Real Madrid vs Espanyol discussion.

Sunday 16th December.


Past 2 meetings:

Home - 4th March 2012: Real Madrid 5-0 Espanyol

Away - 2nd October 2011: Espanyol 0-4 Real Madrid



Injuries/Suspensions:

Real Madrid - Albiol, Varane, Higuain and Marcelo.
Espanyol - No injuries/suspensions.


Espanyol last 3 league results:

Espanyol 2-2 Sevilla
Granda 0-0 Espanyol
Espanyol 0-2 Getafe


Espanyol current league position: 19th.

1. Barcelona - 43 points
2. Atletico Madrid - 37 points
3. Real Madrid - 32 points
4. Malaga - 28 points
----------------------------------
19. Espanyol - 11 points

Goalkeepers: Casillas, Adán and Jesús.
Defenders: Ramos, Pepe, Carvalho, Arbeloa, Coentrão and Nacho.
Midfielders: Xabi Alonso, Khedira, Özil, Essien, Modric, Callejón, Di María and Kaká.
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema and Morata.

Players not called Varane, Marcelo and Higuaín (all injured)

Casillas, Pepe, Sergio Ramos, Coentrão, Khedira, Ronaldo, Özil, Xabi Alonso, Arbeloa, Modric y Callejón

Bench: Adán, Kaká, Carvalho, Essien, Di María, Nacho y Morata

Di Maria not starting.

i got a report that says di maria is starting.

this is the line up i got

iker; arbeloa, pepe, ramos, coentrao; khedira, alonso; di maria, ozil, callejon; ronaldo

Marca saying Di Maria isn't starting.

he has not started.

and the team has been looking good, albeit 12 minutes

the team is controlling the ball well.

no wild runs or passes, wonder why

i wonder if di maria got the bench seat because of his attitude in the last match

arbeloa is so annoying at times.

he is running in field like he is an attacking midfielder, running up the wing into the box knowing he hasnt got the pace to track back. then is clueless with the ball or just doesnt have the skill to do what he wants to do.

he should just stay back and defend cause he isnt contributed in attack.

he is always out of position

Our offside trap completely failed there...though Modric should not have lost the ball.

Also. C'mon Ronaldo

1-1 Ronaldo

We needed that.

Edit: Not sure if it should have counted, studs up and high. But I'l take it.

literally last second goal

i like modric apart from some ball loses, he was unlucky when he hit the post.

i expect a better second half and more goals from ronaldo

Coentrao

Portugal

If Di Maria really took up the bench role, he would literally be the perfect supersub.

Ramos

i dont know what to say

As usual crappy set piece defending..

Ramos

Sooner the clown gets benched the better, preferrdly for Varane.

We're so shat it's unbelievable.

This is heart breaking. I did n't watch. Looks like usual problems - Wasteful upfront and hopeless set piece defending. Can anyone summarize?

The league is pretty much over, I hope Mourinho gives the fringe players more of a chance now and refocus all our energies on the Champions League.

The match was pretty much one sided, Madrid after going down huffed and puffed for the equaliser which came right at the death of the first half.

The team dominated in the second half and created a lot of chances with the wood work and Casilla preventing the game from being done and buried. In the end we were undone by a corner which Ramos failed to clear properly.

Time to dust ourselves, I hope Varane starts ahead of Ramos, Varane is Madrid's future, Morata should be given more playing time, and Di Maria should get more bench time until he begins to use his head. Mourinho and the team would have to go back to the basis of defending set-pieces, is hard to win matches when you give away cheap goals.

Can I ask you guys a question on your backline?
Would this formation :
Coentrao-----Pepe-------Varane------Ramos
------------------Casillas----------
work more in your favor then compared to todays lineup?

Any formation without Ramos would be better, I'd play Varane as direct replacement for Ramos, I believe over the course of the season Mourinho would ease Ramos out of the first team, if Mourinho stays next season Ramos would definitely be out of the team.

He seem to have a mind of his own he spent half the time in the attacking third when Real was leading 2 -1 instead of sticking to his defensive duties, he's grown wings and Mourinho needs to clip them no matter what the Spanish media says.

I'd play this eleven in Madrid's next match

Casillas
Arbeloa - Varane - Pepe - Coentrao
Khedira - Alonso
Callejon - Ozil - Ronaldo
Benzema

Subs: Adan, Ramos, Carvalho, Modric, Morata, Kaka, Di Maria