People are going to get all salty because you can't say anything nice about Solari without them feeling insulted for Zidane but he really did us a huge favor that season stepping in, steadying the ship and allowing our youth players to make the step up into the first team. People still want to doubt Reguillon and dump all over Solari just because they are afraid Zidane's feelings might get hurt and he will quit again.
I won't be disappointed if we have to build around Mbappe. If also means Zidane will have to rethink how we play. How we play now is simply not Mbappe really.
Solari has his problems but he was capable. He just wasn't suitable long term. He also seems a nice guy who has stuck around at the club even after his departure.
He was a short term option. Everyone knew that.. but he did the best he could and won us a World Club cup while giving credit to Zidane. Under his wing we were able to see the youngsters play a lot more and Vini played the best football we've seen from him during that time. Contrary to many people in here I applauded him for benching Isco and Marcelo because let's be honest they were playing terrible and not match fit.
Does building around one guy really work tho? The Ronaldo thing wasn't really working in part because against certain opponents/situations he could be kept out of the game. We needed Bale and an actual "system" under Carlo that made us unplayable for almost a year. After that it was kind of a formula we could throw together and mix up with some added ingredients. Mbappes a good player and all but I'm less convinced now than 3 years ago that he will separate himself as the best player in the world. I don't even think he is the type of player that needs to be the focal point, he can play in the wings and wait for chances to go 1 v 1 at defenders and do that on 45-50 touches per game. A big part of his game is the element of surprise and really don't want to see him go the Ronaldo route where he's basically doing the same thing over and over, cut and shoot, cut and shoot.
Barca and Real Madrid have been the two most successful teams in the past 20 years or so, so yes. It super works. You build on an iconic player, 3-4 core irreplaceable players and the rest is replaceable. We have maybe 2 guys to build on, several replaceables, and lack another irreplaceable or 2 (of which Hazard could be one of), and the superstar (which Hazard never was and never will be).
I think that only works when you have players that are as good and consistent as Messi and CR7 but 99% of forwards today are not.. The other great forwards today will normally have slumps, injuries and that is why you need a balanced team to be able to carry the team.
For me the effect of a big start goes beyond what he does on the field. He raises the level. I am not a big Ibra fan, but he ended up being worth every single cent for Milan. He came with demands, Milan apparently gulped, closed their eyes and signed off on it, but he delivered, and the club is a level above where it was before he arrived.
I know but that is another freak.. The guy is 39 years old and the leading scorer in Serie A. I know Mbappe is the best candidate (and probably Haaland) to become the next super star but I am not sure about his injury record.. and if he is as reliable as CR7 and Messi were. He's already missed two of PSG's most recent CL knockout campaigns due to injuries, if I am not mistaken.
I've been very critical of Mbappe's trajectory, mostly because i disagree that you get better by just playing a lot. I think PSG have almost actively hindered his progress int he past two years by how they are managing both him as a player and their status within football as a club. Also let's be honest. All the big successful club built around a single big goal provider.Even Bayern, who are being universally praised for squad building, have bet the house on Lewandowski and signed the Bundesliga equivalents of Chicharito behind him. The quest for a reliable Lewandowski substitute has comical depths.
Well if Barca had decided to build around Henry and sent Messi to the Eredivisie things might not have worked out as well for them. I'm projecting Mbappe to be on that Henry level. For all we know Flo wanted to scrap the Calderon deal for Cristiano and go with Kaka instead, and had my friend Angel Fernandez killed. But that's history.
PSG added Mbappe to their project along with the iconic star player (Neymar) and a core group of internationals (Thiago, Marquihnos, Bernat, Verratti, DiMaria, Cavani) and it wasn't exactly the instant oatmeal just add water recipe for success you make it out to be.
Neymar isn't a player to build around. That was the key mistake. In general, which is why Dortmund can't win short or long term, you can't build around players that don't want to be there.
Marcelo and Isco will be his downfall,he is throwing away game after game playing them and he simply doesnt realize it.
Zidane: "I don't take the draw as anything good. We deserved more today, with the match we did. It bothers me about the efforts of the boys. Mariano's sub? He was exhausted and that's it." #VILRMA— M•A•J (@Ultra_Suristic) November 21, 2020 Zidane: "We lose two points. Martin was tired. Carva hasn't played much, Nacho hasn't... but I can't change everyone. In one play we're tied, it can happen in football. It annoys me by the efforts of the players, today we could've add the three points, it's a shame."— M•A•J (@Ultra_Suristic) November 21, 2020
I hope he's just downplaying the draw and doesn't really think this. If he truly believes that then he's delusional.
Only thing delusional is the expectation on this board considering the roster of players and facts people love to dismiss like players being fatigued or out of form. There is no coach in history that could consistently get results with this side but Zidane. This team is that old and that bad. That's what so manu summers of not spending will do to you. Turn you into a Spanish AC Milan
I have my doubts as to whether Mbappe’s will want to walk into this mess anyway, and then be hailed and tagged as the club’s saviour.
Considering the players that were missing I think a draw is not that bad a result. And its time Zidane started giving Isco the James treatment. Rather give those minutes to that Castilla kid Oscar heck try Rodrygo in that free role. It cant be worse than Isco
Cr7 and Messi were the 2 best, but got every single penalty and free kick their whole life, that's not an honest way to measure consistency, especially towards the best strikers in the world. Ronaldo had like 8 shot attempts per game.. got every single pass he wanted at any time, had many invisible games like any other forward but forgotten after scoring the usual penalty. Luxury. They deserved it.. but i don't believe these guys were THAT much better scorers from open play than any other world class striker. Benz has to give up penalties to a defender and gets no free kicks, but we expect 40-50 goals from him and if he doesn't.. consistency? Mbappe better receive those same luxuries if he comes here or people will be dissapointed.
Isco never plays unless we have players missing. He's basically whining (leaking to media) about his unhappiness at his playing time. The facts we have to come to term with is this roster is almost dead. We didn't reinforce for many seasons and the season we did reinforce we spent a bunch of money on two players who have probably had a combined five good matches in two seasons wearing our shirt. We just need Ramos, Casemiro and Benzema to somehow stay healthy and drag us to another league title. Then there needs to be a serious exodus next summer. Enough of the bullshit from Florentino. We are not AC Milan.