Marcelo: I consider myself the best full-back in the world

Defensively he only defends properly when we play a big team. Just look at Betis' goal today. Dude has absolutely no care in the world. The environment he is in has allowed for that I suppose. Only Mou had a problem with his defending. The rest seem to not care

i just dont think you any manager can really afford to have a problem with attacking full backs seeing as there is very if any left backs that defend properly.. or that outweighs the benfits an attacking fullback offers these days

That I agree with. I feel that if your fullback is so good at attacking, him being "not the best" defender should be accepted for something that works better for the team. We have always had a CDM who's most important job is covering for Marcelo. Kroos struggles in that regard because he is no CDM and finds it hard to play that role. I would understand the criticism if both fullbacks went gung-ho attacking wise but if one is solid at the back then the other should be afforded the freedom if he does something productive with it.

Yes and no Hala...  I think there's a minimum for a fullback both defensively and offensively.  That's my big criticism of Marcelo:  He's wonderful on the attack but he's completely absent on defense.  I don't even mention it anymore because he's NEVER there on defense anymore.

At least get in the way ffs so you slow down the guys.  As it stands, the left side of our defense gets blitzed without even the trace of resistance and our CBs are pretty much forced to cover 3 positions since Casemiro is out too.

The best we can hope for is that we can control the games like we did yesterday until Casemiro comes back.  It's our only chance at consistent success imo... but it won't happen.  Atleti, for example, is just going to rape us.

I don't think there is a fullback out there who is the complete package Sport. You obviously have the likes of Carvajal who are excellent defenders but just "good" attackers and the likes of Alaba who are decent defenders and good attackers and then you have the likes of Marcelo, Brazilian fullbacks in general, Alba and Bellerin who are either excellent or extremely good offensively but leave alot to be desired defensively. Don't get me wrong I love Carvajal but I just feel Marcelo owns his flank, he is the first outlet for our midfielders and defenders because of how dangerous he is.

Not even the complete package... I'd take Jordi Alba level of defending from Marcelo

I don't think he is terrible at defending, I think he is just competent.

For Milan I would take Filipe Luis in my team over Brazil but for Brazil I would pick Marcelo because his partnership with Neymar is great.

Alba is even worse. Teams attack both of them because they are their respective team's weakest link. But Alba lol even I feel embarrassed for him. Marcelo isn't there yet thank God lol

I liked Coentrao in the big games over Marcelo when we had Özil and ADM because I thought him attacking was abit unneeded with the amount of creativity we already had and Mou/Carlo agreed with me. Now however Marcelo is the creativity lol without him we looked so bereft of ideas it starts to become annoying

Mediocre winger IMO

But I would choose a LB version of Carvajal over Marcelo any day. That balance between defense and attack is extremely rare, and if you could get hold of one with those qualities, you better not let them go.

If you have time, I would like you to watch the Betis goal and see the difference between Carvajal's reflexes and Marcelo's.

When the ball was intercepted by Betis, Carvajal immediately ran back while Marcelo was basically jogging.


Marcelo is great offensively, probably the best in the world, but his defensive flaws will always cast a shadow over him and will refrain him from being complete.

You know why i''m so almost illogically annoyed with Marcelo's defending? He doesn't give a crap... he literally could care less. If he was just plain bad at it, it would be one thing. But he can't be bothered. I've seen him defend well. He did it for the first few months last season. Once you show something... you can't say it never happened.

He can defend. Decently enough at least.

But yeah, he does not put in too much effort. In a smaller team with less dominance, he'd really be exposed. Luckily, he's in Madrid with some good CBs and a world class midfield to cover for him.

In his defense, he has played a lot on Cristiano Ronaldo's flank, which means he doesn't exactly get top coverage and there are usually wide open spaces left for opposing wingers to expose.

Top "complete" LBs nowadays are Alaba and maybe Alex Sandro. I'd give a shout to Evra as well, even if his legs are leaving him.

Hapless_Hans wrote:Mediocre winger IMO

Holy shit that avatar

Wait hang on is Myesyats Dnmac? I am pretty sure dnmac used to have that avatar. But then again Myesyats doesn't write essays so it can't be dnmac. Who the hell is this rip-off RG get on it asap

Myesyats is Linetty I think.

Can't people keep the same username around here? It's hard for us casual posters to keep track.

Also I think the criticism for Marcelo's defending is over blown a bit.

Clearly he's not the best defensively, but the way people talk about him as if he is the all time worst defender.

I see double the mental/positional lapses from Pepe and Ramos than I do Marcelo. And when you compare him defensively to the other LBs of this era- who is he worse than? Alaba, and I can't think of anyone else

Alex Sandro

Filipe Luis.

Filipe Luis isnt even good. Put good wingers on him and he is toast

halamadrid2 wrote:Filipe Luis isnt even good. Put good wingers on him and he is toast

If Filipe Luis is toast against good wingers then Marcelo is roasted marshmallow.

Felipe>>>Alaba>>>Marcelo

rincon wrote:Myesyats is Linetty I think.

Nah myesyats is myesyats

M99 wrote:

halamadrid2 wrote:Filipe Luis isnt even good. Put good wingers on him and he is toast

If Filipe Luis is toast against good wingers then Marcelo is roasted marshmallow.

The only thing he has over Marcelo is better support. Nobody denies Marcelo struggles against good out and out wingers but Marcelo defends that flank by himself. Luis has a winger and a forward by his side yet still struggles when facing tricky wingers. Anyone knows the way to beat Atleti is by targeting their poor fullbacks

Insane footballer who is going down as one of the best ever in his position