Is it going to work?

Fortitude

Madrid are setting themselves up for a 4-2-3-1 and have got all but one (Ribery) of the players needed for the front 4.

They want Alonso from the dippers and Clichy from Arsenal to complete their first team, apparently.

They'lll look like this next season, if Perez gets his way:

........................Casillas.................. .
S.Ramos.....Pepe..............Albiol.....Clichy
................L.Diarra..........X.Alonso
Ronaldo...............Kaka................Ribery
.......................Benzema

That's a balanced and dangerous side who, like Barcelona, only intend to attack the opposition, and if needs be, simply outscore them in an end-to-end game.

Questions can be asked on whether they can gel in time, but Mourinho did it at Chelsea and with the way Perez is wrapping these deals up, this side will have a whole pre-season to gel.

Unlike the last spastic Galactico era, this is a side that has no players out of position or any square pegs in round holes. I hope it all goes tits up for them, but I can see that side being a big success.

quethenoo

Thats a pretty scary first 11, if hypothetical to a degree. If they didnt sell RVN KJH and the other dutch mob thats a scary fucking squad! But surely no way they can keep all the egos happy, and ive not even mentioned raul or higuain.

vanthaman

Raul has to play he is not allowed to be dropped

quethenoo

You could swap the rubbery one seeing as he isnt actually there yet and put raul in behind benzema, kaka or ronny are happy on the left, still a extremley potent attacking quintet.

rednev

It's a very strong looking team (no matter what people say about their defense), but you just never know how they will perform together. One thing I would say about it, is that it looks very young. Not often are young teams successful.

Fortitude

Not true anymore. Besides, Kaka' is highly likely to get injured and spend a fair amount of time out, I'd think Raul would come in then. I highly doubt he'll be part of their first xi.

Epic

Where will this leave the Blatter 5+6 rule?

Crustanoid

Ronaldo can't rely on Kaka to be his Rooney

Red_Jamie

You can imagine it could be difficult for them to gel immediately, but there's just too much talent in that team for it not to succeed.

jojojo

In the 42 goal season Ron scored something like 9 goals in the 10 games he started without Roo.

This season - from a post by Pillory a little while ago
Tevez: I spend a lot of time on bench and I don’t like it! looking at our most productive pairings.

I'll miss watching Rooney and Ronaldo playing together, they were special, but Ron does combine with other players and certainly in terms of scoring goals (which ultimately got him that 80m pricetag) he's not dependant on anyone in particular - "just" on playing for a good team.

TheReligion

Why have Madrid signed Ribery all of a sudden?

Everyone goes on like its a done deal, yet nothng has been said to suggest it

Sean_RedDevil

Too many egos in this team.

FAIL.....you heard it here first

Sam#1

Thats a ridiculous front 3....4 it they get Ribery.

jojojo

I think one of the reasons they're buying so many players in a single hit is to give Pellegrini an easier ride sidelining Raul.

Valdano says that it might be difficult to turn the players into a team, and that no one should expect instant results (yeah, right) but it's up to Pellegrini to make it work.

ALX8725

if Real knows what's best for them, they'll bench Raul. It's not a coincidence that once Spain dropped Raul they finally won something... or is it? And even then, I doubt Real know what's best for them.

Lot 49

If they end up with that team then obviously it's going to work, look at it for christ sakes. How many of our players would be sure of a place in it? 3?

Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber

That side will work..easily...

Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber

He has no need of a Rooney.

thoward

Why is it obviously going to work? They may score loads of goals but concede too many (similar to us in 01-02). They'd still have defensive problems and there'd be too much emphasis on L Diarra(i think M Diarra at his best is a better player) and Alonso to help the defence.

Anyway i don't think they'll sign Clichy, i'm not convinced Alonso will go there (although i hope he leaves Liverpool) and Bayern won't necessarily let Ribery go, they let Ballack leave them on a Bosman.

Let's not forget that Van Nistelrooy was key for them for two and a half seasons, Benzema may take a few years before he is better(if he will necessarily prove to be better). Alonso is no better than Sneijder,clearly better defensively but not with the same ability to get forward.Albiol is no better than when Cannavaro arrived.And Raul will have to get his share of games, he has only just turned 32.Ronaldo is brilliant but his lack of tracking back is going to be problematic for Ramos.

Gio

The centre of midfield is key. Liverpool overpowered them through the middle last year so they've got to make sure they're not relying on lightweights like Guti and Gago this season. Diarra's a step in the right direction however. By the way, I'd imagine Garay will be first-choice ahead of Albiol.

BaldwinLegend

What did Rooney mean then when he was quoted earlier this week saying that Ronaldo's sale should enable him to play in a less inhibited way?

I think it's generally agreed that Rooney undertook more than his fair share of defensive duties in order to allow Ronaldo more scope to roam as he pleased. Ronaldo may not need a Rooney, but you can't discount the months and months of wok SAF put into that side - building it to an extent around Ronaldo to get the best out of him.

I certainly think it's going to be interesting to see how Ronaldo fares without such selfless players, like Rooney, for support.

ALX8725

I think some are giving the mid-table, lower-table La Liga clubs way too much credit. Real isn't going to face Barca every single matchday. And Real's defence isn't sub par by any means. They'll do well in their league. The elimination stages of the CL is a different story.

Wembley Red

Either be scrapped or Madrid will get a pass.

Devil_forever

I'd say 4-5.

vuc

Are they getting Alonso?

Scholesy

Pellegrini is one of my favourite managers too.

Gallacticos part 2.

Spoony Youngblood

Modric to Real?

ALX8725

it's funny that you mention that
Galacticos part 1 involved a French, a Portugese, a Brasillian as well. Coincidence? I think not!

dev1l

Arrigo Sacchi Believes Florentino Perez Is Repeating His Mistakes At Real Madrid
The ex-Italy coach believes that his former boss at the ‘White House’ has not really learned from his past mistakes. He has, however, shown his support for the Italian national team…

23-Jun-2009 4:50:42 AM


Arrigo Sacchi, who succeeded Jorge Valdano and took on the director of football role at Real Madrid under Florentino Perez back in 2004, has criticised his old employer's cash-happy exploits.

The Italian was unequivocal in his praise for new signing Kaka and Bernabeu-bound Cristiano Ronaldo, but he was less than impressed with Perez’s impulse purchases.

“For me, football comes from the individual player and Kaka does just that, which is why he is a great player,” he said in an interview with Radio Marca's ‘La Futboleria’.

“Cristiano is like that, too. They are both great players who can play together. However, I believe Florentino has made the mistake again of signing big players without thinking whether or not they can fit into his sporting project, whether or not they can compliment each other.

“He is only thinking about whether or not they will sell shirts.”


http://www.goal.com/en-india/news/21...-repeating-his

Scholesy

When you start repeating the same joke over and over again, it does get very very boring.

Ekeke

For one, the fans wont complain about Ronaldo not tracking back. Zidane and Figo never did. Thats how wingers tend to play in La Liga, at least at the top clubs. So for the most part Madrid will already be set up with players knowing their responsibilities for covering the likes of Ronaldo and Kaka defensively and allowing them to play from the half way line, countering opponents.

thoward

Fair enough ,they may not concede huge numbers of goals. But that doesn't mean to say they won't concede a fair few against some of the better sides besides Barcelona. In Europe they could well struggle as well.I think they'll get a big points total, but finish 2nd.

I think as well that some of the players that won't be regulars or will/have left the club are better than some give them credit for, Van Nistelrooy was outstanding for them before he got injured(Benzema might take a few years to prove he's better or maybe he never will be, Sneijder, Robben.I actually think they'd have done better if hypthetically they brought in a new back four with Rio, Vidic,Evra and Maicon than bringing in the 3 attacking players they have signed. They'd still have some pretty useful attacking options, Van Nistelrooy, Higuain, Robben, Raul and Sneijder coming from midfield.

jojojo

Yep, I think Madrid fans will be surprised by how hard he works. They'll certainly be surprised that he doesn't stop playing when they're a goal down.

Lot 49

They won't concede too many though. Alonso-Diarra is excellent defensively, Clichy is a big upgrade over Marcelo or Heinze and Albiol is miles better than Cannavaro.

Their defence isn't as strong as it could be but I don't think it will matter all that much when you consider how unbelievable the attack is. Last season a lot of people thought that Barcelona's defence, which was weak on paper, would expose them and this continued right up until the CL final when we played them and they were missing 3 of their first choice back 4. It made no difference, we were the ones that got ripped apart because we couldn't live with the individual brilliance of Iniesta and Messi going forward and that possible Madrid team is even more potent.

Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber

Ronaldo being here meant Rooney was forced to make sacrifices in order for the team to be built round Ronaldo, who was the best at finishing off moves in the side. With Ron gone Rooney shouldn't be making as many sacrifices. So he is right about him bineg less inhibited as a result.

On another note at REAL, the team wont be built around Ronaldo. So Ronaldo should return to his creative ways of 2007. Rather than being the focus of everything, with the help of sacrificing and many selfless teammates.

TBF I haven't discounted it. It' nto something that can be dimmised. I'm just trying to point out though that Ron too was restricted by our system. We made him concentrate more on finishing off moves, rather than playing as natural creative free role wide man like he did for us back in 2007.

He should cope fine IMO. In 2007 when our side wasn't strictly built around him he was amazing. As long as the central midfield pairing at REAL of a Diarra and who ever, concentrate on defending, Ron and his fellow attackers will be free to do as they please. Ron IMO will benefit most because I feel he is better when he is involved in creating things rather than just being the finisher. I agree that it's going to be itnersting to follow.

Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber

For me the REAL, the L.Diarra-Xabi Alonso/ M.Diarra-Gago pairings will be key to that team's success.

RedThaiDevils#7

Attacking wise if football was only regarded in attacking then they'd probably be the best in the world. Defensively I don't rate them at all. Not to mention Pepe is banned for his punch. Abiol has to settle down. Ramos is way too attacking minded. And the haven't got Glichey, Marcelo has been alright but Henize has been scoring goals against them. They haven't had a constant back 4 who has the understanding of each other so I still don't reckon they'd win the league.
Why don't you mention their substitutes.
Robben
Higuan
Huntelaar
RVN
Negredo
Marcelo
Raul
Guti
Vander Vaart
Scniejder
M.Diarra
Gago
Heinze
De la Red
etc.

I feel sorry for their manager who to me, isn't the person who requested to buy all those players and now he has to manage them. Don't see the manager staying long.

Summary
I think Madrid's Policy is a joke, they won't keep all their players satisfied and their foundation isn't good. I hope they play some good football but don't win anything and eventually they'll end up like Newcastle.

Pscholes18

Yep....will be interesting to see how Ronnie acts since he is not the top dog anymore and wont be scoring all the goals. I doubt UEFA will let Kaka and Ronnie have a ball of their own on the pitch.

kouroux

That's an outstanding first 11 and it remains to be seen if they will play a formation close to that (never mind the players themselves).