So what’s happened since I last wrote about Real Madrid (our 5-0 win vs. Valencia)? A 4-0 win vs. Getafe (including a ‘perfect’ Ronaldo hat trick: scored with the left and right boot + the head all in 10 minutes), followed by a 1-1 draw against Barca in the Copa Del Rey (featuring Varane’s titantic performance). And then last night, Ronaldo scored again – albeit into the wrong goal, in our 1-0 loss to Granada last night.

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The Goalkeeping Question

I consider the decision to re-acquire Diego Lopez as a superbly inspired choice by Madrid management.

We got us a new goalkeeper too! Well – not so new. Diego Lopez is 31 years old (?) and he was from our own cantera several years back. Those who have good memories or have been Madrid fans for some time will remember him as the ‘keeper Capello wanted to make first-choice ahead of Casillas. With all respect to the greatest ‘keeper in Real Madrid history, I carry the theory that Lopez is the type of goal-keeper most managers imagine when they are asked to describe their ideal goal custodian: tall, long-limbed, has a strong presence in the box and will tend not flap at crosses (i.e. meeting the physical description of a prototype goalkeeper). Schmeichel, Buffon and Cech are the past and recent examples of this (with Chelsea / Atleti’s Courtois seemingly the next in line for this ‘type’ of goalkeeper). Somehow they appeal to ‘conservative’ managers who build their teams around rock solid defenses (Capello’s Juve, Mou’s Chelsea).

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The current crop (“current” would exclude future prospect David De Gea) of elite Spanish goalkeepers all defy the prototype though: Casillas, Valdes and Reina are all ‘vertically challenged’ by “prototype goalkeeper” standards and defy prototypical / stereotypical notions of goalkeepers. Casillas is arguably the best shot stopping goalkeeper of all time, and next to Oliver Kahn, the last keeper any striker would choose to go one and one against. The latter 2 on the other hand, both from Barca’s La Masia, also don’t fit the ‘prototype’ and are instead known for their ability to play as keeper-sweeper. Casillas’ deviation from the ‘prototype’ also makes his leadership mantle of being the commander of the penalty box (nevermind captain of his team) even more unorthodox: his size doesn’t give him presence, nor does his demeanor. He appears to nag at his defenders unlike other goalkeepers with a more commanding presence and is far too good looking to intimidate an opponent (you’re more inclined to want him to date your sister rather than be afraid of eating your children ala Oliver Kahn). The respect and intimidation factor Casillas commands amongst his teammates and opponents instead is borne exclusively from his natural ability and accomplishments and the reputation it has created for him and not from an image created by his ‘presence’.

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His limited ‘presence’ however will forever be targeted by opponents: corners, free kicks and crosses will always be sources of possibility for opponents and anxiety for his managers. It is no surprise that Capello fancied Diego Lopez in his last stint at Madrid and Mourinho continued to pine for Courtois (apart from his inherent conflicts due to differences in management style with Iker). Thus I consider the move for Diego Lopez to be an inspired choice. Lopez fits the ‘prototype’, is good enough and experienced to be considered during debates for La Roja positions, and is of course, is a Madridista. Being a Madridista explains his open admission to have no interest to ‘replace / displace Iker’. Perhaps its helps that he’s had his opportunity as a #1 at Villarreal playing at the top level in Spain and in Europe and now in his 30s, finds himself playing behind Palop at Sevilla and so finds the chance to play in his boyhood club a more enticing option, even getting the chance to be #1 even for just a few months before heading into the latter stages of his career as a backup. Most of all, apart from being a further addition to Madrid’s relatively small ‘Spanish Core’ in the dressing room, Diego Lopez gives Real Madrid a reserve keeper who is not just a player ‘who knows how to be a goalkeeper.” Lopez will offer the team a different type of ‘keeper’ = closer to the ‘prototype’ as an alternative to Casillas without being too much of a drop quality-wise from Iker.

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Lopez looked good against Barca midweek and apart from his little miscommunication with Xabi last Saturday, also looked solid and was blameless for Ronaldo’s own goal.

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Patterns of Play

Last Saturday’s match revealed one of my suspicions / concerns with regards to Madrid’s play: we still don’t know how to crack open teams who sit back and wait for us and who are acutely aware and are prepared for what our boys can do in the flanks. Valencia were naïve in trying to press us early on and paid dearly for it. Getafe made the mistake of allowing us to score a scrappy goal from a set piece. Having conceded a goal, both had no choice but to attack and were duly punished. Ditto for Barca who were always going to attack (and with their fullbacks) anyway – thus conceding many goalscoring chances to our boys (who failed to make them pay).

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Last Saturday, Granada played with an acute awareness of how and where Real Madrid opens opposing teams up. They waited for us in their half, and doubled up their defenders on the wings to stifle Ronaldo and Di Maria. Mourinho’s attempt to send in the recently-fit-again Marcelo as a sub to ‘overload’ the left flank didn’t work either. In such circumstances, Real Madrid would have needed to rely more on their central playmakers and striker more to create the action – but it didn’t happen. Thus, Real Madrid’s weakness of being unable to break down teams who sit back and wait for them remains. Many of course talking about the fact that the team may be fatigued or had an off-night because yes indeed they were awful, lethargic and clearly lacked sharpness. The disturbing part however is that they continue to struggle getting that all-important first goal when the onus is placed on them to score that first goal.

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It is this characteristic that may well prove to be the advantage for them when playing against Barca (as seen during the midweek clasico where they were comfortable WITHOUT the ball and displayed a sense of clarity in terms of what they were to do with their limited and quick spells of possession with the ball). Against other teams however, whose philosophical leanings about football have more to do about winning rather than playing an attacking possession game, this will be a problem. This will not be lost on Alex Ferguson whose Man U’s aging centerbacks are comfortable sitting deep and who have no midfielders capable of keeping long spells of possession. What they will have in abundance however are speedy players in the flanks and strikers (e.g. Van Persie) who will score goals when given a chance. This is why I am of the belief that while there is plenty of reason to fancy our chances to advance past Barcelona in the Copa Del Rey (our results at the Camp Nou recently have been fairly decent), clever teams with lethal finishers like Man U will pose legitimate danger to us.

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I’ve written previously re: my thoughts on Mourinho’s motivational tactics on the team and that may actually be working. The next step for him now I suppose will be to have a close look at such patterns of play. One more ‘practice match’ to go (Sevilla on Saturday) before the Red Devils visit. Let’s all hope that by then, our boys are ready to show those Red Devils what hell is REALLY like.