Ronald Koeman

El Gato

Villarato!
This will probably never happen with how RK is treating Dembele so far and him playing on the left is also not ideal but we could really use his speed in this game and with Carvajal probably out I'd really like to expose Madrid's right side as much as possible.

Our homeboy Nacho will tear you a new one.
 

Messi983

Senior Member
Just can?t see Messi missing any games. Imo he should start then get subbed if we?re ahead in any.

Problem is I don't see us having a comfortable lead to sub him off in those games. Clearly not against RM or Juve and Getafe is also tough to beat. Maybe against Ferencvaros but we can't fully count on that as well. The worst thing would be Messi starting against them and us still not being able to break them down until late in the game so he would play full 90 minutes in all four games after playing two games for Argentina, one of them at high altitude.

We don't know how current team in a new system will look without Messi but we'll need to find that out eventually. He should be rested much more this season and that means starting some games on the bench (alongside subbing him off when games are decided). And against an easier opponent (on paper) in a home game before El Clasico and Juve this makes sense to me. We have Coutinho who can take over his role to create chances. We don't know who will score but we should at least keep 0-0 without him.


Makes sense. But often when that happened under Valverde we?d struggle without him on the pitch then he?d have to come on to try rescue the score. Too risky imo. Better him start, get 2/3 goals ahead then him come off but fair enough.

That's true. We usually looked better when Messi was not available and other players knew they had to do without him. When he was on the bench the rest of the team just waited for him to get on and do something. That doesn't mean it will be the same this season with some new players and a new coach though.
 

Porque

Senior Member
Messi won't be subbed because he is subbing himself out of half of each game he plays

tenor.gif
 

Gnidrologist

Senior Member
Yeah, just should have a bench placed somewhere conveniently on the pitch so he could chillax on it from time to time, while not being subbed off. He's doing that anyway metaphorically. ;)
 

raedkuwait

Senior Member
Wtf is this shit, what is he doing why he insist in playing proven useless players like Griazman, pusquets, reberto just fucking drop them and move on man.
 

Porque

Senior Member
The notepad he kept looking at had two options.

1. Sub Messi?

2. Subway sandwich at full-time?

He went for the latter.
 

serghei

Senior Member
No coach is going to fix this team. Whoever build this team should be fired.

Yea, we'll need to get used to being a top 10 team that is a long way from the top 4-5. We'll not sink as low as Milan or United, but we won't challenge against the best teams in Europe for a while.
 

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