Real Madrid post match thread

youngbob said:
Not bothered really. Went as expected in the end. 2-1 flattered us immensely when Haaland put the penalty in. Madrid should have already been a couple of goals up by the time Foden got fouled. I put £50 on Madrid to win this afternoon and have pocketed a nice £170 (incl. returns). Might as well make as much cash as I can out of this season.

We know we're not up to winning the European Cup this year, so going any further than the play-offs would only knacker us out more when there are far more important things to fight for as it pertains to our immediate future (finishing top 4/5). This team could do very well only playing once a week - twice is clearly killing us. A bit annoyed we have to go to the Bernabeau in eight days.

As for the game - same old issues rearing their heads. Mainly that we have a lot of old and tired legs in the engine room, which means we don't have much of an engine at all. We've won everything under Pep by overwhelming the opposition and exploiting the gaps they leave when they get tired, but we can't get the intensity going anymore so the other team just bides their time and waits until we're done in.

This is just what happens when a team gives everything to win four Premier Leagues on the trot. We're experiencing massive burnout with a squad that needs regenerating - we know this. One high intensity game against the current European champions and three of our lads go off with injuries while Akanji, Kovacic, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Gundogan, and Foden struggle to keep pace with the game.

Don't think it's a coincidence that Savinho has looked like our best player since November/December - he's a young lad who's got pace and skill to burn and wants to learn new things. The aforementioned players are just a bit worn out (all for different reasons). Time to let Khusanov, Reis, Gonzalez, and Marmoush step in for the rest of the season and start planning for the future. The target is 4th/5th and we'll go again next year.

Not gonna come for Ederson. He made a couple of mistakes at the end but he kept it from being 2-1 3-1 4-1 to Madrid on a few occasions. He also produced his best ever game in a City shirt to win us the bloody thing in Istanbul two years ago. He needs to do better, and I think we need to move him on personally, but I don't get the anger. Same goes for Lewis who's got limitations we're all aware of and needs to be played further forward.

Teams have burnout seasons. It happens. Ours is particularly severe but we're still doing alright - we're just not good enough to win the European Cup this year. Big whoop. We'll be back next season.
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Great post.
 
Exeter Blue I am here said:
We have to be the most unprofessional team in world football at the moment. United, Sporting, Brentford, Juventus, Brighton, PSG, Feyenoord, Arsenal, Madrid. That’s 26 second half goals conceded in just 9 games, 7 of which we were winning at some point, and 15 of which goals came in the last 15 minutes.
That tonight, given what happened against United and Feyenoord in particular, was absolutely shameful. Leading with 6 minutes left? Two banks of four, make it difficult, but no, there we are again with the defence shoved up on halfway and quick opposition forwards looking to run in behind.
I have no words for Ederson on either goal. He cost us the game. A showy horizontal volley goal kick carries a far greater risk than an up and under, so why fucking do it? And then the third, out on the edge of his area making himself piss easy to lob, when he should have started back-pedalling as soon as Rico Lewis was, predictably, worsted in the challenge for a bouncing ball. And Ruben Dias, stranded out on the right flank trying to win a header he was never going to make and didn’t need to make. Cretins.
The individual gaffes this season have beggared belief, but the lack of organisation and professionalism has been far worse.
I’m not going to dig Rico Lewis out, because he actually played reasonably well after coming on, but the substitution itself, reeked of recklessness, cos you know at some stage he will fail to make a crucial challenge and the ball will end up in our net. QED.
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We do have the most unprofessional squad in the world I agree. What is Pep's accountability in all of this?
 
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ancoats said:
You see that is wrong ?? We have let this all happen and did nothing in the summer, it's clear that the Rodri cover was needed as well the full-backs, Once you turn off for a moment your gone
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Absolutely. Onwards and upwards next season hopefully.
 
Bigga said:
Lewis ain't no RB, for sure.

Why not make the decision to meet the ball rather wait it to bounce?

As soon as I saw Lewis coming on, I thought 'fuck me!'!!
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I’m going to get slated for this.


He’s wank and should be nowhere near this team. Not one person on here can tell me what his ‘best’ position is.

He’s this sides Phil Neville.
 
Jefferson Airplane said:
Rico for that last goal, deary me
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Ridiculous flick pass from Kovacic to him and then Lewis not strong enough.
I was hoping he'd pull Vinicius down.
Cannot get my head around that last 5 minutes.
Stones hit 3 passes all intercepted.
With time on our side, Ederson compounds his bad kick out with a pathetic attempt at a save.

At that stage , Madrid were happy to see the match out at 2 all.
Not sure how the players are going to pick themselves up after that.
 
Lkzerinho said:
The board and Khaldoon have to answer some tough questions this year.

It's natural for a team of our caliber to go through a transition period, as players cycle in and out.

What has been unacceptable was the fact that you went into this season with no cover in midfield with an aging squad, selling players like Alvarez and not bringing in a replacement nor even making a real attempt to.

Since the treble the signings have been projects and panic signings and they have not bought quality ready-to-go players since the treble season. That policy has to change this summer, and they need to do it fast so the players get pre-seasons and get up to speed quickly.
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Hard to disagree with that.

The men upstairs have rested on their laurels. They have strained every ounce out of the formidable team with the likes of Walker, Gundo, Kev, Bernie, Stones. And now the chickens are coming home to roost.

Instead of signing stellar players to compliment that squad and introduce them over a period, we find ourselves in this shit state of affairs which now needs a massive overhaul.

Absolute joke how a club that was selling it's club shop to balance the books 20 years ago, propelled itself to the absolute top of European and world football within 18 years, and now finds itself in the state it is in.
 
I mean the fact we’re playing two CBs in central midfield for me is just fukin bizarre. No other team in the world is playing two CBs in DM roles. Why have we spunked 180 million? and still play the same players who have been on the treatment table for months. Where is the plan? For the future? We just gonna wrap the new lads up and bring them out when we think it’ll be easy for them? Ffs. It’s like me buying brand new tyres and keeping them at home all brand new, still going around corners in my bald ones and wondering why I’ve ended up in a fukin bush!
 
Lkzerinho said:
The board and Khaldoon have to answer some tough questions this year.

It's natural for a team of our caliber to go through a transition period, as players cycle in and out.

What has been unacceptable was the fact that you went into this season with no cover in midfield with an aging squad, selling players like Alvarez and not bringing in a replacement nor even making a real attempt to.

Since the treble the signings have been projects and panic signings and they have not bought quality ready-to-go players since the treble season. That policy has to change this summer, and they need to do it fast so the players get pre-seasons and get up to speed quickly.
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Pep's contract was a major problem with the rebuild in the summer Nobody Knew if he was leaving or staying
The whole place stinks at the moment, it's all OK to have a bad season and roll over and go to sleep, Pep needs to get hold of the team and put players on gardening leave who don't want a fight or players who can not fight and are finished
 
We should've tried harder for a right back when Walker went, it borders on stupidity not to have a back up in that position. We could have sacrificed the Gonzalez signing for a full back as that was more a priority in my eyes
 
abellwillring said:
I don't like to throw players under the bus or badmouth our guys but Rico is just not cut out for the team, especially in the role he's being played in. I think he could be a CAM or something on a team at a lower level because he has some good attributes including being a decent passer and has a creative eye. We've see him strike the ball well before. Unfortunately he cannot defend -- certainly not in the way that is necessary at a team that relies on last man defending. He is small in stature, weak on the ball and is slow.

That moment called for a header or being aggressive and throwing his body at the ball to block off the attacker. He's so small and scared though that he just throws a leg out. Given that he couldn't get the ball away, he should have just taken Vini out. Grab him, get a red if you need to.. do anything but let him run in behind. But he doesn't think like a defender either.
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Exactly, take one for the team
 
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When Haaland scored 2-1 the scoreline flattered us. Let’s be honest. It’s a pity we childishly gave it away in the end. Again.
Real though were simply the better side.

This game summed up our season so far. I reckon it’s still a successful season if we qualify for next years’ chimps league and win the FA cup.

Still let’s get the 90 minutes at their place done. You never know what’s gonna happen on the night. Even if I don’t fancy our chances. At all.
 
willipp said:
The big question is what are we transitioning into. I don’t see anything from this group of players and Pep to see much other than a big decline. If anything next season will be the transitional season and only with a huge summer will that go the right way.
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Exactly. There’s probably only five, maybe six first teamers that are of the level we once were:

Gvardiol
Dias
Rodri
Foden
Silvinho
Haaland

We still have a lot of positions to fill and not sure many of the last signings of the previous 2/3 windows will really cut it
 
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