Albiol signs for Madrid

Brwned

Have you ever been in love before?
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http://www.marca.com/2009/06/24/futbol/equipos/real_madrid/1245853342.html

€15m.

I know it's Marca, but I think this one is pretty much nailed on.

Good signing or not, lads? I've seen a fair bit of Valencia but paid very little attention to their defence, but they've not exactly been solid at the back in recent times.

I seem to remember Ekeke saying plenty of times that he's a bit crap too, and when you've got one of your own fans saying that he can't that good.

Not going to get much protection at Madrid either, they never do.

I think this might affect the Arbeloa to Madrid deal too, seeing as they won't be moving Ramos back to centre back now.
 
Probably decent in terms of the Spanish market, you won't get too much better.

Like Brwned said, Valencia have never been rock solid in the back, so i'll reserve judgement... they need to go outside of Spain if they want to attract the best defenders in the world a la Cannavaro (Epic Fail)
 
madrid also have garay coming in. they signed him last season and loaned him back to santander.

knowing madrid, they probably forgot that they even had him on their books.
 
:lol: fan.

He's fairly alright when he plays for Spain, but any time he played for Valencia last season he was an accident waiting to happen. That pretty much goes for all Valencia's defenders, but last season Albiol had a bizarre string of 3 games in a row which he scored own goals in. I'm guessing thats a record. He actually played better as a right back when Miguel was injured/depressed and scored a good goal from that position. The rest of his season wasnt worth talking about.

He's pretty much your average Spanish defender, not particularly brilliant in defensive situations and pretty good technically on the ball - but he's still fairly young and is versatile, able to play anywhere across the backline and in midfield. He has the potential to be better than a 15 million euros defender - but on last season's form I'd say Valencia were lucky to get more than 10 million euros for him as he wasnt showing it.
 
I think he is a good defender, not in the top defenders league but decent one, they would need a top defender to play alongside him if they wish the make the most out of this signing.

I think the problem with Valencia generally in defensive terms is they have lacked a strong DM to help the defenders, there I think has been their weak link.
 
Brwned said:
http://www.marca.com/2009/06/24/futbol/equipos/real_madrid/1245853342.html

€15m.

I know it's Marca, but I think this one is pretty much nailed on.

Good signing or not, lads? I've seen a fair bit of Valencia but paid very little attention to their defence, but they've not exactly been solid at the back in recent times.

I seem to remember Ekeke saying plenty of times that he's a bit crap too, and when you've got one of your own fans saying that he can't that good.

Not going to get much protection at Madrid either, they never do.

I think this might affect the Arbeloa to Madrid deal too, seeing as they won't be moving Ramos back to centre back now.
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They don't have a single left back of quality and Arbeloa can play there. I can''t see that deal falling through if they want him.
 
MUFC07 said:
I think he is a good defender, not in the top defenders league but decent one, they would need a top defender to play alongside him if they wish the make the most out of this signing.

I think the problem with Valencia generally in defensive terms is they have lacked a strong DM to help the defenders, there I think has been their weak link.
Click to expand...

Sadly the lack of a defensive midfielder cannot be blamed for a backline looking like a troup of circus clowns everytime they tried to play the offside trap last season. They were all over the place.

Albelda was poor, true. And when Marchena was played in a defensive midfield role in front of the defence in some big games at the end of the season he did a good job and they got some good results in those matches. But the truth is that by then the backline was better organised. And the decision to not play Marchena and Albiol together in central defence had already been taken.

Its funny though as Spain sometimes play them together.
 
VoetbalWizard said:
madrid also have garay coming in. they signed him last season and loaned him back to santander.

knowing madrid, they probably forgot that they even had him on their books.
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:lol:

Garay would surely be ahead of Albiol in the queue for places, at a normal club?
 
He wasnt anywhere near the best.

One could argue he was the worst last season though. Its between him, Marchena, Moretti and Thiago Carleto.
 
Brwned said:
http://www.marca.com/2009/06/24/futbol/equipos/real_madrid/1245853342.html

€15m.

I know it's Marca, but I think this one is pretty much nailed on.

Good signing or not, lads? I've seen a fair bit of Valencia but paid very little attention to their defence, but they've not exactly been solid at the back in recent times.

I seem to remember Ekeke saying plenty of times that he's a bit crap too, and when you've got one of your own fans saying that he can't that good.

Not going to get much protection at Madrid either, they never do.

I think this might affect the Arbeloa to Madrid deal too, seeing as they won't be moving Ramos back to centre back now.
Click to expand...

:lol::lol::lol::lol:
 
Provided Real start Pepe and Garay, Albiol's not a terrible back-up. Not that's he great, but he's a useful and versatile reserve to have on the books.
 
antihenry said:
If Madrid hierarchy had any brain activity they'd go for someone like Carvalho.
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Who is pretty much available, and would give them the strength at the back they really need with all those indisciplined attackers their buying

Maybe Carvalho's age and time at Chelsea (who pay big wages), means he would cost too much to pay. Madrid don't like paying defenders galactico wages
 
Confirmed on theirs official web sites.

albiol_170907_ES.jpg


It's a five-year deal.

Probably €15m.

I don't know what to expect from Madrid now. I haven't seen him playing yet.
 
Maciek said:
Confirmed on theirs official web sites.

albiol_170907_ES.jpg


It's a five-year deal.

Probably €15m.

I don't know what to expect from Madrid now. I haven't seen him playing yet.
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i dont think they are finished spending by a long shot....

be interesting to see so many new players trying to play as a team...they could well struggle early on
 
It makes sense for them they are just adding the numbers up and building a squad really..

RBs: Ramos, New player (Arbeloa), Miguel Torres
CBs: Pepe, Garay, Albiol, Ramos/Metzelder/Heinze
LBs: Marcelo, New player (Arbeloa), Miguel Torres, Heinze

Although I am surprised they are actually investing in defenders!
 
Chirag said:
It makes sense for them they are just adding the numbers up and building a squad really..

RBs: Ramos, New player (Arbeloa), Miguel Torres
CBs: Pepe, Garay, Albiol, Ramos/Metzelder/Heinze
LBs: Marcelo, New player (Arbeloa), Miguel Torres, Heinze

Although I am surprised they are actually investing in defenders!
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And what's funny is that none of them are actually that good!
 
Ekeke said:
Sadly the lack of a defensive midfielder cannot be blamed for a backline looking like a troup of circus clowns everytime they tried to play the offside trap last season. They were all over the place.

Albelda was poor, true. And when Marchena was played in a defensive midfield role in front of the defence in some big games at the end of the season he did a good job and they got some good results in those matches. But the truth is that by then the backline was better organised. And the decision to not play Marchena and Albiol together in central defence had already been taken.

Its funny though as Spain sometimes play them together.
Click to expand...

I think a strong defensive midfielder is more than helpful to the backline. Of course you can't put the blame just on that, but I think it's got a strong role regarding their defence last season. Imagine if they had had let's not go too far Lassana Diarra, it would have certainly been stronger.
 
MUFC07 said:
I think a strong defensive midfielder is more than helpful to the backline. Of course you can't put the blame just on that, but I think it's got a strong role regarding their defence last season. Imagine if they had had let's not go too far Lassana Diarra, it would have certainly been stronger.
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To be honest, their central mdifield was awful not just in protecting the defence but in going forwards and creating too. Albelda and Baraja were playing Segunda division stuff at best. The only player who put in some good performances in central midfield last season was Manuel Fernandes, but then he got injured and was out for the season.

Truly though, I've never seen more comical defending than Valencia's 'attempts' last season. While they were top of the league for 3 months they actually had the best defensive record in the league...

After 3 months though Barcelona caught them at the top and as they slid down the table around 5 months in and Mata and Villa looked tired, they struggled a lot. Somehow it turned into a defensive horror show with them messing up the offside trap and playing the opposition onside and through on goal at least 3 times a match while they went something like 18 games without a clean sheet.

The funny part was that I dont think the opposing team ever actually scored from the mistakes that played them through.

Cesar is a brilliant keeper rushing out one on one and usually dealt with it and the opposition found other ways to score instead. But still, it was such comical defending to watch. Should have capped the matches and strung together a "What not to do when playing in defence" video. That stuff would have been golden.

Also, I can remember the thread of the Barcelona Vs. Valencia match at the end of the season. One of the posters who had watched the match was having a good laugh at Valencia's defending in the game and called it something like the worst defensive performance he'd ever seen.

It was actually Valencia's best defensive performance of the season. I think that sums things up.

As for Raul Albiol, some Valencia fans came up with a nickname for him last season. "Albi-owngoal".

Expect to see a few good ones for Madrid next season.
 

REAL CLOSE IN ON ARBELOA


Liverpool defender Alvaro Arbeloa could make a £4.5million return to Real Madrid in the next few days, according to the player's agent.

The Spaniard was linked with a switch to the Bernabeu earlier in the summer but rumours had died down.

However, Arbeloa's representative, Manuel Garcia Quilon, remains in discussions with the Primera Liga giants and expects a conclusion by the start of next week.

Quilon told The Sun: "Discussions with Real are not over and I expect a solution early next week."

Real sporting director Jorge Valdano has also confirmed that the 26-year-old, who played for the club in 2004-5, remains a transfer target.

Valdano said: "Arbeloa is a basic part of our plans."

Arbeloa has one year remaining on his contract at Anfield and faces a fight for a first-team place on Merseyside following the arrival of Glen Johnson.
 
They think Ramos---Pepe---Albiol---Arbeloa is a champions league winning defence.

BTW why is this here?
 
surf said:
It's a mostly Spanish defence, with Casillas. Maybe they are thinking of Platini's 6 + 5 idea.
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Yeah and their supposed "Spanisheizon" project of making most of their player Spanish. Will be impossible for them IMO, at least if Perez is to keep his transfer policy, which as I have said earlier it's a vicious circle. Or maybe they are serious, who knows?
 
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