Second to last game. We are already through as group leaders barring a disaster tomorrow which I am sure wont happen. Could be a good game to rest some of the regulars and play some of the academy players who have been training with the first team

My desired line up would be:

A matchday thread?

What is this sorcery?

I am away from GL for one/two weeks and there is noone creating match threads in my abscence

Anyways, Carlo has one win left to beat our all time win record (in a row). Will Basel be the team to inflict misery upon us or can we continue this winning streak until Christmas

Khedira & Pepe out.

Navas
Nacho-Varane-Ramos-Marcelo
James-Kroos-Illara/Isco
Bale-Benz-CR

Basel are the resident giant slayers of the CL, can't see Medran starting especially away.
In for a very open game. It'll be shots galore from CR trying to catch/surpass Messi's CL record...I predict 1-0 to Madrid.

Yep Khedira picked up his umpteenth injury and Pepe is being rested. Can see Carlo starting Arbeloa on the right and Nacho in the middle partnering Varane. Coentrao will most definitely start

Although Carlo did say that he'd field a strong team I don't think Kroos or James should play since they have played so much already

Regarding the frontline, I just want Benz rested, don't want him getting tired and we all know Ronaldo will want to start. Dont care whether Bale starts honestly, he has been crap all season and will likely continue the same. I liked Carvajal there against Eibar but don't want to risk having him injured. God forbid the day Arbeloa starts against a big team for us

We got Malaga away this weekend don't we? Tricky one....

Carlo should look to rest quite a bit of the players (Benz, Carvajal, Kroos)

CR will start (it might be one of those SMDH games). Bale, hopefully he can use this game as a opportunity to get his season started.

Would like to see Coentrao start as well.

God that was nerve wrecking at the end. Credit to those Basel players, they played their hearts out. We were very poor especially our defrnce bar Varane. Navas was excellent too. Bale and Ronaldo should have scored too but I am happy non the less

What thjs game sjowed us is that we are more solid and danherous with a 442 rather than a 433

actually, we played a 442 but Bale did nothing in his role on the side. When Illara came in and Bale pushed into the front 2, he was better.

Benz made the goal. Good game by him.

Called it

Arbeloa is awful. Looked like a 3rd division player out there.

Bale, Smh.

Isco shouldn't play with Kroos in centre midfield . He's not suited to that role. Once Illarra came on we looked way better.

True

Valkyrja wrote:Isco shouldn't play with Kroos in centre midfield . He's not suited to that role. Once Illarra came on we looked way better.

Benzema is just too good at the moment. That run and lay off for CR.. damn.

sportsczy wrote:actually, we played a 442 but Bale did nothing in his role on the side. When Illara came in and Bale pushed into the front 2, he was better.

Benz made the goal. Good game by him.

This, we clearly played a 442. but with a very, very lazy Bale. Sometimes I forget he started as a fullback, a position that needs lots of running, it's like he got too big for that role. Carlo needs to sub him next time he does this, or atleast have a talking with him. We were poorly balanced that game.

Thought Bale was awful yet again. Didn't like James either, I didn't realize he was soooo slow until yesterday

Thought Benz, Kroos, Varane and Navas had excellent games, Isco was great too but that RCM role is restricting him too much, he played ten times better when he moved to the left wing. Ronaldo was also very good but seing him attempt a thirty yard through ball with the ball not even reaching the part where the defence has to intercept was very annoying

I hope Carlo looks at this game when choosing his best eleven, the only one underperforming right now is Bale so he needs to sit his arse on the bench and go with the more solid 442

Also I read somewhere in the GS that Carlo is benching Varane for a reason, but you only have to look at this game to realise his hands are tied on the matter. Ramos was utterly dreadful out there (shocker) but he isn't going anywhere

I don't think we started with a 442, Ronaldo was playing RF, Benz firward and Bale LF. Then we subbed Illarra in and you could clearly see that we played with a 442

Ronaldo and Benz were playing striker. James was on the left and Bale on the right. Only reason it was tough to recognize the 442 is because Bale was nowhere to be found It was a 432 really

More like 4-3-1(I'm-only-gonna-stick-to-the-right-side-and-wait-for-the-ball-to-come-to-my-feet)-2

It would've been ok if he atleast roamed around in the space behind the two strikers, and made something. He's alright on his day, but lately he's being a bit lazy, and he's not having the goals to cover it up.

Nothing too serious though, I felt the same about Ronaldo a few years back, hopefully he can improve on his game.

Kuru wrote:More like 4-3-1(I'm-only-gonna-stick-to-the-right-side-and-wait-for-the-ball-to-come-to-my-feet)-2

It would've been ok if he atleast roamed around in the space behind the two strikers, and made something. He's alright on his day, but lately he's being a bit lazy, and he's not having the goals to cover it up.

Nothing too serious though, I felt the same about Ronaldo a few years back, hopefully he can improve on his game.

he's a great player, but not Ronaldo.

Valkyrja wrote:

Kuru wrote:More like 4-3-1(I'm-only-gonna-stick-to-the-right-side-and-wait-for-the-ball-to-come-to-my-feet)-2

It would've been ok if he atleast roamed around in the space behind the two strikers, and made something. He's alright on his day, but lately he's being a bit lazy, and he's not having the goals to cover it up.

Nothing too serious though, I felt the same about Ronaldo a few years back, hopefully he can improve on his game.

he's a great player, but not Ronaldo.

I believe you mean "he's no Ronaldo", and not that you don't think Ronaldo is great, right?

In that case, I agree, ROnaldo is way better, but I was comparing on how I disliked Ronaldo's general play, the first few years he was here. But he used to score lots of goals, so his contribution to our play was overlooked. But later, he improved and is improving on his game. He tracks back, ALOT less selfish, compared to his old self, and generally have a cooler head on his shoulders.

And in that sense, I don't see why Bale can't improve either. Not to Ronaldo's level, or even style but I meant on how he can improve and expand his game. He's still very young at 25.

Bale can definitely improve. Remember what we thought of Isco this time last year, look at him now

Everyone are capable of Improving and Bale is no different. Our fans aren't the type of people who would sit back and applaud an underperforming playing, unless he starts picking up soon he is going to get booed guaranteed

All our players have progressed from who they were when they first join, the only one who hasn't improved is Arbeloa but he is barely a rotational player these days. I am glad we had faith in Carvajal

Kuru wrote:

Valkyrja wrote:

Kuru wrote:More like 4-3-1(I'm-only-gonna-stick-to-the-right-side-and-wait-for-the-ball-to-come-to-my-feet)-2

It would've been ok if he atleast roamed around in the space behind the two strikers, and made something. He's alright on his day, but lately he's being a bit lazy, and he's not having the goals to cover it up.

Nothing too serious though, I felt the same about Ronaldo a few years back, hopefully he can improve on his game.

he's a great player, but not Ronaldo.

I believe you mean "he's no Ronaldo", and not that you  don't think Ronaldo is great, right?

In that case, I agree, ROnaldo is way better, but I was comparing on how I disliked Ronaldo's general play, the first few years he was here. But he used to score lots of goals, so his contribution to our play was overlooked. But later, he improved and is improving on his game. He tracks back, ALOT less selfish, compared to his old self, and generally have a cooler head on his shoulders.

And in that sense, I don't see why Bale can't improve either. Not to Ronaldo's level, or even style but I meant on how he can improve and expand his game. He's still very young at 25.

I meant that Ronaldo's way better lol. Bale can improve, but to me it seems that he thinks he's Ronaldo. Last season he was keeping it simple, tracked back, linked-up, and had way better decision making. This season in his head he's a star, the guy who scored the La Decima goal. He's thinks he's more than he really is. He isn't Ronaldo and he'll never be. But you can be a great player even if you're not as good Ronaldo, who's one of the best ever.

bale started soloing a lot to the end of last season, bulked up got worst, cause he lacks natural ability and muscles doesn't make you dribble 3 players at once, for prem its good enough, but in la liga you play smart or be really good on the ball

chad4401 wrote:bale started soloing a lot to the end of last season, bulked up got worst, cause he lacks natural ability and muscles doesn't make you dribble 3 players at once, for prem its good enough, but in la liga you play smart or be really good on the ball

He was incredibly good between November and March/April, last season. I think Ronaldo's injury last season played a part in his negative transformation over the last months.