Real Madrid vs Atlético de Madrid | La Liga | Match day 7 | 09/28/13 | 22:00 (Local)

Mateu Lahoz....our other favourite ref

With it being a derby and a huge game then hopefully form goes out the window and it won't have as much impact on this match. Massive 3 points if we're wanting to mount a serious challenge for the league.

 

not just massive 3 points we need but also better game.. hope varane will start cause with two hotheads we're ********ed.

 

So .. Tough game ha?

 

There's no way his 1st game back from such a long injury will be starting this one.

Might come on if we're drawn 1-1 and looking to hold out for a point tho!

 

We won even in terrible shape and without Ronaldo in their stadium last season.

Expecting a win against Pathetico.

 

Atletico have a good defense. A defense which is hard to break down, so Real should be steaming ahead rather than playing too much on the edge of the opponents' box. Atletico will be a hard side to break down. Godin and Miranda can keep out most sorts of attacks and they are willing defenders. While Filipe Luis goes back and forth with much determination, it's tough to keep him out entirely.

Mario Suarez, Arda Turan, Koke and Gabi make up the midfield. Though it could change with Tiago and Raul Garcia are also there. Atletico like to use the Koke and Arda Turan in the attack, while Mario Suarez and Gabi look after the defense, with Koke doing a lot of work on both sides of the field. They like to play on wings and then get central. Stopping Koke and Filipe Luis is the first thing to look at, then eventually the right flank. Stopping them on the wings essentially deprives Villa and Costa of service to work on. Gabi ticks the defense on with passes and Suarez helps him out.

Diego Costa and Villa make complete the attack. Costa is very dangerous in any given situation while Villa is a proven striker.

For Real, attack them with more pace from the wings and centrally. This is where Khedira comes in, his passing range and work on the field for the defense determines how to pan the attacks out. Both fullbacks have a task on their hand of stopping Atletico's fullbacks and wingers. Khedira and Modric are the main players to start any attack, the range of passing could be effective.

 

Khedira's passing will be key.

 

Form won't be an issue for games like this. Hopefully we turn up and produce a win.

 

Elche match was a wake up call so we need to address below issue before the match starts

1. Ramos need to regain his form otherwise we better play with Varane and Pepe
2.Benzema should be benched ... atleast give chance to morate or play with CR7 as striker so we can accommodate Bale and di mario
3.Isco and modric need to play together to give more creative upfront


Marcelo ....varane pepe carvajal

illara
Modric Isco

bale CR7 dimario


not sure whether it would work but as carvajal and Marcelo move upfront , Modric & Isco can move to center to bring more pressure in mid field

 

This whole season is a wake up call. We have the quality to win against Atletico, but Carlo needs to lay off his pasta and go to work. I never thought it could happen, but we actually look worse than we did under Mourinho in the last few months of the season. Carlo's work so far is terrible.

 

Apparently Pique poked fun at us for the last match and Arbeloa responded with a witty bitch slap.

What can I say? Arbeloa is a super guy.

 

Arbs is boss.

I think our play yesterday is slightly better than before (I knew this sounds ridiculous but hear me out). We still lack intensity and our closing down seems more optional than a game plan but the players finally have purpose with the ball, with some decent interplay around. I just hope our finishers are more consistent. Our defense on the other hand...

 

Benzema is getting his chance, he isn't taking it per say but it can still change for him. What he needs to do is take a break of this chaotic way, he isn't comfortable doing anything and that being fair on him. He's a striker, who must score goals in order to break his hoodoo.

The way it'll is like this, Isco goes out left, then into the center as a striker. Benzema, Ronaldo and Isco change their roles, one taking up another role, it should done seamlessly. Benzema can also go wide right and replace the right winger.

 

It should be done seamlessly fools! Ya hear?!? Best recognize....

 

You can't blame the defense for that.

It's not their fault that the Elche players were creating so many chances, our midfield looked heavily disorganized in the second half, all thanks to this 10-men-pressing system Ancelotti is trying failing to install. We struggled against Villarreal and Elche, 2 teams that got promoted this season. A change of system requires time but it's been 3 months (counting pre-season) and the players still didn't adapt to this.

Offensively we looked slightly better but almost no one can defend well when the opponent has the ball in all away matches this season. This doesn't matter very much in home matches where we win 9/10 times even with the crappiest football but if we continue with playing this game in away matches we will definitely lose some crucial points.

 

So excited.

 

Defense was very amateurish, especially when you look at their goal. A striker running to the space between two CBs screams of horrible communication between the two CBs, and I would accept that if it was a new partnership or something, but Ramos and Pepe have been playing together for 3-4 years now.

The system Ancelotti is installing doenst seem to be well defined, sometimes it looks like he genuinely wants to keep possession of the ball and patiently dictate play and sometimes he decides that we are a counter attacking team. He has never been the greatest at reading game phases and making changes and its painfully obvious so far. To his credit we are moving in the right direction offensively but defensively not encouraging at all (when was our last clean sheet? and dont give me none of D. Lopez should communicate better crap). Set piece defending is shit but thats nothing new I guess.

Its not even like he is changing much from what Jose instilled in the players so his "system" shouldnt be taking us a season or something to learn.

/rant

 

Defensively more clean sheets have to start coming in, in the beginning the defenders can be forgiven but as time goes on, they are more needed. A side should be built on defensive solidity. Pepe and Ramos for large parts have played well so far but lose concentration or lack the cutting edge to stay ahead of the strikers. Compared to Atletico's defense, Godin and Miranda have done just what they are needed to. Ramos and Pepe play with hot heads and with little comfort at times.

Atletico are a very balanced side, have a good team and can strike with great force. For the most part, Real must be aware at least of who the opponents are. They attack on the break and they like to have the ball.

Real though, have to get better defensively. They can be a lot better here. Try to instill balance.

 

Nacho at least keeps his head on his shoulders, both Pepe and Ramos don't. Both are very capable players but seem to play the way they want to, barraging into players to get their way. They must be calm, try to play the offside trap (particularly if sides just want to counterattack against possession) and not playing at the edge of the area. The goal that was conceded against Elche, in between the defenders should be another player, preferably Khedira. Where Khedira when the defense need him the most? Besides Khedira has to cover the entire width of the pitch, that is his job covering the defense and attack.

 

We'll see how we feel about that come May, still undecided

But seriously, can't wait for this game, will be an intense match and I'm very eager to see how Ancelotti handles it all with the team prep and mid game changes.

 

dimario to score 5

 

Khedira did nothing inside Real's own box defensively against Elche. Di Maria isn't linking up with Arbeloa as often as he should. Benzema though dropped far too deep yet again to try and receive the ball, he is playing negatively. Pepe's passing has to improve, as defenders try to build it up from there. Coentrao had all but one cross in the last game, which isn't enough, Arbeloa too. The defensive line, including the midfielders have to read the game in order to stop attacks, rather than bulldozing away into unnecessary tackling.