Kudos to Bale and Benzema

They showed up HUGE in this one.  CR was off... .they carried us.  Washes away the sins of a season.  Both still need to go.  BUT, they will now both be remembered fondly as a result.

For sure, they both stepped up when we needed it. Ronaldo and Isco both ghosts got the majority of the match and they had to step up.

It looks like Bale will likely be staying. If he manages to keep the injuries to a minimum, I think he'll come good. I don't know how he'll fit into Lopetegui's system, but at least in him we have a player who's got a striker's instinct. He has his fair share of shortcomings, but apart from his physical prowess, he also has one of the absolutely most lethal left foots in football. If he hits his stride in the upcoming season, stays fit and healthy, we might be able to see the side of Bale that once warranted a world record transfer fee. The one who's always been there, but hardly ever in peak condition.

Right now in Madrid, as the team has started training, Lopetegui is falling in love with benzema's talent. Benzema is training great, scoring goals, his technique and touch are showing. This has happened with all of our coaches in the past 10 years Mourinho included. Whenever Benzema will score a goal in la liga, even if it's 2 goals in 10 games they will feel justified in their decision to line him up, and pray that he continues scoring but it will never be that way. He doesn't know what he is in for.

It's all well and good him showing good technique but we don't have a scoring winger for it to be of any use. It's a poor choice not to replace him imo. At most he'll give us 15 league goals and that's not even close to being enough. I am more excited to see what Bale can do now that he doesn't have to serve up Ronaldo all the time. That's provided he doesn't get injured just as he gives us consistent wc performances

Anyone else think Lopetegui will get more out of Benzema than Zidane ever would?

Just because we will have more possession, it's natural it will be easier to score. Benzema has been impressing in training too, scoring for fun + looking generally good. I think we will be fine in the CF department. Just add Hazard for extra flow and better possession.

He might. I think the tactical points you brought up are correct, but we can’t underestimate Benzema’s weak mental state and ability to miss sitters. That will probably still happen.

Benzema is good for 2-3 months (if we're lucky) our of 9. The big variable now is CR not being here... will that cause him to become more aggressive or will he shrink like saran wrap?

Given his blackmailing history, i feel he has dirt on Flo. Only explanation to keep a guy at THAT F IN POSITION with so many question marks.

I thought about it too. He must be harboring a very dark secret involving Florentino - a secret that, if revealed, will destroy Perez's career and presidency.

That is the only explanation for keeping such an unbelievably horrendous footballer for so many years without replacing him or even benching him.

vanDEEZ wrote:He might. I think the tactical points you brought up are correct, but we can’t underestimate Benzema’s weak mental state and ability to miss sitters. That will probably still happen.

I think Benzema has it very hard to get out of slumps but his winning mentality is still there. He has shown up countless times vs Barca and then in the final vs Liverpool he again showed up. Was our best player that game imo performance wise

I doubt he is blackmailing one of the most powerful men in Spain tbh, they just see the potential because potential IS there.

Please stop. Please stop with the excuses.

He sucks. I can't believe I still have to point out the obvious, but goddammit he sucks. He sucks so bad I wanna cry. Why do you keep on trying to defend such a horrendous, useless joke for a CF? He has no business or purpose being at Madrid, even more so now that Ronaldo is gone.

We sold Ronaldo and kept Benzema when we should've done the exact opposite. And now there's a good to fair chance this talentless fraud is going to be our main man up top. You should be crying rivers instead of defending him.

Brace yourselves for the whopping 6 goals he's going to score next season.

The Demon of Carthage wrote:Please stop. Please stop with the excuses.

He sucks. I can't believe I still have to point out the obvious, but goddammit he sucks. He sucks so bad I wanna cry. Why do you keep on trying to defend such a horrendous, useless joke for a CF? He has no business or purpose being at Madrid, even more so now that Ronaldo is gone.

We sold Ronaldo and kept Benzema when we should've done the exact opposite. And now there's a good to fair chance this talentless fraud is going to be our main man up top. You should be crying rivers instead of defending him.

Brace yourselves for the whopping 6 goals he's going to score next season.

This guy is entertaining.

He's like me with Bale. Except he hates everything.

I'm starting to get the feeling big Benz is making a comeback next season, CR departure and France WC win will motivate him to bring out his best.

France was never a motivator. He once went 1200 minutes without scoring a goal for NT.

Deep down Sports, I know you still love him lol.

And yes @Freeza, DoC has been added to the Suffering List. Long may it continue

Both these betas have hidden in CR shadow for 4 years and we now want them to lead Madrid.

Let me put this way, if by some magic Julen can make it happen, I'll be shocked

Bale has scored many great goals and was our best attacker in CL 3 seasons ago. His problems are injuries and build up. Which is why I want him to play CF if we aren't getting anyone else. If he stays injury free he'll score 15+goals in the league guaranteed. Benz on the other hand has shown time and time again how tame he is. I have no doubt he's going to hide in Bales shadow this coming season

Bale at CF would be an absolute disaster... he has none of the skills you need as a CF. Cavani has the touch of Lionel Messi compared to Bale.

Yeah I don't get your obsession with Bale playing CF. It's not his style at all and we have tried this a few times and it never really was successful. He is great when playing wide, no need to overcomplicate things

He plays CF for Wales and I remember a couple of seasons ago when he played up top and did really well.

Heis going to look awkward in Lopes style of play out wide. And I absolutely don't want us to change style just for him

playing CF for whale is about the worse reference you could have come up to justify this. And he plays very rarely there, their number 9 is Vokes lol

Let's allow Lope to actually coach him, and i dont think he would look awkward as long as you give him a clear role and set of parameters to play within

As Ganso said in another thread we have Isco, Bale, Asensio, Lucas to play Ronaldo’s spot, all different but capable. They won’t replace his goals but they can contribute. The issue clear and simple is CF and like Nick, I don’t see how Benz can suddenly shake off at least 4 years of god awful play. Some posters are going on about his very rare moments of contributing, but for god sake, take a good look at how rare those moments were.

What we need is not one but 2 new CFs. Benz will not do, not even as backup nor will Mayoral nor Raul de Tomas! I really would like Cavani and Rodrigo.

Besides I want Rodrigo here next season when the other Brazilian comes. It will be interested to see how the announcers particularly the foreign guys handle the two same named players with different spelling!

I think Benz would be fine as backup honestly, I just don't think he can handle the pressure of being the main man.

As for Lopetegui's style, we should wait and see but i expect something adapted to us and our squad and Bale as CF sounds like a hipster experiment, we've only ever see him play similarly as part of a two forward deal in a 442. I still bet we will play some 433 variant. Maybe Benzema can regain good form but he is not to be trusted and he's never had skills of a killer goal scoring forward anyways, that's never been him even in his best seasons.