Curious case of Isco

[TheLord]

I think he struggled to keep himself motivated after a while.

It is not surprising for players to experience that after winning the Champions League over and over again with the most decorated European club. All Madrid players have gone downhill after Zidane left in his first stint - injuries, team instability, lack of motivation, and ageing.

He should have left Real Madrid at least one year back to look for a fresh challenge and rejuvenate his career.

 

[Acheron]

His problem was a little bit the same with James, very good player but it was difficult to accommodate him in the starting eleven. Now I'd rather we just get rid of Hazard and keep Isco for a while but we don't need both in their current form.

 

[Acheron]

His problem was a little bit the same with James, very good player but it was difficult to accommodate him in the starting eleven. Now I'd rather we just get rid of Hazard and keep Isco for a while but we don't need both in their current f

He often had bad touches though, always struggled with the weight of his passes

He had a great touch and control of the ball at his feet. That's good, but that doesn't make him one of the best technical players in the world. It makes him a great circus act. Functionally his technique was very good, but that's it

My main criticism to him was not releasing the ball! at times I would be screaming at the screen for him to take a shot or just pass it and release the ball. He's good in carrying the ball in tight spaces but it feels he could improve his decision making and finishing, he's just not decisive enough for my liking.

 

[giorno]

Yeah, decision making, especially his poor timing in releasing the ball, is why he topped out as a great glue player instead of reaching the levels of a david silva

 

[lawliet354]

Yeah, decision making, especially his poor timing in releasing the ball, is why he topped out as a great glue player instead of reaching the levels of a david silva

Yup, every time I watch Isco played (which is probably not more than 20 times), there are almost always moment where he hold the ball just couple seconds too long, making the opportunity lost. I had exact same feeling with Hazard, althought not as bad as Isco, just that tiny bit of poorer decision making that holds them back as being truly a great player

 

[thepolice123]

He reminds me of Keita in Pep's Barca team. Obviously he is far more talented but it feels like both of them were never quite in the starting XI. Now you look back both of them played tons of games for their respective teams in their most successful periods.

 

[Timdbro]

Thread title should be ‘Isco, Soured?’

This didn’t get enough love

 

[0le]

He probably had a better career than Thiago overall but people have short memories and Thiago was the greatest midfielder of all time after his last season in Germany.

You mean the members of the BDL thought Thiago was God's greatest gift after Dortmund FC

 

[Real Madras]

Leaving Real Madrid on a free. Worth a punt?

 

[kthanksbye]

Leaving Real Madrid on a free. Worth a punt?

No, another player who's not quick enough to play in the front 3 and too attacking to play as a CM, don't think we should be looking at a pure #10, trying to play Bruno in a stable 11 is going to be difficult enough as it is.
The #10 ship has sailed, we were late to that party. Gotze, Ozil, Oscar all had their time, even Mata and Kagawa before they joined us.

 

[Jacob]

Worth a punt.

 

[Jericho]

Not sure he's the right kind of signing. He's been on the decline for awhile and likely would cost a bit in a wages. We need guys on the way up, but if signing him doesn't obstruct that I wouldn't have a problem with it given we have a good few players leaving.

 

[Tavern in the town]

Worth a punt.

You take players who are worth a punt when you’re already a top team and don’t have many positions that need upgrading. We certainly aren’t in any such situation, we need all our transfers to be hits.

 

[Abraxas]

Absolutely not. He's a non-entity for Madrid, why should he be a part of our rebuild? Are we trying to bridge the gap or become a retirement home for blokes that haven't performed in donkeys. There's certainly a difference between old legs that are still relevant and ones where the desire is questionable and no recent form. Steer well clear.

 

[Gandalf]

Worth a punt.

Roma are in hot pursuit. I imagine they look fairly attractive right now and Jose always liked a proven veteran. I think Serie A is certainly more suited to his style of play so if he leaves Spain that is my bet and I doubt he will want to stay in Spain at a smaller club.

 

[Crashoutcassius]

Reality was he just wasn't effective enough to make Madrid play a 10 instead of Kroos modric and a holder. So he was played out of what would be his natural position.

Actually similar to Matas career from the age of 25, probably not good enough to get the role that he needs to thrive at a top team. Same could be said for pogba the last few years, was accommodated rather than the star of the show

 

[PedroMendez]

Reality was he just wasn't effective enough to make Madrid play a 10 instead of Kroos modric and a holder. So he was played out of what would be his natural position.

Actually similar to Matas career from the age of 25, probably not good enough to get the role that he needs to thrive at a top team. Same could be said for pogba the last few years, was accommodated rather than the star of the show

he wasn't really a traditional #10 for Malaga, where he probably played his best football. His competition was overall just stronger.

 

[Crashoutcassius]

he wasn't really a traditional #10 for Malaga, where he probably played his best football. His competition was overall just stronger.

I think pelligrinis 10s were quite close to a traditional 10. At city it was David Silva and Samir nasri. A good system if you have too many 10s. The successful Madrid sides of the period preferred wide forwards as part of a front 3 and I think really suffered when isco started in one of those two positions

 

[(...)]

Modric is far better than Isco and he basically kept him out of the squad for the last few years.
That, plus the fact that Benzema likes to play as a false 9, means that there was no place for him in that team, he should have moved years ago, now it's a bit too late.

 

[Acheron]

It was hard to feature him ahead the likes of Kroos and Modric and I felt he lacked end product. I also rated James better than him as he would score more often while Isco would try to dribble all his way inside of the goal instead of shooting or passing.

 

[giorno]

He took himself out really. After the appendicitis he never really bothered to get back into shape, lost the season with Solari and then never managed to play himself back into the form that made him the 12th starter for the team between '13 and '18(this guy started 2 CL finals and featured heavily in 2 more. Just saying) despite Zidane always being a huge admirer...