₦airaland Forum

raumdeuter: They would look clueless if they do extra work.

You remember bale became a beast in spurs when he wad relieved of extra defensive duties same with Ronaldo post 2006.

You can get away with this when playing lower sides but against decent opposition that imbalance would always hurt.

Let Madrid drop Hames for a DM or a hard-working CM like di Maria then you'll see them again. In the CL final sef it was the hard work of di Maria that Baled them out

that's exactly my point. Madrid needed an attack-minded genius in di Maria since the likes of Ronaldo and Benzema weren't playing well - the more reason why I feel the whole DM issue should be de-emphasized, especially after the horror show on display in Madrid's attack tonight

afrodoc2: But you and all of us here at United have been clamoring for DMs at Old Trafford. Would you have been content with Falcao,Rooney,RVP,Di Maria et.c but not Blind? In fact are peeps still not asking for Vidal,Strootman,Cattermole e..t.c ?

BALANCE is important in a team, this team as constituted has no balance.

I am not saying the team is balanced. Yeah Madrid may need to get a like- for- like replacement for Alonso but this topic shouldn't come up after a game in which their expensively assembled forward line failed to click at all. That's my point.

raumdeuter: The lack of DM brought an imbalance thus the attackers need to go out of their comfort zone to do unnecessary work.

Without a DM that means Ronaldo bale Hames Benzema have to track back more thereby losing their attacking effectiveness.

It's like telling Messi to drop deep to cover Busquets role

Lol..

Madrid's foward players were clueless with the ball and couldn't Conjure up meaningful attacking moves today, you dey talk about defensive duties.

raumdeuter: I don't see Madrid benching any of Kroos or modric. They also don't play with a 10. To win the CL last season they didn't play any DM either but had a di Maria that was ready to work hard something Rodriguez can't.

Rodriguez fills what role exactly in Madrid? When you have bale and Ronaldo. All you need is to solidify your middle the goal scoring is covered already

That's the crux of the matter...

Madrid have scored 3 goals in 2 matches (1 pk) at the bernabau ( a place where they are known to score goals for fun ), yet y'all are laying emphasis on the absence of a hatchet man. In the past, didn't Madrid have to outscore their opponents by 3-2, 4-3 etc in some matches, despite playing two hatchet men in Alonso and khedira?

raumdeuter: That second goal conceded today shouldn't be I'd they had a defensive midfielder

After the cutback, 2 atletico players were very open in front of the box that they had the luxury of ďoing unchallenged dummies, could have done azonto for 5 minutes sef

That's the position a solid DM occupies in that scenario.

In their last 2 league games they've conceded 6. You think that has nothing to do with a DM

Like I said earlier, I'd rather talk about the lackluster performance of their expensively assembled frontline in today's game. Assuming the DM issue came up after the 4-2 loss two weeks ago, it would be understandable.

raumdeuter: Buying Hames for 80m means he must play.

Can you give me an optimum lineup for Madrid that would include all these players?

I insist buying Hames was a wrong move

I don't understand all these talk about Madrid needing a solid defensive midfielder after losing a game in which their fowards failed to turn up. Assuming they lost 4-3 or thereabout, maybe I would probably have understood better.

afrodoc2: Ancelotti is a chronic "Yes man". He has 2 expensive no 10s in James and Isco but his formation does not use a no 10.

James was in the hole but as you'd say ; the hole swallowed him!

afrodoc2: James Rodriguez was brought in to be the creative fulcrum of the team. He is not delivering so far,but it is still early days

True...

The worrisome aspect is that they didn't really work athletico's keeper. I feel di Maria's influence was sorely missed today.

Dhellake: I guess your team haven't played those thugs before, they can stop even a £1bn attack from scoring

Oh... You guys could only manage a goal in 180 mins of footie against them last season.

No wonder

chrisley024: That's the price of lack of a DM, same problem we've and it's like our defence is shyte.

I am more concerned with a £260m attack that could only score from the penalty spot in a home match

Smh for Madrid

SailorXY: 08-09 first 16 games I think
P16 W11 D3 L2 GF 35 GA 6

its not even by the results, but they showed impeccable form... like they do now. & general prediction? the title will be won in March!

Before their free fall to 3rd position that season, they only managed to top the league by goals difference and there were even instances in which Liverpool topped the league.
www.statto.com/football/stats/england/premier-league/2008-2009/table/2008-11-16

Ofcourse injuries etc could hamper their chances but it still doesn't take away the fact that they are strong favorites for the title.

SailorXY: forget that thing, we've been here before... have we not?

Remind me..

afrodoc2: 21 goals in 43 EPL matches. The question is why did Wenger not get him instead of Welbeck?

Wenger don begin dey populate hin team with too many English players who are generally known to be mediocre. It will surely backfire.

leggo: 4 games each.. Costa 6goals Fab 6 assists.. I fear Chelsea.

6 or 7?

afrodoc2: Omo i am just looking up to God, this Costa-Fabregas combo is not looking easy

Az in ehn...

If Chelsea can manage to keep both of them fit, I see them clinching the title as early as March

PietroRico: initial gra gra



I hope

Dude looks tailor-made for the epl. He is Rugged, strong & seems to know his way around the opponent's goal...

Oops... Hatrick

E be like say Chelsea don sign better goal machine

See as Swansea dey boss una for Stamford bridge.

chrisley024: Hehehe! Why tell us after the game?

I tire oo

RuuDie: Wilshere and Silva

The guys dey ball

The best "hole man" in the world, If you ask me.

The way he dictates the tempo of the game with his intelligent passing and positioning coupled with his ability to keep the ball in tight areas, is just delightful to watch.

One of the Demerits of zonal marking

raumdeuter: The world class player thats better than Gotze

No one could be that stÛpid to spew such bollocks..

PietroRico: his dig wasn't directed at the club. It was directed at people like you . His haters
You people really didn't treat him well

"I watch Spanish football a lot. If they pass the ball sideways but keep possession, the fans clap them"
https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/premier-league-cleverley-people-don-39-t-appreciate-084436829--sow.html

I actually had to read that interview over and over again cos I refused to believe a player could be that dumb!


Cleverley is worthless and hopeless!!

PietroRico: Lol. Who has been seeing recent cleverley quotes.


The dude dey vex

When a useless player like cleverley begins to claim " them no do me well ", the world is truly coming to an end

Shey we don sign vidal ni?

tonyfrenzy: About transcript, chk if itz something u can skip for d meantime. They'll only keep telling u dat u've not uploaded it bt itz smtn u can supply during regstration too. BUT TRY TO GET IT ASAP.

Isn't it supposed to be sent to the pg school with the label attached to it? Which one be upload again?

afrodoc2: 4-3-1-2.
We will be solid in the midfield with excellent and dynamic passers, overlapping fullbacks offering width and prolific strikers up front.
I believe this formation is the best protection for our shaky defense

-------------------------de gea---------------------------

----rafael---------jones-------evans/rojo-----shaw------

----------------------blind/carrick--------------------------

-------------herrera----------------di maria---------------

-----------------------mata----------------------------

---------------falcao----------rooney----------------


2nd team will be
-----valencia-------smalling-------evans/rojo-----blackett----

---------------------blind/carrick--------------------

-----------fletcher----------------anderson----------

---------------------adnan------------------------

--------------wilson---------RVP--------------------

Di Maria in a diamond? I doubt if he would be able to dazzle there. I'd rather have him as an out and out winger,(4-2-3-1) or in the hole (3-4-1-2)

dopeJemi: Fletcher ke, mata should play, deploy maria to the midfield with blind

I put fletcher there because herrera is still injured. This season, Mata hasn't really impressed me hence my decision to drop him. I would have dropped Rooney but it seems we are stuck with him.

Di Maria alongside blind?? I don't think we paid 59m for him to play in a pivot!

dopeJemi: ----------- de gea -----------


rafael -- jones -- rojo -- shaw


---------- herrera -- blind -----------


Di maria ------- mata ------- rooney


------------------ falcao -------------

Unfortunately, it seems LVG's hell bent on forcing the 3-4-1-2 formation down our throats. At that, I'd rather we lineup this way in our next match....

elampiro: His defensive stats are not encouraging to me. He doesnt appear to be good in aerial duel. An area we have been lacking.

IMO, he was among the average joes wey full that Dutch squad. I just hope he blossoms into an important player for us.

afrodoc2: No he is not a dominant player aerially that is why i would prefer him in midfield and never in defense.
He is very comfortable with the ball(unlike Fletcher) and is quite willing to pass forwards (unlike Cleverley). His major assets are his passing,positioning and intelligence.....unfortunately he is not blessed with much PACE or PAWA

In a nutshell, we have signed a shorter, less talented version of carrick, innit?

elampiro: So Blind is the DM we signed

Midfield
Blind- Herrera

Defence
Jones-Rojo-Blakett, ..... Shaw

I'd have preferred Anita or even sandro. I hope I'm proven wrong sha