Real Madrid vs. Real Betis

Guy needs to accept that he's getting older.

Should have scored today though.

I can really sleep well at night now knowing that we have very capable back-ups for Modric and Kroos in Casemiro and Kovacic.

This is the best football I've seen during this weekend..and I've seen plenty of games from different leagues.

You guys do know he was frustrated with himself right? Considering he missed 2 rather easy chances, I would be frustrated too.

With that being said, lovely performance. Bale did well, quite well actually. His donkey technique still a bother though. Side note, I don't think Kroos and Modric would work well in this set up. Betis didn't need to do much to out number us in their final third. Maybe Casimero would see more pitch time?

Also, Danilo is making Hala's bias towards Dani seem unfounded.

No, wait a minute, this is Danilo's first official decent game in a Madrid shirt. Hala isn't the only one thinking Carvajal deserves more minutes here. The guy is WC and is too good to be benched.

As for Ronaldo, he's the most professional footballer playing today. I love the fact that he gets frustrated when he doesn't score or when he doesn't perform. His professionalism is legendary and I respect that more than anything.

on the game i think bale did very well, needs a bit more vision outside of crossing, took his goals well too and need to pick his moments better.

james can't be dropped just too good, gonna be up there soon and he has leader qualities.

benzema was great for his first game back looks like he has a point to prove, can't believe he ignored cr for his first strike, lets see if he can hit 30+.

midfield was good for the most part, kroos really stepped it up we need him to be fresh, modric is modric as long as he is fit we have a big advantage, kavo-casemiro needs to be paired more often they looked good.

defense was solid for the most part, silly pen keylor did great he can start for us easily, varane-ramos is solid enough, danilo is gonna overpower carva once he really settles, marcelo was great too, he needs a proper back up.

cr will be fine once he starts scoring again, he didn't get as much of the ball, like in the first game i wonder if the team is really moving away from him this early?

overall great and things looked promising.

Hard to argue against a near perfect match. Everyone was firing on all cylinders except for Ronaldo who again was pretty invisible next to Bale James and Benzema.

LeVersacci wrote:Guy needs to accept that he's getting older.

Should have scored today though.

I think it's apparent by his change in playing style over the past few years that he's aware that he's aging. I doubt he'll come to terms with it any time soon, though. I still see him attempt to skillfully dribble past defenders every rare now and then, but his ever declining speed and reflexes usually let him down.

As for Danilo. He only just came to this club, and he has a lot to prove in the upcoming season. Like Doc pointed out in another thread, neither Danilo, nor Carvajal are particularly good at defending, but Carvajal seems like a more reliable option in that regard. I'd be happy if Danilo proves me wrong, but Carvajal just seems more reliable defensively. I never watched any of Danilo's games before he came to Madrid, but supposedly he's got some offensive qualities that we've been lacking in that position for some time, not to mention that he's decently tall - at least, compared to Carvajal. He's definitely an interresting player, but if there's anything I've learnt from following Real Madrid for almost two decades, it's not to expect too much from players that don't have an established reputation.

Out of his 6 seasons with us Ronaldo only started strong the last one and maybe in the Decima season. He'll start a streak in the next 2 rounds IMO. Anyway, much better performance compared to the horror show from last week, mostly due to there fact that James was there from the start. The kid is a top 5 player in my opinion.

Something Kobe Bryant realized as he aged and so should CR: You can't carry as much bulk. In 2012, Kobe dropped 25lbs and he became quicker and more explosive.

CR is carrying unnecessary bulk.

a good game, the result was to be expected...but those james goals, i particularly liked the free kick, that should give him the go-ahead to start taking most of them, including on the right side

i am also among those thinking carvajal should not only get more minutes but start. imo when you sign a new player, unless he's some world-beater, he has to earn his way into the line up. carvajal hasn't done anything that warrants him being a substitute...but, its only two games in, my guess is rafa's going to implement rotations with regards to that right back position

sportsczy wrote:Something Kobe Bryant realized as he aged and so should CR: You can't carry as much bulk. In 2012, Kobe dropped 25lbs and he became quicker and more explosive.

CR is carrying unnecessary bulk.

You're right, especially when he denies playing as a nine, that bulk is unnecessary as you say, he needs to be quicker if he wants to continue to play on the left.

halamadrid2 wrote:Great game but it was only against Betis at home we play Bilbao away soon, we can manage this type of performance and I think we have improved. Betis were dreadful, no defence, no attack, they made it too easy for us

Navas did really well, watch us sign DDG on Monday lolz. That's what we do

Hope Isco can take over from Ronaldo. He is too limited on that right dide. Benitez really destrying him. After havung adapt to the CM position he now has to adapt to the right. Not fair on him

isco is not a cm and rafa isn't destroying anything.

isco is good at LM,LW or AM even though i still think he is still a bit slow on the ball, regardless cr plays left and bale the center, isco is just a bench player until cr leaves some need to accept that.

Well Rafa is destroying plenty, but in the case of Isco, Isco is probably better suited to the 4-2-3-1 that Benitez plays, it is just a matter of beating out one of Bale, Ronaldo, or James.  Isco knew what he was getting into when he signed, was never going to be easy.

Personally I think Isco does deserve to start at the expense of Bale obviously, we will just have to wait and see what happens

tbf isco is at fault imo, like james he was handed a starting spot but, unlike james who took about a month to stop glory hunting and just let the game flow, while isco had to be bench after 3 months, tried in several positions, before he learned to just pass the ball quickly and stop dribbling so much, which he still fails to do at times even now, should he play ahead of bale? yes, but his real opponent is james and he is no match, no matter how smooth he dribbles.

isco isn't a central midfielder, and if you're pairing him with kroos or modric, its even worse, cos he'll probably just neglect the defensive aspect of the game and leave those guys to attempt a gattuso/makelele impersonation. i think rafa's just playing him anywhere to give him minutes....and at madrid, if you're on the bench and coach says play x position, you just have to go with the flow and play it well enough to dislodge the incumbent. imo, for what its worth, he should be james' back up. bale may have issues, but starting isco in his place (out on the right that is), is ridiculous. isco hasn't the speed to play as a winger, and for a winger he'll hold the ball too much...winger is, dribble, run, cross, or shoot; execute counters, not turning around picking out passes like a cm

Isco is better as CM than AM. His movement in the final third and final pass are pretty bad. For Malaga be played his best football on the left and for us as a LM/LCM. He needs 2 other midfielders though. He sucked when he played alongside Kroos

Actually with Isco and James on the flanks we don't play 4231 even if it's showed on paper. When they both play they are not wingers but wide midfielders. It's different having Ronaldo on the left

isco sucks at cm, he is best playing ahead of the midfield, we lost every big game with isco as CM, LAM/LM is his best position you can spin history as much as you like though.