Comments on: Real 2-0 Levante

By: Joe

Joe — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 15:21:07 +0000

We’re probably not helped by the fact that we’ve not a settled defence what with all the injuries. Marcelo has done resonably well but still lacks experience. Heinze on the other hand isnt as dynamic going forward but is much more solid. I think Pepe has been one of our best defenders but we overpaid in terms of his transfer fee. Then there is Ramos, he is the man and will be a legend for us.

By: Corey

Corey — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 03:00:59 +0000

Damn Steve, thanks for the backup. Your sentiments on Pepe are exactly what I was to angry and probably uneliquant to get across. And Arsenal and Professor Wenger.

As for Sneijder, I would bench him right away. He would get a chance if he had to, but he would be a impact sub at best. Like Guti is doing right now.

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 02:03:01 +0000

In comparison to my second favourite team, Arsenal, Real just doesn’t inspire any confidence in defense. Arsenal plays exactly the kind of free-flowing football we all want to see (but also sometimes without the clinical finishing that Ruud gives us) but they don’t give the feeling that they can be scored upon at any time, even though they don’t have anyone like San Iker in goal.

Ok, i’ll admit that Gallas and Toure make a better pairing than Cannavaro and Pepe/Metzelder, but Arsenal also play with 2 attacking wingbacks in Sagna and Clichy, like Madrid likes to play, and if you ever watch them, you never get the sense that they are going to give up a goal because of shoddy defending. And you can’t tell me Flamini is really that much better at the holding midfield role than Diarra or Gago.

I don’t know what Professor Wenger teaches at the Emirates, but I’d love to bottle it up and bring it down to Madrid.

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 01:55:45 +0000

john, i think sticking with Sneijder game in, game out, is the wrong policy, at least for him. It’s his first season, and aside from that match where he came out like gangbusters (Villarreal?), he doesn’t yet have the track record to deserve a start each match.

Now maybe Schuster sees differently, or maybe Sneijder is really good in training, I dunno… but I’d definitely sit him down for at least a match or two, until he’s got the track record of someone like Ruud, who I would play regardless of any slump or loss of form.

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 01:50:56 +0000

I really want to like Pepe, but he’s scaring the living daylights out of me like Helguera did. There’s no reason why we should be so shitty at defending corners like we do, and that’s gotta be on the centreback. Pepe has had one really great game, and the rest range from crap to decent, and to be honest, that shouldn’t be the case for a pricey defender like he is. Is it his fault he cost so much? No, but that still doesn’t mean we shouldn’t judge him with that in mind.

By: john

john — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 22:45:53 +0000

Awwwwwwwww snap!

By: Corey

Corey — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 22:37:44 +0000

Well, atleast we are not the only team that is playing crappy but still getting results. Is this the death of beautiful football and we are entering an ice age like period where the likes of Frank Lampard are considered players of great skill and technique? God no….

By: john

john — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 22:04:36 +0000

I just watched the bacelona Sevilla match:

One of the more boring games I’ve watched in a long time (and I watch Madrid play at least once a week, sigh). Sevilla were absolutely allergic to posession, giving away the ball at midfield as if each time they did so, Laporta would make a donation to Save The Children. Just embarrassing. So Barcelona go through on the merit of a scoreless draw, a 1-1 tally, a win based on aggregate.

wowwy-wow-wow.

By: Louise

Louise — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 22:28:43 +0000

I didn’t think Pepe was that bad (other than a horrid back pass that almost gave a goal to Levante) or that Torres was all that good. Torres added nothing offensively and wasn’t very sure footed on defense, either (of course, compared to his counterpart on the other side, he was a defending machine). He hasn’t come anywhere near the form he showed for Capello last year. Hopefully that will come with getting more games.

It is absolutely ridiculous that the healthiest defender this club has is 34 years old. Canna is holding together this backline with string and gum, and he’s got a sprained ankle, bruised knee and dislocated finger. But he did do a good job cleaning up for a horrible Marcelo yesterday. I suppose as long as they have Iker, Canna, and at least one other defender who’s feeling up to playing, it’s better than most defenses in the league.

By: john

john — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 22:15:20 +0000

Pepe will never justify his pricetag, I doubt any defender in the world could justify that kind of money. We’ll have to settle for solid defending, when he’s not injured.

And yeah, he’s been injured a lot. I wonder if anyone bothered to look into that before signing him.