55M Summer Market

Sahin: future best DLP

Varane: future best CB

Coentrao: modern footballer by definition

Callejon: versatile attacking back up option

Altintop:

Not bad of a transfer market, we actually spent more than half of our transfer kitty on a single player (30M Coentrao).

Couple of notes about our transfer market.

Key Objectives: Improve on depth and replacing the back up/dead weights by better options.

Also, some aspects of our recruiting seem to look quite apparent.

Versatility: Strong aspect of our recruiting, we invested in players that are more than comfortable playing more than one position, and various roles. Coentrao is a prime example of such, he is an absolute monster when it comes to versatility. He was already known to be able to play as a LB, LWB, LM, LW and RW, but now he showcased he could also learn to function as a CM, playing in a B2B role. The position isnt natural to him, but he will run, tackle, press and fight to do his best wherever he is played. Hopefully he picks up his passing game, and improve in each role and he will turn into a true monster for us. Yesterday, Pepe slipped that Coentrao will end up playing RB... Also Callejon, able to play on both side, and natural inside forward with a good shot and good runs, already an improvement on Pedro Leon. Sahin of course, step up over Gago, able to play as CM and AM; Varane our CB who is adding some defensive steel, been tried as RB, but clearly isnt natural there, can improve; And of course Altintop, who is yet to play but is also rumored to be able to play absolutely anywhere bar CB, AM, and CF.

Discipline and Work ethic: Another very important point of our recruiting was to bring in a group of very high working players, highly disciplined and competitive guys. Sahin as a prime example of this policy, was the first player back in Madrid, 2 weeks before the trip in LA. It's a guy that oozes work ethic, from his time in Dortmund, as he made the transition from AM to DLP CM. Dubbed as a TUrkish Zidane at just 17, he was also touted by wenger to become of one the best player in the world, but he didnt explode as fast as expected. After a long spell in Holland, he came back to dortmund, and after figuring out the amount of hard work he needed to put in, he became the best player in Bundesliga over a span of 2 years. He is always one of the guys that run the most, and his competitiveness is top notch, dont expect him to back down from adversity; said he would own piggy, and he did it, quite ballsy.

Coentrao of course, went through the same hardship as a young player, and showed the same kind of ballsiness when he once declared Di Maria had nothing on him. He got owned back then, but he learnt, and it's only through hard work that he became the player he is today, and in a very short period of time one of the most promising LB in the world. He had Lizarazu losing his s*** on french NT during the world cup, pestering the public with fabio talks, while begging Bayern to sign him.

Callejon, went from Castilla C to Espanyol and made the transition from SS to LW/RW. Very hard working guy, we dont have to ask him to chase back pressing, he will do it naturally. Altintop of course was acclaimed as a brilliant professional during his time in Bayern; not overly talented but very hard working and committed footballer, but will do his best where he is needed. And ofc, our little Varane, who in just a couple of months in with RM, was already acclaimed as being a very hard working kid, which coming from mourinho's mouth, is a huge compliment, compliment which Canales hardly ever received for example...



Those are sometimes the kind of Intangibles that make a team stronger than the rest. In fact, the best teams in the world are defined by just that. Manchester utd is well known to be a team full and very hardworking and disciplined fellas, on top of their existing talent. They will defend as one, and attack as one. Not tracking back is a no no for fergusson, and he will drop you like he did Nani in CL final when it matters (it might not be why he did it). But guys like Park perfectly illustrate the mentality Fergie is after. Barcelona might be the most technically artistic team around, but they also have a bunch of work horses that will run after you as soon as they lose the balls like hungry savages. They will run, run and run without complaining, as defending involves everyone, not just the DM and the back four. In fact, they are so good because they defend better than the rest, and when your attacking players can defend, you can afford to put as many as you can, creating some sick attacking connection, as the Zaragoza showed at a smaller scale.

So, gone is the time of Divas Heaven Real Madrid where defending was a clause included in the contract. Team defense matters more than the individual pair of CB. Having the forwards pressing is a first step to success, and we are achieving that, as showcased against barca during the supercup. It's something we need to keep up to get better at. So naturally, adding guys that fit into the mentality of the team is a huge plus. Hard work is a infectious disease that goes from one player to the next, so naturally, this is a huge plus.

Overall, i think the campaign was quite successful. The players we added have shown a lot of positives things in the summer, and i have little doubt they will come through when it matters. We retained both Kaka and Lass, so in principles, the depth is quite good everywhere.

Oh and also, those guys

Carvajal looks like such a stud

FULL SQUAD
GK: Casillas, Adan +Mejias
DEF: Pepe, Carvalho, Albiol, Varane, Ramos, Coentrao, Marcelo, Arbeloa
MF: Xabi, Sahin, Khedira, Lass, Granero, Di Maria, Ozil, Kaka
FW: Benzema, Higuain, Ronaldo, Callejon +Morata

much better squad than the beginning of last year imo.

im happy with what we have.

atleast now we have the players to play a true 4-3-3, last year eh-sorta. way too limited last year. versatility will be key this year as well as player rotation.

deezydeez wrote:much better squad than the beginning of last year imo.

im happy with what we have.

atleast now we have the players to play a true 4-3-3, last year eh-sorta. way too limited last year. versatility will be key this year as well as player rotation.

true, we didnt revolution anything, but made sure we have a better bench. Also counting on individual developments, our players are supposed to be better than they were last season, they should have progressed. It's true Di Maria is taking time . Kaka is also being counted on more now, since he seems to be fit. As an attacking option he is great, but i want to see him more in the build up and pressing to get the ball back.

Chemistry is also a lot better overall of course, the team barely changed. they know the system better, we can add new layers of tactics and instructions, and push it a notch higher.

to la decima... *champaigne pops*

Perez' spending this term
2009 - 254m Euros
2010 - 80m Euros
2011 - 55m Euros

StrugaRock wrote:Perez' spending this term
2009 - 254m Euros
2010 - 80m Euros
2011 - 55m Euros

yup, we owe it a bit to mourinho tho, team look mighty strong and we spent really little amount.

Did Pepe really say Coentrao is really gonna play RB? If that is true will it mean Ramos will finally move to CB?

exellent post nick




ps-Lionel messi,stop down repping our posts

Nick, good post. It has to be said tho that Barca's offseason signings are better than ours.

I think the best thing that has happened thus far is the improved team chemistry. Other than Coentrao, we are playing with same line-up and yet we are vastly improved. I'm hoping that Sahin gets healthly and makes a real positive contribution.

St_Nick09_of_Goal wrote:
FULL SQUAD
GK: Casillas, Adan +Mejias
DEF: Pepe, Carvalho, Albiol, Varane, Ramos, Coentrao, Marcelo, Arbeloa
MF: Xabi, Sahin, Khedira, Lass, Granero, Di Maria, Ozil, Kaka
FW: Benzema, Higuain, Ronaldo, Callejon +Morata

is this official nicky?

Carvalho should leave next summer or be 5th CB. Pepe, Ramos, Varane and Albiol as our CB's.

Ramos should move to CB and we should get a new RB. New RB, Arbeloa, Marcelo and Coentrao as our fullbacks.

Lass will probably leave. Alonso's getting on a bit. Khedira, Sahin, Alonso, Granero and Coentrao as DM/CM's.

Kaka should be sold. Ozil, Canales can come back?

Neymar should be bought. Neymar, Ronaldo, Callejon and Di Maria.

Higuain, Benzema and Morata.

futbol_bill wrote:Nick, good post. It has to be said tho that Barca's offseason signings are better than ours.

I think the best thing that has happened thus far is the improved team chemistry. Other than Coentrao, we are playing with same line-up and yet we are vastly improved. I'm hoping that Sahin gets healthly and makes a real positive contribution.

thx, well yeah, their off season was also pretty good, and they signed some great players.

but there is no need to look at what they are doing with their team, we sort of have the gameplan and the idea to beat them, so we only have to look at ourselves and improve. high pressing, fast paced attack etc...

that's what keeping a group together does to you. Had we done that in 2002-03, we would have been at 13 CL

shaven wrote:

St_Nick09_of_Goal wrote:
FULL SQUAD
GK: Casillas, Adan +Mejias
DEF: Pepe, Carvalho, Albiol, Varane, Ramos, Coentrao, Marcelo, Arbeloa
MF: Xabi, Sahin, Khedira, Lass, Granero, Di Maria, Ozil, Kaka
FW: Benzema, Higuain, Ronaldo, Callejon +Morata

is this official nicky?

yh the 23 men squad is official

At a point it had seemed we were going to sell everyone and bring in Aguero/Neymar, but the Transfer window turned out pretty damn good actually. Coentrao looks like he will be useful, so Altintop is the only completely useless signing, and either him or Lass will be going in winter I feel.

In winter, we should sell Lass or Altintop. Next summer, get rid of Carvalho and Kaka, bring in Neymar and Canales/Sarabia. And promote Morata, or loan him out.

Nothing spectacular what Real Madrid is doing now. Mourinho (out of all people) had to show Real Madrid how to properly build a team and not "break" the bank (55 million is, in principle, a shit load of money).

Happy with all our decisions except for maybe Altintop. Would rather his place went to a Castilla player but seeing as how the boys still train with the first team then I can't complain.

Also Coentrao was probably overpriced but we got him from Benfica so that was always going to happen and he is a good addition so I can't complain there either.

A summer that could have been crazy had we decided it to be but I'm glad we kept things simple.