La Liga! Ay!

So, the 29th Olympic Games are over, and if we ignore the host country's questionable human rights record, we can say they were bloody brilliant. And it saddens me that the knowledge I've gleamed off sports like handball, diving, and gymnastics will now hibernate for another four summers.

And as surely as one cosmic sporting event ends, another takes its place. Except its not quite as exciting as it happens every year about 38 times, but nevertheless my favourite excuse for staying in Saturdays and Sundays is back, la Liga returns!

Its been a moderately busy summer, although in the case of Barcelona and Real Madrid perhaps not as busy as would have been expected, but here's a breakdown of the runners and riders...

Last year's champions, Real Madrid, won the league for the second year in a row, partly because of their ruthless efficiency in front of goal, partly because Barcelona were rubbish and Villarreal are a brilliant team until people realise that they're a brilliant team and start tipping them and they crumble like cheap apple pie - Villarreal are to title challenges what Sergio Garcia is to five foot putts in the last round of a major - and partly because in Iker Casillas they had the best keeper in La Liga. Madrid conceded more shots than any team in the league last year, yet conceded less goals than anyone. This tells us two things - Cannavaro is not the defender he was pre-Germany and Casillas is brilliant. It certainly wasn't because Schuster brought the free flowing football antedote of Cappello's 2006-07 vintage. The German seemed ill at ease throughout the season and it was only back in February when a summer departure seemed inevitable. But he is back, and he's bought Van der Vaart. The Dutchman is a good player, but he's likely to be no more that a rotating squad player. Make no mistake, Madrid were gunning for C.Ronaldo, and they've shot themselves in the foot by trying to move Robinho on to Chelsea at the same time. The talented Brazilian felt he was being forced out against his will, and now that Ronaldo isn't coming he feels second choice, and feels like he's being held from moving on. This is a player who's desire is questionable at the best of times, so pissing him off proably won't pay dividends. Madrid have also signed Ezequiel Garay from Racing - an undoubtedly promising centre half who we probably won't see much of this year. They still lack another striker up front - Raúl is enjoying an indian summer of sorts, and Ruud 'van Gol' is still a machine in the 18 yard box but they definitely need further support. David Villa was mentioned but looks to be staying at Valencia, Huntelaar has bags of potential and would be an ideal signing, and Zaragoza's Diego Milito has also been mentioned, but his woeful second half of the season at the relegated Aragonese side could have put most potential suitors off. Overall, they'll be title favourites, but they might get distracted by the prospect of 'la decima' - that elusive 10th European title.

Barcelona are an intriguing propsect. The strike against Rijkaard's team was that he was a good coach to have around when things went well, but that he wasn't the man when a strong foot needed to be put down. Mourinho could have been a great appointment for them - sure the football might not have been quite what they expected (but, how could a team featuring Messi, Xavi and Iniesta ever grind out boring 1-0 wins?), but he would have had a unified dressing room. It remains to be seen what happens to Eto'o, but getting Ronaldinho out can only be good for the squad. His influence on certain players is the reason Dos Santos was moved onto Spurs - while Giovanni is a great young player, he's nowhere near as good as he thinks he is. Deco will be missed more, but Iniesta is a more than capable, albeit different replacement in the centre of midfield. Too often last year the little Catalan maestro was stuck out on the wing to allow the three midfielders to play. Of their new signings the two former Sevilla players stick out - Dani Alves should be able to do what Zambrotta couldn't and merge the full back/winger rule into one position, while Keita will add more steel to the central midfielder. Alexandr "Dribbly McNoscore" Hleb was a strange signing and does exactly what Iniesta and Xavi already do, but without the threat of actually hitting a shot, while Caceres will be a decent squad player. More will be needed from Henry, but if he actually plays up front he might produce. A fit Messia and an older Bojan could rip most teams apart. If Guardiola gets it right, and the ghosts of the last two season are exorcised they could be unstoppable.

Villarreal are perhaps the most interesting of La Liga's top teams. They don't have the strength in depth to really compete on two fronts - it took them two seasons to cope with the Champions League run but on their day they are a job to watch. Pellegrini has done a fantastic job of merging experience (Pires) with young talent (Fernandes), and they should be up vying for Champions League qualification again. Ibagaza and Llorente are excellent signings from other La Liga teams and are both more than capable. Edmilson will add some experience, and should be back at his best. He's exactly the sort of player Villarreal do so well with - struggling at a big club they just need a more relaxed atmosphere to get back on track. Cáceres is a loss, and they'll also be desperate to hang on to Santi Cazorla who's been talking up a move to Madrd.

Atletico coped well with the loss of Torres to qualify for the Champions. Almost entirely because Kun Aguero emerged as a genuine world class player, and formed a lethal partnership with Diego Forlán. Their attacking was never in doubt. Atleti's problem last year was their defending was an effort worth of Shakespeare as it veered from comedy to tragedy every time the likes of Pablo had the ball. A situation unlikely to be resolved by the signing of Heitinga and Gregory Coupet. It all depends on Aguero continuing his form from last year. If he does they'll be up there again, and Kun's name wil be up there with Messi and Ronaldo.

Sevilla never recovered last year from the tragic death of Antonio Puerta. Not only did the team struggle to cope emotionally, but Puerta was a key part of their defence, and in all liklihood would have played at the Euros last summer. Losing Juande Ramos to Spurs shortly after didn't help, and its hard to see how they can come back to the stunning form they showed when they challenged for the title until the last game in 06/07. As well as losing Alves and Keita, midfield enforcer Poulsen has departed for Juve. No really big names have came in - Squillaci from Roma has probably been the biggest signing - and in all liklihood they'll struggle. They have a great strike force in Fabiano and Kanoute, although the Brazilian looked jaded and seemed desperate to move by the end of last season. A good start is key, but Champions League at a push is the best they'll get.

Racing will struggle to match last year's 6th place. They've lost the brilliant coach of Marcelino who took a team predicted to get relegated to Europe a season after he took Recre to the top half of the league, giving them two consecutive seasons at the top table for the first ever time, and beating Madrid 3-0 at the Bernabéu. They're also lost Garay, and its unlikely that history will repeat itself. A return to midtable mediocrity beckons.

To be continued...

McCommunism

I thought about doing something in relation to China and the Olympic Games, but Naomi Klein writes far more intelligently than I ever could here.

I'm quite conflicted. On one hand I love my sport and the Olympics is the pinnacle of that. For two weeks I'm glued to the big events like athletics, but I also develop a passion for others - track cycling (where the GB team should sweep the board), rowing, canoeing... You name it, hell even they gymnastics can be pretty interesting (when they're vaulting, not dancing). Everything apart from dressage. Which is clearly not a sport.

But they're in China. A country which takes the worst of authoritarian totalitarianism and capitalist consumerism. Its a insult to describe their human rights record as questionable. Its a moral disgrace. Its perhaps going over the top to invoke the 1936 Berlin Olympics, but its certainly not going too far to say this is the biggest Olympic propaganda exercise since. China is the new kid on the block - the debutante. The IOC may have said at the time the Olympics would put China under international pressure to change its ways, but we all know that's not going to happen. They're a disgrace.

Its not fair to put pressure on the athletes to boycott or protest. But if any do they'll have my support.

I wish someone would damage me existentially...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/aug/05/internazionale.napoli?gusrc=rss&feed=football

the world, clearly, has gone crazy.

next time someone makes a disparaging mark about my hometown, their ass will be in court so quick that they'll be in contempt. or something.