Espanyol vs Real Madrid

There is going to be some heavy rotations this game with a tough home match against Villarreal just days later. Ronaldo did not train with the team today and Bale is apparently still hurt from the CL game. If I were ZZ i would start Morata and Benz up top, partly because Benz needs match fitness and partly because that's the forward line that makes sense with Ronaldo/Bale out

Marca are speculating that Lucas, James and Morata will start. Morata is guaranteed to start, the other 2 are speculations more than anything else. I'd love for Lucas to start though. He is awesome

Probable line up:



Unless we are struggling Nacho is probably coming in for Marcelo, Benz for Morata and Isco/Asensio for someone. Let's continue our winning streak

Benz will start. ZZ considers him untouchable when healthy and he will allow him time to find form... Morata or Lucas will start on the right.

If ZZ starts both Morata and Benz it's definitely going to be a 442. Also just read that Ronaldo is most definitely out against Espanyol. It's probably going to be James on the left an Lucas on the right if we do play the 442, that'll also give us a chance to rest both of Modric and Kroos

benzema will start, my guess is morata might come off the bench. i doubt zidane will go 4 4 2.

I don't see any reason why Morata shouldn't start. He is the fittest forward on the team and can actually help Benzema in terms of leading the front line. To give Benny lone forward when he barely is even half match fit is asking for trouble.

Ronaldo is back Doc... he's really the CF and Benz the SS.  We need speed and width, which is what Vasquez/Bale provide.  Also, we need a sub in for CF and Morata is the only other CF.  Because we only have two CFs, we can't play both at the same time.

EDIT: Now that Ronaldo is out too, I think we will see both Morata and Benz start together. Morata will need to go 90 mins though as Benz doesn't have more than 60-65 mins in him and we need at least 1 CF in there at the end.

Ronaldo and Bale out; confirmed by Z.

James to play; also confirmed by Z.

I think you forgot, Mariano is the 3rd CF. He stayed on , rather than go out on loan, when Benz's injury was not healing on time. He won't get a lot of minutes this year, but it will be in games like this one when both Morata and Benz start.

I guess. Depends on the score. I doubt Mariano gets a look if the game is close. Will probably see Morata move central and Isco or James come in.

Not sure if Lucas Vasquez has 90 mins in him either.

@Sports
I actually meant for this match, not necessarily for the season in general. Was assuming Ronaldo was unavailable for this match. Benny can play lone forward (I think) but he is unfit and to put all that work load on him is asking a lot. Sorry for the confusion if there was one.

Yeah I didn't realize Ronaldo was out.

With no attacking threat from the midfield at all, we need 2 strikers on the pitch.

The four sitting out this game are Ronaldo, Bale, Navas and Nacho.

That means no sub again for Marcelo.

Since James is reportedly starting, and likelihood of Morata, Benz starting, where does he start, in place of Bale, Ronaldo or Kross?

Any thoughts on Danilo again starting in place of Dani? Are these two going to rotate every game?

probably will be morata-benzema-james

Benzema doesnt look fit, but since he is zidane's child he will play

ZZ is not the kind who plays players out of position unless he is left with no options. Morata won't play on the wings. James is probably starting in midfield and Lucas in attack

lol @ mr nick's "zidane's child". anyway, i think it will be benzema vazquez and james. it seems to me a bit dangerous to risk both CFs. btw when is navas coming back?

Z said Navas will come back soon, though he didn't say exactly when.

halamadrid2 wrote:ZZ is not the kind who plays players out of position unless he is left with no options. Morata won't play on the wings. James is probably starting in midfield and Lucas in attack

One of the reasons, Zidane was pleased with Morata was that he could play all three forward positions. I think you are wrong. It's Morata starting.

and I think the subs will be Mariano, Lucas, Isco or Asensio or Kova. Actually maybe Asensio to play against his former club.

Lmao, it has to be said, out of anyone on the team, zizou is very hard on benzema. If anything he'll get dropped first

James says hello

I'm actually hoping James does well. He did well in his brief appearance during the week and I hope it continues tomorrow. If Zidane can get both him and Isco playing well and contributing, it bodes well for the team overall.

He already has rest of reserves (Kiko, Danilo, Varane (or is it Pepe), Kova, Asensio, Morata and Lucas) except Yañez, Coentrao and Mariano contributing

i wish we could try james in the attacking midfield role today, behind benzema, but that will raise questions on who plays down the left, as well as putting too much pressure on a two man holding midfield.

In all honesty, Kroos should be a deep playing mid because of the skills and limitations he brings to the table... but he sucks so horribly on defense that he can't play there. So we're playing a CM with deep playing skills as a left side AM that's supposed to help the attack (he can't).

I still think that at some point we should replace him or Modric. The two together AND a deep playing mid is beyond redundant.

Paul would have been an ideal candidate to fill that missing void you speak of Sports

Paul is gone... but anyone with attacking and line breaking ability.  Problem is that there aren't a lot out there.  Off the top of my head...  Pjanic, Iniesta, Di Maria, Rakitic and Vidal to go along with Pogba.  It's so sparse in terms of talent that Chelsea is forced to use Matic to do it.  Arsenal has Ramsey when he's on.

Someone who can take the ball and run with it from defense to the offense OR a dribbler that can erase players in the midfield... preferably both.

Of course, we had the best ever at it back in the day with Zidane.

That said... this is the midfield that has taken over from Alonso-Khedira. So we've made massive progress in terms of ball playing ability compared to those two (although I personally underrated Alonso a lot now that I look back on it). Di Maria brought balance that we don't have there though... he was the perfect player for us in terms of a left side B2B.

I'm still unbelievably salty that Flo sold Di Maria. Another one in the long list of "wtf is he thinking!" moves from Flo.