http://www.marca.com/edicion/noticia/0,2458,598174,00.html Hopefully, this won't be the case. However, if Salgado has torn a ligament, I hope Bravo's got another 20-odd performances left in him like the one he gave today.
Even though he played pretty good, i don't think it would work on a regulare basis. He can use his right foot, but you could see that he really wanted to always cut back onto his left. I'd rather see Meija or Arbeloa is Salgado is out for a while.
I agree that Mejia is a more comfortable solution for me. I thought we were in big trouble when Salgado went down, but for the day Raul Bravo played pretty damn well...seemed a bit shaky for his first few touches, but actually played quite effectively. I'll just pray that Salgado recovers quickly...
Bravo did ok last night considering he 'can't' play on that position, but nothing more than ok. Defensively he can still do his part somewhat (against lacklustre Juve players at least) but he can't bring anything offensively, like you could see last night: either he gave the pass with his right foot with the same result I would get shooting with my left foot, or he had to stop and position himself to give the pass with his left foot which gave the defenders extra time to stop him. I'd like to see the following games used to get one of the named players in the post above to get in the groove for that spot, because using Bravo again as a rb in the away game against Juve isn't an option. Juve were leaving the guy unmarked because they knew nothing would come from his passes for God's sake....that means an extra defender for other Madrid players that can bring it.
Salgado had his MRI today AS says he's got a second degree sprain of the right 'internal lateral' ligament (i'm assuming that means lateral collateral ligament) with an associated meniscal injury. the GOOD NEWS is he doesn't need surgery and will be out for a month (instead of two months or the whole season).
another possibility to cope with the loss of salgado would be to play with a 5-3-2... ....................Casillas ........Pavon...Helguera...Samuel ..Beckham..........................R.Carlos ..Figo.........Guti/Gravesen....Zidane .............Ronaldo........Raul Beckham is no fullback, I know, but he seems to be staying back to defend a lot lately anyway. just a thought.
I'm sure they wouldn't change formation so drastically just because one player is out. Especially as their current formation relies on the full-backs pushing forward, not the wingers tracking back. I see what you're saying but I'm sure they won't change to that - Beckham can't track back to cover a back 3. I think they should pick a replacement and play him constantly to give him a run in the team, build up his confidence and get him used to the team. They need to make sure someone is settled in before the big games come up.
It's an interesting thought about going with the 3-5-2. Since Becks has been switching with Salgado for great lenths of time during the matches, it wouldn't be unheard of to think that he could play deep on the right. The support he'd need would come from Gravesen. ....Helguera...Samuel...RC Becks ..........Gravesen...Guti .....Figo..................Zidane Perhaps we'll see VanderLux experiment with something like this in the next match or two.
Just play Mejia...this isn't rocket science. There are 3 games before they have to play Juve again. That is pleny of time for Mejia to get accustomed to starting at right back. His style kind of resembles Salgado anyways.
this doesn't sound too bad. it's almost like a 4-1-3-2 with becks...helguera...salgado...rcgravesonfigo...guti...zizuro...ra it's essentially the double pivot but with guti being further up to support the attack. Or you could have figo up top and guti on the right. but, it is so much easier to just replace salgado with someone more appropriate than raul bravo. We won the game and if it ain't broken, don't fix it. but, DeLux should have all of the combinations and permutations mapped out in the case that we start playing like crap and Juve get a few goals.
I would love to see Mejia get another shot. RM is not mired in the straightjacket of formations. Figo & Zidane play where ever they want to. Beckham is a midfielder who hardly ever goes fwd to the box, that is the job of the rightback in Real Madrid. Its crazy, but it works. Juventus was sick & tired of seeing RC go down the left flank so much - imagine if they had had to have Solgado to worry about as well.
First, simply doesn't exits a good solution to replace Sagado. Luxemburgo only can try to find the less worse solution. And although he find that solution, it will be always worse that if we had Salgado playing. The options are: - Raul Bravo. I'm totally agree with Oscar. He can achieve to make a very good defensive work (like against juventus), simply trying to play like a CB (where he played the last year) in the right, but he is very left-footed, and he has/will have serious deficiencies in attack. Good: Defensive work; Bad: We will give up to the right in attack. - Palencia. It would be my first option, if we were in pre-season. But we have to play against Depor, Betis, Valencia and Juventus, very tough games and in a key moment of the season. It could be too much responsability for a youth team player that is playing in third division. I must say the he is a good player, and this is his natural position. His best quality is the power, he has strong/athletic constitution (like Roberto Carlos), in the RM B he use to go a lot of times to attack thanks to his power, he correct dribbling. Sacchi should know him good, because he go to watch live all the games of RM B since he is in Real Madrid. Good: He will give us the more balanced option; Bad: his total lack of experience at the highest level. - Beckham. It wouldn't be the first time that he play in this position, he played 20 minutes few games ago in Bernabeu in a game that Guti replaced Salgado. Simply, i can't see him defending a fast/skillful winger, he will need the help of a teammate. On contrary, he is very strong physically, and he can do the work of attack and return to defend. He could generate a lot of danger in the rival defense playing with figo in the right. Beckham --Helguera---Pavon ----RC ---------------Gravesen ---Figo------------------------Solari ----------------Zidane Good: Best attacking option; Bad:weakest defensive option. Mejia: I really like Mejia, but i want to see in play in his position, as CB. Not in the right, He could be a very similar to Raul Bravo. He is much more skillful and intelligent that Raul Bravo, but he hasn't his speed. He is right-footed, he already has played in that position with the first team and with the youth teams (a long time ago). Good: Defensive work; Bad: He practically hasn't played this season. Arbeloa. He is playing as CB in RM B in the last times. He had a very dissapointing perfomance playing in the right in la copa del rey game against Valladolid. Good: He has played a lot of times in that position in the past; he has strong personality, he is captain of RM B; Bad: innexperience, he isn't playing in that position with RM B in the last times. A difficult decision, we will see if Luxemburgo choose a specific player depending of the game, or if he choose one player and he maintain him until that Salgado return. In my opinion what he musn't make is to change the system of play to solve the problem. We must continue playing with 4-4-2, with a diamond in the midfield. He should find what his the best player for that system play, not change the system.
Excellent post as usual, MadridForever. Mejia did fine as a RB against Ossasuna, that was the first game that Garcia Remon coached & won - and he didn't have a great deal of playing time before that game. Same with Arbela against Athletico Madrid, every one could see how nervous he was, but he played alright. I say it this way: Dribbling: Mejia: dribbles like Helguera Bravo: dribbles like Samuel Arbeloa: dribbles like Graveson Speed: Mejia: Salgado speed Bravo: rocket speed Arbeloa: I am not sure, probably like Mejia Toughness/strenghth Mejia: tough Bravo: very tough Arbeloa: strong but nervous Defense: Mejia: right-footed CB, very smooth with the ball Bravo: speedy LB, loses his man as a CB Arbeloa: right-footed CB/RB It is a tough choice for Luxa, but I think he is rewarding Bravo for his strong play against Juventus.