Champions League: Real Madrid vs Manchester United discussion

We could have won handedly but we could have lost. Happy with the draw because now things are clear for us.

We score the first goal at OT and I think it's in the bag.

I hope in the second leg we don't fell to their trap again. we should give them the ball and let them attack us so we can counter attack them. there's no way we can open up ptb defenses.

If Real Madrid is to get anything from the second leg the other players besides Ronaldo must really step up their game. Ronaldo was double and triple marked all game, which meant that players like Di Maria, Ozil and Benzema/Higgy would see more of the ball. They're not showing enough mental toughness.

Our next matches are Rayo, Deportivo, Barca, Barca, United, we need to start prioritizing if the season is to end in success. Kaka, Marcelo, Callejon and Pepe should be given matches to justify their inclusion in the tough matches remaining.

I thought Di Maria and Ozil did great, especially in the 1st half, they were causing a lot of trouble to United, despite the finishing was lacking, but it was expected so I wouldn't be disappointed if Ozil didn't take a shot opportunity and opted to pass or if Di Maria repeatedly attempted saveable strikes.
Neither Benzema or Higuain really showed anything though, but I don't think it's mental toughness, they both were just out of form. They were the weak link in attack tonight.

Have to say Coentrao was excellent from start to finish, the most consistent performer in this match.

I thought Ozil was wasteful.
He would be indecisive with the ball, never shoot, and would get knocked off the ball quite often.

Not up to his standard.

Di Maria shut me up. I was glad he did. He had a solid game and was a big threat and hustled 100% of the time.


Benzema
He was sleeping. At times it was like having another midfielder playing up top.

Higuian coming on didnt change much considering both team were both looking to maintain the score and only attack when needed.

I'm thinking with the form the two strikers are in, it would be better to play Kaka ahead of both with Ronaldo as CF, we should at least experiment it against Rayo. I just don't trust Benz and Higgy anymore, it's as if they're competing for whose more sh**. They need to find some for if we're to win anything from now to the end of the season. Di Maria made good use of the rest he got, he was brilliant today.

we have two great strikers, but what people want is a striker who can score goals from nothing.

we dont have a striker who has that individual brilliance. who can score goals from anywhere in the box. like a van nistlelrooy or has the genuis of a ronaldo - el phenomenon.

higuain will most definitely start the away game, but ronaldo needs to play on wing, running at rafael. ozil and ronaldo torn him apart in the first half just running at him.

ppl have to remember when you play with one man on top, it really easy for him to get pulled back into the midfield trying to get the ball or just get marked out of the game. but this can also create space for other players to get chances at goal.

Benzema didn't really have any space vs Man Utd to do anything. Nor did Higuain.

Mourinho *bleep* up by subbing off Di Maria... That prolly cost us the game cuz he was creating chances left n right.

Maria would have been ineffective late in the game as United's formation became more narrow. As well as the fact that he dribbles into Ronaldo's & Higi's space coming in from the left clogging up the centre of the pitch. The fact that United had started to launch counter attacks from his position gave Mou cause for concern.

I didn't get the Benz sub though, he wasn't having a bad game due to fault of his own, he was pretty isolated and was still coming in deep to help spread play. Bringing on Higi was going to make playing through the defense that much harder, not to mention Higi wouldn't be able to run in behind because there is literally no space inbehind when a team sits deep, with limited passing lanes through the middle as well.

I don't think Mou made a tactical error coming into this game, the goal that came from the corner was against the run of play and crucially it was the first goal of the game and a psychological blow as well. I thought Real was very poor keeping their composure when snuffing out counter attacks.

wow, it seems like Ronaldo is carrying the whole forward on his shoulders! it's not how it's supposed to be!!!!!!!

until when will he bail us out in every major game? this is simply UNACCEPTABLE from benzema and higuain!! it is true that due to the parking of the bus by United they didn't have to receive ball and have space to make the runs,,, but Benzema at very least could have contributed by moving into channels and making space?

he had no shots, even coentrao was more of a threat that benz and hig!

Cris was motm for me. Not that he had an overly impressive performance, but many of our players were streaky today. Actually Lopez impressed me a couple times, keeper with a head on his shoulders.

ok now that I have calmed down........

first half I thought we created alot of oppurtunities to score united played open until their goal and it didn't surprise me that benz didn't do any runs. he never does tbh playing callegoat (who was a monster vs dortmund as a striker) or higgy from start could have given us more chances than we got. ozil should learn how to shoot pls practice them twice he was teed up 1v1 and opted for an "assist" I get he might not be confident with shooting but just try it god damn it just blast it hoping it can go in. DiMaria was without argument our best player however I noticed him go into the middle or left everytime he got tbe ball maybe he wanted that switch the other guys weren't prepared for. incidentally arbeloa had nobody to pass to whenever he got the ball. but I dont blame dimaria even he is distancing himself away from mraverage. if only dimarias shots werent way ward degea wouldn't have saved any of them he didn't even move because how fast the ball went. There were soooooooo many times space opened up shot oppurtunities for our team I lost count and only dimaria took them the others opted for 1-2s that united easily dealt with.

as for the second half it was full on ptb by united literally rvp strolled around not doing anything and you could see roonays frustration. wfor the majority of times we only played with two defenders with created oppurtunities for united to counter which they did a couple of times. rvp or giggs could have killed the tie so we were a tad lucky there. there was nonwidth in the second half eitherlike nobody running at rafael after his yellow like wtf. evra was spared since arbeloa is clueless. I suspect this is how they would play in the second leg and godness gracious our set piece defending how many of the goals we have conceded this season have been from set pieces ? like 70% or something? I wonder did mou subb dimaria because he wanted us to do sideways passing rather than gonfor another goal? I saw higgy and ronaldo make runs into very open space which was ignored by khedira, ozil and modric it was really frustrating. also ozil is getting on my nerves with his falling down easily he doesn't even get the calls in whistle happy laliga forget CL ffs. dimaria stayed on his feet I wonder what stopped ozil. so player ratings:

Lopez 6.5: looked really susceptible on crosses and set pieces seems he wasn't an improvement from iker on these after all

Arbeloa 1: for coming on time to the game. there really isn't a word in the dictionary that could describe this guy. Carvajal couldn't come soon enough. play essien for the duration of the season. I hate really DESPISE his off the ball thuggery one day we are going to pay for his stupidity

Varane 8: looked incredibly composed however was a tad lucky not to see red when evra was through

Ramos 6: The only thing that was asked from this guy was to win headers whenever united hoofed it or on set pieces nothing more nothing less and he failed on all of them. poor game

Cacktrao 7: he wasn't really troubled and when did attack that win they created their best chance also in the second half when united parked the bus he didn't offer any help whatsoever to open them up. an obese marcelo would have the guy couldn't get back soon enough. cacktrao can play on the right or on the bench for all I care l. these couple of games has really showed who the most important player in our team is bar a couple

Khedira 7: swept up in the middle but didn't offer much offensively when we really needed it.

Xabi 7: again very good in the middle his ball to ozil anyone else wish it was ronaldo at the end of it?

DiMaria 8.5 MOTM no question about that. if only his shots were within the frame he would 100% have scored I doubt degea even saw the ball until the madrid players ran back

Ozil 8: second best player imho but I have seen him better gotta stop the sideways passing tho. it really irks me when he does it

Ronaldo 8: if he had scored the winner he would have gotten a 10 despite being marked by two he was able to actually get shots and headers off. he was a little invisible in the second. thats when the others should have stepped up........................

Benz 2: for winning a couple of headers....... he really needs to get his head out of his fcking arse

subs

Modric:4 what exactly did he do bar the last min cross to ronaldo? what was even his job? I really don't get this sub. did mou want to lreserve the lead oh crap I mean the scoreline

Epep 6: didn't understand this one either but judging frlm mous presser xabi was really tired so I understand it alot more now

Higuain 3: comes on to make runs......moves to the wing.. but I don't blame him with mou subbing dimaria there was no width whatsoever...he SHOULD start next leg. if he doesn't mou has really lost it

Mou 5: really expected better from him. Didn't even call up callegoat who could have been subbed in over epep and made the runs he always does. subbs out dimaria when he had been our best player in favour of preserving a lead rather than get the winner. still hasn't tought our team how to defend set pieces. still plays arbeloa. whar a coward


if united play like they did in the second half we really have very limited chances to go through. they only need to get ONE set pieces to score while we need to score in open play. hope to god dimaria plays like he did last night and essien starts over arbeloa and higgy for benz

coentrao was motm

Just watched the United goal again and Di Maria must take some blame, he was on the post but decided at the last minute to move to the centre, could have cleared the ball if he had remained there.

On another note, the corner deliveries from Real Madrid were very poor, most of them failed to get past the first United defender, De Gea's weakness is crosses and we barely exposed him yesterday.

looking at that gif again the blame is on 3 players tbh. ramos for losing welbeck, lopez for doing a degea and dimaria for not staying at the post. in Mous presser you could sense he was blaming ramos solely fkr that goal.

@bt. I agree our corners don't trouble a single team bar barca. higgy usually stays at the far post I saw a couple of bwlls that escaped everyone and landed at the far post with no madrid players there.

also I find it abit hypocritical that mou blamed united for parking a camp in their box. he tried to make us into that team but failed.

an early goal in the second leg is going to be vital. just need to play calm and pounce on our chances. 3 weeks is just so far away tho.

im actually very optimistic, for me a goalless draw is out of the question, it aint happening...
what is good is that i dont think the away ground will affect us much, just like camp nou doesnt or any other
in combination with the fact that if we score 1, they need to score 2..
we score 2, they need to score 3... and it keeps going..

the only problem i see is both classicos before and after the game which will have a big impact on the players performances as well as the way the game will be approached

we should play a b team in the league clasico in fact I am sure we will mou wont risk anything for this game. also isnt the copa clasico like in two weeks or something? if we manage to score two goals thatd be awesome but we couldn't even do it at home how are we going to do it away. besides I am sure the united players wil go down at every opportunity to win set pieces they seem to be the escape route for most teams this season. our away form is crap as well oh well.

I'm surprised of how little frack Ramos has gotten so far

Ramos does this week in and week out Mistake after mistake, and it keeps costing us titles and chances

When is he finally going to get some shit for all the mistakes he keeps making? He honestly doesn't even deserve to start anymore, I feel more secure with Albiol in the defense instead of Ramos honestly

He's Spanish and deputy captain, he could get away with murder, he too rash and he's even added a bit of play acting to his game, his face clutching when Van Persie accidentally palmed his face was just

Se7en wrote:I'm surprised of how little frack Ramos has gotten so far

Ramos does this week in and week out Mistake after mistake, and it keeps costing us titles and chances

When is he finally going to get some shit for all the mistakes he keeps making? He honestly doesn't even deserve to start anymore, I feel more secure with Albiol in the defense instead of Ramos honestly

He was pretty bad tbh. Pepe is still our best CB really. Ramos can definitely play better though.

buddytaller wrote:He's Spanish and deputy captain, he could get away with murder, he too rash and he's even added a bit of play acting to his game, his face clutching when Van Persie accidentally palmed his face was just

That was some Biscuits level shit. He needs to stop pretending to be a leader and actually be one.

halamadrid2 wrote:looking at that gif again the blame is on 3 players tbh. ramos for losing welbeck, lopez for doing a degea and dimaria for not staying at the post. in Mous presser you could sense he was blaming ramos solely fkr that goal.

The goal doesn't happen if Ramos marks Welbeck properly imo. This isn't the first time Ramos acts like a girl in set pieces either.

altho I agree with you the amount of bodies in the box makes it hard to track players. thats probably why pepe and ramos constantly switch markers. also one fails the other bails out and you have to wonder why lopez went that far out before backing, dimaria prbably would not have left his post then. it was one set piece out of the dozens or so united got so he made up for it with marking in the others. thats not to say he had a stinker tho. did you see when he and arbeloa went for the same ball when nobody was around them? they really need to calm down.

Ramos needs to be benched he cost more goals than albiol ffs pepe is better than him by a mile enough of he is spanish or younger crap, I just don't see him getting better like everyone else does