Real Madrid vs Athletic Bilbao

Lol at he got his chance with 4/5 games from start as opposed to 7 seasons of pandering to his needs .

Morata should be starting and the whole footballing world bar ZZ, chad and sport agree with that.

Both Lucas and Morata are playing at a higher level both Benz and Ronaldo. Only Bale is playing on a similar level to them

Funnily enough despite being given peanuts in minutes he has 4 goals and 2 assists in all competitions whereas Benz has 4 goals and 0 assists in all competitions which have all come in LL. It's absolutely criminal that Morata isn't starting. In the games before Morata was benched he gave a Motm performance against LaReal, scored against Celta and provided an assist against Osasuna that's hardly a poor return from his measly 3 starts

My ideal from 6 would be:

Bale-Kroos-Kova-Lucas
Benz-Morata

If it were up to me but the bbc will continue to start and we will continue to be bailed out by our subs provided ZZ doesn't fall into a slumber and forgets he has to put people on

Yeah... he really proved he was starting material for 2 years at Juve and to start this season.  He was HANDED the job at Juve and lost it to Llorente and then Mandzukic two years in a row no less.  Juve were praying for him to establish himself.

This isn't 5 starts this season...  it was the past 2 years, all of preseason (which he looked poor) and then the first 5 games.  That's more than enough of a sample size to know what you have.  I'm pretty sure Zidane and Madrid knew it too.  That's why whenever he's asked, Zidane just answers " There's nothing to talk about".

He's a perfect sub and rotational player though.  No question.  Very valuable imo. I also think it would be smart to start him against Barca because we won't have the ball and we will be a counter attack team... unless Benz is on fire. Morata is at his best in these types of games.

2 years with a completely different team with different players and different mind set. Of course, Morata didn't make give himself anything to work with in terms of leverage but coming to Madrid should have given him a clean slate.

Are your serious Doc?  If you couldn't win the starting job in any league, especially one where Juve is as dominant as it is, with your competition being Llorente and Mandzukic... that's part of your CV.

You better be the top dog or a very promising + productive one at your position on the team you played on IF you're aspiring to come to Real Madrid, let alone be a regular.  Only thing Morata achieved at Juve was good performances in literally 4 big games over 2 years (again, where Juve was forced to play a counter attacking style).  That's it.  If it wasn't for the buyback and Morata being Spanish/Castilla, I don't think we even go for him.

But as it stands, I think he's a very good backup.  I don't think he has the quality to be a Real Madrid regular CF though.  No chance there.

Come on Doc...clean slate...  sheesh.

Why yes I am serious, wouldn't have posted it if I weren't. He certainly wasn't signed for his goal tally which was laughable to say the least so why would he be judged based on his time with Juventus. Which again, he had a laughable goal tally.

Honestly, Benzema or Morata starting has little bearing on me since whoever scores the goals, I would take. But Zidane is not actually helping him with the poverty peanut minutes he is giving the man. Example, Morata could have started against Legia, f-ing Legia. Nope, he starts Benzema. Why? Everyone knows he'll start vs Athletic, hell, I wanted Benzema to start vs Athletic. Which is probably why he only lasted so long.

Not like the stats are showing any real difference between the two. Just saying Sports, I acknowledge the back up life Morata is living but you at least want both forwards to be playing at a optimum level.

I think we get Lewandowski in the summer of 2018. His contract runs out in 2019 and Bayern already said they won't pay him "crazy wages".

Unless his performance drops off or another player emerges as a great one, I think this will happen.

Timing works pretty well with the ban and the ages of a couple of our strikers too.

Yeah I got you.  Sorry dude... didn't mean any disrespect.

I think we signed him because we obviously needed a backup, his buyback was very reasonable, he's good enough to be a very valuable backup... and to boot, he's a castilla product and Spanish.  A lot of positives there.  And there weren't any feasible alternatives to him out there either. CF market was beyond thin. Chelsea bought Batshuayi for 39 mil euros lol.

A lot of mitigating factors to compensate for his lack of production and ability (in terms of being a regular Madrid number 9; obviously a good player).

Hala yeah right its could be cone you jokers would make a case for it, first chicharito and morata, then jese or cr-bale partnership, now back to morata who is more or less the same player when he left, not good enough to be a starter for a top team but does well off the bench, you guys don't know shit about players that a proven fact, stick to counting dribbles and goals, excepts benz of course.

Benzema hate is same regardless of form,injuries or goals, the guy scored the opener ffs and morata scored the winner what the problem? They ain't none except butthurt chokeguain diehards who needs to over him, after the 10th and the 11th you chumps, can't till benz gets back to his usual form and you guys go back to being quiet like last season .

Last anybody think morata and benzema is on the same level is a moron or group morons since you lot believe in numbers make you right.

The guy is an elite starting cf for the last 3 season 2 time cl champion,something some idiots said he would never achieve as Madrid 9, but some post injury form 10+ games into the season, needs to benched for a bench warmer, you have to be a special stupid to even make that case.

No harm, no foul Sports. Didn't take it in anyway other than two kinda opposing opinions on this matter.

sportsczy wrote:I think we get Lewandowski in the summer of 2018. His contract runs out in 2019 and Bayern already said they won't pay him "crazy wages".

Unless his performance drops off or another player emerges as a great one, I think this will happen.

Timing works pretty well with the ban and the ages of a couple of our strikers too.

Let's be real we won't get 30 y.o. Lewandowski. No reason to replace a 30 y.o. world-class striker with another.

True. So the choices will likely be Auba, Kane (god forbid)... or a kid that emerges. Although he's not a CF... i'd watch for Mbappe of Monaco. I think he's going to be an absolute superstar. He may develop into a pure striker like Auba. But for now, he's more of second striker.

What a talent.

sportsczy wrote:True. So the choices will likely be Auba, Kane (god forbid)... or a kid that emerges. Although he's not a CF... i'd watch for Mbappe of Monaco. I think he's going to be an absolute superstar. He may develop into a pure striker like Auba. But for now, he's more of second striker.

What a talent.

We were rumored earlier this year to sign him for castilla iirc. haven't watched him but from youtube looks more like an inside forward left winger whatever. might be more of a CR replacement. 2 years is a long time in football and there will sure be targets. we also have sergio diaz and mayoral at castilla. I also like Dolberg from Ajax.

chad4401 wrote:The guy is an elite starting cf for the last 3 season 2 time cl champion,something some idiots said he would never achieve as Madrid 9, but some post injury form 10+ games into the season, needs to benched for a bench warmer, you have to be a special stupid to even make that case.

I dunno why you get so upset when someone criticizes Benzema. For one I want the man that's on form to start, no matter if it is Benzema, Morata, Asensio or somebody else, but as it stands Benzema lacks fitness, and Morata seems more focused and motivated ATM, so I guess he should start in the next few matches, I'm not saying that Benzema sucks and should be a bench warmer, he is not, but at the moment Morata has the edge over him.

morata and lucas are not benching cristiano and benzema. i understand madrid fans want meritocracy, and sports (not the gl poster) is probably the institution with the purest form of meritocracy. however, morata and lucas are not benzema and cristiano. the gap in talent is very wide even in those players worse forms.

to morata and lucas' credit, they are knocking on the door, they're forcing zidane to give them a look. they're participating in plays, not complaining. but zidane walks a tight rope, my guess is, he'll look to give them minutes whilst at the same time not alienating his top talent. when they show they can handle starts (coming off the bench to bring fresh legs is very different from starting games), then the argument might shift

but, i don't think zidane doesn't want to risk dropping points in the process. i don't think anyone lacks fitness, it could be poor form, i seriously doubt a former player in the mold of zidane will start people that he feels aren't fit. anyway my point is, these things are done slowly, they'll get minutes here and there, and at some point get some starts.....but don't expect us to go into el clasico or the madrid derby with lucas, morata, asensio starting and cron benz on the bench unless they're injured.

everything in management and coaching is like walking a thin line. you want to reward performance, you also want your best players to remain confident. this isn't a case of raul in the late 00s, when he was averaging single digits in goal and it was clear we had to move on....this is, "we can still get some last bit of class from these guys, when form gets back"

Why shouldn't Lucas start? I get you'd want the most experienced players to play but Lucas has hardly put a foot wrong in the games he has started both this and last season. I can bet you any money he would fair better against Alba than Bale has in recent years. That's not to say Bale is a poor player but what's so wrong with Lucas starting? It's a serious questions. We have beaten some of our toughest rivals with Lucas from start all while keeping cleansheets. Just because he isn't famous doesn't mean he is not good. If it were up to me i don't care who sits from the front 3, i put Lucas in my line up 9/10. Players like him are scarce in football right now

its about doing things carefully. you can't destroy the confidence of your top players in the process. which is something mourinho would do; go reckless abandon, and in the process alienate top talent

they'll get starts at some point, at least they're getting minutes, more minutes than expensive signing james. at some point they'll get full minutes but its not a sharp process. its only going to be a sharp process if these are young super prodigies we're talking about...and they're not

you can't give of the "if you make a mistake, you'll hit the bench" vibe...once again, that was something mourinho started doing that cost him. you have to know how to thread carefully....sometimes guys are garbage, and you take them off, sometimes you give em a break here and there, like he did danilo

there are 60 plus games in a season, zidane's not carlo, he has given people minutes. but you'll need cristiano and benzema at high confidence levels, because of what they offer in comparison to lucas and morata...as i said, to lucas and morata's credits, they're knocking on the door and putting their names in the conversation....a manager has to be mean, strict, friendly, nice, a mentor, all in one...these things aren't as simple

Doc wrote:2 years with a completely different team with different players and different mind set. Of course, Morata didn't make give himself anything to work with in terms of leverage but coming to Madrid should have given him a clean slate.

Not unlike Benz's first few seasons. Benz of today vs Benz of his start with us is a night and day comparison

titosantill wrote:its about doing things carefully. you can't destroy the confidence of your top players in the process. which is something mourinho would do; go reckless abandon, and in the process alienate top talent

they'll get starts at some point, at least they're getting minutes, more minutes than expensive signing james. at some point they'll get full minutes but its not a sharp process. its only going to be a sharp process if these are young super prodigies we're talking about...and they're not

you can't give of the "if you make a mistake, you'll hit the bench" vibe...once again, that was something mourinho started doing that cost him. you have to know how to thread carefully....sometimes guys are garbage, and you take them off, sometimes you give em a break here and there, like he did danilo

there are 60 plus games in a season, zidane's not carlo, he has given people minutes. but you'll need cristiano and benzema at high confidence levels, because of what they offer in comparison to lucas and morata...as i said, to lucas and morata's credits, they're knocking on the door and putting their names in the conversation....a manager has to be mean, strict, friendly, nice, a mentor, all in one...these things aren't as simple

Absolutely, mental management is as important as merit management