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Old 08-25-2007, 03:33 PM
JaredL JaredL is offline
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Default *** Official Spanish Primera Division 2007-2008 ***

Last year was a fantastic season. Very exciting, with 3 teams having a realistic shot with two weeks to go and it coming down to the second half of the final match for the big two.

This season I think will be similarly exciting. I think it will again be a Real Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla finish in some order. They are clearly the top 3 teams and should have distanced themselves from Valencia this offseason.

The two busiest clubs this offseason were the two teams in Madrid. Atletico gave up Fernando Torres and picked up Reyes, Simao, Luis Garcia and Forlan. That's a pretty big shakeup considering how consistently Torres had been their frontman. For Real Madrid their biggest signing was probably Robben long term but they also added Saviola, Heinze and Pepe and less known Drenthe, Sneijder, and Metzelder. Of the guys that player regularly they lost Emerson, Reyes, Ivan Helguera and the aging Beckham and Roberto Carlos. They had discussed getting a massive signing like Kaka, but I don't think that was too realistic. Barcelona signed fewer guys but they were all big names - Henry, Gaby Milito, Abidal and Toure. The major guy they lost was Giuly as well as I guess Saviola.

I'm feeling good about Sevilla's offseason. We'll see how the Alves thing goes as he basically demanded to leave the club and they turned down an offer that totaled 36 million euros. He's clearly very pissed at least at the Sevilla president. I just read that Alves didn't want to pose for the 2007-2008 team photo, showing up a half hour late. Apparently they will photoshop him into it. I personally think that Sevilla should offer him a contract that is equivalent (or a shade less) to what he would have gotten at Chelsea as he's the best player in his position in the world, brings something unique to the pitch every match and barring injury he should be a dominant player for another 6 or so years with 3 or 4 more good seasons after. If Sevilla are going to be a big club, we are going to have to not only get and hold on to such special players, but have them live and die with the club.

As I've said before, I don't think Sevilla need to make a ton of signings since the team is very young and very talented. They could use some help up front, especially as Kanoute should be due to have a drop off this season or next due to age. The important thing is to keep the team together, which they have done. The only guys that have left didn't get much playing time at all. The Alves thing is the key.

Valencia I expect to finish somewhat similarly to last year. Behind the above 3 but better than the rest. The main wildcard challenger is Atletico de Madrid. They could be anywhere from outside title challengers to middle of the table. I think Zaragoza will be the other UEFA Cup team.
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  #2  
Old 08-25-2007, 03:42 PM
JaredL JaredL is offline
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Default Re: *** Official Spanish Primera Division 2007-2008 ***

Incidentally, what the hell is going on with goltv right now. They should be showing Real Madrid - Atletico de Madrid but it's some kind of preview show. The match is tied 1-1 in the 80th minute.

I didn't start watching at the beginning so I don't know if it's technical difficulties or what but I hope they fix it before the Sevilla match which starts in 20 minutes.

edit: apparently 2-1 now.
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  #3  
Old 08-25-2007, 03:46 PM
ThaSaltCracka ThaSaltCracka is offline
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Default Re: *** Official Spanish Primera Division 2007-2008 ***

I think Madrid should win the league again, the only thing potentially holding them back could be Schuster. Drenthe and Sneijder are two sick players. The additions of Robben, Pepe, and Henize are also class pickups.

Barca will probably battle them neck and neck the whole way.


Sorry Jared, while Sevilla is a good team, they didn't add like Barca and RM, who only added better players to already good sides. I am not sold on those additions to Athletico Madrid. They basically signed rejects from other teams.

Could be a good season though.
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  #4  
Old 08-25-2007, 04:02 PM
JaredL JaredL is offline
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Default Re: *** Official Spanish Primera Division 2007-2008 ***

TSC,

Sevilla are certainly a notch below the big 2. They are also IMO a notch above Valencia. I certainly don't think Sevilla have a great chance to win the league, but stranger things have happened. As usual, I expect Sevilla to do well in cup competitions and don't think even a semifinal appearance in the CL is out of the question. Sevilla on their day can be virtually unbeatable and they've shown that by dominating bigger teams who have problems dealing with the pace and style. Sevilla isn't a huge dog against anybody in a home and home. They are a fair dog against the few top teams if they play the first leg at home, but a favorable draw could see them go far. I will be disappointed if they either bust next week after the 2-0 first leg or don't get through the group stage.

The issue in the league is consistency. Sevilla didn't do nearly well enough against the bottom teams, especially away. I'm not sure that it's the most important stat but Sevilla recorded 8 0-0 draws. One was to Villarreal who finished 5th, two were to Racing who finished 10th, and the rest were teams lower. They drew 0-0 at home to the team that finished bottom. For contrast Barcelona drew 0-0 one time and Real Madrid twice.

I may make a separate thread about it, but in the small bit of research I've done the result of matches with the lower teams is far more telling about how a team does than the teams at the top. This makes sense in theory as being the only win for a terrible team means that everyone else got more points than you did against them. In a sense there are more points available. Not sure how interested others would be in this sort of thing.
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  #5  
Old 08-25-2007, 04:13 PM
O Fen�meno O Fen�meno is offline
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Default Re: *** Official Spanish Primera Division 2007-2008 ***

Yea for some reason goltv decided not to show the game.... they were showing Bayern Munchen play instead. I was pretty angry considering I had my Beckham jersey on and my Real Madrid scarf on
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  #6  
Old 08-25-2007, 04:34 PM
Sayitloudernow Sayitloudernow is offline
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Default Re: *** Official Spanish Primera Division 2007-2008 ***

The Sevilla game is on Goltv right now. One of the Sevilla defenders swallowed his tongue and it was one of the scariest moments ive ever seen in sports. 0-1 for getafe.
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  #7  
Old 08-25-2007, 04:35 PM
JaredL JaredL is offline
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Default Re: *** Official Spanish Primera Division 2007-2008 ***

Wow, I think Antonio Puerta just started having a seizure on the pitch. It wasn't perfectly clear - he went down to his knees for no reason when the ball went out for a goal kick and then they panned away (reason #99458495845 why I wish goltvHD were a channel, it would have been on screen) and then the next shot they showed was Drago on top of him shoving his hand into his mouth. I don't think that's what you're supposed to do, but it's pretty standard.

I've never seen that before in a match.
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  #8  
Old 08-25-2007, 04:46 PM
JaredL JaredL is offline
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Default Re: *** Official Spanish Primera Division 2007-2008 ***

Wow this is a crazy match. Early goal from Getafe on a nice free kick, two Getafe players have now been sent off in addition to Puerta having a seizure.

Hopefully Sevilla can come back up two players.
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  #9  
Old 08-25-2007, 04:54 PM
SMB SMB is offline
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Default Re: *** Official Spanish Primera Division 2007-2008 ***

This game is quite bizarre. I still think the red card was very harsh and undeserved, but this should be an entertaining 2nd half.

edit: 1st red
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  #10  
Old 08-25-2007, 05:07 PM
JaredL JaredL is offline
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Default Re: *** Official Spanish Primera Division 2007-2008 ***

[ QUOTE ]
This game is quite bizarre. I still think the red card was very harsh and undeserved, but this should be an entertaining 2nd half.

edit: 1st red

[/ QUOTE ]

First red was for a second yellow. The GolTV thing messed it up. I went back and checked and in the 7th minute Sousa got booked for a late challenge. They said it was somebody else. It seemed like an ok yellow, not overly harsh but maybe a bit. The second yellow was for an intentional handball on a through ball when Sevilla were attacking. That's pretty standard.

It's one of those situations, which are unfortunate for the neutral fan, where a player gets two legitimate yellows but neither were for doing anything too bad. One of the better examples I can remember is Pope against Italy in the last World Cup. I don't remember the first yellow but the second was certainly legitimate. It's unfortunate that this puts you a man down but that's how it goes.
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