Real Madrid (old thread)

[El Gato]

Why would there be a change of defender ? Carvalho will cope for at least one more season and I don't think Mou is anywhere close to giving up on Ramos on the right.

 

[Gnegneri]

Carvalho, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo, Garay, Albiol, Arbeloa.

That's hardly enough for a club like Real, certainly if Garay is on the verge of going.

And then the quality, Marcelo is good as an offensive back. Carvalho has been a good surprise for me (put him in my Liga XI for Lemmi) BUT is getting older. Pepe (is he sure to prolong and stay?) and Ramos can be great but they are known for their short circuiting throughout the season. Albiol just isn't going to do it and Arbeloa is able but doesn't seem to do it under Mourinho.

First choice defense is below teams like Barcelona or United, and if you get a suspension or injury, Real is basically fucked at the back.

 

[Raed]

Arbeloa is more in favor with Mourinho than Ramos. The only one weak there is Garay. Albiol has dodgy moments but with regular playing time he can iron out his kinks.

 

[El Gato]

The only dodgy bit of our defence are fullbacks, but if they learn what they need to learn then there is no reason to fear about their form. I think Pepe will stay and Carvalho will be sufficient, Albiol just needs experience and he will get his chance, unless Mou decides to go for Maicon in summer. Arbeloa doesn't seem to do it ? He was average at most, but with his skills he just needs to adapt. He knows he's got Ramos' spot within his grasp and when he's motivated he's solid like none other in our squad.

And if we're into your United comparison, then how long will they last ? Ferdinand is getting older, don't know about Evans, Vidić is the solid point, Evra's getting older and soon he will get torn apart by fast wingers. Rafael ? He probably just needs experience and has potential to be one of the best RBs. Not so much different than our line-up.

 

[Poor_Sunyol]

You need a left back, at least one more centre back with Pepe leaving and Garay not deemed good enough, another DM with the two Diarra's off somewhere else and Gago in the same situation as Garay and a striker in the number 9 mold that Mourinho likes.

That is a hell of a lot of cash if you take in consideration what you had to spend to assemble this squad to try and keep up with us. Another year of rebuilding at the Burnacow?

 

[barcetia]

Ivanovic Pepe Ramos Marcelo

win.

 

[Gnegneri]

I don't know how long United's back will last. And I don't care about them either. They have better options and when everyone is fit, they also have a better defense.

The difference between United and Real is what Sunyol above me says: Real is looking for that tenth and it needs to come now. I don't think your defense is up to it. (on the other hand with teams as Chelsea and United on the decline, your defense might not even have to )

 

[Beast]

That means there will be a new overhaul in the summer ...

Change of striker, defender(s) surely, maybe somewhere in midfield, Kaka off?

Not much it will be find tuning

Benzema (if he didn't prove himself ) , Diarra (Given out of contract ) , Gago (waste ) , Garay if we get a RB and Ramos move in the center
Parejo in (given ) .. probably Llorente

 

[El Gato]

TBF Pepe creates much bigger feeling of him being loyal to Madrid and just trying to get the best contract possible for his prime years than Dani Alves does so honestly I'm not worried about him. I think it will just take a confidence boost, maybe passing 1/8s to make him re-sign with us.

Garay isn't good enough and he will be going soon, unless there is some magical pace boost within him. Probably 10-13 million if he goes to Milan or so.

Momo will be going too, another 5-8 million if now.

Lass ? Will see. If he does decide not to sit on the bench any longer then probably from 10-15 million and some decent or good Premiership team, Liver, MU or Tottenham. It could go both ways, all down to him.

Gago's case is complicated, but I'm not considering him as a sure selling for now. He didn't have a single chance to present himself under Mourinho in a regular season game and he could be a good substitute. If he goes, only to a decent team and not for less than 8 million.

That's not a bad profit at all.

 

[Poor_Sunyol]

I think Alves will chase the money as will Pepe TBH. Even if it makes sense economically Wolfe for Madrid to be able to make so many changes, it will not help you get a settled team in the near future and if Mourinho wins nothing again next year, then what?

 

[Beast]

You need a left back, at least one more centre back with Pepe leaving and Garay not deemed good enough, another DM with the two Diarra's off somewhere else and Gago in the same situation as Garay and a striker in the number 9 mold that Mourinho likes.

That is a hell of a lot of cash if you take in consideration what you had to spend to assemble this squad to try and keep up with us. Another year of rebuilding at the Burnacow?

U can allow a Marcelo (though he improved much ) if the other 3 is solid.. the problem is Ramos as a RB has his short circuits .. move him to the center put Arbeloa on the right and we are good to go

 

[Poor_Sunyol]

Agreed that Marcelo has improved, but he is very easily exposed against decent opposition. I think Ramos has his eyes on other pastures and my feeling (no way to back this up just a gut feeling) is that he and Mourinho don't see eye to eye and that his relationship with the board is not as solid as it was. With Pepe gone and no Ramos, then there is a big problem to deal with in the summer.

 

[El Gato]

For now, the fuss is only about substitute players in major part. The only positions we should be worrying about is RB and slowly ageing CB, but changing one player in the line-up every 10 months isn't chemistry-crashing, especially if it will be the players from the current bench being placed into starting 11.
In other words, it's not as much harm for us to keep playing current defensive line-up and then changing it in January 2012 or August 2011 at worst if Pepe is sold, because Albiol is capable of replacing him in long-term (disagreeing with Gneg there, but that's my opinion). Arbeloa is also capable of fitting into right-back if Albiol is supposed to stay a 3rd choice for a CB instead of a starter.

We have good opportunities of rotating guys who just need playing together to understand Mourinho's philosophy of defence.

Selling and replacing subs in the upcoming transfer windows won't do us bad at all.

 

[Antimilan]

Higuain out for the season ?

 

[Lemmi]

Madrid should look at Lucas Barrios.