Lucas wont be dropped from the bench. The only chance for Vin is basically injury and we all know whose. I still cannot believe Marino did not get to play. Wtf really.
Well yes and no at the same time to all this from me, no matter what team you look at the better players will without a doubt start 95% of all games because the managers have to win, the fans want to win, the owners presidents whatever want to win, they have to win, we know the younger players have talent but we have proven winners so i’m not surprised if they play more often than not, In the Copa games I expect to see the younger subs get a run out, I am all for rotation but not just for rotating sake, continuity is equally as important for players to find a “game” level and to keep it as i’ve mentioned in a post before it’s all about balance the coach has to get that right Finally I can’t put , Valverde, Reguilon Llorente in the same category as James Morata or Kovacic, they are just not at that level yet, I could see why the latter three “might” want to move to play more, the former three are just starting and haven’t really proven anything anywhere really as yet, they are on the best team on the planet and should learn from the best and wait their turn, if they want to leave now, then I would not stop them, they can be replaced IMO.
He seriously is. Especially if you need some teeth in attack. I feel like opposing teams breathe a little easier when they see him because he's one of those players that'll work his tail off in both ends, but his end product in the attacking final third is just simply not good enough. He can cross pretty well, and sometimes he can get it in the box past a player, but his finishing is just not enough.
I actually think that with more game time ( which I doubt Lucas will get) his finishing and all round play and decision making would improve, it’s hard to sort it all out and I wouldn’t want to be a manager, I think the stop start nature of his game time inhibits proper progress, I can see quality there ( and i’m one of the people who questioned why he was brought back to the team in the first place, but his play when he got opportunities changed my view on that) , he has skill, work ethic and I have seen him finish with aplomb more than once, but he just can’t crack the starting 11 and I don’t see that changing soon so I don’t know how that problem will be solved, for sure I am more than satisfied with having him on the squad
I think Vinicious can only play up to a certain amount of matches because of his registration with the club as a junior, in that case, it's pointless to expect him to be a regular any time soon.
I am a somewhat fan of Lucas and see him as a Antonio Valencia type player when you need someone just to run down the wing and out in a cross. Nothing more and especially when we are playing good attacking teams we need to counter. With that said, the tactics and player positions are just so wrong. The widest Bale should ever be is at the edge of the box with Carvajal making the overlapping runs and putting the crosses in. When with the ball, we need to play more centrally and leave the wings for the fullbacks. Too many occasions I saw big pockets of space between the DM and attack. This is where one of Modric or Kroos need to be dropped for a more attacking midfielder. And Mariano not playing is a joke. Think I mentioned before that I think Julen doesn't realise the guy is Spanish and is pretty good.
With or without limitation, i seriously doubt Lope would put senior players like Lucas on the stands. Besides, i think that limitation only applies to RM Castilla and not youth teams such as Juveniles.
I disagree. Fullbacks playing as wingers makes us static and predictable. Not to mention we lack target player in the box. We need Benzema to play as a CF and hold central position upfront like he did against Leganes instead of dropping deep. The latter just isolates Asensio and Bale, and flattens Modrić and Kroos who as result play deeper. Less combinatorics, further from opponents goal is not good. Especially against a team like Bilbao who as result can push higher up and press the fck out of you.
Mariano joined us with zero pre season and preparation with the team, he joined us two weeks ago. Maybe you don't realize that the guy is catching up to stuff the rest of the team had two months to work out on.
What does that have to do with his ability to finish chances? I don't think anyone asked why he didn't start. We're asking why he wasn't subbed in when we were chasing the match needing one goal to win it?
I don't disagree with this. I have seen plenty of games where we have run out of ideas so all we do is play in the fullbacks (typically RB) who swings in a random cross with no one in the box. My point is,this should be an exception and when done, should not include Bale. We need Bale making runs behind the defenders and playing no where near the touch line. We need him in the box more and the likes of Kroos and Modric taking a more AM midfield role just outside the box when we are in posession inside the opposition half. Too often I see big gaps between the midfield players and the attackers, with their typically being only one attacker in the box and the other two literally hanging around just outside. Could not be bothered to change the squad numbers so forgive me, but the below is a rough idea of what I mean in regards to our positioning. Casemrio and the 3 other defenders to keep off any potential counter and the likes of Modric, Kroos and Marcelo in a position to be playing through balls to the attack or taking a shot from outside the box. However, when being on the attack I feel like we have a shape similar to the below which does not result in anything too promising as Bale is too wide to be effective and their is no one moving up from midfield to feed the attack which leave a gaping whole and means Benzema has to come deep.
Ideally Gareth should operate between the line and edge of the box. His starting position should be wider to get width and depth. That allows him to drift in sprinting towards the box and presents danger. Playing Carvajal as a winger pushes Gareth centrally into the box with his back towards the goal. As for gaps in the middle. We see them often because Modrić and Kroos are sitting to flat and deep. The same applies to Benzema. Modrić and Kroos need to play higher up to support Asensio and Bale operating between flanks and edge of the box, while fullbacks provide overlapping. Also this improves our defensive structure considering we are more compact which means we can press opponent effectively and also fullbacks are not highly positioned and as such provide crucial defensive cover. We all know what happens when they are lost upfront. Especially Marcelo. Not to mention Benzema. It is crucial that he starts playing as CF. Without that Asensio and Bale are simply to isolated.
That sub only works if you sub him in for Benzema. Lucas actually got booked defending a counter so the reason for his sub was more than about just getting a player on to score, this is a match we could have well lost, and did lose on the regular last season wehn Zidane would throw the entire kitchen sink at teams and they'd score on us with a late counter. The result is okayish considering the circumstances. I've seen us win while playing a whole lot less convincing, so i'm good.
I agree with the point you make but we drew against Athletic home and away, last season, if i remember correctly.
0-0 away, and 1-1 at home scoring a very late goal in the 87th minute. For what it's worth we had the chances to make this a 3 point affair this time.
Yeah generally we controlled the game better than when we played under Zidane. The only problem i have with this team is that they don't start the game strongly. They need the second half to take control.
I was glad we didn't concede another goal, I felt we could have won and still think the lineup was a little off but the football was rather good tbh. We just didn't convert the chances.