Real Humilliation…

By: Cesar | October 28th, 2009

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This is not a match review; I’m not in the mood for that. This is a heartfelt account of what I felt the hours before, during, and after the game.

I woke up today and thought about the things I had to do: go to the mall with my mom, study for my tests, watch Real Madrid’s Copa del Rey against Alcorcon, do some laundry, etc. To me the match was of no importance, being against a Segunda B side, and seeing the pre match players list, I thought to myself: “Good, Pellegrini is taking this game seriously, we better win convincingly after the last Milan and Gijon matches, today is when things start to get better”. HOW WRONG I WAS!

I saw Alcorcon play really well ever before they scored their first goal, and after reading the official match review, I can say it was only a matter of time for them to score first. Alcorcon was all over the place, they put pressure, they ran, they covered, they helped each other, THEY WERE A FOOTBALL TEAM, and I’m sorry to say this, but I wish Madrid play liked them.

I want to share with you my thoughts during the game:

1. “great, already down 2-0 to alcorcon, JUST FANTASTIC!!!”
2. “good thing we have raul, HE ALWAYS COMES THROUGH FOR US!!!” (can you sense the sarcasm?)
3. “a header for alcorcon hits the post, they’re closer to getting a 3rd as we are of getting our first ARGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!”
4. “RMFC, they just suck!!!! they play as if this were a recreational Saturday game, no drive, no effort, NOTHING!!”
5. “This players should be ashamed of themselves, this is a fucking disgrace”
6. “another for alcorcon wow”
7. “what an easy goal, wonder why my team can’t create plays like that”
8. “and now, we’ll have to hear about “remontadas”, and shit like that”
9. “the only thing missing is Guti’s stupid dismissal from a terrible challenge, WE ALL KNOW IS COMING”
10. “the only player who’s really trying is VDV…”
11. “the coach is also to blame; after all the turmoil he should prepare the team as if every game is a final, this whole mess is a result of his lack of authority in that dressing room…”
12. “I’m sorry, but Dudek looks like he’s the captain, he’s the only one telling the players they’re sucking, great job Raul,what a way to demonstrate leadership…”
13. “I can see the return leg if this game ends like this: down 3-0, with alcorcon parking the bus in front of their goal, and Real having a really tough time breaking the alcorcon def, as has happened so far in this season…”
14. “let’s see the changes for the second half…”
15. “oh man, lady GAGA comes in for Guti…”
16. “vdv and dudek, our best players so far”
17. “wow 4-0”
18. “we’re out of the Copa del Rey, it’s official”
19. “haven’t seen a shot on goal from benzema the whole game…”
20. “almost a 5th from alcorcon”
21. “andres, yeah my friend, 4 nil indeed…”
22. “the only thing I want from this is game is STABILITY, it would be worse to get a new coach…”
23. “marcelo for granero???? maybe pellegrini knows something we don’t”
24. “andres, I agree with you, the castilla players would’ve shown more heart and determination”
25. “we’re gonna be the laughingstock of spanish football for weeks to come, better get ready”
26. “thank god raul’s out!!!!”
27. “sombra, tell that to valdano and florentino, they’re the ones who decided on bringing him (benzema) and letting negredo go…”
28. “my god, not even a goal to show, what a terrible performance”
29. “andres, totally right my friend, I can see all the “priceless” jokes coming our way after this game…”
30. “ruud, with a good shot, NOW THAT’S A STRIKER!!!!”
31. “I would not play raul, benzema, and guti for a while…, that also applies to arbeloa, WHO’S BEEN MISERABLE THIS GAME”
32. “my god
what a fucking disgrace, good for Alcorcon and their fans, hopefully our players will learn some humility from this game”
33. “totally agree labomba, this team is falling apart, the coach is not getting through to the players, the “leaders” (yeah, I’m talking about you Raul) don’t act like such, there’s no commitment, no sacrifice, no honor, no respect…what a fucking disgrace”
34. “vivek, I’m ok with giving pellegrini time, but unfortunately this is Real Madrid, and winning EVERY YEAR comes with the job…Given Florentino’s past history with managers, the odds are that Pellegrini has his days numbered; if that doesn’t happen, and FP sticks with Pellegrini, that would mean an incredible act of maturity and patience from Perez, but as I said, I don’t see that happening….”

Fortunately, all bad things come to an end, and for us that came when the ref blew his whistle to finish the game. What I’ve been feeling afterwards is a mixture of anger, shame, betrayal, and disappointment and so on, and so on.

To say that Alcorcon outplayed us today would be an understatement; crush, destroy, annihilate come more closely to what we witnessed today. I can understand losing to Barcelona 2-6 last year, I can even understand last week’s defeat against Milan, I can cope with those, but to lose against a Segunda B side, in such a humiliating manner is just inconceivable, and that’s what makes this so hard to digest, at least for me.

Now, I want to share with you the negative and positive conclusions I had from this game. Let’s get the NEGATIVES out of the way first:

1. Guti: as you can see in my comments, I was just waiting for him to get red carded. But what really made me furious was reading and seeing the things he did after he was substituted: telling Pellegrini to “go fuck yourself”, and then flipping the bird to the Alcorcon fans. Also, his post match comment: “I can’t quite explain how this happened”, GUTI, WAKE UP: THEY HAD MORE COJONES THAN YOU, AND TOOK THE GAME SERIOUSLY, that’s the simple explanation your stupid brain can’t quite reach by itself!!!.

There was a discussion in the forum about “class”, and there arguments that said it applies to players, and others said that it applied to teams. Guti’s actions made me realize this: He has no “class” as a player nor as a person; and if the club really prides itself on being “classy”, they should suspend him indefinitely. He is a disgrace, and SHOULD never be allowed to wear the captain’s armband.

2. Our defense was terrible: they were slow, always behind their strikers, and marking was nonexistent; once again we saw how vulnerable we are to wing play, and how our midfield and defenders don’t work together to cover spaces.

3. The midfield couldn’t create, they just didn’t have possession, and when they had, they didn’t have enough time to do anything creative.

4. Pellegrini’s game plan, if there was any, and his substitutions were really suspect. I know it’s not fair to second guess him after such a loss, but we have seen this in the last month or so, and it’s a really worrying trait, at least for me.

4. Arbeloa, Metzelder, Albiol, Drenthe, Guti, Mahamodou, Granero, Raul, Benzema WERE JUST TERRIBLE.

5. Raul: I love Raul, always have, but I’m really disappointed in his “leadership”: I want to see someone who’s involved, who takes charge, who gets in the face of someone if they’re not doing their job right, I want to see some passion. He also spoke of how “Real Madrid are the club of remontadas”, and that “there’s still another leg to be played”, but seriously, Raul, you think you’re gonna get through after losing 4-0? you think you’re gonna get through playing like you have for the last month or so?

I told Corey that Raul only appears and shows passion whenever he’s being questioned, and that might be good enough for him, but not for me. He really should step up, or get out of the picture, because I just can’t stand riding on the roller coaster that is his career at the moment.

6. The lack of homegrown players has plagued us for many years, and I think is an endemic problem the organization hasn’t been able to resolve completely. We need the homegrown players, players who’ve been with the club since they were young, and whose lifelong dream is to play with the first team, players who are loyal, and feel embarrassed whenever they lose, players who realize that playing in Real Madrid is not a given, but a HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE. I can’t expect that from the players we buy, and I understand, but to have the bulk of the team made of those type of players, that I can’t quite accept nor understand.

Now, the POSITIVES:

1. Dudek: Saved us from an ever bigger humilliation. He was our best player last night.

2. VDV: I loved the way he played; he was everywhere, he was involved, he tried, and tried, and tried again, and I was glad to see him play with that passion. Hopefully Pellegrini noticed, and decides on giving him an even bigger role.

3. I think this loss will be the turning point of the season. IT HAS TO BE. This team already is at the bottom of the barrel, and the only way to go now is up, so I’m optimistic in that happening, but only if, and that’s a HUGE IF, Florentino and Valdano don’t panic and keep Pellegrini at the helm. I for one don’t want more drama and turmoil surrounding our club.

I’m also sick of the apologies and comments after the game: Guti, Raul, Valdano, Florentino and all those who apologized can take them and shove them up their asses. Guti’s comment: “I can’t quite explain how this happened”. GUTI, WAKE UP, I’LL TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED: THEY HAD MORE COJONES THAN YOU, AND TOOK THE GAME SERIOUSLY, that’s the simple explanation your stupid brain can’t quite reach by itself!!!.

Raul spoke of how “Real Madrid are the club of remontadas”, and that “there’s still another leg to be played”, but seriously, Raul, you think you’re gonna get through after losing 4-0? you think you’re gonna get through playing like you have for the last month or so? why did you and your mates put yourselves in that situation in the first place?.

This is what I want from now on:

I want Pellegrini to stay.

I want a REAL leader as our captain.

I don’t want apologies, I want the players, coach and management to get their shit together and stop embarrassing this great club and their fans.

I want the best players to play every game, regardless of trophies, captaincy, or time spent at the club.

I want to see commitment.

I want to see pride.

I want Real Madrid to rise up to the challenge and prove all doubters, haters, and trollers wrong.

That’s all, I’m still angry.

HALA MADRID!!!!