Real Madrid Match Thread

RichMc70

My only wish now is that we can go out at WHL and give a credible performance, 11 against 11 for 90 mins, to show what we can do and that the fans celebrate what we have achieved in the worlds top club competition.

It would have been nice to reach the semi's but the most likely scenario is that we would have been facing Barca and still going out of the competition.

lydiabehan

Like tomo75, I'm not half as disappointed as I thought I would be. I'm more disappointed at the way we lost last night, as opposed to the fact that we lost 4-0.

The Lennon incident was odd. I strongly doubt he bottled it, I believe him that he was too sick. But surely Harry could have encouraged him to go on for 10/15 mins while he sorted out a new gameplan. He had to use up a sub anyway by replacing him, so why not let us settle into the game first, then take him off? Not sure what Jamie Redknapp was going on about that Jenas coming on disrupted the marking plan. Why was Jenas marking in the first place?Surely Aaron wasn't going to be marking adebayor!! Jenas has once again shown himself to be completely useless. Every time he got the ball, he passed it straight to a Madrid player, putting more and more pressure on our defense.

I thought Dawson was immense, except for the 2nd goal, where Gallas was left to mark two players in the centre of the 6 yard box. You can see Dawson in the replays just looking on, not marking anyone.

Although Bale might be the player most CL teams are talking about, I think Sandro has been the find of the competition for us because we all knew how good Bale was. Sandro has been brilliant for the campaign and I think THudd has serious competition for his place now.

I also think Harry's lack of tactics showed through. Putting Bale on the right was so strange. He made no impact until he switched back to the left side. Then when Charlie was replaced by Bassong, why switch Assou-Ekotto to the right with Bassong on the left? Didn't Gallas play on the right for a game or two this season? I assume Harry didn't trust Bassong in the centre, but it meant we played two players out of position.

I don't even know what to say about Crouch. I actually saw us going down to 10 men at some stage, but figured it would be VDV who lost the head. Why on earth did Crouch make those two tackles? I don't understand it at all. He's played in a CL final, the world cup and has vast experience. No idea what he was thinking last night.

Hopefully Harry can lift the lads for Saturday. It won't be an easy game but we need 3 points. It's a huge ask to finish 4th this year again, but hopefully we give it a good go over the last few games. If not, it's going to be a tense summer while we wait to see what Bale, Modric and VDV do.

Ah well, it was good while it lasted! Watching us play against Young Boys, I never would have believed we'd top our group and be joint top scorers, beat AC Milan at the San Siro and get to the 1/4 finals. It shows how far we've come that we can be disappointed to bow out at the stage of the competition.

2nd Row Donkey

We can forget about any points against Stoke this weekend for a start, apart from the usual CL hangover, the player look jaded last night and that was BEFORE Crouch got sent off and the remaining 10 players had to play for 75 mins against eleven.

We all said the CL was a something of a posion chalice this season as it would impact on our league efforts and in a strange way it would have been better if we went out of the competition earlier when we still had a shout at getting 4th place in the PL.

I don't think i can say anything that hasn't been already said about our mis-firing strikers. Summer clearout needed but knowing us we'll buy them back again in two seasons time! :rolleyes:

My one gripe with HR is something several of us have commented on before. Intially it was about the CH pairing - all the chopping and changing (and injuries) meant we never had a consistent pair at the back. If HR had just stuck with one pair at the start of the season we'd be a lot more solid at the back by now. Anyway - same can be said for our strikers. I wish we had just put Defore/Pav or Crouch/Defore or whoever together and let them play 10 games together on the trot.. then maybe we wouldn't be in the mess we are in today. They wouldnt score in a bucket of fannies.

I think we've missed Hudds more then anyone. Jenas just doesn't cut the mustard. I think Hudd and Sandro could work together in the centre. Let sandro do the donkey work and hudd can spray the passes around.

As for Bale on the right - I just can't get my head around it - (and last night wasn't the first time it happened either). Its all very well getting Lennon/Bale to switch flanks for a periods of a game every now and again just to mix it up but why play your only naturally winger on the pitch on the wrong f'ing side. Jayzus.


As for VDV. As other poster said - he hasn't done a thing since xmas. I sent my mate a text after 4min last night predicting he's get sent off and he probably would have in 90mins too. When the chips are down and you want a few players to step up and be counted, that when VDV shows his true colours and disappears. He's the man when the team is riding the crest of a wave but no where to be seen otherwise. Maybe I'm been too harsh he could be carrying an injury or something but I think a spell on the bench is long overdue. If Man U or whatever come in with a bid of 8-10m in the summer I wouldn't be too upset.

condor26

Hey lads,

yep extremely hard to watch last nite for the last half hour, I havent seen too much of Real play this season to be honest, but I thought the forward players played so well together, they look like a well gelled team, and generous to each other.
I havent read the whole thread, but I assume most of you saw VDV's interview on TV3, his attitude is ridiculous.

Hope the performance against Stoke is alot better for any of you heading over.

roosh

As much as I think the tie is over, all we have to do is score once.

we just have to do it four times

MonkieSocks

This Tie has gone the way of Heather Mills




























No Need For A Second Leg :rolleyes: