posted Jul 7, 2009

messiisgod (U4618066)
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Yeah i think most United fans were disapointed with Benzema. He will be a one of the best in the world in a few years. I was sure that United were in pole position to sign him too, i know Fergie has admired him for a long time. I remember seeing him go out of his way to meet him after the CL game against Lyon and give him a United jersey.

Ah well, nothing we can do now. I can only hope that he hates Madrid and wants to leave in a year and we snap him up then!!

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posted Jul 7, 2009

I wonder what the odds are on Benzema being top scorer next season? Must find out

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posted Jul 7, 2009

For a club like Madrid its normal for the people running the show to claim they will win the CL every year, with the size of the club they should be...and I dont mean that in the same way as a club like Chelsea, Real Madrid and Man Utd are the two biggest clubs on the planet. Real Madrid have a massive world wide fanbase, large stadium, millions of money to spend on quality stars, a full trophy cabinet, world records and some of the best players of all time have played with them.

They SHOULD be challenging for everything every year but dont for many reasons.

What I was ashamed to hear on SSN was a fan emailing and saying all the players were only joining Real Madrid for money, the league is slower, easier and isnt a "real" like like the EPL. If anyone thinks this then you know nothing about football outside the 20 team league you love you so much.

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posted Jul 7, 2009

Barca with a more established and settled team will still be favourites to win La Liga.

They appeared a 'team' in the CL. I'm not sure if Ronaldo can cope if he's not praised, loved and wrapped in cotton wool by the fans and manager.

I also fear that Pellegrini will be under pressure to pick the stars whatever their form when often picking hard-working, honest squad players will get you results. In some hard away matches like Valencia and Seville you might want a grafter - something Ronaldo will never be.

We all know Ronaldo is prone to sulking and if Kaka gets all the praise (and he's a much more genuine guy), Ronnie might throw his dummy out of the pram.

Benzema is still a rough diamond - talented yes - but Lyon fans (I live here) were getting impatient with him played well, bad, well, disapperared, well, iffy... he's not yet consistent, i think too much expectation on his shoulders might hinder him. remember Lyon didn't win the Ligue 1 this season. Worryingly for Madrid, Lyon had a better midfield than Bordeaux but Bordeaux's strikers performed much better than Benzema (finishing 1&2 in the scoring charts)

IMO David Villa & Samuel Eto'o are curently the more acomplished strikers in Spain.

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posted Jul 7, 2009

IMO David Villa & Samuel Eto'o are curently the more acomplished strikers in Spain.
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Spot on there, Eto'o was the best striker in the world last season.

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posted Jul 7, 2009

tigercity

Your right when you say about Ronaldo possibly throwing a tantrum if things don't go his way. I wonder how he'll cope being a star among many at Madrid, rather then the stand out he was at Man Utd?

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posted Jul 12, 2009

Hi bravetrue...sorry to have missed the thick of the discussion, but just got back from holidays. Thanks for the compliments though and well done on your 575 comments.

As to the subject you suggested, Boluda was a perfect idiot with his statements regarding Liverpool (something I wrote about at the time of the tie) and Calderón was the most infamous chairman in the club's entire history.

Fans - you have the bragging, arrogant type at every club. What's intolerable is the club chairman mouthing it as if he were just another face in the crowd.

As for the fans themselves, the worst kind though are the racist scumbags that shouldn't be allowed within 20miles of a football ground to start with.

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posted Jul 12, 2009

IMO David Villa & Samuel Eto'o are curently the more acomplished strikers in Spain.
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Spot on there, Eto'o was the best striker in the world last season

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If you watched Spanish football you'd realise Forlan was by far the best forward in Spanish football last season.

Not only did he finish as the top scorer in Spain and Europe(for the second time), he dragged Atletico into the final Champions league spot on his own.
Has a fantastic goalscoring record for Atletico, and also got something like 8 assists in the league. Probably more than Villa and Eto'o put together.

Can think of a good few games where he single handedly dragged Atletico back into matches, against Espanyol, Real Betis and notably against Barcelona where he scored from 35 yards out, scored a penalty and set up Agureo for the final goal in their 4-3 win.

A Barcelona directors made the point that Eto'o isn't seen as important by Barcelona because no matter who they have up front, with the amount of chances they create the forward is always likely to score.

Spanish papers headlines like Superman, and Atletico Forlan were fitting.

Forlan was the best striker in the Spain and possibly the world.

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posted Jul 14, 2009

Ronaldo recently: "I'm proud to be the cheapest player in football history".

Says it all about the guy....

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posted Jul 17, 2009

Setting high targets and setting out to be the best is good sports psychology.

It is common place in sport. Interviews are often peppered with phrases like: "the biggest club in the world", "we are confident of ..." etc.

A positive attitude and serious high targets are vital for motivation, cohesiveness and for setting the level they expect to be at.

It is not unrealistic either. It is not like Real Madrid have never won the European Cup before. They want to be the best and are not afraid to say it.

Their language makes a change from doubt in England, with managers saying "hopefully". Hope and the usual Second place-happy go lucky attitude is not good enough.

Being convinced in the ability of a team and expecting high standards is not a crime.

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