Maybe you won't remember Di Maria in Madrid, but he's been a regular since 2010. You know, there are people who follow Real Madrid (and Barca) as teams, watch about all their matches, care about the team, instead of focus on battling out whether this or that individual is better. Football's a team sport. I mean, in the same note, if you're a Neymar fan and watch Barca, you care more about how Neymar does than how Barca does. But Barca fans care about the team, same with Madrid fans. Di Marias and Mascheranos are important to many people, and if you can't get that, then it's just too bad.
I only stated my opinion against the BS assumption.... of some here that Neymar was "unproven" in liga/Barca Indeed Neymar had the 2nd or 3rd best STATS in the team, and even without Messi, Neymar and Barca still doing great = FACT Now, set Barca a side, Neymar was doing even MUCH better in Brazil NT = 2nd fact
This is something totally different than what we were talking about (people caring about Di Maria, Masch...) Barca isn't doing great. For the first time in years, we didn't made it to CL semis. Team failed there. In Liga, while we have a chance of winning it, we've been far from great.
not really ... 1- Bale came to Real and automatically Dimaria became a bench warmer. Neymar came to Barca to be the key player starter. 2-Because Neymar was labled as "new Pele" (in same breadth of Messi CR7 in potential) so many expected him more (much more then say Di Maria for Real) 3- Lastly, Barca played bad becuase many issues (nothing to do with Neymar or else) - Xavi Iniesta Puyol Pique ... are getting older - Teams in general started getting used to the tikitaka and some knew how to unlock them (like Chelsea, Aletico ..) - Messi was injured and playing a bit less effective No team is invincible forever ... as rule of Darwin's - survival games OK? Now which point you want to carry on with your NO point (to start with)???
Now for your info: (about Di Maria at Real) Di Maria’s rude gesture to fans mars Real Madrid win by TomConn | Posted on Monday, January 6th, 2014 Real Madrid winger, Angel Di Maria had an off night in Los Blancos’ 3-0 win over Celta Vigo and eventually felt the displeasure from the fan, but responded in what appeared to be a very unfavourable way. Manchester United ready big bid for Real Madrid star Angel Di Maria MANCHESTER UNITED are preparing a big offer for Real Madrid winger Angel Di Maria. Di Maria has played 16 times for Real this season but he fears Gareth Bale's recovery could leave him watching from the sidelines. After a tough time with injuries, Bale is starting to find his feet in La Liga. Perez pushing for Di Maria exit - agent By Dermot Corrigan, Spain Correspondent Angel Di Maria’s agent has suggested that a “presidential issue” is behind his client’s proposed move from Real Madrid to Monaco in the January transfer window.
When clubs buy so expensive players, of course they are not bought to be bench warmers. Agreed on that. But that doesn't mean people who support those clubs instantly stop caring about the other players. Besides, often in clubs the difference between a starter and a non-starter isn't that clear with many players. There are still people today who support football clubs, you know. Sure, Neymar's potential has been more talked about than Di Maria's. Doesn't matter though: Di Maria is still part of his club. I'd agree that some players are less important than some others, but that's something completely different than saying "nobody cares about X", especially when X has been a regular for years. The new Pele, btw, is a tag I wouldn't care too much about. If anything, it tells how much hyped Neymar has been. I agree - there are many problems in Barca. But when the team isn't doing great, it's everyone's fault as they're in it together, Neymar included. His season for Barca has been, imo, very similar to what the season has been for most of the players (and for the coach): in general, good job, but there's a sense that there's a room for improvement. Good, not brilliant.
Yep, Di Maria is part of Real Madrid - sometimes his relationship with fans/media/bosses/whatever gets attention, sometimes it doesn't. Totally normal, and expected, as people in top clubs get talked about, especially if they're kinda players that matter.
how a kid of 21 to 22yrs old first time playing for the team <20games is AT FAULT? that's ridiculous biased statement ... especially he won some games on his own with a decent stats 9gaols+9ass/19games (as winger) Main problem = the squad aging and get SATURATed in playing style (after 5years dominant = long enough) The new coaching in Martino did not help if not saying get them worse. Lastly, Aletico under brilliant Simeone and good form of diego Costa made the difference ... in liga and coincidence with 2 games at UCL = that's all. Even Real will not surely be betetr facing them - a ka Barca ... so?
anyway, I can say Neymar won;t become a R9 nor a Messi in future ... (at least I can not see that ) but to blame him for this decline of Barca or to "LABEL" him as unproven is just none sense! Look at my post, when Neymar dived, I said he dived. Also I said Neymar needs to improve in his positioning, shooting skills, and build up more "weight, muscles" ...
I don't mean to overestimate Neymar's fault, just saying that you win together, you lose together. That's very standard thinking to me. On the same tone of emphasizing the team sport aspect of football: Neymar (or anyone else) didn't win anything on his own. That's too simplistic. But I agree, Neymar has decent stats. But indeed - could be better. It's the same with everyone, basically: decent or a bit better, but there's room for improvement. And when the team doesn't win, the reason is the entity, and that entity is made of its part. Players - all the players - are parts. I dunno about that as main problem. It's a combination of things. But a major issue is that Barca has been so successful lately, that no matter what they did, the level wouldn't last forever. Teams go in cycles, and if this is Barca at the bottom of the cycle, I'm cool with it. I mean, I totally agree - Atletico has been incredible this season - but after all, Barca almost threw them out, and they may very well end up beating them in Liga.
Nobody's blaming him for Barca's decline, I think. This season, he has done a lot to prove himself to those who doubted/doubt whether he is really as good as the hype suggests. I wouldn't be too mad about the whole "unproven" thing, though. I mean, it's only natural that when there's a player who plays for a club that the doubters don't watch regularly, and that player is said to be so and so good, there's the natural reaction of "well, let's see". The whole "unproven" doesn't base on how good he is, it's just that the majority of the people don't follow Santos regularly (especially in Europe, but also globally).
well I agree with your point in other post, I also said IF Martino playing "cool" in trusting the team quality and play them "as is" (no stupid change of position to the weakness of players) I will be very surprised if Barca would lose to Aletico in both games --Neymar----- Messi -----Cecs/Alexis/Pedro ---- Iniesta -------------Xavi ---------- ---------------A Song --------------- Alba -----------------------------Alves ---Mascherano --Busquets/Bartra --- ==================================== 1- Did you ever cross your mind the big COINCIDENCE with Neymar and Barca vs Aletico this season??? - Barca 2 Aletico 1 (liga 2013-14) W1 D1 (Neymar was not playing - unfit) - Barca 1 Aletico 2 (UCL2014) D1 L1 (Neymar was playing in his WEAK position) 2- as a "true Barca fan" , one should appreciate Neymar's love for the team, as he turned down two betetr offers from Real and Chelsea (higher salary) to come and play as 2nd fiddle for Messi at Barca So whose FAULT is that???
Barca is really in trouble ... Granada led 1-0 at 70th minutes and Barca could not find the net from their shots: Messi 5 Neymar 4 Cecs 4 Iniesta 3 ... (total team shots 27 with a possible 80% possession , up to 80 minutes) still no goals! It';s TIME for Barca stop training in exchange of passes but shooting and (clear) chance creation
care to post the 15 goals in how many games? so we can actually see the whole picture. 4 good teams? I would say the only team without a chance of winning that Cup was Tahiti. All other teams were contenders and could beat each other in the tournament. Uruguay, Italy, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria and Spain all had a shot.
Nigeria had a shot, but it was remote at best. It'd be like calling Borussia Dortmund a serious contender for the CL this season. Maybe if everything went their way. Same with Mexico, with the form they were in. Plus, Japan is a bit inexperienced on this level internationally. You knew it was probably coming down to Italy, Uruguay, Spain, or Brazil.
lol. Must be a pretty easy tournament if Japan and Mexico can win it. Although I don't know how realistic that is TBH. Just look at the history, the tournament was always won by a UEFA or CONMEBOL team except in 1999 when Mexico was a lot stronger than now and the 2 CONMEBOL teams were Bolivia and the Brazil under-23 team.
USA almost won the 2009 one, just saying.... See if the world cup gave the same number of participants to every continent, by now a team from Asia, Africa or N. America would have won it, but that's not the case. It is statistically easier for Europe to win the WC since they have so many more contenders. That's not me making something up, that's just statistics.
Borussia last year went to the CL finals, I would have gave them the same chance as this year for repeating actually. I didn't expect them to make it to the CL finals last year either. Japan is not that inexperienced, they've been on international competitions for the past 20 years, making to every WC and not being push overs.
youre right ... like Aletico this season fighting for liga title and will play in SF for UCL final - possible Japan is average 30+ in ranking - not that bad at all ... They were 4 times consecutive playing at WC level from98-2010 and will play in next WC14 They were 5 times playing in Confederation cup level 95 to last 2013 I would not call that inexperienced any more....
Yes and No. The reason I would disagree with this is because 1) no N.America or AFC team ever even came close to winning and 2) there is a big drop-off in quality once you go from USA/Mexico/Costa Rica to Jamaica/Canada/Panama. IOW, if Mexico can't even get to the quarterfinals, no chance for Jamaica to win it all. Doesn't matter if you have 10 CONCACAF teams, it wouldn't happen. PS..I guess Rep of Korea came semi-close in 2002 (although they were never going to beat Brazil), but they had home advantage. So having more AFC teams that are weaker and w/o home advantage doesn't really increase the chances of an AFC team winning. The teams you'd be adding would be no better than the Saudi team that lost 8-nil to Germany.
This .. I agree with you ... N.America, Africa, and Asian will need 25-40 more years to become "dominating Football" at WC level ...
I'm not asking you to disagree with me, statistically Europe has more chances to win every year. That's not me making something up, that's not me saying football is this or that.. that's just statistics, you can bang your head all you want against a wall and lie to yourself and say no. It is what it is. Take the number of European teams down to size as the same number of CAF, AFC, CONFACAF and CONMEBOL, you would see teams from those continents going a lot farther than currently. Europe has double the teams of the next up (CONMEBOL) +1 now lets do this give 4 teams to each continent how many times do you think Europe would make it to the finals? It wouldn't be every time. Or the opposite give Europe a substantially smaller amount of slots, they would be making to the finals even less. Here let me put it this way make it a 16 team tournament. in 2010 the 3 favorites from Each continent + host Spain - Germany - Italy Brazil - Argentina - Uruguay Japan - S. Korea - Australia Cameroon - Ivory Coast - Ghana - S. Africa Mexico - USA - Honduras Out of group Spain - Germany Brazil - Argentina - Uruguay Japan - S. Korea Ghana United States - Mexico Out of their top contenders only 1 confederation actually came out with all of them past the group stages. 2006 the 3 favorites + host ---- real tournament UEFA had 10 more slots than... S. America... Germany - Italy - England - France Brazil - Argentina - Ecuador Japan - South Korea - Australia (they weren't AFC yet but really OFC doesn't count since they have left) Ivory Coast - Ghana - Tunisia Mexico - USA - Costa Rica Out of group Germany - Italy - England - France Brazil - Argentina - Ecuador Australia Ghana Mexico Europe got all their tops through and once again so did S.America 2002 the 3 favorites + hosts France - Germany - Italy Argentina - Brazil - Paraguay Japan - S. Korea - Saudi Arabia - China Cameroon - Nigeria - Tunisia Mexico - USA - Costa Rica Out of group Germany - Italy Brazil - Paraguay Japan - S. Korea none. USA - Mexico Once again as you can see... UEFA losing their top contenders in group stage, but having other teams fill their position. So in actuality UEFA is substantially less successful than say CONMEBOL and even CONCACAF in getting their teams past group stages. Then you take the tournament and turn it into a 1 team per confederation + host + champion and you have what the confed cup gives you. Lots of upsets with the possibility of having a random team win it. Like the Olympics also. Out of 8 Confed cup where all confederations took part, only 3 have been decided by a final that's all UEFA/CONMEBOL. that's a lot of finalists from CONCACAF, CAF and AFC.