Preseason discussion

Vinicious for the love of God. Practice shots. He is so good. The final ball is sorely lacking however

Lucas rested. Safe to say he'll start next weekend

I really want to win that tree ffs

I could honestly see us giving away cheap points when the season starts. Don't see us improving magically immediately at all.

These goalies

halamadrid2 wrote:These goalies

Those were great kicks

And they’re finally enforcing the line rule on PKs. So they actually stay there

Was getting flashbacks from CL final in this shootout

Poor Zidane. He's going to be exposed in a brutal, horribly uncomfortable sort of way this season.

I mean, I admire his courage for going back to a wrecked ship after a near-perfect spell, but I don't think he used the funds wisely.

After spending nearly 300m, this team is almost identical to last year's, albeit with a stronger bench and an upgrade in Hazard. I can't really say it's enough to compete.

I wish him all the luck in the world, but I'm having a hard time picturing this team playing in a CL final or lifting La Liga trophy.

I'm of course open (and I hope) to be proven wrong later, but I'm already preparing myself psychologically for another trophyless season.

The Demon of Carthage wrote:Poor Zidane. He's going to be exposed in a brutal, horribly uncomfortable sort of way this season.

I mean, I admire his courage for going back to a wrecked ship after a near-perfect spell, but I don't think he used the funds wisely.

After spending nearly 300m, this team is almost identical to last year's, albeit with a stronger bench and an upgrade in Hazard. I can't really say it's enough to compete.

I wish him all the luck in the world, but I'm having a hard time picturing this team playing in a CL final or lifting La Liga trophy.

I'm of course open (and I hope) to be proven wrong later, but I'm already preparing myself psychologically for another trophyless season.

DoC - none of the signings are Zidane’s. They were all in the works before Zidane decided to return. He however could have Vetoed them! What he decided was
- what bench players would go plus Bale
- that he could get the starters plus a couple of others back to their top form!!
- that he only needed Pogba!!!!

I also don’t believe going after de Beek was his idea, but looks like he accepted it as another bench player!

Come on now, Bill. Mendy has Zidane written all over him. Hazard as well.

He may not be behind Rodrygo or Militao who were bought before his comeback, but he's definitely in charge of transfers this summer window and beyond.

The lineup will probably be the same as last season, with the only new face being Hazard in the starting eleven. All the other signings are only good enough for depth.

Madrid wasted the entire summer window going after Pogba and they completely ignored other attainable targets like Eriksen, Ndombele and even Pepe. Those signings would've immensely improved our starting eleven. Result? We now have an identical starting eleven to last season's (again with the exception of Hazard), and we're far from being competitive. Imagine spending €300m without improving your starting eleven

Concerning the second part of your post, I can't really say anything about Atlético as of yet. They certainly have acquired a gem in Felix, but it's still too early to judge them. But Barça remains the strong favorite to win the league yet again, and I don't think we have a chance of competing with you this season. As for the CL, we'll probably crash out in the quarters or the last 16 again depending on which side we get.

So to sum up, if Madrid doesn't make a major signing before the window closes, and if the squad remains as it is right now, there's a big chance Madrid ends up trophyless again.

BarcaLearning wrote:Just wanna ask what the Real fans think or want their lineup to be this season? Starts next week I think. So happen ins and outs but at the same time Zidane looks like sticking with a lot of the old guards as well and clearly out so many youngsters? Are you happy with your transfers so far?

Also what do u think about us and Atletico and your chances for the league? Would that be your main objective? Or the CL or what would be your realistic objective this season? I read some thinks Atletico have the better than u now with Joao Felix etc., so what do you guys think?

I don't know about the rest of this GL crowd, but I and I believe most spanish madridistas are not happy. The problem isn’t the signings, they all look good, it is Zidane.

He insists is is going to revive the unmotivated aging starting lineup and will place all of the new signings except Hazard on the bench. While theoretically the squad is stronger, that starting lineup has looked pathetic. The biggest hole is the midfield to which nothing has been done because Zidane insisted on only Pogba and we have ended up with nothing other than De Beek. To make matters worse we have 3 Spaniards on team Nacho, Lucas and Carvajal who have declined drastically and we can’t sell them now as we are at the minimum for Spanish content rules. While we don’t a backup for DM, Llorente’s sale makes Atleti stronger!

As to Barca and Atleti, we already saw how well we fair in comparison to Atleti and yet they will get better. Both clubs have much much better lineups than us!

Flo and Zidane have said, our objective this year is to be competitive! My translation of that is no trophies again this year. I suspect the real meaning is hopefully the internal competition will see some of the starters replaced!

From this game, it's the same issues from last season. The same players are looking just as bad.

Zidane is trying to force a system to get Hazard going. The midfield was shambles yesterday. Modric can't be a starter. But there is no replacement. I never wanted Eriksen but I'd take him over Modric right now.

Van de Beek needs to come too, to bring some energy to the midfield.

The frightening thing is Zidane doesn't seem to know what system, tactics or players he will start the season.

To make things worst, Bale was the best player yesterday, he looked pretty good for the minutes he got.

James may be just as impressive if he played.

Lol, we don’t have to wait, we’ve already seen what will happen. Zidane isn’t as good as he is proclaimed to be nor is Lopetequi as bad as seemingly everyone said. Results with these aging, unmotivated starters are comparable. The problem is the squad, not the coach and secondarily Zidane’s stubbornness to stick with dame starters.

So as far as this season, la liga will be a 2 horse race between Barca and Atleti while RMad being comfortably competitive (lol) in 3rd place. Both clubs will go far in CL while RMad will struggle to make it to knockouts! Our only hope is Zidane plays the B team, which is better than A team, in Copa!

I'm sure Zidane had a great idea of what how he wanted the team to line up and play. However the circumstances that arose put him (and the club) in a position to not complete his desires. I think the inability to sell Bale (along with James) was a big factor. We needed to get him out because of his large wage bill, but there were no offers except the one in china. James also, but i feel many did not want to meet the fee we put on James (Napoli didnt want to splash 40 million with James on his last year on his RM contract, hasn't been performing well in recent years etc) There is also Isco, which to be honest, i dont know why he is still around as he doesnt really fit anywhere. If Neymar does indeed arrive, then i ship out Isco asap.

Midfield is still a problem. No backup DM and Modric/Kroos/Casemiro still not back into top form. VdB deal looks like is off, and Eriksen great player but he certainly would not want to ride the bench if Zidane continues to prefer Kroos/Modric

I do not think we will be as bad as many of you believe we will be, and i'm sure Zidane can turn things around.

Yeah, this "in Zidane we trust" is starting to feel a bit weary. Would update this as the season continues lol.

Perucho21 wrote:James also, but i feel many did not want to meet the fee we put on James (Napoli didnt want to splash 40 million with James on his last year on his RM contract, hasn't been performing well in recent years etc)  

James has been performing well in recent years. There have been many articles in germany regarding Bayern's unwillingness to buy him, and from what I can tell, his issue at Bayern seems to be that he doesn't get along with Kovac.

Awful pre season by zizou.

I love Zidane, he is my blood and my countryman. But this has been absolutely unacceptable.

- selling Llorente, regui, and Ceballos (who proved me wrong last season). Two of our better performers with lots of upside!
- Modric, Marcelo, Kroos, Carvajal, starting! With players like Nacho and Vasquez getting play time. The only veterans coming out with any honor last season are Keylor, Benzema, and Ramos.
- The mistreatment of James and Mariano has been shameful in my opinion.

And re futbol, I hear we declined a 120m + isco swap for neymar. Isco, the player with a piss poor attitude last season and who still hasn't stepped up. And james is ostracized! How stupid can we get!

I'll repeat this; zidane is not a bad tactician and he knows football.. but his player selection and his loyalty to the old guard will destroy him. In life, at the end of the day, you have to look out after yourself, his boys will take him 6 feet under with Real!

This season is making me pessimistic and I hope I'm proven wrong.

You know what baffles me? Carvajal's mind-blowing drop in form.

Forget Modric, Marcelo and all the old guards who used to be world class but regressed with age. This guy was at some point, and by quite a distance, the best RB in the world. He had pinpoint crossing and he was phenomenal at both attacking and defending.

Now, it's like he's a different person, and he absolutely has no excuse to hide behind, least of all age.

I really feel bad for him because I remember him when he was at his absolute best. He was a goddamn monster.

Carvajal hasn't been outstanding, but he has been ok.

Marcelo has been poor the last two seasons. Last season he was exposed because he didn't have Ronaldo on the left wing attracting all the attention from the opposition.

Someone mentioned before, Real take too long let go legends.

Marcelo, Modric and Ramos should have been allowed to leave or sold.

That's three spots that could have energetic, quality, younger players. But Zidane and Perez has an attachment to these players.

The fact that they brought three champions leagues were used as excuses last season.

Nacho, Lucas Vazquez aren't Madrid quality either, even for bench players.

Mourinho is waiting patiently for Zidane to get the sack

After he recovered from the heart issue he had, he has not been the same at all. I don't know if it is correlated but it certainly can't be a coincidence.

I thought to myself that it was just too good to be true when Carvajal proved to be proficient at both attacking and defending, something I’ve never seen achieved consistently by a Real Madrid fullback before. It was fun while it lasted. I don’t know if Caravajal will ever get close to that level of usefulness again. It certainly doesn’t look like it, these days.

I know some of you have been hyping up Achraf, but from what I can tell, he’s another Marcelo who’s marginally better at defending, and nowhere close to the Brazilian’s peak level offensively. If Zidane leaves again, then I believe we’ll be on the lookout for a new right back.

Plus you haven’t mentioned Odriozola, who is recognized, at least in Spain, as offensively ok, but poor defensively.

I feel Carvajal has to have the ability in him. It seems to me that like the rest he has become complacent and really needs someone, who he will listen to, tell him how crappy he is playing. Kind of like the lecture, Ramos gave to Odriozola a week or so ago. I doubt if the heart issue is the root of this, but then again I never thought if that until Doc brought it up. What is puzzling to me is the play or degradation of not only Carvajal and Nacho. With the play of Lucas, Isco and Asensio, at least last year, we are in trouble as we are at or very close to it with the spanish content rules. Basically means we can only replace them with Spaniards! It’s too bad they didn’t pick up the option on Hermoso!

I’M really having doubts about Zidane. Mind you these recent stories may be BS, but they report that Zidane is not impressed with Jovic not Vinícius. Jovic to be lent out for a year and Vinicius being offered to PSG as part of a Neymar deal.

First he sticks with aging starters and sends away Spanish youth and now this. I guess no one is acceptable to him unless they are French!