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Live games 2017/18


CumbrianRam

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10 minutes ago, ViewsFromTheMiddle said:

Agree Carvajal and the two centre backs are big misses, but with the quality they still have out there you'd expect them to be able to beat Spurs at least once. 

Also, didn't their fans hate Danilo? 

Danilo is a decent fullback capable of playing either side. As Madrid allowed Coentrao to leave, they’ve had no cover for Marcelo or Carvajal, only youngsters.

Don’t get me wrong they’ve still got quality players out there and they had enough chances to beat Spurs at the Bernabeu, but they’ve c0cked up this season in terms of their squad.

Bale, Benzema and Varane always pick up niggling injuries, while key players such as Ronaldo, Modric and Ramos are in their 30s so playing every game probably has an affect on their fitness levels.

They’ve left themselves paperthin and with weak back-up. Bizarre for such a wealthy and prestigious club.

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When Spurs do it, it's lauded. When Madrid do it, it's shortsighted and unwise. Hmm.

I think it's excellent that Real Madrid are giving opportunities to young players, especially those from their own academy system. The fans will love it.

Why not produce your own? It makes more sense, especially from a financial standpoint, to have a 19-20 year old from the academy waiting for his chance, rather than wasting the talent of the likes of Alvaro Morata or James Rodriguez, who could be stars and immediate starters at other top clubs.

I think Zidane's success has obviously won the board's trust and having managed the reserve team, he will have a better understanding than anyone of who is ready for first team football.

It's refreshing for a club of their size and stature to think about the long term. Perhaps playing an untried 18 year old at full back weakens them in the short term, but if they produce 1-2 genuinely top players as a result of putting their trust in younger players, which I wouldn't bet against, they will be more than vindicated.

So what if they don't win a trophy this season? This is Real Madrid. You can't keep a club the size of Real Madrid down. Three Champions League titles in four years should be enough to keep the critics at bay for a while.

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2 hours ago, Jourdan said:

When Spurs do it, it's lauded. When Madrid do it, it's shortsighted and unwise. Hmm.

I think it's excellent that Real Madrid are giving opportunities to young players, especially those from their own academy system. The fans will love it.

Why not produce your own? It makes more sense, especially from a financial standpoint, to have a 19-20 year old from the academy waiting for his chance, rather than wasting the talent of the likes of Alvaro Morata or James Rodriguez, who could be stars and immediate starters at other top clubs.

I think Zidane's success has obviously won the board's trust and having managed the reserve team, he will have a better understanding than anyone of who is ready for first team football.

It's refreshing for a club of their size and stature to think about the long term. Perhaps playing an untried 18 year old at full back weakens them in the short term, but if they produce 1-2 genuinely top players as a result of putting their trust in younger players, which I wouldn't bet against, they will be more than vindicated.

So what if they don't win a trophy this season? This is Real Madrid. You can't keep a club the size of Real Madrid down. Three Champions League titles in four years should be enough to keep the critics at bay for a while.

I think you should produce your own. Barca, under Pep, often had academy products such as Bartra, Tello, Cuenca and Bojan making first-team appearances.

However, Real Madrid seemingly went too far last summer and left their first-team squad threadbare. Maybe Morata wanted to leave, I found that incredibly strange considering he is a Real product and Benzema/Ronaldo aren’t going to be available every game.

Zidane is a legend at Real, he should have the support of the fans regardless of what happens.

I just think he took too much of a risk and it’s backfired. There was no way five or six Madrid youngsters could come through at once and make it at such a level. 

Spurs are a different case altogether. The likes of Alli, Dier and Walker for instance were bought as top youngsters.

Madrid are not bulking up their squad with the best cherry-picked youngsters, they’re placing academy players on the bench.

How often do top teams even bring through an academy player? One may make the grade, two at a push, every season to become a first-team regular at the very top level.

Madrid are banking on five or six in one season and they’re only 18-21. Chances are half of those may only ever be good enough for a Deportivo or Las Palmas, and that’s when they’re at their peak level, not now at just 19 years old.

 

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21 hours ago, Bris Vegas said:

I think you should produce your own. Barca, under Pep, often had academy products such as Bartra, Tello, Cuenca and Bojan making first-team appearances.

However, Real Madrid seemingly went too far last summer and left their first-team squad threadbare. Maybe Morata wanted to leave, I found that incredibly strange considering he is a Real product and Benzema/Ronaldo aren’t going to be available every game.

Zidane is a legend at Real, he should have the support of the fans regardless of what happens.

I just think he took too much of a risk and it’s backfired. There was no way five or six Madrid youngsters could come through at once and make it at such a level. 

Spurs are a different case altogether. The likes of Alli, Dier and Walker for instance were bought as top youngsters.

Madrid are not bulking up their squad with the best cherry-picked youngsters, they’re placing academy players on the bench.

How often do top teams even bring through an academy player? One may make the grade, two at a push, every season to become a first-team regular at the very top level.

Madrid are banking on five or six in one season and they’re only 18-21. Chances are half of those may only ever be good enough for a Deportivo or Las Palmas, and that’s when they’re at their peak level, not now at just 19 years old.

 

So if you agree that teams should produce their own, what is the problem? It seems a bit rash to say a strategy has backfired in November, when nothing is won at this stage and Real Madrid are still competing in four competitions. They still have everything to play for, no? Surely it's better to assess this at the end of the season.

Out of interest, if you had been in Zidane's shoes, who would you have kept? Morata? Well, surely, being first choice at Chelsea is more appealing than being second or third choice at Real Madrid. 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't all of Madrid's best young players from other clubs? Asensio from Mallorca, Isco from Malaga, Ceballos from Betis, Kovacic from Inter, Theo Hernandez from Atletico, Vallejo from Zaragoza. How are Spurs a different case? It seems to me an almost identical strategy. Sign the best young players available and push the best academy players to see they sink or swim.

How are Madrid banking on five or six young players to deliver? As far as I can see, they are asking young players to fill gaps and deputise in positions that are not integral to the team's performance. Look at that eleven yesterday, it still contained eight players from the starting eleven from the Champions League final, with enough experience and enough success under their belts to compensate for an 18-year-old playing at full back.

You said it yourself, how often do top teams bring through a player? Not often. So isn't it a good sign that Real Madrid are trying to buck that trend?

 

 

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Winning something with a home grown team will be worth 10 X winning summat with an expensive team.

The best team in the history of the world (from a fans viewpoint) is Celtic's 1967 European Cup winners. Every player born within 20 miles of Parkhead. Can you imagine the pride you'd feel as a fan?

As much as it pains me to say it, the modern equivalent is probably Fergies United side that included Butt, Scholes, Giggs, Nevilles (x2) and Beckham (cockney but came through the academy).

Maybe Barcelona came close with a few Catalans in their team when they were at their best?

Man City fans will never have the feeling that United did when they won the treble with a team made (mostly) in Manchester, no matter what they win.

Rangers will never match what Celtic did in 1967.

 

 

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33 minutes ago, uttoxram75 said:

Winning something with a home grown team will be worth 10 X winning summat with an expensive team.

The best team in the history of the world (from a fans viewpoint) is Celtic's 1967 European Cup winners. Every player born within 20 miles of Parkhead. Can you imagine the pride you'd feel as a fan?

As much as it pains me to say it, the modern equivalent is probably Fergies United side that included Butt, Scholes, Giggs, Nevilles (x2) and Beckham (cockney but came through the academy).

Maybe Barcelona came close with a few Catalans in their team when they were at their best?

Man City fans will never have the feeling that United did when they won the treble with a team made (mostly) in Manchester, no matter what they win.

Rangers will never match what Celtic did in 1967.

I think the only team that could potentially match that achievement these days is Athletic Bilbao, with their homegrown players only policy. Unfortunately they've never come close. Shame, it would be nice to see that policy rewarded.

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1 hour ago, uttoxram75 said:

Maybe Barcelona came close with a few Catalans in their team when they were at their best?

Valdes, Piqué, Puyol, Busquets, Xavi, Fàbregas, Thiago and Bojan Catalans with Messi, Pedro and Iniesta all La Masia products as well. Alba spent most of his youth career at Barca too. 

Ridiculous crop that.  

All managed by a Catalan. 

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3 hours ago, Jourdan said:

So if you agree that teams should produce their own, what is the problem? It seems a bit rash to say a strategy has backfired in November, when nothing is won at this stage and Real Madrid are still competing in four competitions. They still have everything to play for, no? Surely it's better to assess this at the end of the season.

Out of interest, if you had been in Zidane's shoes, who would you have kept? Morata? Well, surely, being first choice at Chelsea is more appealing than being second or third choice at Real Madrid. 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't all of Madrid's best young players from other clubs? Asensio from Mallorca, Isco from Malaga, Ceballos from Betis, Kovacic from Inter, Theo Hernandez from Atletico, Vallejo from Zaragoza. How are Spurs a different case? It seems to me an almost identical strategy. Sign the best young players available and push the best academy players to see they sink or swim.

How are Madrid banking on five or six young players to deliver? As far as I can see, they are asking young players to fill gaps and deputise in positions that are not integral to the team's performance. Look at that eleven yesterday, it still contained eight players from the starting eleven from the Champions League final, with enough experience and enough success under their belts to compensate for an 18-year-old playing at full back.

You said it yourself, how often do top teams bring through a player? Not often. So isn't it a good sign that Real Madrid are trying to buck that trend?

 

 

Nothing is won in November, but you can lose it by now. La Liga looks a tough proposition for them.

With Spurs they bought top quality youngsters and gradually brought them through.

Madrid have thrown too many in the deep end, at such a demanding club, at once. 

Hakimi, Llorente, Mayoral, Airam, Vazquez and Casilla are all Madrid products - Six players from their current 18 and none are nowhere near good enough for the supposed best club in the world.

Throw in Ceballos, Hernandez, Vallejo and Asensio too and it’s bordering madness.

Don’t get me wrong it’s admarable to give so many youth players or Madrid products a chance. But we’re not talking about a plucky Athletic Bilbao story here, we’re talking about the biggest and most demanding club in the world whose own fans turn on great players like Ronaldo in a heartbeat.

In a squad game and with so many games, you need to rotate it around. Madrid are banking on these players coming on and changing games, and it’s just not happening.

Did you see their bench against Girona or Spurs? Who can you turn to to provide impetus when things aren’t going well.

Last season Morata, James, Bale/Isco could come off the bench and make a difference. Morata scores numerous winners for them last term. This year they have nobody, except Asensio who while has shown promise isn’t anywhere near top quality right now.

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3 minutes ago, Kernow said:

Who's Andre Wisdom playing for these days? We could really do with him, shame he'd never come back here :(

Maybe worth a look at my post in that thread I did say fair play. But yeah ignore that one then. 

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