Double your Treble, Double Your Fun: The 2015-16 Season Thread, Part One

Nice little Neymar compilation from the current season 3+ minutes to Hella Straight song (hip hop):

 

via barcastuff on twitter and following up on last week when Neymar joined Messi as first ever DUO doing this for Barca, well now we have a TRIO (and the Trio might be the first time ever in La Liga but stats are hard to come by), hopefully more to come: Messi (41), Neymar (33) and Suarez (32) are first trio to each score 30+ Barcelona goals in single calendar year #fcblive [via @messistat]

 

I don't know about any of you, but I am enjoying this Lucho era immensely. The team is so exciting, either in a good or bad way. I like the fact that you never know what will happen. The best parts are the counterattacking ability and the fact that we can actually play well without Messi (which is one trait this era has over the Pep era).

Also, after the first year of the Pep era, everyone just sat back all the time, so it was one-way traffic, and it was 90 minutes of sideway passing, backwards passing for entire matches (sometimes). That's how dominant the team was. Of course, I enjoyed watching how we would eventually (or not) break teams down, but this is something else.

This club has it's flaws, that's why other teams are having a go at it, and it's making for more of a entertaining spectacle.

 

I posted this somewhere else, maybe a game thread, after Neymar joined Messi as the first two Barca players to reach this feat. Kind of amazing that Barca has never had 2 players get 30 goals in a single calendar year before and now we have 3 in October.

Frankly, I prefer season long stats over calendar year ones. Last season Messi finished with 58 (+27 assists), Neymar with 39 (+7), and Suarez with 25 (+21 and he likely would have had 30 but for the 4 month suspension). Hopefully this season they can each get 30.

Of course all I really care about is winning games and titles and playing attractive football but this trident is pretty ridiculous and easy to get caught up in crazy stats.

 

16 person squad (vs Villanovense): Ter Stegen, Masip, Alves, Douglas, Bartra, Vermaelen, Mathieu, Adriano, Alba, Samper, Gumbau, Rakitic, Kaptoum, Aitor, Munir, Sandro

MAtS
Douglas-Bartra-Verm-Adriano
Kaptoum-Gumbau-Samper
Aitor-Sandro-Munir

I believe we need to have 7 first teamers on the pitch at once so this would be the minimum. Literally we only have one first team midfielder (Rakitic) on this squad and he needs rest more than anyone else named to this squad (well Alba and Alves can probably use the rest too), so let's hopefully see what an all Barca B midfield can do. Also excited to see Sandro play more centrally in the Suarez role which I think suits him better than playing winger.

 

OCTOBER 2015
Wed 28: Copa-4R1 (A) Villanovense
Sat 31: Liga J10 (H) Getafe

NOVEMBER 2015
Wed 4: UCL-M4 (H) BATE Borisov
Sun 8: Liga J11 (A) Villarreal
weekend 12-14: FIFA calendar
midweek 15-18: FIFA calendar
Sat 21: Liga J12 (A) Real Madrid
Tue 24: UCL-M5 (H) AS Roma
Sat 28: Liga J13 (H) Real Sociedad

 

laliga suspension doesn't count in Copa matches, or do they? that always confuses me. doesn't it count in both if it was a straight red or something?

 

SPORT only lists the Liga matches as those he'll miss.
But yeah, it's a bit of a double standerd. A direct red card in Copa earns a suspension for the next domestic match, Liga or Copa. But a direct red suspension in Liga is only imposed on Liga matches, not Copa.
That could would change, however, if the upcoming Copa match is against LPB.

 

Glad it is shorter than Pique's 4 gamer at least, hopefully Iniesta and/or Sergi Roberto will be ready to play in one or both of those games, especially away at Villarreal. Without Iniesta, Sergi Roberto, and Rafinha our best midfield trio includes Masch (with Rakitic and Busquets).

Yikes, I like Snoop in Barca gear (even though he wears everyone's jersey), but I don't like to see Chris Brown in a Barca jersey:

 

One way to fix our leaking defence is to not get key players suspended for being stupid/unfocused. Injuries and "unavoidable" occasional suspensions are enough.

 

the stats are insane. we're obviously used to Messi's stupid numbers, but for Neymar to hit 39 and Suarez 25 goals AND 21 assists in a truncated season for him is mind-boggling. 122 goals and 55 assists between 3 players...we won't see this kind of thing again in a looooong time, if at all.

we know Messi will do it blindfolded even if he doesn't return till February, but as long as the other two stay fit, then all three will sail past 30 goals each this season.

 

Nobody lived up to what was expected. Or, perhaps, unfortunately they did. Because the reality is that the Barcelona squad is sad. Luis Enrique has 11 starters, two or three reliable subs, and nothing else. The rest serve to fill the bench and the luxurious locker room at the Camp Nou. It's what happens when you put your bet in the hands of Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez. http://www.sport-english.com/en/new...eserves-can-only-serve-fill-the-bench-4627321

And Lord Douglas is out again, 8 weeks.

 

Mascherano has pleaded guilty to tax evasion:

A spokesman for Mascherano told Argentine news agency Telam: "The defendant acknowledged the facts and his responsibility for tax evasion."

Claims in the Spanish press said that Mascherano has already paid €1.5m to the tax office with a further €200,000 in interest, and it is thought that by pleading guilty he will avoid a prison sentence.

 

Rafinha renewed. Until 2020, buy-out 75M.

Good stuff.

 

Sport is reporting that Messi's recovery is a little behind schedule so he will likely not play in El Clasico.

 

Latest from Sid Lowe of the Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2015/nov/02/neymar-luis-suarez-barcelona-messi

Only Gilmango probably likes these, but everyone should give a read since it is Barca-centric this week.

 

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While a few matches is only a so significant sample, it is at least a hint that whatever we've been trying to sort out the defence might be starting to work a bit. Great work.

 

great work indeed. i think Lucho deserves a lot of credit at this point.
a month or two ago i really would not have expected us to have a four point lead at the top of the league going into the Classico. with the transfer ban + all the injuries + defensive difficulties early on, i was really bracing myself for the worst. but the team is really rallying together and they played a really solid game today against a good team.

 

Well only a 3 point gap over Real, 4 over Atletico. But agreed, credit to Lucho and the team for tightening up the D and managing the injuries. Biggest concern is that compared to last year we have more players without as much rest and rotation. But I believe only one goal against us in the last 6 games (3 Liga (with the 1 scored), 1 CdR, and 2 CLs albeit vs. BATE). And the scoring by these two who, beyond the Rakitic brace have scored all but 1 of the last 20 goals or so. Here's a cool compilation I found on Barcastuff of all 26 goals each of Neymar and Suarez has scored so far this season:

 

Of course he wants Messi healthy for Argentina but he may well have a point:
The presence of Lionel Messi in the Clasico continues to be a huge doubt - and he has now been warned against playing against Real Madrid by the Argentina team doctor. In quotes to Cadena SER, Homero De Agostina says the 28-year-old would be taking a big gamble if he decided to turn out at the Santiago Bernabeu next Saturday.
He said: “The risk of a relapse if Messi plays the Clasico is elevated.” http://www.sport-english.com/en/news/barca/messi-warned-dont-risk-clasico-comeback-4662074

Better news re Rakitic's chances, though with Masch available again and Roberto playing well even at AM of late, there is less of a drop off between Rakitic and his replacement (versus the drop off from Messi to our 3rd forward):

Everyone is looking at Lonel Messi’s movements to see if he will be ready for the Clasico, but there’s another Barcelona player also fighting against the clock to be ready for Real Madrid - Ivan Rakitic. In the Croatian midfielder’s case, it now seems he has a good chance of being ready for the encounter at Camp Nou. It’s good news for Luis Enrique after Rakitic limped off against BATE in the Champions League last week with a calf injury. http://www.sport-english.com/en/news/barca/rakitic-could-fit-for-the-clasico-next-weekend-4662214

Finally German tridents for the win: http://www.sport-english.com/en/new...ut-fiasco-for-bbc-currently-free-fall-4662408

 

Calendar year totals, once you add the assists the trident is truly incredible: Most goals+assists in 2015: Messi 68 - Ronaldo 57 - Suarez 56 - Neymar 53 - Ibrahimovic 49 - Aubameyang 48

Here it is with just goals (still impressive for the trident): Most goals in 2015: Messi 45 - Ronaldo 45 - Lewandowski 43 - Neymar 42 - Aubameyang 41 - Ibrahimovic 35 - Suarez 34

both from barcastuff on twitter crediting barcastat