The Almighty Sergio Ramos Appreciation Thread

This was key for me. Messi - as much as it may kill people to admit that he is an absolute monster - he killed us by finding pocket after pocket. And Xavi and Busquets just had too much time. We don't have to press like maniacs, but you have to be smart and disciplined and we weren't.

You know Messi is going to beat your best defenders. You know Neymar can do the same. The key for me is where and when you choose to pressure them and I think we failed at it big time.

 

Amen, to this...and it's been like this for years so it's not all on Ancelotti but finally addressing this area of the pitch will fix a big number of issues for us.

 

And as much as I like the guy and I hate to say this, but I think the main reason lies with Xabi Alonso.

 

Look, I've been saying for a while now that our midfield is based on two players running themselves into the ground. Di Maria can do it - but it worries me; asking Modric to do it kills his strengths.

And again, I am not discounting Sergio Ramos' role in everything. I just think that the way our midfield plays, we put our backline in very, very difficult situations and you can not do that against teams like Barca.

 

Exactly, when your midfield is constantly getting overrun at some point your CBs are going to "break" if you will. This is not some new story...we've seen it with Barca, Dortmund, Bayern a couple seasons ago and even Atleti.

 

Actually the red card is "only" his fault. The goal itself isn't, but a smarter defender doesn't even touch that player there. If you're on the wrong side of the attacker in the box, it's statistically almost always better to let them have a free shot and goal than it is to foul them and give away a penalty and red card.

 

LOL. Of course it's only his fault. We are talking about how the play evolves.

 

There's someone who said that in the buildup to a goal there are usually at least three mistakes (I think it was Brendan Rogers actually, not sure though), and that's true in most cases. Blaming Ramos for the situation is not the right response, but he messed up by touching the player. Everyone knows Neymar is a gymnast, if you touch him he will go down.

PS here's the analysis on the value of letting the player score rather than touching him:

http://www.statsbomb.com/2013/12/dogso-and-punishment/

 

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/mar/25/sergio-ramos-appeal-red-card-rejected

The appeal was rejected.

 

This would have happened if Varane played:

 

^ Varane's pace could have enabled him to contain Neymar.However we're forgetting that it was Fabregas in his place .

 

Well Varane did outrun missy a number of times in last year's clasico, add to that he does not suffer from brain farts like Ramos and concede unnecessary red cards and leave the team in jeopardy.

It really is silly the number of times ( i guess, it's 3) Ramos has picked up a red card in clasicos in the last 3-4 years, playing with 10 men against Barca is a suicide and Ramos ensures that a lot of times.I really don't want him to start in the clasicos anymore, we need to get a CB this summer or maybe Javi Martinez as he will provide far more balance in other games as well (as a holding mid)

 

Its the Spanish FA ffs, what more can we expect from these clowns??

 

If they called him up to congratulate him on his performance then they are unlikely to overturn a decision which had an enormous impact on the outcome of the game.

 

Ramos made a mistake on Saturday night but the idea of benching him for Clasicos or selling him (as I have seen suggested) is ridiculous. He is a fantastic CB seemingly over prone to the hot headed or thoughtless maneuver but I think his attributes far outweigh his negatives. I've always said with the way our midfield operates (or not) at times I'm surprised he and Pepe don't make more mistakes, there is only so much they can do. Then there is the question that we had with Pepe last summer, who is out there we can really realistically obtain who would be a significant upgrade worth the outlay? A CB that fits this criteria, like a unicorn, simply doesn't exist. There are potentially some in the making but I'm not selling/benching Sergio to see.

 

No shock there. He did clip him even if Neymar emphatically embellished it and Neymar was in front of him. The rule was our problem there.

It was just stupid of him to do that.

 

I'd like to see more Pepe/Varane and Varane/Ramos lineups.

Last year a lot of comments on this forum were how Ramos is more calm and collected when playing with Varane instead of Pepe and I'd like to see if it still holds true because the amount of red cards Ramos gets won't go well for our chances in UCL (already made a huge impact on la liga).

Obviously midfield is the biggest problem when it comes to defense but we have to rotate Varane in aswell, especially in big, emotional matches.

 

Pepe has been good this year and we can't bench Ramos who hasn't been bad himself. Varane has time. In another year Pepe will have to give way for him.

 

Sergio Ramos today celebrates his 28th birthday. The man from Sevilla is a key figure at the club and is in his ninth season as a Real Madrid player. He was born on the 30th of March 1986 in Camas (Seville) and made his debut in the Primer División with his hometown club Sevilla aged 17. Two seasons later he signed for the side from the capital.

His debut for Madrid came on the 10th of September 2005 against Celta de Vigo. In his 391 games for the club he has also shown his eye for goal, racking up 42 goals over nine seasons, scoring in each of them. His trophy cabinet contains three league titles, one Copa del Rey and two Spanish Supercups.

 

Wow, the Man-beast is 28!

 

Wish you all the very best and hope to see you till the end of your career over here, just cut down on the ocassional recklessness and you can be the very best in the world. Hala Madrid !

 

I cannot believe Ramos is 28, it doesn't seem like it's been that long since we signed him. Watching his evolution and maturation as a player and a man, though filled with infuriating moments, has been a joy to watch. From a wiry teenager with all sorts of promise to a grown man and captain who has fulfilled a good deal of that promise. He has his critics but I love me some Sergio bad sense of style and all and he has come to understand and represent this Club in a way that I seriously questioned he ever would, I'm glad I was wrong. Happy Birthday Sergio!

 

All I got to say about Sergio.....

Don't drop the trophy this time.

 

He can throw the trophy for all I care. Just continue this error free football the next two mid-week matches!

 

He made up for it. So happy for him now.