Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:So its a coincidence that you struggled immensely when you faced Atleti with their best team....

righto keep burying your head in the sand as per usual.

I'm gonna do a you right now.

Against Atleti earlier in the season, Anceliotti hadn't found out what was his best formation and team - Right that game off.

Against Barca, he was still tinkering with the line-up (Ramos in midfield, no striker starting) That wasn't our best team - Write that game off.

Against Atleti in the league, Marcelo and Carvajal didn't start, clearly not our best team. - Write that game off.

CLEARY, we didn't field our best teams for ANY of those games......  

I still think RM is a great team and if they don't loose confidence they are the favorite to win the CL ( after you know who ).

Still, Barca   

No, they are not. They will have the same problems if they keep playing those guys as part of their back 4.

They are always running uphill with those loose cannons. You cant make up for average defensive ability with physicality and thuggery. Not against other great players.

They are a strong team, no doubt, but fundamentally flawed at the core, and it starts with their key players.

what are you saying dani?

Varane will start going forward... so that takes care of that problem. If not, Carlo is an idiot. In the 30 mins he played tonight, Varane easily looked like our best defender. He anticipates plays and jumps passing lanes unlike the other two headless chickens.

Varane should definitely be starting from now on. Both Pepe and Ramos mess around in big games and are too inconsistent.

Are there any promising CB's out there to partner Varane?

its pretty obvious carlo prefer varane in the back line and ramos out

Mr Nick09 wrote:what are you saying dani?

When Varane doesnt start, its a mess. Pepe and Ramos make up for their lack of defensive skill by trying to outrun and kick people. Wont work against great players, you have to read them...because if you switch off once, they exploit you. Dont like any of your fullbacks defensively, they arent horrible, but not exactly strong either.

Somehow, your midfield has become the strongest point in El Classico's, when before it was the weakest. It is at least functional and has a purpose now. Alonso is sufficiently protected while you still have offensive strength there.

And I still question Cristiano in big games. He has his moments, but his game is fundamentally flawed and the more people gloss over because of his many goals, the better for everyone else.

Still an obviously strong team, a team everyone should be afraid of, but if the real deal means what I perceive it to be...they are not.

Carvajal is like Debuchy-lite right now to me lol.

The Franchise wrote:

Mr Nick09 wrote:what are you saying dani?

When Varane doesnt start, its a mess. Pepe and Ramos make up for their lack of defensive skill by trying to outrun and kick people. Wont work against great players, you have to read them...because if you switch off once, they exploit you. Dont like any of your fullbacks defensively, they arent horrible, but not exactly strong either.

Somehow, your midfield has become the strongest point in El Classico's, when before it was the weakest. It is at least functional and has a purpose now. Alonso is sufficiently protected while you still have offensive strength there.

And I still question Cristiano in big games. He has his moments, but his game is fundamentally flawed and the more people gloss over because of his many goals, the better for everyone else.

Still an obviously strong team, a team everyone should be afraid of, but if the real deal means what I perceive it to be...they are not.

As much as I would like to produce something out of my ass to defend what you said about Sergio and Cristiano, it is right on the spot and painfully true. This is the first time I'll admit this.

The rest? Cannot even debate that as it borders on tangible fact.

The Franchise wrote:

Mr Nick09 wrote:what are you saying dani?

When Varane doesnt start, its a mess. Pepe and Ramos make up for their lack of defensive skill by trying to outrun and kick people. Wont work against great players, you have to read them...because if you switch off once, they exploit you. Dont like any of your fullbacks defensively, they arent horrible, but not exactly strong either.

Somehow, your midfield has become the strongest point in El Classico's, when before it was the weakest. It is at least functional and has a purpose now. Alonso is sufficiently protected while you still have offensive strength there.

And I still question Cristiano in big games. He has his moments, but his game is fundamentally flawed and the more people gloss over because of his many goals, the better for everyone else.

Still an obviously strong team, a team everyone should be afraid of, but if the real deal means what I perceive it to be...they are not.

completely agreed

I have everybeat of confidence that Glen Johnson will change things for us next season

The Franchise wrote:

Mr Nick09 wrote:what are you saying dani?

When Varane doesnt start, its a mess. Pepe and Ramos make up for their lack of defensive skill by trying to outrun and kick people. Wont work against great players, you have to read them...because if you switch off once, they exploit you. Dont like any of your fullbacks defensively, they arent horrible, but not exactly strong either.

Somehow, your midfield has become the strongest point in El Classico's, when before it was the weakest. It is at least functional and has a purpose now. Alonso is sufficiently protected while you still have offensive strength there.

And I still question Cristiano in big games. He has his moments, but his game is fundamentally flawed and the more people gloss over because of his many goals, the better for everyone else.

Still an obviously strong team, a team everyone should be afraid of, but if the real deal means what I perceive it to be...they are not.

Perfect post

fair enough Dani, i think we were talking about our fullbacks the other day, so i get your point. for the CBs, it's nothing new really, it has to be Varane + Pepe/Ramos, and very quickly moving forward Varane + someone who is not a clown.

i wish we could find another varane somewhere.

laporte or benatia or anybody Nick?

I dunno man, Varane is naturally a genius at defending if you look at how little he plays and just how superb he is at things that it takes many years for defenders to do.

I havent observed guys like Benatia or Laporte that closely that i could say without a doubt that they have it (specially Laporte since he is young), but Benatia seems to be doing well. But has he been that dominant figure in big games in Serie A? Do you deem the quality of Serie A attacks at a high enough level that you think he has been tested? i remember him struggling a lot vs juve for the game i saw vs the best in the league so i dont know.

It's funny because i feel like Ramos has lost some speed and since his awareness has not improved he looks a lot worse than he did 2 years ago. Pepe suffered from that, but somehow he adjusted a little this year.

Let's be glad that it's happening now and not when we play dortmund again or even later if we make it through (that's assuming that carlo has learned his lesson and benched one of those for varane tho)

So why isn't Varane (aka the best young player in the world) starting the big games?

because he came back from injury when ramos and pepe had gone through a great run of form together conceding very little goals. he trusted them, and quite clearly they didnt repay that trust.

Agreed Nick. Varane is really a freak. He is just *bleep* insane at the basics. A defensive prodigy. Ramos won't get benched for political reasons.

Nick I don't really watch them either tbh, anyway how i see it we really need to get rid of both ramos and pepe, ramos first this summer and then pepe the following season, we need some who reads the game well we should go back for garay always liked him

BarrileteCosmico wrote:So why isn't Varane (aka the best young player in the world) starting the big games?

lingering knee problems that finally healed 3 weeks ago. Hadn't played in 2 months until the game 3 weeks ago. Pepe and Ramos fooled everyone yet again during the winning streak.... and carlo likes to stick to a formula that's proven. All this = varane not walking into the starting XI ( which he easily should).

jibers, i cant wait for bayern to rape u i swear, u better hide from this place when you miss the CL too. i got u dawg

jibers wrote:Agreed Nick. Varane is really a freak. He is just *bleep* insane at the basics. A defensive prodigy. Ramos won't get benched for political reasons.

People said that about Casillas.

Mr Nick09 wrote:jibers, i cant wait for bayern to rape u i swear, u better hide from this place when you miss the CL too. i got u dawg

It was all jokes brah :p . Seriously I said this before, Varane has Nesta potential. The guy is just so good at doing the basics and he is a fantastic reader of the game.

Mr Nick09 wrote:jibers, i cant wait for bayern to rape u i swear, u better hide from this place when you miss the CL too. i got u dawg

you can post here for now http://www.goallegacy.net/t32966-give-moyes-a-chance

The_Badger wrote:

jibers wrote:Agreed Nick. Varane is really a freak. He is just *bleep* insane at the basics. A defensive prodigy. Ramos won't get benched for political reasons.

People said that about Casillas.

Not anyone with sense.