Re: LOL at people still rating Madrid in 2015 *This Forum :rofl:*

[sportsczy]

We have nothing until we can prove that we won't fall apart come mid March... a lot of that will depend on squad management, which we had none of the past 2 seasons.  

Rafa is not exactly known for his league prowess..  about as much as Carlo maybe even less

[Perucho21]

Right. This season I'm don't expect to win everything, maybe la liga or CDR but that's about it.

Challenge yes, win maybe not

[RealGunner]

this is actually my serious thread

[Hapless_Hans]

this is actually my serious thread

lmao I'm sorry

in that case - I have a feeling Benitez will not really be a success so I think it will not quite be Real's year

[Lupi]

I dont think Rafa can stay there past Christmas

[Winter is Coming]

Rafa going to prove everyone wrong. His dream club, he'll make it happen.

[Lupi]

Rafa going to prove everyone wrong. His dream club, he'll make it happen.

I thought he was supposed to do that in Napoli.

[Winter is Coming]

I didn't say he was going to make it happen there.

[Thimmy]

this is actually my serious thread

lmao I'm sorry

in that case - I have a feeling Benitez will not really be a success so I think it will not quite be Real's year

Regardless of what I think we will and will not achieve this season, Real Madrid supporters have little to be optimistic about considering squad depth is the only thing that has been added to the team since last season. Now, squad depth is great, and key players evidently suffering from fatigue was an issue under Ancelotti. However, I don't think that alone is going to improve their chances of winning anything, considering that the team has to adapt to a new coach and a new system for the umpteenth time, and as much as I hope that Benitez will change things for the better, I'd be much less surprised if things get worse.

They brought in a few low-profile players to add depth, and I see that a few people on here are super optimistic about Cheryshev, for instance, but I predict that none of our new signings is going to have an impact on the squad that's going to be relevant towards winning anything. I don't think they're good enough to consistently make positive contributions to the team, and I'm sceptical about whether they'll be able to provide sufficient cover for the starters, or at the very least manage not to disturb the harmony of the team after they come on. Ramos and Bale are still part of the team, which means that I'm expecting a season where my blood pressure will be high and furniture will break, whether they end up winning anything, or not.

[chad4401]

^ a team filled with superstars wont work, you need talented players who are willing to sit on the bench, instead of starting else where.

denis and lucas are good enough to handle most la liga teams, so is casemiro, all the team really needs is proper rotation, and structure, if the players aren't tired the team won't break down that a fact.

[LeBéninois]

IIRC there was a thread 2-3years back where RM was supposed to overcome Barca because their best players were still young ( Ozil, Di maria , Marcelo ... ) and Barca's ones were getting older ( Xavi, iniesta , Abidal, Puyol ... )

[Adit]

I still remember, last time RG made a similar thread we went onto win La Decima and bayol destroyed Barka in cup final.


I BELIEVE

[MaraVilla]

Agree with OP, will be a massive choke if RM doesnt win this year's La Liga. Unreal starting 11 with incredible depth compared to Barcelona, who are paper thin. It is theirs to lose.

nearly caught ebola watching Mathieu today.

[sk3ptical]

Agree with OP, will be a massive choke if RM doesnt win this year's La Liga. Unreal starting 11 with incredible depth compared to Barcelona, who are paper thin. It is theirs to lose.

nearly caught ebola watching Mathieu today.

[Art Morte]

Depends which fails more, Barca's defence or Madrid's attack.

[Vibe]

I have no trust in Rafa's ability,he'll be gone before the season is over.

[BarrileteCosmico]

Cup and Primero-decima, Barca to win league. I refuse to believe Rafa has a chance at winning any league title.

[titosantill]

my main issue with us (madrid) is what line up or formation we will go with. and whether we will end up fielding players out of position once again. i see or rather i hope to see bale do better this term, but the guy is not a nos ten. his strength is in speed/pace, playing as a nos 10, a play maker of sorts is quite suicidal. you will be required to make passes and orchestrate the attack in such a role, and in instances where defenses push back, u are required to open up such defenses and i don't see bale as someone possessing such attributes.

secondly, the midfield; if bale indeed plays nos 10, my guess is we'll play 4 2 3 1. i'm also guessing kroos/modric partnership (yeah rotations, but that will be the primary partnership). neither is a natural defensive mid, they might say they don't mind doing that job now and again, but against better teams i doubt either will have fun running around chasing offensive players

depth: i don't think depth equates to talented players willing to seat on the bench. i want and hope the bench players give rafa good problems - wanting to start, and providing ample competition for the starters...imo if any player is talented and happy to sit on the bench and drink gatorade, he doesn't belong here. now i'm not sold on a lot of the new youngsters, but if somehow, they are able to compete and perform better than regulars, regardless of names, i just pray politics won't hinder them (fingers crossed, i know the moment anyone outperforms any of flo's favorites, he'll insist his favorites start regardless)

[terrance511]

bale as 10 whole season long
he cant even 11 nowadays
we have better chance of winning with him playing as 1.

[Red Alert]

HALA MADRID

[titosantill]

defense; ramos has been given a new contract, (to be honest i wasn't entirely sure if we should sell him) my hope is that rafa, who is considered a defensive minded coach can work on his deficiencies...however a leopard can't change its spots. marcelo needs more assistance, i'm not sure how that will play out with 2 central midfielders, of which neither is a holding mid. and cristiano leaving him to fend for himself on the left (the pair can be lethal offensively, but on defense...)

up front i'd have liked us to sign a back up striker, for depth as well as competition (having only one striker on the roster is ludicrous) i don't mind jese playing that role, but i'm hearing he could be utilized as a back up winger instead. rafa expects benzema to notch 20-25 goals...i'd say 25 league goals, he's good, its not beyond him. if he gives us at least 25 in the league, cristiano does what he does, and bale can be sensible enough to chip in when necessary, our offense will be solid in the league race...we'd just have to hope the defense doesn't slack

[jibers]

@Tito Madrid should have won the league last year. Ancelotti screwed it up by his lack of rotations tbh. They are as good as Barcelona and on any given game I would have backed Madrid to beat Barca tbh. The big problem Rafa has is sorting out Bales position.

[Myesyats]

IMO Atletico will win the leauge this season.

Barca's shitty depth will hurt em and Benitez will choke.

[Hapless_Hans]

@Tito Madrid should have won the league last year. Ancelotti screwed it up by his lack of rotations tbh. They are as good as Barcelona and on any given game I would have backed Madrid to beat Barca tbh. The big problem Rafa has is sorting out Bales position.

Another problem imo is sorting out Kroos position. I strongly feel the way Carlo visioned Kroos wasn't very productive.

Kroos is no Pirlo, he isn't creative playing so deep. He makes no mistakes and distributes, but he doesn't contribute to attacking play really.
He's not a defenisve midfielder either, so imo it was a waste of talent.

Kroos gets creative if he is put further upfront and has to make quick decisions, he's better in defensive transition than in defending deep.
He's got a lethargic streak which is encouraged to come to the surface when he's being made too comfortable.

[Myesyats]

Who do you reckon should be play as the deep midfielder then? AFAIK they sold there last def mid this summer in Khedira...

Of course i'm not taking into account Illara or Lucas Silva for obvious reasons.

[Hapless_Hans]

I wouldn't know. Khedira was definitively not one for this position either. Khedira's main feature is popping up all over the pitch.

What about this Casemiro. What kind of player is he.

And I'm not sure what obvious reasons there are not to mention Illara and Lucas Silva. They are Real players arent' they?

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