James Rodriguez

Moura has a lot of hype, but he has not done anything so far to justify the ridiculous amount of money being quoted for him.
 
What a pointless signing for Madrid. Just like a kid who wants a new shiny toy. They'll get rid of di Maria who is a better player for James because he had a brilliant 5 games at a World Cup. Not saying he's poor, he has huge potential, but di Maria's defensive work will be missed especially as they'll have kroos next to modric. Don't think their team will be stronger then last year, it just won't have the same balance to it that it had last season.
 
He shouldnt be going there, there's no way they can fit in him, Modric and Kroos centrally. Its going to be another "Isco".
 
Strange swap deal if true.

Moura at 35M might be a bit steep didn't have his best season at PSG.

Knowing Madrid they'll get this done anyway, rumors Rodriguez is refusing to play for Monaco so they let him go.

Well, it's not. Lopez is good GK, and Monaco doesn't have one. Romero is decent, but not good enough for club with CL aspirations. In the other hand, Madrid is finalizing Navas deal (who's probably delayed till they sign James) who's Lopez's successor and probably Real's next #1.

35m euros is quoted price from not so reliable ITKs and newspapers. But in order to sign Di Maria, PSG needs to sell. Three players with that high market values are Silva, Cavani and Moura. Silva won't be sold, however one of Cavani and Moura might. Question is, who in the fecks feck would want to buy them at those quoted prices ( Cavani is something ridiculous like 50m euros?)
 
Classic Real Madrid - buying a player they don't need.

For once the have a top manager who's actually created a good system with three in midfield which has enough balance to allow the front three to flourish while being steadyish (or better than before anyway) in defence.

Paying big money for this lad means he has to play. Not sure how and where he fits in to be honest. Another star they need to allow the freedom to actually perform. Could lack balance in a bit way.
 
Their team is Absolute Filth already, its just cheating if they add James

I'm not sure it will actually improve their current side though. Di Maria was absolutely incredible last season, there's a good chance James won't produce those sorts of standards so consistently.
 
Just sign him and give us Di Maria already :mad:


Rooney-----RVP-------Mata

Di Maria----Ander------Vidal
 
If they really signed him, what does this mean for Isco? Will we see another Ozil situation?
 
If they sign James it will probably mean they will sell Isco which is absolutely ridiculous since he came there last year.
Just as they dont really need Kroos at all but they bought him.
But its Madrid. It's like people who buy every new model of Iphone just cause its new and it comes out every year.
 
I'm not sure it will actually improve their current side though. Di Maria was absolutely incredible last season, there's a good chance James won't produce those sorts of standards so consistently.

I actually think that they would come out worse from this window. They would lose Di Maria, who is a skilled team player, a worker in Khedira and probably Isco, who defines himself more over influence in the overall play than scoring.

This team will look awesome on paper, but will lack serious balance because it is full of individualists who need freedom to do their thing. Galacticos 2.0.

Even the more balanced system last season could be exploited. I still remember them falling into panic mode vs. a crippled Dortmund, because Klopp managed to find the holes in their formation and punished them for it. These holes will only become bigger.
 
Classic Real Madrid - buying a player they don't need.

You can't be serious. Morata is gone, Jese out until November and Di Maria is leaving.

We have only Isco to cover for Ronaldo, Benzema and Bale.

No one else on the bench and we're looking into 60 games long season.
 
I guess everyone does it, but if the rumors are true, how is this not a blatant case of tapping up?
Because 'tapping out' doesn't have clear definition. It's let to interpretation. Look at that this way. In GB custom law has great impact how something will turn out. It even stronger than having facts. Anyway, to shorten this, player probably didn't sign contract, but they agreed personal terms by shaking hands. This way you can play dumb and say ' we only wanted to hear if he's interested or not, nothing else'.
 
K. Navas
Carvajal - - Ramos - - Varane - - Marcelo
Kroos - - Modric
Bale - - Rodriguez - - Ronaldo
Benzema​
I can't think of a team that would beat that.
 
Personally never been convinced with anti tapping measures (if they exist at all the days). Most of the bigger clubs have a tendency to agree personal terms with the player beforehand (whether they have the permission of the selling club is very much a grey area and the general public is not privy to such information). Maybe this is to safeguard said buyer clubs against players turning down moves and having the proverbial rug pulled from beneath their feet once a transfer fee has been agreed with the seller club.

Take Ander Herrera/ Luke Shaw's transfer to United for example. There were substantial reports of wages, agent fees etc. being agreed before United lodged a formal bid to Athletic Club/ Southampton. And even now there are alleged reports from various Chilean/ Italian sources that United has agreed personal terms with Vidal to the tune of 201,000 GBP per week and it's just a matter of hashing out the transfer fee with Juventus and tying the final strings.

Further away from United, there are ample examples - Suarez to Barcelona ? (open to debate maybe), Bale to Madrid with everyone from the president down to individual players batting their eyelids at the then Spurs player, Fabregas to Barcelona (Xavi, Iniesta etc. and their endless crusade to bring Cesc "home"), Ronaldo and the whole slave episode, Berbatov refusing to train with his Tottenham team-mates...

That aside, have there been any fines/ sanctions in recent seasons against clubs found guilty of tapping players up ? I'm not aware of any..
 
K. Navas
Carvajal - - Ramos - - Varane - - Marcelo
Kroos - - Modric
Bale - - Rodriguez - - Ronaldo
Benzema​
I can't think of a team that would beat that.

Great on paper, but Kroos and Modrić in midfield without a DMF, I dont know.. Too attacking wise.
 
You can't be serious. Morata is gone, Jese out until November and Di Maria is leaving.

We have only Isco to cover for Ronaldo, Benzema and Bale.

No one else on the bench and we're looking into 60 games long season.

Correct me if I´m wrong, but both bolded players did or do not push for moves by themselves. Morata was sold with a rebuy clause, which is a clear sign that Madrid don´t rate him high enough right now to be cover and want him to develop in Turin. Di Maria appearantly wants to move, because they don´t plan with him anymore and want to finance a deal with James.

You are lamenting about a situation you have caused yourselves. Of course you need a new offensive player now. You let two go.
 
K. Navas
Carvajal - - Ramos - - Varane - - Marcelo
Kroos - - Modric
Bale - - Rodriguez - - Ronaldo
Benzema​
I can't think of a team that would beat that.

I think we'll stick to 4-3-3 and James will be in rotation with front 3. Our midfield was shaky last season, with Modric - Kroos double pivot it wouldn't work out.


Xabi
Modric- - -Kroos
 
Correct me if I´m wrong, but both bolded players did or do not push for moves by themselves. Morata was sold with a rebuy clause, which is a clear sign that Madrid don´t rate him high enough right now to be cover and want him to develop in Turin. Di Maria appearantly wants to move, because they don´t plan with him anymore and want to finance a deal with James.

You are lamenting about a situation you have caused yourselves. Of course you need a new offensive player now. You let two go.

Exactly they're selling players just go get James..
 
Great on paper, but Kroos and Modrić in midfield without a DMF, I dont know.. Too attacking wise.
Great on paper, but Kroos and Modrić in midfield without a DMF, I dont know.. Too attacking wise.
I think we'll stick to 4-3-3 and James will be in rotation with front 3. Our midfield was shaky last season, with Modric - Kroos double pivot it wouldn't work out.


Xabi
Modric- - -Kroos
I think with that defence it wouldn't be the end of the world. Or, James could be deployed as a false 9? That way you could still have a front 3, and you could have room for a DM such as Xabi or maybe Vidal.
 
Madrid won't play with #10. James will go directly in Di Maria's place. It will be
Kroos-Modric-James with Illara and Xabi as backups.
 
Madrid won't play with #10. James will go directly in Di Maria's place. It will be
Kroos-Modric-James with Illara and Xabi as backups.

This is still really unstable in my book and lacks steel, but I was also never a fan of three man midfields without a clear anchor type player.
 
Personally never been convinced with anti tapping measures (if they exist at all the days). Most of the bigger clubs have a tendency to agree personal terms with the player beforehand (whether they have the permission of the selling club is very much a grey area and the general public is not privy to such information). Maybe this is to safeguard said buyer clubs against players turning down moves and having the proverbial rug pulled from beneath their feet once a transfer fee has been agreed with the seller club.

Take Ander Herrera/ Luke Shaw's transfer to United for example. There were substantial reports of wages, agent fees etc. being agreed before United lodged a formal bid to Athletic Club/ Southampton. And even now there are alleged reports from various Chilean/ Italian sources that United has agreed personal terms with Vidal to the tune of 201,000 GBP per week and it's just a matter of hashing out the transfer fee with Juventus and tying the final strings.

Further away from United, there are ample examples - Suarez to Barcelona ? (open to debate maybe), Bale to Madrid with everyone from the president down to individual players batting their eyelids at the then Spurs player, Fabregas to Barcelona (Xavi, Iniesta etc. and their endless crusade to bring Cesc "home"), Ronaldo and the whole slave episode, Berbatov refusing to train with his Tottenham team-mates...

That aside, have there been any fines/ sanctions in recent seasons against clubs found guilty of tapping players up ? I'm not aware of any..
The only time clubs ever really complain about tapping up is when they can't agree a fee with the buying team. As soon as the player moves the complaint usually does. It's an area that has become utterly impossible to police, as approaches are now being made by third parties which gives teams plausible deniability when it comes to defending themselves.
 
K. Navas
Carvajal - - Ramos - - Varane - - Marcelo
Kroos - - Modric
Bale - - Rodriguez - - Ronaldo
Benzema​
I can't think of a team that would beat that.

On paper maybe not. But football depends on a lot of other things. But that does look immense in terms of footballing talent.
 
K. Navas
Carvajal - - Ramos - - Varane - - Marcelo
Kroos - - Modric
Bale - - Rodriguez - - Ronaldo
Benzema​
I can't think of a team that would beat that.

I can

---------------------De Gea------------------
--Rafael--------P Jones----Hummels------Shaw--
---------------------Strootman-----------------
--------------Herrera----------Vidal--------------
-----Mata-------------Van Persie--------Di Maria------

;)
 
I can

---------------------De Gea------------------
--Rafael--------P Jones----Hummels------Shaw--
---------------------Strootman-----------------
--------------Herrera----------Vidal--------------
-----Mata-------------Van Persie--------Di Maria------

;)
Haha. Hopefully Phil Jones won't be let anywhere near that team though.
 
The only time clubs ever really complain about tapping up is when they can't agree a fee with the buying team. As soon as the player moves the complaint usually does. It's an area that has become utterly impossible to police, as approaches are now being made by third parties which gives teams plausible deniability when it comes to defending themselves.

Yup that sounds about right.

Haha. Hopefully Phil Jones won't be let anywhere near that team though.

Noo why ? That's the future club captain... :(
 
On paper maybe not. But football depends on a lot of other things. But that does look immense in terms of footballing talent.

that team will be sliced open by a counter attacking team. Bale/ronaldo/rodrigues wont track back. Kroos and modric are not MF generals who hunt down the opposition. Kroos and modric jog rather than run. Real madrid should have kept the team as it was. It worked.
 
K. Navas
Carvajal - - Ramos - - Varane - - Marcelo
Kroos - - Modric
Bale - - Rodriguez - - Ronaldo
Benzema​
I can't think of a team that would beat that.
No balance to it and worse then last season generally. Di Maria is better then James, Xabi Alonso at his best provides more then Kroos does. On paper, Bayern's starting 11 is better too probably. Barca's is up there too. Not much in it, last season Madrid had a great balance but not so much this year.
 
This is still really unstable in my book and lacks steel, but I was also never a fan of three man midfields without a clear anchor type player.
Both Modric and Kroos are better defensively than people think they are. They played without anchor last season and they were just fine. In the end, 4-2-3-1 is just another variant of 4-3-3 where you trade one central midfielder for one offensive midfielder.
 
K. Navas
Carvajal - - Ramos - - Varane - - Marcelo
Kroos - - Modric
Bale - - Rodriguez - - Ronaldo
Benzema​
I can't think of a team that would beat that.

on paper that team is unreal. But i question when transferred into reality. Its unbalanced in defense. The front four wont defend. The MF are slow when defending. Its a great attacking team, but not defensively i suspect
 
No balance to it and worse then last season generally. Di Maria is better then James, Xabi Alonso at his best provides more then Kroos does. On paper, Bayern's starting 11 is better too probably. Barca's is up there too. Not much in it, last season Madrid had a great balance but not so much this year.

totally agree.