Do we have the world’s best left flank…?

Real Madrid is a club that never sleeps. It keeps improving. Even though we have Alvaro Arbeloa and Marcelo; we purchased Fabio Coentrao at a very hefty price tag! Do we need him? Or is it that he wanted out and preferred Real so we paid for him? It’s simple! We just can’t let that kind of talent get wasted. Although we had a classy Marcelo all over the year but still we brought nothing but competition for him. We had a pretty strong left side with Marcelo and Cristiano Ronaldo becoming nightmares for opposition. But now that we have purchased Coentrao, we have to keep him. This definitely bolsters our left defense but let’s analyze how our left flank is…

1.       Marcelo: Left Wingback.

What changed him? Jose Mourinho. He goes where he pleases and he pleases where he goes. Jose is known for his charm and that is what makes him dig a world class player out of nobody. That’s the Mourinho Effect! He did this with Deco at Porto, Drogba at Chelsea, Diego Milito at Inter and the same with Marcelo at Real Madrid. What do these players have in common? They thought they were “something” but made into “someone” by Mourinho. If you had asked anyone in Madrid about Marcelo couple of years ago then you might be left unanswered but if you do it now then you might get a few hugs and a free beer. Even I didn’t believe the constant rise and rise of Marcelo. Earlier he was just a tattooed Brazilian who was waiting to be sold back but now he is rightfully reckoned as Roberto Carlos’ heir and he has earned it! 2010-11 could have been his last season here at Madrid; he knew this fact already but he had different plans. Mou said him one thing “If you only keep talking and not perform, then you look stupid! Choice is yours.” And this is what changed him and he became the best attacking left back in La Liga if not the world. A formidable partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo resulted in one of the most lethal counter-attacking units in the game today. He has one of the quickest feet when compared to fellow defenders. With Pepe he has a very good friendship which helps communicating him with defense and down the flanks with Cristiano in attack he becomes the master of ball distribution. He has a tendency to suppress the oncoming defenders by squeezing them to the flanks, leaving no space for them to move and he swift passes them to join the attack. He has amazing footwork and just about right mixture of speed and ball control needed for a wingback. His winning mentality and never give up attitude brews up a very flammable mixture of an attacker who has no visible weakness when at full potential. Marcelo is a great attacker but when it comes to defending he becomes our weakest. It’s not as bad as it might seem it’s just that he mistimed his tackles very often. He is competitive but not into all-action defending. If you closely look his sliding tackles then you would find them much better than of any traditional  center back but the problem is only of timing with Marcelo. This would probably be eradicated with experience since he would be here for a long time. Marcelo is fully capable of playing of playing as a left winger because of his strength and stamina. He loves cutting in from the flanks and prefers lobbing the ball rather than shooting. All in all he is superb player on the left and we are really blessed we have such a talent.

2.       Alvaro Arbeloa

Ahh… a canterano and a good one. He left us for the Merseyside but came back with a bang and now is one of the most featured player in the lineup. Alvaro is solid in defending as well as controlling the tempo at the back with his superior ball holding skills. He is good in tackles but sliding is not really his thing. He is an all-action figure at the back and sometimes rushes into opponent but he is not hot headed. He can run at pretty good speeds for a right back but obviously is beaten by the enemy wingers. He has excellent positioning and ball winning technique. He is not an aerial threat but his physique makes him a good defensive player. He has a tendency to lose concentration which makes him inconsistent but his defensive prowess cannot be neglected. Mou likes him because of his hard work, commitment and patience. There are very less side defenders who have the versatility as of Arbeloa. His preferred playing position is right back but due to Sergio Ramos occupying that place, Alvaro has to play at left side also.

3.       Fabio Coentrao

Coentrao is new to Madrid but is already showing signs of feeling at home with his superb debut with LA Galaxy. He is known for perfect mixture of strength and physicality, speed and stamina, defense and offence. Fabio has established himself as one of the best defenders right now and he has more to give. He likes to go forward and easily dodges defenders in the way. Having swept the flanks in the Portuguese league, Fabio decided to try his hand in La Liga because it’s a lot better, lot more competitive. But that would have required math and Fabio didn’t had that amount of time. So he decided to make his way to the Madrid giants and he impressed them greatly. We paid ₨1,646.68 mills for the defender which made him one of the costliest defender ever.

He has a long way to go from here as now the season is waiting for us to win it, and it only gets tougher from here. Known for his extreme versatility Coentrao can play on either wing and even as a defensive midfielder. His partnership with Di Maria at Benfica was truly mayhem for the enemy. He wishes to continue that here. He has a lot of burden on his back with a huge amount of mullah and fierce competition waiting for him. Either he would be a great with us or would be next Drenthe! (Ohhh…I missed Drenthe in this article, he’s no talent!)

4.       Cristiano Ronaldo: Attacking Winger

The Rockstar of Real Madrid! Spanish capital Madrid met Ronaldo with a warm welcome, which he warmly returned with red-hot goals. Critics were onto him, watching his every move with thousands of cameras. When he came to Liga, he had the burden of ₨5,785.65 mills on his shoulders but he put it off in just one season. Now he one of the most feared attackers in the world if not the most! And after a good first year and a smashing second season, he shut all of them in their sofas. He is a goal machine who specializes on skinning defenders. He is arguably the speediest attacker in the world today. He is the best free kick specialist today in the game. He also has a bag full of his turf-burning dribbling skills which are no match for anyone on the planet. He has all the poachers skills needed to make a perfect forward, hands down. I’m not exaggerating or having favoritism here, just look at videos on You Tube of defenders getting their asses waxed by Ronaldo. On the flanks there is no one who can match his competition. He is simply peerless when it comes to shooting from distance and what a shot he has! Unstoppable! Defenders sleep with one eye open after a game with him. Defender’s nightmare he has been as always, made LA Galaxy bite the dust every time he made the run on goal. Ronaldo looks fitter than ever and now he has only one thing in his head, Treble! People who think that his ego come in between from him being the best; they are dumb for me because that’s just smoke on water. We have not realized that what he could do if he continues playing for a decade like this! Cristiano Ronaldo puts Olympic long jumpers to piss in their pants after they see him jump over 6 feet! That’s enough height for a header to make it s way into the back of the net. And no one does it better than Ronaldo. He partner’s Marcelo on the wings and that makes for a deadly combination. They together are simply amazing down the flanks. He also has great tuning with Fabio Coentrao who plays with him at national level. All in all Cristiano Ronaldo puts in a show like no other. If there is Ronaldo is on the pitch it won’t be very hard to find him. Today he is probably the most complete player in the world, one who can play on wings, as a playmaker, as a center forward or even as a second striker. There is no stopping Ronaldo. He is the perfect offensive player. Period.

Well whatever the circumstances Real Madrid face, it has enough resources to tackle every situation. We have awesome defenders and a excellent attackers on the left flank. Superb quality has driven the passion for another successful journey for us and We will stand with Real till the end. Real Madrid certainly has the best squad that should be able to make them the champions this year. They certainly have the best left flank that is their main counter attacking threat. This flank is made of young offensive minded players who stop at nothing when they run. We have to keep faith in them as they are new and young. Whatever happens We shall support them and always remember that legends are not made in one day but once in a century!

About the author: Mysterious enthusiast and unconditional devotee of Real Madrid. Wishes not to reveal his true identity and keeps in the shadows. Always stands beside Real Madrid and would bleed white. Regularly argues about women right to play and hates racism. If you wish to talk please follow @MadridistaSpy on twitter.

Please feel free to give opinions and comments. They will surely be replied. Please take notice that this article is my first ever and is not copied. This is a genuine creation from the author and the views are his own and not of any website. Looking forward to hear from you all. Please follow me on twitter at @MadridistaSpy for more info. Thank You and Hala Madrid.

Who will be the One?

So the news is already out that after 5 fresh signings Mou still wants to add another attacking threat to our ranks. Well if a player comes to Madrid then obviously he is talented but the problem is not of adding a talented striker to the team but of growing squad number in locker room. Real Madrid already has a very lethal attacking base. Gonzalo” Pipita” Higuain and Karim Benzema are two of the best young strikers in Spain with Cristiano Ronaldo maintaining more than a goal per game average for 2 years. Added to this is the meteoric rise of the “true #10” Mesut “El Buho” Ozil who just had the season that would soon shadow Kaka’s Italian feats. He scored 10 goals with 28 assists, now that’s quite a debut season but well if he continues this for next year then he would also be a quite a goal scorer! Like I said Real has money OKAY!!! But do we need another man upfront? For me it’s a no go. But still what are our options? Who is available? and are the available ready to play at Madrid? Let’s check it out…

What We have…Right now:

1.       Gonzalo Higuain

Well who doesn’t know him in Madrid. He is the poster boy for the Whites. He is also the nightmare for opposition. He is good on the ball and has the speed to beat the defenders in line but what he lacks is that killer instinct that Mou wants in his “true #9”. Our true “true #9” is Cristiano Ronaldo who scores goals just to piss his opponent off! Mou wants that. But this doesn’t means that Pipita is not a good striker. On the contrary he is and that is his main plus point. He has solid work rate and great commitment in a game. He runs hard, shoots hard. Accuracy is good but he is not technically gifted. Obviously he is too good to be sitting on bench but who knows. He surely knows every team here and is capable to change the game any time but with Real’s continuous interest in other strikers and a “waken” Benzema has shaken his post of the starting attacker that he used to be. He now competes with Benz week in week out for a place. He is trusted although he needs to capitalize on every start he gets to be a mainstay for coming competitions.

2.       Karim Benzema

Ohhh…the shy cat that just became a tiger when we needed him most; and what a tiger he became. Yes, Mou described him a cat when Pipita got injured! He is just 9 days younger than Gonzalo in age but decades younger if you ask for the La Liga experience. Gonzalo is here for almost 4 years and Benz was a newboy when he started his Galactico journey. He is a technically gifted lad who can well beat any Liga defender. Combined that with his speed and shooting skills you just get the striker who can demolish any defensive setup in mere seconds. Watch the goal he scored against Lyon in CL when he came off the bench and lead us to victory. But he is shy and that is not the characteristic of a center forward. A center forward must be able to communicate with his wingers and playmaker on the field. You know why Marcelo and Cristiano Ronaldo played all season long? Not just because they were performing fantastically but they had quite a partnership but because they are good communicators. Why Cristiano scores so many goals? Because he asks for the ball from Ozil and Marcelo often. And he provides results! If you don’t ask for the ball you don’t score, that’s it. Benz needs to ask for the ball. He needs to be a tiger on the pitch like he was for the last six months of the season. And he needs to do this coming season.

3.       Alvaro Morata

This canterano is not officially in the Real Madrid first team but he is our own Neymar (i hate to compare him with the Brazilian). He is the future of Real Madrid and Spain but surely he needs to grow and experience the Liga. He is the pride of Castilla. He has had some games with Real Madrid and he shone in them. He is already very popular that I’m sure he would be a rage when he signs for the first team! He has all the ingredients to become the next Raul although it’s too early to say that, but I just did so kick me. He has speed and enough technical ability for the age he is in. He is also confident of making big one day for the first team (Amen to that). He has self-confidence and the killer instinct that Mou wants but it’s again too early. So let’s wait.

What is available…?

1.       Sergio “Kun” Aguero

OKAY he is a talent. He currently plays for our cross-town rivals Atletico Madrid and like Fernando Torres he hates Real Madrid. Remember the old days when We tracked Torres for a while? Now this Kun saga reminds me of those days. Fernando didn’t choose us in fact he went to BPL and ruined his career but that’s something else. Also Aguero is a self-confessed Real Madrid hater! Now that is OKAY but what makes the situation tricky is that he is hell bent on leaving Atletico this summer. He says he prefers to stay in Spain. WOW! What a sweet way to say “Hey Real, Buy me! I’m yours.” If you see closely there are only two clubs which can afford him and they both are rivals, Real Madrid and Barca. Barca doesn’t look interested because they are chasing Sanchez, Rossi and yeah Cesc, Well they don’t have funds for either of them but they still chase. This leaves ONLY Real who can buy him. He also has attracted interest from Chelsea but they are no match for us. This boy has speed, he can shoot great, he is young and he knows La Liga. He has great working stamina and also tracks back. He like his flank and makes it for himself with his killer instincts. He has good dribbling skills but is a bad crosser of ball. He does not believe in through balls as he only gives ball when he is going down. He would be a bad fit at Madrid because he the crowd won’t let him be comfortable and also because he is terribly inconsistent. 

2.       Carlos Tevez

Bad boy boogie! This man is the perfect striker for Mou. He works extremely hard to score and has a great command on the pitch. He dominates the defenders with tireless work effort and unbearable body shocks. He has unparalleled will and determination to be on the top his game every second. His mentality is of a leader who is at the end calling for offence and would stop at nothing to end the game there that moment. He has almost flawless technique over the ball which shows off when he takes a turn with speed. He is experienced in BPL for more than 5 years so obviously he is well equipped for Liga torture which he can handle with ease. He strikes fear in opponents and wishes that it would be the only feeling in them when he leaves the field. He would form a terrorizing partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo who himself is peerless in skinning defenders. Mesut Ozil would also be not a problem. If Tevez can score 21 goals without a playmaker at ManCity, then he would almost have a shot at Pichichi if he arrives here. The crown would love him in fact they would make him his own. This guy doesn’t have any ego problems or money problems, the only problem he has is that he is home-sick! Now that could be a major obstacle if you are on the market but don’t want to go anywhere. He has a hefty price tag but that’s also a no-problem for us. Time will tell what develops.

3.       Emmanuel “Manolitho”  Adebayor

They say: If you want one thing pure heart, then the whole world’s systems begin working for you to get it; and for this guy it just looks like that it’s happening right now. Manolitho came in Madrid as a backup for Higuain as Mou didn’t trusted Benz that time. He wanted a break from his suffering from ManCity prison so he agreed a 6 month loan. A club like ManCity treats world’s top players like commodities, players like Tevez, Manolitho, Wright-Philips, Bellamy and Santa Cruz can tell you how they were treated. Even big ego players like Tevez and Emmanuel feel trapped there and now want to make free at any cost! Look at the pleading of Ade, what an egoistic player he used to be but now willing to even cut his fee to come to Madrid even though he knows that he won’t be the first choice.  A player needs freedom and respect from the surroundings to perform. But there is nothing of this sort at ManCity. Ade came here like a man who was just rescued from a lonely island. He tried his utmost best to mingle with the team in all the time he had, never missed any training session and even changed his character to make his stay permanent here. The respect and affection he got from the crowd is just enough to show how a talented player he is. He partnered Cristiano Ronaldo superbly and made friends with fellow attackers Ozil and Benz. This man is tall, muscled guy who likes to head the ball in the net. He shoots well and can run at good speeds. He has optimum stamina combined with his high work rate became the fan favorite in Bernabeu. He has every ones support right now to come back at the club but Mou wants to make a smart choice. If this man comes here he would dazzle the pitch with sheer determination just to see himself play respectfully! What a guy! What a player!

Who We are chasing…

1.       Neymar

Dubbed as the next Robino and even the next Pele!!! I mean this dude has the predatory instincts but he is only 19. World giants Real Madrid and Barcelona are chasing him with cold hard cash in one hand and a jersey in the other. Other than all the normal center forward attributes he has the world’s worst haircut although it suits on his ego. He is lanky which means he is not a physical threat at least for now. He has been in top form for the past 6 months making enough solid performances to achieve a niche for himself at his club Santos. His agent and his club president are psychos for sure because they don’t know what is happening about the boy, they change their views every week about his future and they are certainly misinformed about the reach of these two mammoth clubs. They even intend to keep him until 2012. OKAY!!! He is probably Brazil’s best young talent right now and he is priced at more than ₨2,448.33 millions but when you are chased by some elite clubs you just don’t save your ass and run, you just cash in your player. Enough written about a 19 year old Dino-Mohawk.

This summer has been really a roller coaster ride for us, Madridistas. Surely We would achieve what the signings have been done for. They all look great and are ready to explode on the pitch. I wish best of luck to Mou in his pursue of the Treble and I will stand beside him and Real Madrid till the end of time! I also wish good luck to all the new arrivals and the ones who would soon arrive for a better future. If Mou still fancies a move for any One of the above then don’t be surprised because Mou is our Special One, not any of these.

About the author: Mysterious enthusiast and unconditional devotee of Real Madrid. Wishes not to reveal his true identity and keeps in the shadows. Always stands beside Real Madrid and would bleed white. Regularly argues about women right to play and hates racism. If you wish to talk please follow @MadridistaSpy on twitter.

Please feel free to give opinions and comments. They will surely be replied. Please take notice that this article is my first ever and is not copied. This is a genuine creation from the author and the views are his own and not of any website. Looking forward to hear from you all. Please follow me on twitter at @MadridistaSpy for more info. Thank You and Hala Madrid.

The Real Turk: Nuri Sahin

The Real Turk: Nuri Sahin

It’s been not long that an unknown kid started making waves in Bundesliga around 2009. He was praised for his exquisite footwork and technical abilities. He had the knack for the last pass and always wished to be the strikers’ best friend in making play. After some dazzling performances in the last couple of years for the German giants Borrusia Dortmund, Nuri Sahin has almost created a niche for himself in that league. Producing some of the best plays in chase for the Champions League spot, he dethroned Bastian Schweinsteiger as Bundesliga’s best pass-master. He successfully marshaled the midfield of Borussia and made them reach glory at last. But he then made a very sharp move to Spanish mammoths Real Madrid, who are almost willing to do anything for their La Decima. They have been dominated by their arch-rivals FC Barcelona. What is he all about and how will he play in his new club? All questions answered right below!

Style of play

Sahin likes to take control of the play in the midfield, sending his forwards up and positioning himself for swift passing from the back. He loves the ball at his feet and fancies raiding the enemy flanks. He crosses and passes long beautifully and his technical prowess drips from his through balls. He has a great vision which Madrid is in desperate need for. He is able to play in the air with ease and has no difficulty going forward. He likes to track back and help in the defense to recover ball and quickly initiate counter-attack just the same as Mesut Ozil does at Real Madrid. He has powerful left foot with a shot full of sting and he never hesitates in testing the keeper from long range. He is well equipped with dead-ball techniques as he is a quality free kick specialist. His pace is in tune with Real Madrid so he will definitely bolster their counter attack mentality.

Position in Madrid

Nuri Sahin loves to construct play from deep-lying positions. He is solid in defense and spot on in tackles. He welcomes body defending and all-action style but is elegant in both defending and attacking. Nuri would form a great partnership with play-mogul Xabi Alonso. Let’s looks at the positions that Mourinho would install this season:

1.       Prime Pivot.

Mou has always been so hungry in defeating the opposition by tactical warfare that he has somewhat become an unpredictable mastermind in soccer.

The most tactically weak formation that he can use this season is the one with a prime pivot. Although it is highly unlikely that he would he would fancy this one but who knows…

Formation Probability: 5%

Used when                    : Weak lower table teams, if players are injured or rested or on national call, to test bench players.

Formation quality        : Weak.

Formation nature        : Attacking.

Formation                       :                                                         Casillas

                                                            Ramos           Pepe        Carvalho/Varane      Marcelo

                                                                                  

                                                                                                        Sahin

         

                                                            Callejon/ DiMaria          Kaka/ Ozil           Ronaldo

                                                                                   Benzema                     Higuain

2.       Double Pivot.

Mou loves to plot and plan to capitalize on enemy’s weaknesses. His teams posses the power to choke the game yet they all were superb counter attacking units. Real Madrid was the most scoring team in La Liga previous season, so much for the defensive tactics accusations. Yet no-one knows what the Special One can come up with, this could be an option…

Formation Probability: 50%

Used when                    : Defensive teams, mid and top table teams, if Mou wants some steel in the midfield, if Mou wants more creativity.

Formation quality        : Good.

Formation nature        : Attacking.

Formation                       :                                                       Casillas

                                                           Ramos           Pepe        Carvalho/Varane      Marcelo

                                                                               Sahin             Xabi/Lass/Khedira/Granero

                                                                         DiMaria            Kaka/ Ozil               Ronaldo

                                                                                              Benzema/Higuain

3.       Trivote.

Buzz is that this season Mou will move to his personal favorite the Trivote. If all goes well, this formation will lay down a solid midfield foundation for Real Madrid for years to come. The signings show a pattern which I have certainly taken in consideration: Backup. Real Madrid has invested in Rafael Varane, Hamit Altintop, Jose Callejon, and of course Nuri Sahin. All these players are a sort of backup for the first team players. Sahin for Alonso, Varane for Carvalho, Altintop for Khedira, and Callejon for DiMaria. This means that Mou will use all of them very efficiently the whole season playing a very stacked formation so that no mistakes are made in any match. Stacked midfield means more players in the middle and more players means solid defense. This type of formation could be used for extra creativity as well more steel, whichever the mister wants to apply. Let’s look at the options…

Creative:

Formation Probability: 65%

Used when                    : Defensive teams, mid and top table teams, if Mou wants more creativity.

Formation quality        : Good.

Formation nature        : Attacking.

Formation                      :                                                        Casillas

                                                                Ramos              Pepe        Carvalho            Marcelo

                                                              Khedira/Granero         Sahin                Xabi

                                                              DiMaria/ Ozil         Benzema/Higuain         Ronaldo

Defensive:

Formation Probability: 80%

Used when                    : Attacking teams, top table teams, if Mou wants balance between steel and creativity.

Formation quality        : Excellent.

Formation nature        : Neutral.

                                                                                              

Formation                       :                                                       Casillas

                                                                Ramos              Pepe        Carvalho            Marcelo

                                                                Khedira/Altintop      Sahin/Lass                Xabi

                                                                         Ozil                     Higuain          Ronaldo

How he fits in Madrid

Sahin fits perfectly in Madrid. He is young and superbly talented for the club. He has his best friend Mesut Ozil playing there who is already a fan-favorite after only one season. Sami Khedira is also a friend it is said whereas Hamit Altintop is his national compatriot. So that means no problem for him in Madrid. He would go there to be the understudy of aging Xabi Alonso and would form one of the most solid of midfield partnerships with Ozil and Ronaldo, who both themselves have the best partnership in Spain. With DiMaria blazing on flanks and Sahin in centre it would take some sturdy team to topple Real Madrid in near future.

It would be exciting to watch Real Madrid this season as they roll up their sleeves for onslaught on La Liga and of course Barcelona who are currently enjoying their best form. I hope that Nuri Sahin’s future in the capital is secure and filled with all the trophies Real Madrid conquer.

About the author: Mysterious enthusiast and unconditional devotee of Real Madrid. Wishes not to reveal his true identity and keeps in the shadows. Always stands beside Real Madrid and would bleed white. Regularly argues about women right to play and hates racism. If you wish to talk please follow @MadridistaSpy on twitter.

Please feel free to give opinions and comments. They will surely be replied. Please take notice that this article is my first ever and is not copied. This is a genuine creation from the author and the views are his own and not of the website. I would also thank them for providing me with so much space on their famous blog. Looking forward to hear from you all. Please follow me on twitter at @MadridistaSpy for more info. Thank You and Hala Madrid.