Real Madrid need to get ready for a terrible season | It’s happening

[Phil Osophy]

Our season was over the night we lost to Ajax and there was nothing left to turn around the season for. Zidane was brought back after any chance of winning something was gone. His job was to assess the squad and decide (or give his input) on who needs to be gone and who needs to stay.

Always the same thing here. Some of You lot just don't get it and then you scratch your head and ask why everything sucks at Man United.

Which makes it even more weird to see the attitude from the players when their heads are in play. They should have been performing better to impress the manager and keep a place for next season, but it looks like most of them didn't bother at all. Even Zidane said after some games (Rayo maybe?) that their attitude was terrible and he was fuming, so I guess the man had some minimal standards and expectations that are not being fulfilled, exactly like it's happening here since Solskjaer was appointed permanently.

Sometimes I don't know if some groups of players are so egotistical that they stop playing like a team at the minimal sign of problems inside, or it's the opposite and they have some codes to protect each others like a mob. "Let's look like shit from on now so they can't bin 25 players, all together on this". It's a crazy theory and I don't even believe it myself, but sometimes it's hard to understand what a bunch of players gain by doing that garbage in front of the man deciding on their futures.

So even with all the differences between us I can see some similarities between Solskjaer and Zidane at the moment, as AgentP said. In the last two months they're driving a broken car and both need badly the summer to clean the atmosphere, make some changes and start building their own thing.

 

[Bastian]

I like him, I really do, but it's too late. He's the type of midfielder that you love to see control a game, one of the last of their kind.

One thing that worries me is his speed, he's kinda slow and the EPL is not really forgiving with slow players, especially in his position. I mean we won't be fixing anything with him in our midfield, we'd still need an enforcer.

Maybe you're right. But if Pogba is off and we pick up another dynamic midfielder to play alongside McTominay, Kroos could be afforded the time and space to dictate things.

 

[youmeletsfly]

Wouldn't be surprised if we're in for both.

Yeah, don't really like the sound of that though.

 

[Synco]

Maybe you're right. But if Pogba is off and we pick up another dynamic midfielder to play alongside McTominay, Kroos could be afforded the time and space to dictate things.

In possession he doesn't really need much time and space, as playing safely through the oppo's press is his speciality. What he needs is immediate options to make his passing game productive, which means good pass & move ability in his surroundings. And the team needs to play as a tight defensive unit because he isn't mobile enough to defend open ground.

Bottom line is I'm very unsure if he's the right man for United in its current shape. A lot would have to happen to get the best out of him (whatever that is at this point of his career).

 

[giorno]

I meant he started that streak. He was scoring regularly before Zidane. Once a striker gets confidence then everything starts to go in. That good streak Madrid went through with Solari in charge and Vinicius pulling the strings was the only thing stopping this season from really being a complete disaster.

Heh, it was usual from him honestly. He's always been this kind of player, goes 5 games scoring 6 goals then doesn't score for the next 6...

Last two seasons were the blip for him in that regard

 

[purgethefallen]

Funny that, almost like managers can’t work magic over night.

I wonder what all the “sack ole sign Zidane” guys think... grass isn’t always greener

It's all new manager bounce, oh, wait...

 

[Bastian]

In possession he doesn't really need much time and space, as playing safely through the oppo's press is his speciality. What he needs is immediate options to make his passing game productive, which means good pass & move ability in his surroundings. And the team needs to play as a tight defensive unit because he isn't mobile enough to defend open ground.

Bottom line is I'm very unsure if he's the right man for United in its current shape. A lot would have to happen to get the best out of him (whatever that is at this point of his career).

Yeah, that's probably right. Any creative player in midfield will need a more efficient front line. We've seen that with Pogba. The only player doing anything up front is Rashford. I'm not too sure if Kroos was sandwiched in between two workers that we'd need him to do much defending. You can see I am trying to make this fit in my head because I really like him, but that ship has probably sailed already like most are saying..

 

[DarkChild™]

Are you seriously comparing us to madrid. We even gave valencia a farewell by bringing him on. Herrera was not fully fit for last 2 months and even ole said in press conference that he is not fully fit.

Yet he played the game before last. Remember Valencia has been "injured" all this time for us yet he has played every single minute for Ecuador. My response was to you throwing shade at madrid about something we are very culpable of. The fans of United and madrid are different how they treat players but the clubs themselves are almost similiar. It's arguable only players wanted by a club are treated proper, as soon as a player is deemed surplus they are thrown to the dogs.

 

[Synco]

Yeah, that's probably right. Any creative player in midfield will need a more efficient front line. We've seen that with Pogba. The only player doing anything up front is Rashford.

I'd say he needs capable midfield partners just as much, perhaps even more, as he's much more of a distributor and much less of a final ball player than Pogba. But it should really be the whole team, since his scope of action is anywhere between deep buildup and 20m in front of the oppo's goal. The better the fluidity of the team is, the more impact he'll have, as he mostly enables others.

I think what he can immediately bring to current United is that he can cover for much of its buildup deficiencies by himself, and bring the ball forward from deep. But too much of that would also limit his influence. The best I've seen from him is when he can operate a bit higher up the pitch, but that requires better buildup contribution from keeper + defensive players.

I'm not too sure if Kroos was sandwiched in between two workers that we'd need him to do much defending.

Defensively I'd say he'd do his share when the ball is in front of him & the formation is in place, but he's often a non-factor on recoveries, when the ball has passed him by. So I definitely agree that he needs legs around him. But it only makes sense if these midfielders are also comfortable in possession.

You can see I am trying to make this fit in my head because I really like him, but that ship has probably sailed already like most are saying..

I like him too, he's one of my favourite players, and I'm curious what comes next and how much he has left in him. In a fitting environment (be it a refreshed Real or elsewhere) I can still see him get back to his level. But it's also possible that a decade of football with few breaks has simply taken its toll.

 

[Adisa]

Half the squad has lost its hunger.

 

[TakeMeHome]

Looks like Kroos is staying. He's signed a new contract

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Looks like Kroos is staying. He's signed a new contract

Thank God.

 

[FootyGirl88]

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[Bastian]

I'd say he needs capable midfield partners just as much, perhaps even more, as he's much more of a distributor and much less of a final ball player than Pogba. But it should really be the whole team, since his scope of action is anywhere between deep buildup and 20m in front of the oppo's goal. The better the fluidity of the team is, the more impact he'll have, as he mostly enables others.

I think what he can immediately bring to current United is that he can cover for much of its buildup deficiencies by himself, and bring the ball forward from deep. But too much of that would also limit his influence. The best I've seen from him is when he can operate a bit higher up the pitch, but that requires better buildup contribution from keeper + defensive players.

Defensively I'd say he'd do his share when the ball is in front of him & the formation is in place, but he's often a non-factor on recoveries, when the ball has passed him by. So I definitely agree that he needs legs around him. But it only makes sense if these midfielders are also comfortable in possession.

I like him too, he's one of my favourite players, and I'm curious what comes next and how much he has left in him. In a fitting environment (be it a refreshed Real or elsewhere) I can still see him get back to his level. But it's also possible that a decade of football with few breaks has simply taken its toll.

Moot point now. I expect him to be the centre piece in their midfield over the next 2-3 seasons, having just signed a new contract. He'd probably have been ideal for City or Liverpool, given the way they play.