Madrid starting XI

[Juan]

What´s your starting lineup for Madrid for the next season? I have 3 alternatives, dependin on whether or not a central defender comes. The 4-2-3-1 formation is constant.

Alt 1)
Casillas; Salgado, Hierro, Unknown Defender, Roberto Carlos; Makelele, Helguera; Figo, Zidane, Solari; Raul

Alt 2)
Casillas; Salgado, Hierro, Helguera, Roberto Carlos; Makelele, Cambiasso; Figo, Zidane, Solari; Raul

Alt 3)

Casillas; Salgado, Hierro, Helguera, Roberto Carlos; Makelele, Solari; Figo, Zidane, Raul; Morientes

Alt. 3 could be good against weaker teams, or when the team needs to score goals.

[BLAUGRANA]

4-4-2 formation

Casillas

Salgado--Hierro--Helguera--RCarlos

Figo---Makelele----Zidane---Solari


Morientes---Raul

[psh03]

I am pretty much in aggreement with Azul here but I point out that it is a more rhombic formation with Makalele playing infront of the two central defenders.

The younger players could really make an impact this season. Salgado's position could be threatened by Minambres (sorry about spelling), Pavon looked the real deal in central defense, Raul Bravo looks good but unlikely to unseat Carlos and Portillio could easilly be starting along side Raul by the end of the season.

[BLAUGRANA]

Originally posted by psh03
I am pretty much in aggreement with Azul here but I point out that it is a more rhombic formation with Makalele playing infront of the two central defenders.

The younger players could really make an impact this season. Salgado's position could be threatened by Minambres (sorry about spelling), Pavon looked the real deal in central defense, Raul Bravo looks good but unlikely to unseat Carlos and Portillio could easilly be starting along side Raul by the end of the season.

I thought Raul Bravo filled in for RC nicely last season when needed, especially vs Barca. I really don't see any of the youngsters you mentioned cracking the starting XI though (unless there are injuries) with the exception of Minambres and Pavon. Pavon though is due to more to the misuse of Helguera IMO. Even thought they may not be starters now, Real really do have a good crop of youngsters who will before long be fan favorites.

[psh03]

Helguera is more valuable to Madrid in the centre of the defense. Makalele is excellent in the role of defensive midfeilder whereas the centre of the defense is more threadbare with Hierro getting on and Pavon inexperienced.

[BLAUGRANA]

Originally posted by psh03
Helguera is more valuable to Madrid in the centre of the defense.

Fortunately Del Bosque doesn't see it this way. In fact for some strange reason he finds it difficult to even include him in the starting XI half of the time.

[BLAUGRANA]

I thought this was a nice little bit about the lad and fitting as we've been discussing him.


Bravo for Madrid youngster
Wednesday 28 August 2002
By Matt Gatward

In the wake of yet another disappointing major tournament for Spain - on this occasion the 2002 FIFA World Cup in the Far East - the national team have turned to a promising crop of youngsters. And one, for whom hopes are high, may get a chance to prove his ability in Friday night's UEFA Super Cup.

Roberto Carlos role
Real Madrid CF's Raúl Bravo will, in all likelihood, be on the substitutes' bench in Monaco when the European Cup holders take on Feyenoord given that one Roberto Carlos occupies the same position as the 21-year-old. However, the left-wing back is eager to take his chance when it comes.

Desire to win
"I don't mind being on the bench for Real Madrid," he said. "Roberto Carlos, the best left wing in the world, plays in the same position as me and what I have to do is to learn to play alongside him." Of the Super Cup he said: "We want to win the first title of the season. We have a lot of desire to win this final. Although the Dutch team began their preparation early and they will be in better shape than us, we think we are technically better and if we play as we know we can, we have a great chance to win."

Impressive debut
Although Raúl Bravo knows his chances at Real will be limited he has already become a member of the national side. He impressed on his Spain debut last Wednesday in a friendly match against Hungary in Budapest where the team earned a creditable 1-1 draw. And, it seems, to be in coach Iñaki Sáez's mind is enough to keep the talented youngster content at the moment. "It's OK to be on the bench for Real Madrid if then Iñaki Sáez invites me to play for the national team," he said.

Fellow youngsters
Raúl Bravo, who has represented Spain at all youth levels, joined many fellow youngsters, as well as a couple of star names, in Sáez's first match in charge. Pablo Orbaiz of Athletic Club Bilbao, Juanito of Real Betis Balonpié, Club Atlético de Madrid's José Antonio García Calvo and Carlos Marchena of Valencia CF also all played for the national side for the first time. "I wasn't nervous," Raúl Bravo said. "I know perfectly all the rest of the players because all of us had played with the Under-18 or Under-21 Spanish teams before. So the understanding was excellent. And the older players [Raúl González, Fernando Morientes, Íker Casillas] are very young too and they supported us a lot."

Familiar with players
Sáez, who was appointed following the resignation of José Antonio Camacho after the World Cup, is familiar with many of the youngsters having guided Spanish sides to victory in the FIFA Under-20 World Championship in 1999 and the UEFA Under-19 European Championship in 2002. He also won the Olympic silver medal in Sydney in 2000.

'Satisfied'
The familiarity has clearly helped the young players to adapt. "Iñaki Sáez told me before the match that he wanted me to play as I know, as if I was playing in the Under-21 national team and I think this advice worked well because I was satisfied with the match I played," Raúl Bravo said. And, it seems, this gifted youngster would love just to be given the chance to do it all again on Friday.

[Bier]

You Merengues still did not notice the importance of McManaman.
I'd agree with ZUL's line up, but put Figo on the left instead of Solari to make place for Macca on the right.

[psh03]

Solari is better than Mc Manaman.

[BLAUGRANA]

Originally posted by psh03
Solari is better than Mc Manaman.

On the left he is. Bier is right though, Macca is so underappreciated at Real. He's paid well enough, but other than that he's unappreciated. All he's ever done at Real is work hard, show unwavering dedication to a club that has tried dumping him every summer since he arrived and score some of the most important goals the club has seen since he's been there. He scored today too.

BTW, did you guys know that Macca is going to replace Matt Lillard as Shaggy in the sequel to the latest Scooby Doo movie?

[Robledo]

Mcmanaman came on in the 82nd minute last night, and only needed 6 minutes to make an impact.

Underappreciated is the word, they're trying to get rid of him at every opportunity. I doubt he'll go to Inter though

[Juan]

OK, now the arrival of Ronnie makes things more difficult.

4-4-2

Casillas; Salgado, Hierro, Helguera, Roberto Carlos; Figo, Makelele, Cambiasso, Zidane; Raul, Ronaldo

Pavon, Miñambres, Macca, Solari, Moro and Portigol should have plenty of playing time though.

[Bier]

Well ... Ronaldo is injured at the moment. 30 minutes of training and he still has it!

[psh03]

I don't know if McManaman is unappreciated. Isn't it just a case of their being so many good player at clubs such as Real that someone has to misss out? Morientes will be in that situation now as will, I suspect, either Cambiasso or Makalele.

Don't you think Zidane is best used centrally rather than out wide?

[BLAUGRANA]

Originally posted by psh03
I don't know if McManaman is unappreciated. Isn't it just a case of their being so many good player at clubs such as Real that someone has to misss out? Morientes will be in that situation now as will, I suspect, either Cambiasso or Makalele.

Don't you think Zidane is best used centrally rather than out wide?

I think he's best used centrally alongside a more "steely" type of midfielder.

Macca is underappreciated even though Real Madrid has such a large squad. It's not that he doesn't play regularly, but that they want to sell him at every opportunity. I think it must be do to his big salary. If not, they're crazy to try and sell such a dedicated and reliable sub.