Ángel Di María

[JamDav1982]

Di Maria would give us something different that our other forwards haven't and plus his pressing and defensive work would be a huge asset for us given how much of that has gone missing in recent times. I haven't seen any attacking player who does a better job of pressing than Angel. Neymar wasn't just unimpressive offensively for us but he was pretty poor with his defensive covering and pressing as well. Sometimes it's not always about getting the best player but getting the right player (and IMO Neymar isn't a better player right now and there is no guarantee that he'll become one either-ppl seemed to be waiting on Fabregas forever to become an influential player for Barca).

Suarez will press like a maniac and Neymar/Messi seem to be stepping up on that also.

Neymar wasnt 'unimpressive' offensively. He had a good first season blighted by injury and some off field issues. He scored against Atletico twice, and scored/assisted in the home league win over Real.

Di Maria would not fit into this Barca team as well as Neymar who will be asked to play much more centrally and finish, almost as a striker at times. Neymar has better link up play in tight areas and is better finisher than Di Maria.

Personally would not dream of swapping them

 

[hellsangel1]

Neymar was unimpressive considering the price tag and the expectations. He was supposed to add something extra to Barca and was talked about taking Barca to the next level and yet he couldn't even distinguish himself from the likes of Sanchez and the other Barca forwards. I remember there was clearly talk at times during the season that he should be dropped in favor of Sanchez or Pedro. And second of all Neymar is very much a ball dominant player similar to Messi in that they both need the ball at their feet to make things happen and be effective. The reason why Messi plays well with Di Maria is because Angel is very effective and quick with his running off the ball which is why he links well with Messi and provides an outlet. I also don't know why you think that with Messi in the team and with Suarez's arrival why Di Maria would be asked to play a central role. WIth his better off the ball movement and constant running , he will help stretch the opposing defense more than Neymar and not to mention be much more effective in winning the ball back quickly for us with his pressing.

 

[darthvader7888]

Neymar will go on to be a better player than Di Maria and probably is already.

Di Maria has gone from under valued by Real to rated way above what he is as people think Real are foolish to let him go.

They were. He's the main reason they won the CL last season.

 

[JamDav1982]

They were. He's the main reason they won the CL last season.

No he wasnt.

He may have been their best player in the final but throughout that CL campaign Ronaldo was clearly their best player.

 

[CesDel]

No he wasnt.

He may have been their best player in the final but throughout that CL campaign Ronaldo was clearly their best player.

From the moment Di Maria grab his balls at the Bernabeu, he was their best player.

 

[Paganinisrvnge]

No he wasnt.

He may have been their best player in the final but throughout that CL campaign Ronaldo was clearly their best player.

Ronaldo really had no important impact starting from the quarterfinals. He grabbed most of his goals in the group stages and by worsening his injury looking for the record against Schalke.

Mkhitaryan's shit finishing saved Real in the quarterfinals(which Ronaldo had to sit out part of because he decided to play a meaningless match against Schalke to chase the record), Ramos and the defense won the tie against Bayern, and it was Ramos and Di Maria who were the key players in the CL final.

 

[hellsangel1]

I think that what Madrid will miss is that Di Maria was a different winger than from what they have at the present moment. Both Bale and Ronaldo are individualistic players who don't make others around them better. All they want to do is shoot and only pass as a last resort. Unlike these two, Di Maria is a much more capable and willing passer and is willing to sacrifice himself for the team's cause. Bale and Ronaldo are more like No.10's that play out wide given the number of shots they like to take in a game. They are very similiar to each other in terms of their style and individiualistic focus.

I think the other thing is that everybody knows that the teams that cause Barca the most problems are those that can counter and transition quickly from defense to offense so to have one less quick attacking winger/forward to worry about is a sigh of relief for Barca and for Madrid's opponents. Especially for Barca given the fact that we haven't really addressed our issues in the centre of defense by bringing in a top quality CB.

 

[hellsangel1]

This all just sounds the exact same arguments you get from Messi haters, just finishes off goals from other players etc.

The one game that Real looked terrible in was the one that Ronaldo missed. He was one of if not their most dangerous player away to Bayern where he scored twice and even in final when not fit scored one and assisted one and looked a threat.

If Di Maria and Modric were so important and Ronaldo not effective why did the team go to shit when he was missing against Dortmund?

I would put money on the fact Ronaldo was the player opposition players dreaded the most in the knock out stages.

Ronaldo is the most important Madrid player (especially when it comes to goals) but however there are certain circumstances in that quarterfinal tie against Dortmund. Dortmund were without Lewandowski in the first leg due to a harsh yellow card that he picked up and therefore they had very little threat up front. I think Aubemayang missed a couple of really good chances in the first leg. Had Lewandowski been fit for the first leg, I think that tie might've turned out different. Not to mention the fact that Dortmund made some horrible defensive mistakes for some of the Madrid goals. In the second leg, Madrid sat back and were poor and Dortmund (with Lewandowski back) had nothing to lose so they completely went for it. If Dortmund hadn't been dealing with injuries or the suspension of Robert I believe they would've went through even if Ronaldo had played the second leg. As for the tie against Bayern, a lot of it was down to Pep's inept tactics. I'm not quite sure that he is the coach that can take Bayern to the next level. His philosophy and style of play doesn't really suit the strenghts of the top Bayern players and he failed to get the best ot of Ribery, Robern, Mandzukic or Muller. They don;t have a genius like Messi in the final third or a crafty playmake like Iniesta who can be productive even when provided a minimum of space. I believe things would've been extremely different had Jupp Heynckes been the coach. I don't think he would've given the likes of bale or Madrid that much space to run behind the Bayern defense. IMO Heynckes got the better of a superior Madrid side a couple of years back.

 

[Martindn]

Spoiler: Interview

Di María: "I stayed at Madrid because of Cristiano"
Manchester United midfielder reveals how Portuguese fought his corner at Madrid when it appeared he would be forced to leave.
by JESUS AGUILERA

Ángel di María granted an interview to ESPN in which he spoke about his departure from Real Madrid, and said that he stayed as long as he did largely because of his friendship with Cristiano Ronaldo. "The Noodle" is however happy with the moment he chose to leave the club, immediately after winning the Décima.

"The truth is I have a great friendship with Cristiano Ronaldo. He always supported me at every moment and when it looked like I was going to leave he fought my corner and the truth is thanks to him I was at Real Madrid last season. I ended up winning the Champions League in the year when it seemed I would leave; I left in the best way possible, with the Décima," Di María said.

Manchester United: "I'm very excited to come to such a big club, I never thought things would happen like this. I have to adapt as quickly as possible to help the team."
The number 7: "It's a nice thing to wear a shirt that so many great players have worn. For the club, the number 7 is very important. It's the number the best players have worn. It's great, but it doesn't add any pressure for me."

Premier League's most expensive: "You don't think about those things, you think about working hard and doing the best you can. I am grateful to Manchester United for paying what Real Madrid wanted, and for wanting me as much as I wanted to come here. They didn't try and knock Madrid down by a single pound and that means a lot to me. I will try to give everything for this club."

Differences: "Training sessions are more physical than in Spain. In football terms, the players are very strong, very fast and I have to adapt to that as quickly as possible to improve all the time."

Van Persie and Rooney: "It's great. For me it was a dream to play in the Premier League with Manchester United and I'm more than happy to play with such important players, with some that I watched on television as a kid."

Messi and Ronaldo: "Playing alongside the two best players in the world is amazing and I'm really happy that I have been able to do so."

Martino: "From what Leo and Mascherano have told me he is a great person. He likes hard work and he likes to have a content and united squad. I hope it goes well for us."

Also this Angel Di Maria: Carlo Ancelotti says former player moved to Manchester United for money

 

[oggydude]

Lol I thought Carlo had more class than being Perez puppet, he is having to defend Perez decision to push Di Maria out of Real via James after their first lost.

 

[darthvader7888]

Mou is a lot of things, but a yes man certainly isn't one of them. I doubt he would have let Di Maria get sold, even if Perez wanted it. And he certainly wouldn't have defended Perez's decision like that.

 

[serghei]

^Second that. Mou is the hypocrite of hypocrites, but man has a spine.

 

[darthvader7888]

^Second that. Mou is the hypocrite of hypocrites, but man has a spine.

Yeah. This is probably how the selling Di Maria meeting between Carlo and Perez went:

Perez: I'm selling Di Maria and Xabi Alonso to buy Kroos and James

Carlo: But Di Maria was our best player last season. And we'll be left with no defensive midfielders other than Khedira.

Perez: You want to keep your job don't you?

Carlo: Ok.

Perez: Oh, and you know that Navas guy we bought?

Carlo: Yeah, the best goalkeeper in La Liga last season?

Perez: He will be on the bench. Casillas starts.

Carlo: But Casillas has been out of fo-

Perez: Casillas starts. Any questions?

Carlo: No...






This is how it would have went if it were Mou:

Perez: So I want to sell Di Maria and Xabi Alonso...

Mou: GTFO.

Perez: But... Kroos... James... shirt sales...

Mou: GTFO.

Perez: Fine. But you will start Casillas...

Mou: GTFO.




As much as I hate Mou, the guy has balls.

 

[serghei]

Yea, Mou goes to Chelsea and tells Cech to look for a team. Back in Madrid, Ancelotti still plays Casillas instead of Navas.

 

[oggydude]

Exactly even Ronaldo had the balls to say I would've done things differently and spoke out last year when they sold Ozil. Honestly think Ronaldo maybe thinking of leaving as he knows that once he starts to decline or if another hot shot becomes available he will be replaced like he never existed.