Illarramendi hype

Yeah I heard Koke too, I really dont see it.

Actually when I think of it, I dont think people realise how rare it is for 2 players to be alike.

Like literally, how many players "play like" someone else?

I think Aguero plays a bit like Romario used to...it feels like I seen Falcao in someone before....Iniesta and Zidane have some similarities in style I guess..but yeah, its not common for players to be like someone else.

I agree with rebs, Vela has probably been their best attacking player. It's between him and Xabi Prieto in terms of overall best player. But La Real are more about the team effort than they are about individual talents.

Whenever I see La Real, its Xabi Prieto who to me is their best and most important player and pretty convincingly.

The Franchise wrote:Yeah I heard Koke too, I really dont see it.

Actually when I think of it, I dont think people realise how rare it is for 2 players to be alike.

Like literally, how many players "play like" someone else?

I think Aguero plays a bit like Romario used to...it feels like I seen Falcao in someone before....Iniesta and Zidane have some similarities in style I guess..but yeah, its not common for players to be like someone else.

From my experience, spanish journalists are a bit more cultivated football speaking than your average pundit in england. At least journalists that are familiar with the intricacies of spanish football.

if Someone reads the quotes i posted in the first page, without reading the full article from Ball, wont actually understand what he meant when saying that Illarramendi can be an adequate replacement to Xabi.

He is talking about the pure football intelligence, rightness of play, picking the right move, finding space in pockets of players, choosing when to play short and long etc... decision making essentially.

So when they compare Illarra to those guys, i understand that's what they are looking at. People will directly start comparing whether he can dribble like Xavi, if he is as short, if he can tiki taka and what not.

No 2 players can indeed be alike, but those guys understand that, or at least i assumme they do

edit: dont think Illarra is their best player, i said he is their most influential midfielder, as in Xabi for madrid for example.

So you only saw him vs RM Daniel

Dat hattrick Is deceiving everyone ffs

Prieto has done well in a few games but I don't think he's anywhere near the best this season. I would put both Martinez's and Gonzales ahead of him.

Rebaño Sagrado wrote:So you only saw him vs RM Daniel

Dat hattrick Is deceiving everyone ffs

Prieto has done well in a few games but I don't think he's anywhere near the best this season. I would put both Martinez's and Gonzales ahead of him.

Yeah, I mean I decieded to skip out the game vs Barca too.....come on now.

He was very good vs us also.

As I said in my first post in this thread, I have not seen them as much as their season deserves. However, clearly what im saying is not outragous, because Arq thinks Prieto has been not just their best player, but one of La Ligas.

Also, what are the chances that in the few games I have seen (about 8 ) that Prieto was just good in those and wasnt in all the ones I missed. Seems far fetched, though not impossible.

Mr Nick09 wrote:

The Franchise wrote:Yeah I heard Koke too, I really dont see it.

Actually when I think of it, I dont think people realise how rare it is for 2 players to be alike.

Like literally, how many players "play like" someone else?

I think Aguero plays a bit like Romario used to...it feels like I seen Falcao in someone before....Iniesta and Zidane have some similarities in style I guess..but yeah, its not common for players to be like someone else.

From my experience, spanish journalists are a bit more cultivated football speaking than your average pundit in england. At least journalists that a familiar with the intricacies of spanish football.

Someone to read the quotes i posted in the first page, without reading the full article from Ball, wont actually understand what he meant when saying that Illarramendi can be an adequate replacement to Xabi.

He is talking about the pure football intelligence, rightness of play, picking the right move, finding space in pockets of players, choosing when to play short and long etc... decision making essentially.

So when they compare Illarra to those guys, i understand that's what they are looking at. People will directly start comparing whether he can dribble like Xavi, if he is as short, if he can tiki taka and what not.

No 2 players can indeed be alike, but those guys understand that, or at least i assumme they do

edit: dont think Illarra is their best player, i said he is their most influential midfielder, as in Xabi for madrid for example.

Yeah, its important to seperate those two things. Makes sense.

Agree on that nick because Illarra is the only one in the midfield that has his name ingraived in the starting xi

Dani arq has been using to much ofthe baby powder I sent him..

football IQ is off the chart 

This guy is the real heir of Alonso always wanted him for our team. Hope we get him

His passing is what has impressed me in the u21 tourney

Illaramendi has been impressive, however I'm not sure how he'd do alongside Modric/Gundogan. We might need someone a bit more physical and taller, unfortunately.

Depends on the system tbh.  He can't play in a 2 mid system because he's too small physically... put him in a 3 man mid and he's a beast.

A 3 man mid would probably suit Modric better too.

he was playing on his own in the first two games. and has played in a two man mid for la real

his style is a carbon copy of alonso both are basques.......what are we waiting for

We might just need a bit of height too, considering Casillas, Carvajal, Ramos, Marcelo, Modric/Gundogan aren't the tallest.

Sociedad don't play a 2 man mid and neither does Spain NT... none of the Spain NTs do.  All Spain teams play the same 433 tiki taka system.

At Sociedad, he plays with Bergara and Prieto in the mid.

You talk alot of bollocks. He clearly plays in a 2 man midfield with Isco or Prieto the #10's.

Even I know that and I haven't seen more than 10 games of him.

Gil... why don't you go and look at the Sociedad match lineups and count the midfielders

Are we linked with this guy? Don't know anything about him lol..

Gil wrote:Even I know that and I haven't seen more than 10 games of him.

sportsczy wrote:Gil... why don't you go and look at the Sociedad match lineups and count the midfielders

LeGladiator wrote:Are we linked with this guy? Don't know anything about him lol..

GL.

i agree with Gil here, Sociedad consistently play a two man midfield with Prieto floating ahead of them. Espana as well, the basis of VDB team is the double pivot Xabi-Busquets. Xavi plays like a classic n10, moves deep in the midfield to create superiority at will, move back forward to direct the play etc...

Actually Sports Gil is right to an extent. 

Under Montanier, La Real played closer to a 4-2-1-3 than a 4-3-3. 

Within the 2 man midfield, majority of the games were seen to employ Master Illarra with Bergara or then Zurutuza rotating between both of them. 

Xabi Preito, the spark of the team has recently been converted this year into a #10 role in a typical basque sortzailea role which may look unorthodox since he combines with the midfielders behind him very often.

it's the Spanish 4213 where the lines play a lot closer to each other and the AM also falls in CM positions very often.  You also have the defense play a high line to help support the team going forward.

This is very different from the more traditional gaps that a team like Madrid plays for example.  The defense doesn't play a high line and the forwards do not provide buildup support unless they are forced to.  The midfielders are reponsible for a ton a more area on the pitch.

To me, it's just a modified 433 in a total footy scheme where one of the CMs plays a bit more advanced than the others.

And btw, until very recently, Spain played with Busquets-Alonso-Xavi midfield.

Arq, how does Illarra compares to Thiago for u?

Mr Nick09 wrote:Arq, how does Illarra compares to Thiago for u?

completely different players

if you want an image of them both. Thiago is a less sound on the defence Modric. They hold the ball far too long like eachother. While Illaramendi is an Alonso who stays with the CBs and spreads play. His passing accuracy is very similar to Alonso as well but he is faster, as smart and joins attack once in a while. Aka our ideal Alonso replacement.

PS: his idol is Alonso as well