Madrid know how to turn it on in Europe so I won't be so sure. But given how they played vs Spurs and since then, PSG must be favorites.
La Liga 2017/18
- Thread starter Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87
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Zidane saved his ass. Sacking him on the back of 2 CL and the most succesfull year in the club's history, because they choose to stick with a forward group that's probably finished? Zinedine Zidane? He's every bit as guilty of those choices and if the season ends in infamy it's his head the bernabeu will want, before Zidane's
Pellegrini ended up with 96 points, with 17 games played he had 9 points more than Zidane right now.
People bash him a lot, his league run was fantastic, he was just unlucky vs Lyon and then the Alcorcon fiasco, which was more on the players than him, something similar could've happened this season vs Numancia but Bale solved the problem, Pellegrini didn't have Ronaldo AND Bale.
Hopefully we will get spanked by PSG so we can finally sack Zidane ..the guy is a joke , I can't believe some people think he is any good at coaching.
Did Bale get hurt again?
He delivered a very good league season against best team in the world at this time but let's be honest getting out that early from CL against no one was inexcusable as well.
Though he had Ronaldo at this time ? I remember Ronaldo, Benzema and Kaka all signing in 2009.
Can't be true?
I think he meant he didn't have them both as a duo.
I remember that Lyon game, didn't Lyon get the goal to put them through in a counter attack right at the death? I think Casillas made a mistake. I remember turning on the channel right as Lyon broke through, thought it was hilarious
Exceelleent. 
Bale's contribution this season due to his injuries is comparable to Kaka (check out his assist & goal stats).I think he meant he didn't have them both as a duo.
I remember that Lyon game, didn't Lyon get the goal to put them through in a counter attack right at the death? I think Casillas made a mistake. I remember turning on the channel right as Lyon broke through, thought it was hilarious
Lyon games, Madrid had more than enough time to put the game out of Lyon hand. They're not that ruthless attacking or defensive stable enough, then those thing can happen. That's what Mourinho fixed with his stint.
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I think he meant he didn't have them both as a duo.
I remember that Lyon game, didn't Lyon get the goal to put them through in a counter attack right at the death? I think Casillas made a mistake. I remember turning on the channel right as Lyon broke through, thought it was hilarious
I remember Lyon winning in France 1-0 and drawing 1-1 in Madrid. It was hilarious at this time considering all the money spent on these players.
16 points behind Barca and 7 behind Atleti. Even if they win that game in hand, they'll stay 4th.
Pellegrini had Cris at his best(which is how we got 96 points. He won most of those by himself) and even beside Alcorcon, going out against OL was inexcusable, no matter that Higuain still gives me nightmares, and he also lost at home to a bang average milan side, and we weren't even competitive in the games against you lot
If we had that version of Cris we'd be right there with you in the league
If we had that version of Cris we'd be right there with you in the league
Pellegrini is a shockingly average manager. 1 league title and two league cups with the City squad when they were all in their prime.
I disagree in this. Bernabéu only care about trophies.Florentino can be a prick but has won 4 C.L. He will bring some new names and fans will get excited again with the project and the new coach, doesn´t matter if is Löw, Pochettino or Conte.
Zidane, on the other hand, knows where he is, he already commented several times at press conference. Florentino will give the possibility to resign, or say that wants to take a sabbatical year or any excuse.
What surprises me is his stubbornness, especially seeing how well he managed the group last year. I still think that a coach who is very annoying with tactics or wants to be a sergeant is not the solution.
I think he meant he didn't have them both as a duo.
I remember that Lyon game, didn't Lyon get the goal to put them through in a counter attack right at the death? I think Casillas made a mistake. I remember turning on the channel right as Lyon broke through, thought it was hilarious
Best example I can give about that leg, it was the start of Higuain's jinx in big games/UCL KO stage
Real had spent a lot of money that summer, but Granero, Albiol, the Diarras or Garay played in that leg, far from a roster as good and deep as Real in the last 3 years.
Would gladly swap our managers. Plus Mkhitaryan and Mata for free.
That season, we won the 1st leg with that goal from Ibra, you were competitive against us.
And it wasn't a great season from Ronaldo, Real scored 102 goals, Ronaldo scored 26 and missed 9 league games, Higuain was Real's top scorer with 27 goals, you got to 96 points because you had a good roster and Pellegrini did fairly well in league, not because Ronaldo turned super human, either you're messing seasons or revisiting facts
Edit: The game he lost vs Milan was the one Pato looked out of this world, maybe the best game I've seen from him ever, he basically destroyed Real Madrid on his own. Those things happen, like Pep getting destroyed vs Samaras @ Celtic or Chori Dominguez @ Kazan
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Parked a bus to make Mourinho proud
Nevermind the goals, Cris was for us almost what Hazard is for Chelsea that season. Plus the goals. But yes, the team was very good. So good in fact that any competent manager could've done similar things with it. Pellegrini was never a bad manager, just not good enoughAnd it wasn't a great season from Ronaldo, Real scored 102 goals, Ronaldo scored 26 and missed 9 league games, Higuain was Real's top scorer with 27 goals, you got to 96 points because you had a good roster and Pellegrini did fairly well in league, not because Ronaldo turned super human, either you're messing seasons or revisiting facts
We were outplayed, at home, by an average milan side managed by fecking Leonardo. Don't care how good Pato was that night, we had Cristiano and Kaka, and again, their manager was Leonardo
But that's in the line of what I'm saying, Pellegrini wasn't fantastic, but he was indeed good that season league-wise. Not the calamity that people talk about nowadays
That team was good for the Spanish standard that season, in 2010 Atletico sucked, there was no pressure beyond the front duo, UCL spot was around 63 points and not the 7x we've seen lately, etc... and we shouldn't forget that Pellegrini was tossed aside since preseason, he wanted to keep Robben and Sneijder and limit Raul to sub minutes, he ended up without those players and Raul starting 13 games, and that's just the tip of the Iceberg. He was the stepping stone that finally made Florentino realize the manager should have absolute power over players, and hence the biggest catalyst for Mou's arrival and his role at Real Madrid.
But people talk about him (and his City time as extension) as he was just a clown in Real Madridl, he was the worst treated manager I've seen in the last decade, and still got that league run.
Real are fairly shite. A glorious sight.
If only that other cnut of a club from Catalonia followed suit.
If only that other cnut of a club from Catalonia followed suit.
God I hope they both turn to shite. Cant stand la liga so it’s a shame so many good players go there.
We'll always bounce back anyway, we're just taking a year off to relax and enjoy life, no biggie.
Bit harsh on Espanyol
Zidane's gone, question of who comes in.
I would sell:
Bale, Benzema, Casilla, Navas (I like him, but it's so obvious that a GK will be bought that I have to include him in the exit list), Nacho, Varane,Lucas,Llorente,Kovacic (I like him too but I feel a bit sorry for him for spending so much time on the bench. There is a point where if you can not make the leap to the starting 11, it might be better to leave)
On loan: Ceballos,Theo and Achraf
Sale with option to buy again: Mayoral
I have doubts with Cristiano and Kroos. Kroos is fantastic but he has already won everything with Madrid. This season he doesn´t care too much.
If he continues it would be fine, but if he leaves and we get paid very very well while he gets a super contract in England, it might be good for both parties.
Cristiano is at a very bad level but I think he does not deserve an ugly exit, being included in a summer cleaning.
I think Cristiano will want to leave before he gets kicked out.
About the signings I have doubts about almost all of them.
Neymar would be the top signing. A blow on the table to show that Madrid rule.
Madrid love these dick contests where they show that are the top of the top, and I imagine that Florentino is increasingly anxious seeing the signings of Barcelona.
My problem with him is that I do not like him, I think he's a bit of an asshole. I did not like his behavior with Barcelona, or when he decides which games he wants to play, nor the nonsense of his sister's birthday. It is not what you expect in the hypothetical case of paying 250 million for someone.
However the priority of Madrid must be having the best players and is clearly the best in the market.
About the others...maybe I'm so used to seeing a beast scoring 50 goals per season that all the others seem minor options. Not too excited about Icardi and with Dybala I need the "wow, what a performance, we need to sign him."
Kane looks a great option, the goals fall out of his pockets, but he comes from another league. Owen was also very good but he spent a year living in a hotel, he did not adapt and wanted to go back to England. Maybe he is not interested in leaving England.
That is already a matter of the club, to deal with him, to know him.
I used to have more doubts about Hazard, but the fact that he wants to come is an incentive. He seems like a fun player to watch and I'm curious to see how he would perform in la liga.
I would like to see Odegaard, some bargain like Kroos years ago and a tough CB like Pepe.
Courtois does not excite me. I prefer de Gea and if not some young Spanish goalkeeper, not necessarily Kepa
There are no rumors about them but I also like Dele Alli and Sterling.
I might be in the minority but I don't think Madrid should sign a striker. A player like Kane would cost at least 200 million and I'm not sure he has the pace or technical ability to suit Madrid or la liga well enough to justify his price.
I think they'd be better off going back to 433 with Ronaldo as a striker and then using wingers (potential signings included) such as Bale/Hazard/Asensio/Neymar.
I think they'd be better off going back to 433 with Ronaldo as a striker and then using wingers (potential signings included) such as Bale/Hazard/Asensio/Neymar.
If Real wins the CL again, then I think he'll get to keep his job. You never know because they always seem to step up and grind out wins in the CL in the past few years.
That was the worst Ronaldo performance I've ever seen. Everything he did was wrong or he lost the ball.
Amazing how Manchester United fans are nicer about him then his own Real Madrid fans.
Amazing how Manchester United fans are nicer about him then his own Real Madrid fans.
If Zidane was any other coach he would be sacked this morning. 16 points behind this weakest Barca team in years is an absolute disgrace. They'll be out of the CL too in a few weeks.
I mean Del Bosque was sacked when he won the league for crying out loud yet they persist with a manager who's embarrassing (losing Classico's left and right the past few years too) the club !
The ruthless approach works for clubs like Madrid, Chelsea (hiring and firing managers) so why is Florentino Perez hesitating emotionally just because it's Zidane I have no idea!? (never stopped him before) if he's mellowing with old age, then Real Madrid have serious problems beyond this season (in terms of the investment needed in the system to compete with clubs like PSG, City and Barca long-term)
You have to know when a manager has lost the dressing room there is no way back. And Zidane as "everybody's mate" and "one of the lads" isn't washing anymore if they don't respect him.
I mean Del Bosque was sacked when he won the league for crying out loud yet they persist with a manager who's embarrassing (losing Classico's left and right the past few years too) the club !
The ruthless approach works for clubs like Madrid, Chelsea (hiring and firing managers) so why is Florentino Perez hesitating emotionally just because it's Zidane I have no idea!? (never stopped him before) if he's mellowing with old age, then Real Madrid have serious problems beyond this season (in terms of the investment needed in the system to compete with clubs like PSG, City and Barca long-term)
You have to know when a manager has lost the dressing room there is no way back. And Zidane as "everybody's mate" and "one of the lads" isn't washing anymore if they don't respect him.
Their transfer policy for the last few years has finally caught up with Madrid. You need to strengthen from a strong position, it's what all top clubs do/ or should do to stay at the very top. Madrid are one of the few teams in recent history that have managed to stay at the top of their game without serious investment but it has finally caught up with them.
In fact, they weakened themselves massively last window. Letting James and Morata go, two top class players without replacing them was a very poor move. Yes they had Cebellas to come in, Asenjo coming through and Theo Hernandez, but they are all young players who are developing. They took major risks not bringing in new players to improve the team and it's cost them and probably Zidane his job.
In fact, they weakened themselves massively last window. Letting James and Morata go, two top class players without replacing them was a very poor move. Yes they had Cebellas to come in, Asenjo coming through and Theo Hernandez, but they are all young players who are developing. They took major risks not bringing in new players to improve the team and it's cost them and probably Zidane his job.
Sell everyone. Sign De Gea, Kimmich, Koulibaly, Umtiti, Alex Sandro, Fabinho, Verratti, Pogba, Mbappé, Kane, Neymar
(In all honesty, i feel like we need a top CB -Koulibaly- and a solid backup -De Vrij-, sell Varane, shift Nacho permanently at RB -where he's one of the best- get rid of Theo, sign Alex Sandro, let go of Llorente on loan, sign Fabinho, sell Kroos, sign Pogba if possible(swap kroos-pogba) otherwise someone like Sergej or Radja or Goretzka, sell Benzema and Cristiano, bring in Kane and Neymar/Mbappé, or either one of Hazard/Dybala. Keeper...depends on the opportunities. Bale, depends on whether he can stay fit. I'm not Kepa's biggest fan but on a free it's a no brainer. De Gea would be nice at this point, Spain's gk. Courtois if we can get him on the relatively cheap, too. Alisson is another option...)
Only one name: Pocho, imo.
£75m+, £300k+ p/w and you get him for about 20 games a year and probably another 3 years. That's probably why.
Last night's game proved nothing, really. Trash defending by Celta Vigo on both goals.
Tbf Barca are 15-3-0 in the league and AFAIK there have been very few teams in La Liga history that has had a better record up until the half season mark in terms of points. So it's a bit unfair to call Barca weak when they are on course to a 100 point season.
Del Bosque wasn't sacked, just not renewed (like Heynckes in the treble winning season)
I love Poch but I don't think he'd be a good fit for Real at all tbh. Like, at all, it is potentially the worst of the super clubs he could eventually end up at.
Bayern, Man Utd, would be much better suited.
At Real? I think he'd be swallowed alive in the club politics and I also am not convinced that their dressing room would listen to him the way ours does either.
Madrids defending this year is a joke... much is being made of their misfiring attack, but jesus, some of their defending would make Arsenal defenders laugh.