Real Madrid vs Olympique Lyonnais | UEFA Champions League First KO Round - 2nd Leg|3.16.11[R]

There are injury concerns for Cris, Gourcuff, and Cissokho. I don't think Cissokho will be healthy for the match but the other two will be

 

I'm hoping the reason Mourinho subbed Granero on the weekend was because he wanted him fresh for this fixture. He's deserved the start I think.

 

I think Gourcuff got suspended in the first leg...

 

In previous season Lyon always came to the Bernabeu with a win but this is not the case now, they are forced to come forward and attack, thus leaving space behind them for us to exploit.

 

I do not see how. He was not booked in our last match. Michel Bastos is the one who will miss the game.

 

Damn you're right, lol.

 

I am more concerned about Ronaldo's card situation. He is one card from suspension. I do not want to see Real Madrid in the Final without him.

 

I think they'll look not to concede in the first half and then really go for it in the last 30 mins if the score remains 0-0. But we should be fine as long as we don't concede first even if the score remains 0-0 since they'll leave spaces towards the end looking for a goal like you said.

 

lol, woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't stop thinking about the Lyon match. Seriously, if we go out to them again idk what I'll do

 

I personally want to start Arbeloa in place of Ramos and keep Marcelo at LB. Arbeloa is playing very consistent football atm. Marcelo and Ronaldo combo is also working for us. If Marcelo can't perform/we are leading by 2 goals, bring in Ramos in the 2nd half and put arbeload at LB.

 

FK's can be very helpful to open the score against a defensively playing team, but i've a feeling
(i don't have the stats or numbers) we are very poor in freekicks --> direct indirect goals,
often we waste them as if we gone get a dozen chances more to try,
e.g our last game Granero took 2 FK's , ofcourse he can claim the 1 FK but the second one ?
seems to me that it was more suited for a left footer,

for wednesday , expect as long as the score remains 0-0 Lyon will play defensively maybe until the 60-75 min,
so i hope we score in the first half,
coz with a 0-0 at the 75min weird things can happen when you have to play under pressure and stress,
but ofcourse thats one of the worst case scenarios,
the reality is, at home we always score at least ones,
thus they've to score twice , .......well imo i don't see that happening.
we gone enjoy this game

 

I have got a feeling Benzema is going to score a brace against his former club

 

It is not in Real Madrid's DNA to park the bus and protect the lead. There will be goals.

 

Benzema, I think, will do well. As I have been saying, he seems to be a Champion's League performer, scoring in Milan for us last season, scoring hat-trick this season (against Auxerre, IIRC) and scoring in Lyon for us. He also was phenomenal in the competition as a Lyon player. Now he's starting to do very well in La Liga, but I'm especially confident in him during the CL.

If Mourinho can figure out a very tactically secure defensive formation, I'm all for it. Getting through this round is what's important, not playing beautiful Football or showing the historic flair of Real Madrid. Going 7 years in a row at this stage is not good for us.

I say we play a defensive formation, and use our very fast, talented and dangerous forwards/attacking mids to counter as Lyon must score. Our worst nightmare, obvoiusly, is an early Lyon goal.

As much as I prefer to start Di Maria, I can also see the utility in bringing him off the bench later in the game, as Lyon's legs start to get tired. Di Maria should be able to wreak havoc then. However, his workrate is such that Mourinho might prefer that he plays the whole game. We'll see.

I prefer Arbeloa at Right Back if I had to choose between him and Ramos. Actually, has anyone considered playing Ramos to the right of Xabi? I think he can be useful going forward and is obviously strong in defense, and would have the security of an in-form Arbeloa backing him up. Then again, I don't know what Ramos would add in that position that Lass and even Khedira couldn't. I also would like Marcelo at the left if possible, having him always adds another dimension to our attack. I think that can work, but I'll leave it to Mou.

EDIT: Another option would be to have Marcelo to the left of Xabi, have Ramos at RB and Arbeloa at LB. Ah, decisions, decisions!

 

He did play in a similar role in his first season here for a few games.

 

Sergio is already enough of a liability on the Right Back. We should not play him in a position where he would be a bigger liability for the team.

 

How'd it go, I don't remember...

I know he is, that's why I'd prefer to play him closer to Lyon's goal in this situation. He likes to move up too much as it is. At least, in this case, if he tries to move forward, place a crappy cross, do the "not sure what to do stepover", or go for a shot, he won't leave a huge gap on the right since our boy Arbeloa will be there. That's all I'm saying, and since we'll most likely be starting him, it would make me feel much better if he'd not be part of our last line of defense.

I'm not sure how him being in the Central Midfield alongside Alonso would make him a bigger liability? However, like I said before, I'm not so sure of what he'd bring to the table that Lass wouldn't. This suggestion is more of a "I know we're gonna start Ramos regardless since he's the World Cup winner and Floro's Golden Boy, but if we can keep him farther away from Casillas, I'd have less anxiety."

However, Ramos, on his day, can be pretty decent hardman and defender. So maybe he would be an upgrade defensively to Lass or Khedira. Just maybe.

*Keep in mind I'm not sold on this theory either, I'm just thinking aloud!*

 

This Sergio Ramos is a liability at RB is a bit off the mark IMO but you know how we love sweeping generalizations here

 

At this point it's definitely debatable!

Marcelo has improved defensively and adds alot in attack, and Ramos is sometimes great defensively, and sometimes absolutely retarded, and adds very little offensively.

For me, it's not so much of who's better in defense, but who's just better to start for us, with all things considered.

Also, I'm saying all this expecting that Ramos is an automatic starter. If he isn't, then I wouldn't be totally against benching him, to be honest. I definitely prefer Arbeloa, and I'd rather see Marcelo out there as well.

 

Marcelo hasn't improved defensively, the team around him simply allows him more freedom to attack while things are kept tighter at the back, than under Pellegrini. It's the same sort of thing as last season, where against 99% of teams it won't matter because we have the ball and can out score them (particularly last season), whereas this season we are defensively more sound so the team covers the position better.

He's probably improved offensively, but not defensively, that is a team thing allowing him to be an attacker from a deeper position. He doesn't attack like a left back would, he has the freedom to express himself just about anywhere.

 

I agree that he has a system that covers for the spaces that he leaves behind but saying he hasnt improved defensively is wide off the mark IMO. He is no Maldini but he hassles a lot better and his tackles are no longer foolish. He is as good as an attacking wingback can get defensively speaking.