@Magricos, What makes you say that Diego always had that ability?

futbol_bill wrote: You know my 2 cents, the CM they need has been sent to Valencia.

THIS.

What could have been!!! My dream team

Mata Negredo Silva

Valero Alonso Canales

Arbeloa Botia Dominquez Ramos

Casillas

Canales in 3 years maybe. Right now, Sahin was the right call, but he got hurt. Granero as the backup was obviously the wrong call since Mou has no confidence in him. Why keep a guy who you're not going to play regardless of the situation? Granero is probably very discouraged.

Mou was already ahead of you. He did't buy Sahin do he can play hide and seek with him. He was going to be our perfect CM. Shit happens, he got injured so we have to live with what we have. Lass is meh at best and Khedira is pretty good he will be back for Rayo Vallecano easy game at home. Perfect chance to regain our form.

yeh, but if they had of kept Canales instead of Kaka, they would have been able to use him as Sahin replacement. He could have been getting the same development here as at Valencia. I believe he is gone permanently which is a shame (as well as all of the other possibilities I put in my dream team.

I know Canales needs maturing but if he can play he will develop. I would go with him before Kaka, Granero, Lass or Coentrao. I only put Sahin and Khedira (and Ozil) ahead of him.

We have Sahin indeed, and Khedira did well against Levante.
I am still a big, big sucker for getting De Rossi to partner Alonso, but that is an illusion.

Anyway, with what we have:

Arbeloa - Varane - Ramos - Coentrao
------------Alonso--- Sahin -------------
------------------- Ozil -------------------
---- CR ------ Benzema --- Marcelo----

This would be my ideal.

Arbeloa is a solid passer and has learned to work in offense, he has creativity without being wasteful. Varane is not a loose cannon and
proves a great player so far. Pepe is a butcher, and although he is
our best, I do not support his style of play, ergo Ramos. Coentrao
is a great LB, and Marcelo is iffy defensively but great as an attacker,
he can also cut back to offer defensive support (a Di Maria in some
of the Barca games), Alonso and Sahin is clear, with Sahin injured
Khedira instead, Ozil more freedom, in matches with more muscle,
I'd rather see Kaka, Cr is Cr, does better off-centre too, and Benz.

I have also been thinking about this:

Arbeloa - Ramos - Varane - Coentrao
-----------Alonso--- Sahin --------------
-- CR --- Ozil --- Kaka ---- Marcelo,

Strikerless formation. Although Benz can play as a false 9, so that works anyway.

futbol_bill wrote:yeh, but if they had of kept Canales instead of Kaka, they would have been able to use him as Sahin replacement. He could have been getting the same development here as at Valencia. I believe he is gone permanently which is a shame (as well as all of the other possibilities I put in my dream team.

I know Canales needs maturing but if he can play he will develop. I would go with him before Kaka, Granero, Lass or Coentrao. I only put Sahin and Khedira (and Ozil) ahead of him.

I would have Sarabia and Canales over him too.

Guiltybystander wrote:

Arbeloa - Varane - Ramos - Coentrao
------------Alonso--- Sahin -------------
------------------- Ozil -------------------
---- CR ------ Benzema --- Marcelo----

This would be my ideal.

I like that lineup.

I think you guys missed my point of view. I know I'm probably the only spaniard on this forum, but I am depressed about all the missed opportunities with spanish players. In my dream line-up, we have missed the boat with Silva (we could have bought him instead of Di maria for same price), gave away Negredo, Mata, Valero and in my opinion have likely done the same with Canales and Sarabia. We also could have had Cazorla this past summer and (this part is just wishful thinking on my part) Botia (Sporting Gijon) and Dominquez (Atletico).

We already have Casillas, Arbeloa, Ramos and Alonso.

Negredo is in better form than either Benz or Higgy
Silva is better than Di Maria
Mata although not the goal scorer than CR7 is, is a much more creative player.
Canales and Sarabia will develop into very effective (and creative) players if they are given playing time.
Cazlorla and Valero are as effective as Ozil and certainly better than anything is have in midfield to play along side of Alonso.
And Botia and Dominguez are the future Cbs of spanish NT. (and note to sportsczy - they can initiate offensive play with passes)

As I said earlier, what could have been!!! Definitely a much more creative team which is IMO what we are lacking right now.

futbol_bill wrote:I think you guys missed my point of view. I know I'm probably the only spaniard on this forum, but I am depressed about all the missed opportunities with spanish players. In my dream line-up, we have missed the boat with Silva (we could have bought him instead of Di maria for same price), gave away Negredo, Mata, Valero and in my opinion have likely done the same with Canales and Sarabia. We also could have had Cazorla this past summer and (this part is just wishful thinking on my part) Botia (Sporting Gijon) and Dominquez (Atletico).

We already have Casillas, Arbeloa, Ramos and Alonso.

Negredo is in better form than either Benz or Higgy
Silva is better than Di Maria
Mata although not the goal scorer than CR7 is, is a much more creative player.
Canales and Sarabia will develop into very effective (and creative) players if they are given playing time.
Cazlorla and Valero are as effective as Ozil and certainly better than anything is have in midfield to play along side of Alonso.
And Botia and Dominguez are the future Cbs of spanish NT. (and note to sportsczy - they can initiate offensive play with passes)

As I said earlier, what could have been!!! Definitely a much more creative team which is IMO what we are lacking right now.

Nah, youre not the only Spaniard.
I understand your thoughts, but of those we only really could have got Silva, and kept Canales. Sarabia had to go to develop, Canales maybe could have been loaned last year and replaced Kaka this year. We were never linked to Cazorla last year, we dont need Borja. Mata leaving was well documented, maybe we could have handled it better, but no way Negredo could have stayed with Raul, Benz, Higuain, Cristiano, even Ruud at that time.

I find it strange how you dont mention Villa, we had a much bigger chance of getting him...

Villa was the one who cancelled the deal we had with Valencia 3 years ago. He just doesn't like Madrid. Most asturianos look towards Barca now after the lack of success with previous Asturianos with madrid (Luis Enrique, Mata).

Yes we lost Mata a long time ago (signed Drenthe and let him go), but he and Cazlorla were available last summer and we didn't try for them (thinking was we didn't need them). Valero was another that we let go (in error). Negredo was just pissed at us in the way we let him go. You are right that we just didn't have room for him, but they could have made a oan deal instead of the sale with buy option. It would have been received much better by him.

I know I'm dreaming when I put forward an all spanish team, but I feel the spanish players are much more creative and that IMO is what we are missing right now.

As far as creative midfielders, Spanish players are the kings right now. No question. DMs and CBs, France puts those out in the greatest numbers. Fullbacks... Brazil are the best there. Forwards are from all over the place. Germany develop the most balanced prospects as they don't have an area of weakness and have young WC potential players everywhere.

With regards to the OP, seeing as though Sahin is currently injured, may I also suggest Granero. I am a complete Granero loyalist, I think he is an outstandingly gifted player. The only thing he lacks is pace, but that is no big deal, because he is able to squirm out of many difficult situations.

Come to think of it, whenever he plays, from what I have seen, he hardly ever get dispossessed or caught in possession. If you want a non-counter-attacking 4-3-3 to be successful, you need players like him in the midfield.

I will admit, when we play a 4-2-3-1, it is difficult to find a spot for him in that setup because he is not defensive enough to play in the "2" but not offensive enough to be part of the "3".

When Sahin was signed, I envisioned a formation change to 4-3-3, thinking the creative CM role would go to Sahin, but that Granero would be the second choice for that position when Sahin is rotated, rested, injured or whatever.

The only answer to the creative CM question right now is Esteban the pirate!

Granero was pretty solid when featured in pre season games before he's injured. Wouldn't mind to see him get a chance.

futbol_bill wrote:Villa was the one who cancelled the deal we had with Valencia 3 years ago. He just doesn't like Madrid. Most asturianos look towards Barca now after the lack of success with previous Asturianos with madrid (Luis Enrique, Mata).

Yes we lost Mata a long time ago (signed Drenthe and let him go), but he and Cazlorla were available last summer and we didn't try for them (thinking was we didn't need them). Valero was another that we let go (in error). Negredo was just pissed at us in the way we let him go. You are right that we just didn't have room for him, but they could have made a oan deal instead of the sale with buy option. It would have been received much better by him.

I know I'm dreaming when I put forward an all spanish team, but I feel the spanish players are much more creative and that IMO is what we are missing right now.

You have every right to want a Spanish XI, but saying that Spaniards are more creative isnt really a good point of view. Mata and Negredo would never have come back, we pissed them off too much.

Enrique was an Asturiano, I remember that. Does that mean you like him?