Penal Madrid

[ebc_99]

Once again there's a difference between having the best squad of individual players and having the best collective team, try to understand that. Real have had the better players but they are sometimes too individualist and by far not as connected or fluid as Barca's players in the tactical system. Flashing around a bunch of irrelevant figures like 1 league title in 5 years or more goals conceded is juvenile and superficial. By that logic someone could say that since Madrid have won a majority of the recent Clasico's, Madrid>Barca. That kind of thinking doesn't do anything to prove a point in a valid and related way.

Barca have a better collective team and the chemistry present is one of the main reasons why the squad is better. There is an argument that in terms of individual ability that Real have a better group man for man but as a squad taken as a group then Barca's is better. The quality of a squad is best measured as a whole and not as individual parts, Barca are greater than the sum of their parts mainly due to the philosophy of the club, the chemistry between the players and the team spirit. Real Madrid squad taken as a whole does not equal the sum of their parts which is why they are less successful.

The figures I mentioned are not irrelevant, they are proof that Real have a squad that is weaker than Barca's. They have had a great coach in Mourinho and according to you better players then why have they achieved so little in comparison. They have a better defence yet concede more goals, they have better strength in depth yet suffer more when missing key players, they have better players yet play a defensive style against Barca. It does not add up.

There is pessimism, but the proper response to that isn't to go over the top on the other extreme. I'd say Barca are better than Madrid, but really exaggerating on things like saying Madrid are only overhyped and that our defense can be fixed by a slight tweak in tactics whereas theirs is pure garbage. Try and rationalize it any way you want, but these points are truly biased and only looks at the pros of Barca and the cons of Madrid. A good argument would look at both.

Madrid are overhyped on this board, some people think that we are inferior which we are not and that Real's defence is great whilst ours is awful when in fact both are equally bad. It is frustrating to read comments such as "we have no chance against Madrid in October" or "if only our defence was as great as Madrids". I don't understand how anyone looking at both sides objectively would say that they are better than Barca, I just don't see it.

 

[coura]

The main factor behind madrid´s performances against barça last year was Mourinho. And he´s gone. Let´s see how Ancelloti deals with the circus.

Rijkaard´s barça of 08 had deco, ronnie, etoo, henry, messi, iniesta,xavi and many more and was crap.
A better squad, in theory, does not mean titles.

Time will tell if i´m right about the Mourinho factor.

 

[Daemul]

Rijkaard´s barça of 08 had deco, ronnie, etoo, henry, messi, iniesta,xavi and many more and was crap.

You just reminded me of the abomination that was the 07/08 season, what a crappy year that was.

 

[Raed]

We deserved to lose points because while Beast said true things, it doesn't change the fact that when we went up 2-1 we were slow as hell and not doing anything, just walking around the park. Ronaldo stopped running all together and the whole team's movement was stalled. It is very evident that without Marcelo we are half the team offensively, because Nacho is still learning his trade but he is not an offensive player.

And then there is the issue of Benzema, who I can't wait to be axed and out of Madrid. What an arrogant cunt.

 

[BarcaGirl]

Still can't believe you guys sold Pipita and kept Benzema lol

 

[MagIX]

Still can't believe you guys sold Pipita and kept Benzema lol

ask Zidane

 

[oz187]

Barca have won 4 Ligas and 2 Champions Leagues in the last 5 seasons to 1 solitary Liga for Madrid. Last seasons Barca won La Liga by a record margin. Anyone that thinks Madrid have a better squad or better players is completely deluded. Messi, Xavi, Iniesta and Busi are all superior to their Madrid counterparts.

Also note that Madrid have weakened their squad this season. They let go 2 CBs without replacing them and thus have the same issue as we do in terms of only having proven 3 CBs. They let go 2 attacking midfielders and only got 1 in return. They let go 1 of their 2 senior strikers without replacing him. They've got more defensive minded midfielders and Bale as another winger/attacker, but overall the squad is weaker than last season. On the other hand Barca are stronger, perhaps much stronger with the arrival of Neymar.

Also this idea of Madrid having a good defense is also laughable. Sure they've done well in the Clasicos, but Madrid and Barca have both always had their susceptibility in defence.

 

[Aryagorn]

For God's sake don't jinx our team

oh BTW we sure were the best from the recent past but we lost the prime Xavi and the prime Puyol... So yeah, we ourselves have weakened too, possibly to a larger extent than we think we have! And we now have clowns for President and Sporting Director, not to mention the stupid that is "managing" the B team!!

 

[Ursegor]

Madrid have gone backwards. Too many changes at once. They've replaced 2/3 of their frontline, sold one of their top 3 goalscorers, sold their main playmaker, reshuffled their entire midfield, ostracized their captain, replaced the coach and are introducing a polar opposite playing style to the last 3 years. I'm not even going to debate their individual quality or if they have gelled yet or not but last night against Villarreal I've only seen 3 really experienced and "proven on the world stage" type of players wearing the Madrid shirt: Ronaldo, Ramos and Pepe. Lopez + Carvajal + Illarramendi + Isco + Bale + Modric on the other hand have the combined Champions League knockout stage experience of what? Half a dozen games? Then you look at Barca's squad and pretty much every starter is a Euro and World champion and multiple times Champions League winner. Our squad is PROVEN. Real Madrid's is just hype and PROMISE. It took Özil 2 seasons to perform in Clasicos. Why are 2 good games from 21 year old Isco suddenly a guarantee for anything? Isco is exactly a Thiago level talent and Thiago just left us because he couldn't get the playing time he wanted in our stacked midfield. Now Madrid's entire creative burden relies on a player at exactly that kind of level and another 23 year old with 57 first division caps. Good luck winning major trophies with that.

 

[jamrock]

in the u21 WC isco was light years ahead of thiago now he is exacty at the same talent level, what has changed I wonder.

agree with the rest though

 

[oz187]

For God's sake don't jinx our team

oh BTW we sure were the best from the recent past but we lost the prime Xavi and the prime Puyol... So yeah, we ourselves have weakened too, possibly to a larger extent than we think we have! And we now have clowns for President and Sporting Director, not to mention the stupid that is "managing" the B team!!

There's no jinxing when a team is as proven and consistent as Barca these past years. Maybe there might be injuries which could mess things up, but otherwise Barca will hit a high standard and already have again in getting 4 wins out of 4 despite a the games being against strong teams.

We don't have a prime Xavi or Puyol, but we have a Messi entering his prime and Busi improving too. Cesc also seems to be finally fulfilling his potential. The front line with Neymar and also Alexis looks a lot stronger. There are downs, but there are ups as well.

Madrid, have clear issues in their squad as Ursegor also shows.

 

[Garrus]

Madrid have gone backwards. Too many changes at once. They've replaced 2/3 of their frontline, sold one of their top 3 goalscorers, sold their main playmaker, reshuffled their entire midfield, ostracized their captain, replaced the coach and are introducing a polar opposite playing style to the last 3 years. I'm not even going to debate their individual quality or if they have gelled yet or not but last night against Villarreal I've only seen 3 really experienced and "proven on the world stage" type of players wearing the Madrid shirt: Ronaldo, Ramos and Pepe. Lopez + Carvajal + Illarramendi + Isco + Bale + Modric on the other hand have the combined Champions League knockout stage experience of what? Half a dozen games? Then you look at Barca's squad and pretty much every starter is a Euro and World champion and multiple times Champions League winner. Our squad is PROVEN. Real Madrid's is just hype and PROMISE. It took Özil 2 seasons to perform in Clasicos. Why are 2 good games from 21 year old Isco suddenly a guarantee for anything? Isco is exactly a Thiago level talent and Thiago just left us because he couldn't get the playing time he wanted in our stacked midfield. Now Madrid's entire creative burden relies on a player at exactly that kind of level and another 23 year old with 57 first division caps. Good luck winning major trophies with that.

 

[Beast]

Barca have won 4 Ligas and 2 Champions Leagues in the last 5 seasons to 1 solitary Liga for Madrid. Last seasons Barca won La Liga by a record margin. Anyone that thinks Madrid have a better squad or better players is completely deluded. Messi, Xavi, Iniesta and Busi are all superior to their Madrid counterparts.

Also note that Madrid have weakened their squad this season. They let go 2 CBs without replacing them and thus have the same issue as we do in terms of only having proven 3 CBs. They let go 2 attacking midfielders and only got 1 in return. They let go 1 of their 2 senior strikers without replacing him. They've got more defensive minded midfielders and Bale as another winger/attacker, but overall the squad is weaker than last season. On the other hand Barca are stronger, perhaps much stronger with the arrival of Neymar.

Also this idea of Madrid having a good defense is also laughable. Sure they've done well in the Clasicos, but Madrid and Barca have both always had their susceptibility in defence.

Madrid have gone backwards. Too many changes at once. They've replaced 2/3 of their frontline, sold one of their top 3 goalscorers, sold their main playmaker, reshuffled their entire midfield, ostracized their captain, replaced the coach and are introducing a polar opposite playing style to the last 3 years. I'm not even going to debate their individual quality or if they have gelled yet or not but last night against Villarreal I've only seen 3 really experienced and "proven on the world stage" type of players wearing the Madrid shirt: Ronaldo, Ramos and Pepe. Lopez + Carvajal + Illarramendi + Isco + Bale + Modric on the other hand have the combined Champions League knockout stage experience of what? Half a dozen games? Then you look at Barca's squad and pretty much every starter is a Euro and World champion and multiple times Champions League winner. Our squad is PROVEN. Real Madrid's is just hype and PROMISE. It took Özil 2 seasons to perform in Clasicos. Why are 2 good games from 21 year old Isco suddenly a guarantee for anything? Isco is exactly a Thiago level talent and Thiago just left us because he couldn't get the playing time he wanted in our stacked midfield. Now Madrid's entire creative burden relies on a player at exactly that kind of level and another 23 year old with 57 first division caps. Good luck winning major trophies with that.

Quoted for end of the season giggles ...

 

[Meitux]

Casillas starts tonight, now that feels weird

 

[hardyboy]

Real Madrid: Casillas, Pepe, Sergio Ramos, Khedira, Ronaldo, Benzema, Carvajal, Arbeloa, Modric, Di María and Isco

The defense looks shit..