Rudiger isn't the problem. He's not a bench player, he needs continuity. He's been more than fine in these last few consecutive starts that Alaba was injured.
Interesting stat: This season in La Liga we've conceded 18 goals in 24 games. That's a rate of conceding .75 goals per game. Last season in La Liga when we won the title, we conceded 31 goals in 38 games. That's a rate of conceding .82 goals per game. Somehow our defense feels weaker and yet we are conceding less per game than last year. Perhaps this feeling is wrong. I want to argue that our defense is actually just as solid if not better and its primarily because of Rudiger. He has the 6th most minutes in the team. Alaba and Mendy have been dealing with multiple injuries. Carvajal has visibly declined. We don't have Casemiro's solidity in front of the back line and yet we have conceded at a lower rate. Perhaps this perception of the defense being weaker is a result of the pedestrian attack making each conceded goal hurt more. Perhaps its a result of our position in the table. I think this signing is actually going a bit under the radar. Without Rudiger and with the injuries we've seen, there is a possibility we would have seen a lot more Jesus Vallejo since Nacho has had to play a lot at fullback. A shrewd market move.
Deadest thread for one of our most reliable defenders. Always coming up with some great defending. I like his brotherhood with Modric. It feels like it picked up right where Ramos left off.
He has been very good. Nobody is in the same league as Ramos - whether it be defending or leadership skills. Last season the same things were said about Alaba, he has totally gone off the radar this season.
Rudiger is world class and some here are finally seeing it. The guy just needed some reps and consistency. Absolute spot on business adding he and Alaba on a free the last two transfer windows.
Dude must be a descendant of some Moorish/Andalusian war general I've been in Andalusia last summer, unforgiving sun + karst landscape, millennia of warfare... Bound to create some tough people. So happy we have Rudiger who plays with some cojones as well.
Hmmm i'm not alone, just like me i guess it's just about who each person likes that determines what they think of players and when they want to close their eyes to mistakes, he's probably lucky his name isn't Mendy, some posters think Eder has a lapse of judgement every game and crucify him for it, but, all players do make mistakes, truth is our defending as a team is not as good as last season, even with the apparent rubbish we had then, context is good.
❗️🇩🇪 Antonio Rüdiger has put Real Madrid ahead of everything. The board & coaching staff are delighted with his commitment. Rüdiger agreed with Flick to not be called up to the NT as he wants to be 100% ready for the season’s decisive stretch. @marca pic.twitter.com/bPxws87jIj— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) March 29, 2023
🗣️ Rüdiger: “Defending at Real Madrid is much more harder than at other clubs.” @marca pic.twitter.com/AAWIEIshS1— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) April 9, 2023 🗣️ Rüdiger: “In Madrid you’re under pressure even when you take the car to go to training.” @marca pic.twitter.com/mmhih1VXtk— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) April 9, 2023
🗣️ Rüdiger: “I had to check what ‘P*ta Madre’ means. In beginning, I kept thinking that my teammates were insulting my mother, but it means like: ‘Damn cool!’.” @kerry_hau @SPORT1 😂🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/7lgaFcrf7i— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) April 14, 2023
It'll be a selection dilemma for the second leg. Who do you play. There are 3 excellent defenders. Militao has been the best no doubt but has started to have lapses in concentrations often these last couple of weeks. But I would definitely trust him to bring his A game against City.
Militao is one of the best CB’s in the world. He starts. So should be Dani, Militao, Rudiger, Alaba. Move Camavinga to CM with Valverde and one of Toni of Modric.
What was apparent last night was Carlo made it simple for Rudiger. Every time City had possession in our half, Rudiger shadowed Haaland every step, while Alaba would take some of the space close to him as well to not allow passes into him. Once Haaland had a few chances where he pulled a run behind, Modric solotted deeper to close down any balls to Haaland choking supply. As soon as Haaland started to check to, Rudiger was right on top of him even in transition. Haaland must have woken up in the middle of the night expecting Rudiger in the sack with him! Well played by Rudiger and tactics by Carlo to neutralize him. If Kroos had stepped up and stopped Debryune, we should have had a clean sheet. If we can duplicate this again and Pep starts to implode with tactical changes I like our chances in the 2nd leg.
‼️ Militao will return to the starting XI in the second leg, he’s Ancelotti’s man. @relevo pic.twitter.com/etZF5D1mrG— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) May 10, 2023 Rudi was brilliant. So will it be Alaba -Rudi- militao - Carvajal?
‼️ Militao will return to the starting XI in the second leg, most likely in the place of Antonio Rüdiger. @diarioas— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) May 10, 2023
Rudiger should be the first name on the sheet after pocketing Haaland like nobody before. Militao had brainfarts and you really don't want that with Haaland around. Vini-Benz-Fede Camav-Tchou-Modric Alaba-Rudi-Militao-Carva