UCL Round of 16 - First Legs - Feb 18 - 26

Sphaero said:
You don´t calculate much from this distance, you simply react. His reflexes have always been stellar, though.
Click to expand...
what i mean is that casillas calculates where it's most likely the shooter will place the ball, based on body posture, leverage, momentum; is it really possible to react in any viable way at that range? And if he does react like you say he must have, then is it fair to call it luck? it would have an element of luck if he made an estimate of sorts, on where the shot is heading and simply blocked that space, but if he truly reacted with his reflexes is it luck? because then he has to respond to the flight of the ball. if i look at that save and saves he's made like it, he seems to dive before the shots been fully executed, thus why i sort of think he calculates alot more then he purely relies on reflexes to move to the ball.
 
Malva said:
robinho was never as good or talented a shooter as neymar, isn't that the bang you refer to? neymar has been shooting like that with santos and brazil. it's his ability.
Click to expand...

It wasn't actually. It was that mysterious ability to be decisive in games at the top level - which isn't quite the same as shooting or even scoring.

In any case, I was actually defending Neymar. As I said, he's potentially a better player than Bale. He's got a touch and an imagination that I think Bale lacks. What he isn't, right now for Barcelona, is a more productive or decisive player than Bale is for Madrid (despite Bale's injuries and the fact he's new to Madrid). Neymar's young, he's still adapting to European football, he's got all the time in the world to change that calculation.

That doesn't mean he will get there though.
 
Malva said:
do people who closely follow madrid and ronaldo really refer to him as a winger? he virtually does nothing to deserve being called a winger, he doesn't attack the flanks and cross, he doesn't create plays from the sides, he doesn't help with build ups and overlap runs, he just lurks there waiting for benzema to drop out to the sides so that he can attack the holes benzema creates. he's been playing centrally almost every time in the 20 odd times i've watched madrid in the last 2 seasons.
Click to expand...
That's mad, he helps build up most of thz attacks all the time, he's just been a bit shit lately is all. Too focussed on staying ahead of Messi I think.
 
Vato1979 said:
That's mad, he helps build up most of thz attacks all the time, he's just been a bit shit lately is all. Too focussed on staying ahead of Messi I think.
Click to expand...
i don't know vato, even at his best it looks like he thrives on getting on the end of crosses and through balls. that's not winger behaviour at all, and he's not half as dangerous on the wing as he is centrally. i've really noticed that benzema-ronaldo tandem and how it works; it gets benzema very little credit but it's crucial to ronaldo's success the type of movement benzema makes.
 
Malva said:
what i mean is that casillas calculates where it's most likely the shooter will place the ball, based on body posture, leverage, momentum; is it really possible to react in any viable way at that range? And if he does react like you say he must have, then is it fair to call it luck? it would have an element of luck if he made an estimate of sorts, on where the shot is heading and simply blocked that space, but if he truly reacted with his reflexes is it luck? because then he has to respond to the flight of the ball. if i look at that save and saves he's made like it, he seems to dive before the shots been fully executed, thus why i sort of think he calculates alot more then he purely relies on reflexes to move to the ball.
Click to expand...
It had nothing to do with luck really. Luck is when you just hold your ground and the shot is hit directly at you. In this case Casillas has dived to his right. Yes the shot is close to his body but its from point blank range. If he hadn't dived that would have gone in 100% no doubt. Top class save.
 
Kevin said:
Ronaldo is a liability now lol. Marcelo was free.
Click to expand...

Like I said. Now Madrid are leading, his desire to score will overwhelm his common sense. He's hardly played for a month. He won't calm down and turn back into a footballer until he scores :smirk:
 
prarek said:
It had nothing to do with luck really. Luck is when you just hold your ground and the shot is hit directly at you. In this case Casillas has dived to his right. Yes the shot is close to his body but its from point blank range. If he hadn't dived that would have gone in 100% no doubt. Top class save.
Click to expand...
i didn't say it was luck, i was talking about the element of it in his response to these types of shots he makes and what factor it has, i was talking to sphaero who said it was luck.
 
Malva said:
i didn't say it was luck, i was talking about the element of it in his response to these types of shots he makes and what factor it has, i was talking to sphaero who said it was luck.
Click to expand...
I was agreeing with you..
 
kouroux said:
Very impressive first half by Real Madrid and special mention to Modric, Di Maria, Benzema and Bale. Ronaldo has been the petulant child he's always been.
Click to expand...

They have a fantstic balance now. Modric looks amazing, so composed, that pass for Bale's run through the two defender's was such simple quality.

Di Maria has slotted into midfield seamlessly. Benzema looks hungry too. They have to be one of the top 3 teams in Europe.
 
Real Madrid have not conceded in 12 of their last 14 games in all competitions.
 
Malva said:
i don't know vato, even at his best it looks like he thrives on getting on the end of crosses and through balls. that's not winger behaviour at all, and he's not half as dangerous on the wing as he is centrally. i've really noticed that benzema-ronaldo tandem and how it works; it gets benzema very little credit but it's crucial to ronaldo's success the type of movement benzema makes.
Click to expand...
You just want to turn him into Ashley Young, don't you?! ;)
 
Carbon copy of the goal Ronaldo scored against Galatasaray? last year? Just knew where that shot was going, even his left foot is immense.
 
Absolutely top drawer from Ronaldo there. Suarezque even.

come on. bite.
 
Watching most of the big teams secure their spot in the 1/4 finals even before the return legs is depressing after yesterday's fiasco.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.