Marcelo vs Conterao vs Ramos vs Arbeloa

i understand why people doubt coentraos signing. arbeloa is a right footed player and he plays on the left why can't coentrao play on the right or marcelo for that fact

arbeloa is a right footed player that slots in when needed on the left. there is a difference.

its obvious that arbeloa is significantly better at his natural postion.

that is the crux of the whole debate. will coentrao be able to adjust well enough out side of his natural position to outplay someone who plays there natrually who also has much more experience.

time will tell. i have my doubts but i am also 100% confident that coentrao is a fantastic player, one of the best LBs in the world at such a young age as well.

deezydeez wrote:arbeloa is a right footed player that slots in when needed on the left. there is a difference.

its obvious that arbeloa is significantly better at his natural postion.

that is the crux of the whole debate. will coentrao be able to adjust well enough out side of his natural position to outplay someone who plays there natrually who also has much more experience.

time will tell. i have my doubts but i am also 100% confident that coentrao is a fantastic player, one of the best LBs in the world at such a young age as well.

It's an interesting gamble, but if it works then Mourinho will be further credited as a genius.

Will Coentrao, a natural left footer, be a better right back than Arbeloa, a natural right footer? That's the key question.

Honestly though, I would have preferred Ramos to move to CB, Carvalho come in when needed and have Arbeloa be a permanent right back, which means that Coentrao needn't have been purchased at all.

But, since we've already brought Coentrao, we must welcome him graciously . On the plus side, at least we will have a solid LB when our starting LB is incapable of playing.

Off topic- if Coentrao plays right back, maybe Ronaldo and Di Maria will swap positions, meaning that Ronaldo will be the right attacker and Di Maria the left. That way, we will have two players that can cross adequately, meaning that Coentrao inherent "disability" won't be that significant. I kind like the idea of having Di Maria and Ronaldo swap positions, because I think they play much better in their more natural positions. The cutting in by Ronaldo and Di Maria has not been as fruitful as we would like.

At RB:

Ramos>Arbeloa>Coentrao

At LB:

Marcelo=Coentrao>Arbeloa

Long story short, whether Coentrao plays at LB or RB, neither situation is ideal. Stupid purchase no doubt, but I'm still supporting it.

I am actually shitting my self thinking that Coentrao was bought to compete with Marcelo. Not because Marcelo would lose his spot but we just spent 30 million (According to goal.com second highest transfer fee ever paid for a defender after Rio) for a player we don't even need. When we could have reinforced RB or CB.

EarlyPrototype wrote:I am actually shitting my self thinking that Coentrao was bought to compete with Marcelo. Not because Marcelo would lose his spot but we just spent 30 million (According to goal.com second highest transfer fee ever paid for a defender after Rio) for a player we don't even need. When we could have reinforced RB or CB.

This really, we managed to bought an left footed player when we need to reinforce the Right side the most -.-
Preseason is going to be interesting.

theaguia wrote:i understand why people doubt coentraos signing. arbeloa is a right footed player and he plays on the left why can't coentrao play on the right or marcelo for that fact

I have this exact thinking but I would wait to see what Mou has in store. Just to inform any supposed doubters, players can, in fact, learn to use their weaker foot. It's not something out of the ordinary. Have some faith gents, the man coaching knows what he is doing.

The Luxembergo's and Mijatovic's of the world aren't running Madrid anymore.

R9 learnt how to use his weaker foot

EarlyPrototype wrote:I am actually shitting my self thinking that Coentrao was bought to compete with Marcelo. Not because Marcelo would lose his spot but we just spent 30 million (According to goal.com second highest transfer fee ever paid for a defender after Rio) for a player we don't even need. When we could have reinforced RB or CB.

and now u know why im laughing ahuahuahuahua!

Arbeloa for RB, Marcelo for LB, coentrao the 30m backup.

Someone please tell me Coentrao is only for RB purposes

It would kill me to see Marcelo on the bench

I cant believe that Marcelo was so bad that we decided to buy the other best upcoming LB to have him compete with Marcelo.

Marcelo is our player and all, we like him, but it takes a fool to underestimate Coentrao. He is everything a coach can ask for in a fullback, a freak of a LB.

marcelo was inconsistent but come on, one will play RB.

Maybe he will push Marcelo in a more forward role? It's been tested before.

In terms of LB, I think Coentrao edges Marcelo. Having said that, I still want Marcelo to improve his game while remaining at LB. He's still got more in him.

Guiltybystander wrote:Maybe he will push Marcelo in a more forward role? It's been tested before.

did marcelo ever convinced any of you guys when he was playing forward? he never did it for me.

people keep on saying he would be good forward because he attacks well, but i disagree, it doesnt work that well.

and why should we play marcelo forward when we have benzema, di maria, higuain, ozil etc...?

marcelo played like crap most of the time as a winger.
the exception was that one time he scored against villarreal i believe

Ganso wrote:marcelo played like crap most of the time as a winger.
the exception was that one time he scored against villarreal i believe

yh, i mean, 2 summers ago, after seeing how underwhelming he was as LW and LB, the priority for many was a LB and Silva.

If Coentrao plays RB then we will have a versatile defense. Arbeloa can play both sides and if Marcelo's injured Ramos/Arbeloa can play RB with Coentrao at LB etc etc.

mtfootball wrote:If Coentrao plays RB then we will have a versatile defense. Arbeloa can play both sides and if Marcelo's injured Ramos/Arbeloa can play RB with Coentrao at LB etc etc.

We just signed an 30M Rb, so i belive he will surely be in a starting lineup. I dont think Mou will ditch Marcelo so Coentrao is supposed to be as a RB anyway. Arbeloa is good as a sub tho. Pepe and Ramos in the Centre.
What do you think?

Coentrao, Pepe, Ramos and Marcelo is probably our best defense.

Is Ramos versatile enough to play centre-back ? If he is, I'm not sure I'd want him there if I was a RM fan to be honest.

I often admire his runs forward and sticking to the centre will handicap that and put an end to that surely ? I really think Coentrao wasn't needed and Marcelo-Vaerne-Pepe-Ramos would have been a more than accessible and talented option for the back-four.

Is Pepe signed ? Last I heard his contract was left hanging.

Ramos is a natural CB, and has performed better playing CB for us than playing RB in the past two years i think.

Ramos is better at CB.

Really ? My apologies then...I've never seen him there. Would that then put an end to his offensive adventures ? I think he provided a good offensive force and it'd be a shame to limit that.

JuvenelCuore wrote:Really ? My apologies then...I've never seen him there. Would that then put an end to his offensive adventures ? I think he provided a good offensive force and it'd be a shame to limit that.

Shame limiting what?.
Ramos is best at CB, as a RB he was Meh this season imo.

The xcx wrote:

JuvenelCuore wrote:Really ? My apologies then...I've never seen him there. Would that then put an end to his offensive adventures ? I think he provided a good offensive force and it'd be a shame to limit that.

Shame limiting what?.
Ramos is best at CB, as a RB he was Meh this season imo.

I mean shame in limiting his offensive runs because as a CB naturally he won't be able to run down the flank and while he is no doubt a class defender, I think he offers so much more and can go outside of what is typical of a defender and be a Maicon-style player and at CB he wouldn't be able to make those runs.

Then again, he IS a defender so the main priority is putting him in a place where he'd be able to well...defend the best, naturally.