concentration and desire.

Phew, okay, I don't really have a La Liga favourite. It is for sure not Real Madrid though, because I can't stand Galacticos and what it stands for haha (don't get me wrong, I had favourite players in there like Zidane and oh my Xabi Alonso, how I missed you).

I loved seeing Ronaldinho play for Barca, always loved Messi too (seriously all those football memories how can you say you don't love it right?).

And for many years, I rooted for Atletico because of Torres.

But okay for the sake of supporting one team this season, let me say Granada for early season wins just like last season! Southern teams, I love them;) Basque or Andalusian always feel special.

Oh but okay for real? It's time for Sevilla to step up and stop messing around in Europa League!

i've been a fan since the early 00's of the greatest club of all time, house of legends like Casillas, C.Ronaldo, Puskas, Zidane, and that's never gonna change    boy what a win that was from yesterday, whew! Sergio 'panenka' Ramos  =)

well hello there fellow madrid neighbour

lately, he's been extremely toxic for Barca...from throwing his teammates under the bus last season cos of "allegedlly" lack of attitude and whatnot, to throwing shades to the board 24/7 since the start of this season...he shoulda been more vocal right after 8arce2ona's biggest defeat in its history, but instead, he went awol and then he came outta nowhere wanting to jump ship, not exactly the behaviour you expect from the captain of the team :/

anyways, are we going to see Suarez playing for Atletico today? i think we are, and i'm gonna back atletico in a single bet, better team than Granada, better manager, H2H favors atletico, easy peasy?

All good, some of us can't stand Messi or Ronaldo, but my Barca love affair actually started before Messi exploded, and my dislike for Real was by proxy natural, even before Ronaldo also.

I like Messi as a person, and I think Ronaldo does look so silly standing on his toes or flexing his thigh muscles when doing group photos, but as a person I think he is also good like Messi and they both like the small guy so I respect them both in this way. Who cares what we think about them right though?

Anyway I drop to 6/13 damn. People will say it serves me right for going against the fan picks.

Still looks a bit messy for me




Hehe, hate is a too strong word. I don't hate any football team (nor person), I just dislike them. This whole "mes que un club", we are the nice guys, we don't need any jersey sponsor but Unicef can have it etc. is a bit fake to me. I don't like teams/athletes that have a general dominance over ages in their sports - just bores me.
Barca is liked by gaziliions of people and I tend to dislike these teams that are liked by so many; strange I know Smaller clubs and underdogs are more interesting to me, I maybe like the struggle and adversity they face on a regular basis. The only dominator in sports I was fan of, was M. Schumacher in F1 back in the days. All other teams/athletes I root for are rather mediocre, with some success here and there, which is very sweet then when it happens^^
And last but not at least: I can't stand Messi. Not football-wise, but personality-wise. And I am not in the CR7 camp

Perfect! I am supporting Barcelona since 2010 and will continue to do so. You can add 'FC Barcelona' next to my name.

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Wooh! That was unexpected! Can I ask why so much hate for Barca?

Although I am Barca fan, I love to watch Real games as well. I like Ramos more than Pique. In India, live LaLiga matches are only streamed on Facebook and it is always fun to watch Real games reading Barca vs Real fans fighting in comment section. 

It was BCT name in the beginning and then I changed it to bitcointalk because I wanted some extra space between first and second column and then forum started to play tricks with me. Thanks for the effort, I will try to implement your second solution into my table and if that doesn't work I'll just use yours.

edit: I am reasonably happy how it looks now. check the OP

Fav. club in Spain - Rayo Vallecano 
So, my fav on superbru will remain neutral

Because no username is long enough I guess, adding some spaces does the trick:


I don't have a favourite team, only an anti-favourite team, which would be Barca If you do the same for the ITA thread, put Hellas Verona in for me

Sadly I have to agree here but that was last season. Today is the new season and tomorrow we play our first game. All is a mystery now and will be revealed;)


You just need to put your picks into "lock your picks" in Superbru and you will see all the picks people made. Or do you mean which team you actually support as well? In which case, I'm Barca:)

Sure, I will just add them to the table in the OP as a third column. Of course a lot of participants have to let us know their favorite club. This is what I have from the Spanish thread where only a handful of us went public

Trofo - occasional Barcelona supporter but mainly likes to see good match with lots of goals
LTU_btc - hardcore Barca fan. Visca Catalunya! Visca Barca!
Harkorede - I'm rooting for Barcelona
tokeweed - Real...  Just cos I like Hazard

This season I am rooting for Sevilla, I like the way they play and my man Rakitic just joined them. It seems they managed to keep most of team intact and I think they will be top 4 this season for sure and probably even higher.

Rest of you let me know and consider it done. You can either PM me or just put it in the next post here in the topic.

Edit: check the OP
Edit 2: need a little help with that table, why does Bitcointalk name gets split in 2 rows? When I click preview it looks fine but when I post that gets screwed

Yeah, so far English Italian German leagues, no stumbling for the big boys much (sorry United, you're not a big boy anymore) unlike in Ligue 1, but you're probably wise to wait. I did get quite a lot last season from Real on Ramos penalties I won't forget! And the same way for me Barca once the odds get above 1.6 or so at home, which is what I have a few parlays waiting to clear right now, always good value for me,

Anyway, I made 1 draw selection, really need to improve my 10/13 position!