Re: El Clasico thread

[Mamad]

If anything Vinicius created that chance, all Benz did was square it 3m to a wide open Lucas

With that being said he screwed up 2 great chances, that one where he and Benz were fighting for the ball was so tilting.

Modric didn't create anything and was constantly hacking down players, i can't believe he didn't a get a yellow all game.

[Mamad]

Player ratings imo :

Navas - 8.5
Carvajal - 8
Varane - 7
Ramos 8.5
Marcelo 4.5
Llorente - 7
Kroos - 7
Modric - 9 ( Ran like a horse, very smart fouls on their midfields, very good on the ball )
Lucas - 7
Benzema - 8.5
Vini - 5.5
Bale - 2
Casemiro - 5
Asensio : n/a

[halamadrid2]

I'd still play Vini in the return 100% he's probably learnt his lesson from today not to be selfish. It's still a learning process from him. We were much better with him than that EPL player. So so useless

[Mamad]

I'd still play Vini in the return 100% he's probably learnt his lesson from today not to be selfish. It's still a learning process from him. We were much better with him than that EPL player. So so useless

Anything is better than Bale. he thinks all his job is to run behind defenders. no dribbling, no creativity, nothing.

as much as Vini was bad today in the final third, i think he should start again too. it's our home turf and he will be more confident.

[Thimmy]

I had actually expected Marcelo to step up his game in this match, like he's had a tendency to do in the past. He made it clear quite early on, that he was never going to do that. He obviously doesn't have Ramos' athleticism, I don't think anyone else currently on our team does, but he's always had that extra gear against Barcelona.

[Doc]

Absolute garbage is so harsh, I wanna say it is wrong. Do remember, he provided the cross to Benny. Also, he's 18 in his debut season, cut him some slack nah.

Missed 3 fantastic chances. he was bad believe me. and the goal was all Benzema imo.

No he wasn't (wasn't exactly stellar either) and did Benzema deliver a pin point cross to himself by chance?!

[Mamad]

Benzema controlled the ball perfectly. eliminated the defender and gave an open goal assist to Vazquez. what pin point cross? Vini's cross wasn't pin point lmao.

I'm a Vini fan myself. he will be a great player. but he was bad tonight. missed our best chances.

[Doc]

The cross literally was just the right height that the defender couldn't reach and Benzema could have controlled it. I have no idea why you wanna give all the credit to Benzema but whatever.

We both can agree that Bale could just leave right about now. Where is fucking @Freeza and Izzy to pelt him in the car park?!

[halamadrid2]

Lol Solari just defended Marcelo. For a guy who went out of his way to ostracise a guy for no apparent reason, he sure as hell is making many excuses for the guy who checks every box Isco was criticised with. What a hypocrite, he should just tell it as it is, Isco disrespected his hair and is now paying the price for it

[Mr Nick09]

Mamad giving Modric a 9 please stop. Modric is 32 surely he is finished

[VanDeezNuts]

Mamad giving Modric a 9 please stop. Modric is 32 surely he is finished

Since you've been making this point a few times, what is your viewpoint? Players can stay at a high level until they are 40? Do players retire because they are just bored with it, since they surely aren't declining physically, right?

[Mr Nick09]

Mamad giving Modric a 9 please stop. Modric is 32 surely he is finished

Since you've been making this point a few times, what is your viewpoint? Players can stay at a high level until they are 40? Do players retire because they are just bored with it, since they surely aren't declining physically, right?

I made this point before where I think in sports in general due to a higher level of preparation, we are seeing athletes play in the primes longer than before. In all the major team sports I can easily point you to the best players and they will mainly be in their 30s.

I am not encouraging a policy where we are keeping players until they are 35 but I am arguing we should not be scared of an elite player at 32. Maybe that player will need a bit more rest, but you can't substitute the experience a player like Modric has for big game moments.

So if you have an elite player that is still playing at an elite level between 30-34 max 35, you should not be scared. Specially if they show signs of taking care of their body.

[VanDeezNuts]

Agreed, and I have no problem with players who can continue to perform into their 30s. The issue is that many of the older players in the squad have been garbage this season. Modric and Bale were 2 of our worst players in the first half of the season, and their poor performances really hurt us imo. Marcelo can probably be lumped in with them too, but I’m probably one of the few who thinks he can be salvaged under a better manager. Anyway, the point is that if they are playing poorly and are showing signs of decline, especially in this season when we have nothing to lose, we might as well cash in while they have any resale value and reinvest that money into the squad. Because the fact of the matter is, the longer we hold on to a player after they are 30, the less resale value they have, the greater the chance of injury, and greater chance of physical decline. That’s just how the market works and the human body works.

Similarly, buying Hazard for 100m when he has 1 year left on his contract at his age is a poor financial decision. He’s a top player, but he will be asking for a 5-6 year contract meaning he will have no resale value by the time he finishes up. So it’s nothing against him, it’s just my opinion that it wouldn’t be smart to potentially risk Vinícius’ development for the above deal.

If RM have money to burn, then fine go with it, but looking at our spending the past 4-5 seasons or so, there is not much telling me that we will spend anything more than 100m in summer. If we can only buy Hazard, and we leave our other glaring problems ignored, we’re going to be in the same bad position as this season.

[Mamad]

Messi and Dembele wasn't there last night and when Messi came in he did nothing. so maybe he wasn't fit enough. or maybe he was. i don't know. but if what we saw last night is all Barca can do then they are very very beatable.

I don't watch Barca. but last night there were few obvious things. when they used Messi, their wing play specially from the right was gone. and as good as he is it seems he just walks without the ball giving our midfielders so much space in the middle of the pitch.

the next thing is their midfielders. they are the best when they have the ball. but they don't have much speed and physicality. they are very vulnerable at counters and we could have gone into dressing room 3-0 up in first half.

and the last 20 minutes i think they were very tired. didn't play at all. was surprising.

[halamadrid2]

I think towards the end of the game, both teams just settled for a draw. Barca because they know they have an equal chance at the SB and RM because we have 3 equally tough games in the span of a week

Coutinho is the guy they'll cut when Dembele comes back. So he'll likely face Carvajal. So no issues there. As lazy as Messi is he can still hurt you when you least expect it

In the return leg I am 100% sure we'll play with Reguillon, so at least we'll have to worry less about our Left side getting exposed. If we'd played Valencia yesterday we would have played in our box as Rodrigo and co would have targeted Marcelo with their speed and his numptiness

The only Clasico i think we'll lose is the league Clasico

[FalcaoPunch]

Is Marcelo injured or something? He's always been iffy on defense so we've come to accept it but the man looks like he can't even sprint anymore.

Also, wtf was he doing committing a foul onPique in Barcelona's own box.

[Cyborg]

I had actually expected Marcelo to step up his game in this match, like he's had a tendency to do in the past. He made it clear quite early on, that he was never going to do that. He obviously doesn't have Ramos' athleticism, I don't think anyone else currently on our team does, but he's always had that extra gear against Barcelona.

Marcelo was so poor. It's incredible how bad he is.

He runs as if he is wearing a 40lb bag on his back.

He moves as if he has never played as a defender.

Who is the starting left back for Castilla? He probably could do a better job.

[chad4401]

Good draw much better performance could have definitely smashed them early after the first goal, vini looked a lot more nervous than expected but he didn't get discouraged especially with benzema helping him all the way good leadership, benzema had a good game could been better great assist he made that.

marcelo needs to wake up seriously don't know how long he plans to keep this gotta be bothering him being exploited so much, reguillon starts other to 2 clasico's please.

Bale can't tell what's going on with him don't know if he is unfit, outta form or doesn't care all, looks the same hope he raises his level soon he is needed.

Good job Solari just didn't like that the fact he left reguillon completely i know it's to boost marcelo confidence and all but seems like marcelo is checked out mentally.

This team is very capable of winning things this season as long as everything keeps up as is.

[FennecFox7]

Alba has improved a lot, especially defensively. He is the better player between marcelo and him at the moment.

You are joking right????

Hope this performance convinces you. Marcelo is mediocre and needs to leave

[Mamad]

To be honest last season except few games defensively Marcelo was as shit as he is now. just go watch Kimmich's goal against us in Alianz. Marcelo was in the opponents third!

but his awesome work on the ball and going forward made us shut our eyes on that.

but this season his physical condition is even worse and he can't even attack properly. let alone defend against top speed wingers.

screwing offside lines, getting dribbled easily by average players and being out of the position all the time. that's a nightmare playing as LB.

until he loses some fat and get's better, we should never play him in tough games. Barcelona created many chances from his side. it's not acceptable.

[Doc]

El Clasico, round 2. Squad listing:
Goalkeepers: Navas, Courtois and Luca.

Defenders: Carvajal, Ramos, Varane, Nacho, Marcelo, Odriozola and Reguilón.

Midfielders: Kroos, Modric, Casemiro, Valverde, Asensio and Ceballos.

Attackers: Benzema, Bale, Lucas Vázquez and Vinicius Jr.

No Isco or Mariano, both of whom has been sent to the Shadow Realm. Meanwhile, Bale has a chance to be angry while scoring. Steadying the ship never was so depressing.

[halamadrid2]

Apparently Bale is set to start the Clasico

What kind of message does that send to the rest of the team if not only Solari forgives Bale but donates a starting place to him. Poor Isco that's all

[The Demon of Carthage]

Isco is apparently not good enough to even be included in the squad. Meanwhile, Bale can be in a painfully dreadful form, make a sleeve cutting celebration, behave unprofessionally and still get to start.

Solari is definitely not picking his starting eleven based on merit.

I hope he leaves at the end of the season. I don't think I have it in me to watch Madrid lose yet another elite player for the gazillion time without having a heart attack.

[halamadrid2]

Keylor Navas; Carvajal; Ramos, Varane, Reguilón; Kroos, Casemiro, Modric; Lucas Vázquez, Benzema y Vinícius

No Bale. Well how could he start him and look Isco in the eyes the next day. Good line up I'd just change Kroos/Modric for Ceballos but no Courtois, Marcelo or Bale. I am happy

[The Demon of Carthage]

That's a pretty good lineup considering the personnel we have.

We're playing at home and have the away goal advantage. Unless Messi goes super sayan and scores a hattrick out of the blue, Madrid have no excuse not to emerge victorious from this tie.

This is the trophy that shall keep Solari in charge

[halamadrid2]

https://mobile.twitter.com/realmadrid/status/1100830014935912450?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1100830014935912450&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bigsoccer.com%2Fthreads%2Fel-clasico-i-copa-del-rey-2nd-leg-i-27-02-19-i-21-00-cet.2100715%2F

Chills. The players better put up the best performance of the season

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