Real Madrid vs. Athletic Bilbao Recap

By El Maestro

After another crushing loss to Barcelona in the Copa del Rey and following reports of a possible confrontation in the dressing room between Mou and his two captains (Casillas & Ramos), many wanted to see how Real Madrid would respond to all this adversity. There opponent was an Athletic Bilbao side trained by the Argentinean Marcelo Bielsa who was beginning to hit the nail on the head with this. Originally, this game was supposed to be Real Madrid’s opening day fixture, but was postpone due to the players strike that suspended the first week of the season, which made things even more concerning. An Athletic Bilbao team that had grown in the past five month and even snatch a point against Barcelona brought into consideration that Bilbao could pull the shocker and take all three points from the Santiago Bernabeu, which would put Barcelona within two point of Madrid in the league table. However, Real Madrid would do what all-great fighters do after a knock down, get right back up. The game would not start as Mou may had planned as in the 12^th minute, a great counter and sloppy defending left Llorente alone in front of Casillas’ goal to make it 0-1. After the goal, Athletic kept pushing for that second goal and creature numerous opportunities, but poor finishing prevented them from adding more points to the board. Nevertheless, Real Madrid, led by the creativeness of Ozil and Kaka, began to make their way forward and with just six minutes before the halftime break, it would be Marcelo who would tie the game after a great team combination. In the 2^nd half, Madrid came out strong and in just the second minute they were awarded a penalty, which was converted by “La Maquina” CR7. Madrid continued pushing forward for that third goal and in the 67th they would do so when they were rewarded another penalty and was transformed again by CR7 for his second of the night. Both teams did not back away and continued with their ideas and just four minutes from time Callejon, who had only been on the field a few minutes, from the toughest of angles slipped the ball past Athletic goalkeeper Gorka to make it 4-1 and Keep Real Madrid five points clear Barcelona.

Since the start of 2012, Real Madrid has already played a total of six game and out of all of them, this was their best one up to this point. Against Bilbao, the team was more clear, organized, and creative, something that had lacked in weeks before. Unfortunately, the only negative side of game was the defense. They were disorganized on Llorente’s goal and sometimes gave Athletic too many easy opportunities to score. This is something that will for sure infuriate Mou because if there is one area he doesn’t want messing up, it is the defense and this is not the first time he has had these problems. Since the break, Real Madrid has allowed eight goals and all of them have come off defensive mishaps. Mou had already alerted his team about this, but now it seems he will have to go to greater lengths to get it through their heads. Despite the problems in the back, overall Real Madrid was fantastic and now Mourinho will rally his troops and prepare them for an even bigger task. Go to the Camp Nou on Wednesday and overturn the 1-2 deficit.

Real Madrid vs. Barcelona 1st Leg Copa del Rey

By El Maestro

In my last post, I started it by saying déjà vu. Well, if Barcelona had scored a third goal then this game would have completely been a déjà vu for Real Madrid. For a second time in over a month, Madrid not just lost to Barcelona, but allowed them to come back into a game Mou’s men were leading. Madrid came out to play the first ten minutes and in the 11th, it would be Ronaldo who would open the scoring. With Real Madrid up on the score board, they decided to set back and soak up Barcelona’s attack while waiting for that perfect counter attack to score that precious second goal.

What happened? Barcelona attacked like they always do, but great defending allowed Real Madrid to enter the halftime break up 1-0. However, 2^nd half when it looked like Madrid had everything under control, poor marking on a corner kick allowed a wide-open Puyol to tie the game just three minutes after the restart. Despite the equalizer, Madrid continued to sit back as Barcelona came with all their arms from all areas. With 20 minutes gone by and a Madrid team with no ideas, Mou decided to substitute Higuain and Lass for Callejon and Ozil to give the team more creativity in attack, but neither would provide that spark they needed to pull the game through. The game continued the same, but with just twelve minutes to play, another defensive mishap allowed Abidal to break free on the left hand side and be one on one with Casillas, who calmly slipped the ball into the goal to make it 1-2.

A goal he and Alves would use to mock Ronaldo and Marcelo by imitating their famous “Neymar dance” in the Santiago Bernabeu.

For a last chance effort, Mou pulled off Pepe to put in Granero in hope he would provide some ideas, but it was no use. Barcelona now has the edge in this series and in order for Real Madrid to go through, they must win 0-2 in the Camp Nou next week.

Mourinho’s Pregame Tactics

Before the game, many people struggled to figure out what formation and tactics Mou was going to use in this game. It was most likely he was going to go with either a 4-2-3-1, 4-4-2, 4-3-3, or a 3-3-3-1 formation. Many “experts” felt he was surely not going to go with a 4-3-3 that included Pepe in the midfield.

Well that is exactly what Mou did. Not just did he put Pepe in the midfield, but he also started Altintop (right back), who was not a regular in Mou’s lineups, and Carvalho (center back), who hadn’t played a game in over four months. Since the game Mou has been getting hammered for starting these players and for the tactics he used to approach this game. While Mou probably should have done something to give Real Madrid more attack, it is not his fault Barcelona came back to win. Both of Barcelona’s goals were not produced by their tiki-taka style of play, they happened because of two defensive mistakes.

The 1^st goal happened because someone forgot to mark Puyol who went in unmarked for an easy header right in front of Casillas.

The 2^nd goal occurred because Abidal was left alone on the left hand side and only had to gently tap it in.

This does not make Mou responsible for the loss. He is responsible for Madrid’s defensive mindset, but the game was going the way he planned until two mishaps let Barcelona come back into the game. If these mistakes don’t occur, it is possible Real Madrid could have come away with this.

Return Leg

Of course there is no use thinking in what might have been. All Real Madrid can do is focus on going to Barcelona and think in overturning this series. It will be a difficult task, but it doesn’t need to be as hard as the press is making it to be. Real Madrid needs two goals; if they get a first half goal then Barcelona could start to feel the nerves, which will work in favor of Madrid. A way Real Madrid could do this is by trying to play with the possession of the ball and get Barcelona to run after them. If they do this then they can make things challenging for the Cules. The most important thing is Real Madrid has nothing to loose and nothing to fear. In fact, some experts believe this task is impossible.

Well guess what? Real Madrid doesn’t know the meaning of impossible. It is in nobodies’ vocabulary in this club and if it is then they are not worthy of playing or supporting this club. Wherever Real Madrid goes they go to win, whether it’s Barcelona, Lyon, or Milan. No matter what the objective is, this club always fights until the final whistle blows.

!A POR LA REMONTADA!

!HALA MADRID!

Mourinho’s Options for the Clasico

By El Maestro

Déjà vu, for a second straight year, Real Madrid will take on Barcelona in the Copa del Rey. The only difference from last years meeting is this year they meet in the quarterfinals which means it is a home and away fixture. This is also the third time in less than a year that both teams will be meeting in a two game series (Champions League 2010/2011, Supercopa de Espana 2011, and now Copa del Rey 2011/2012). Since two games decide the clash, Mou can’t approach the game the same way he did over a month ago when Madrid played Barcelona in the league. With the 1^st game being at home, it is important Madrid gets a great result to take to the Camp Nou the following week. Already from the start, Mou will have some problems determining the lineups since he will not be able to count on Arbeloa, who is suspended, and Khedira, who got injured during the Malaga game and will be out at least a month. Now, just because Arbeloa and Khedira are out doesn’t mean we should all panic. From this squad Mou has numerous lineups and formations he can go with.

Option #1: The original 4-2-3-1

This formation allowed Real Madrid to play the best soccer against Barcelona in the 1st leg of the Spanish Supercup, since their rein began in 2009. However, with both Khedira and Arbeloa out it is unknown if Mou will go with this formation. After Khedira, the players that could partner Xabi Alonso are Lass, Coentroa, Sahin, Granero, or Altintop.

Lass: With Arbeloa out, it is likely Mou will stick with him at right back and even so, after last months Clasico, it wouldn’t be the best solution to put him paired up with Xabi. Although he did a good job containing Messi, this formation will force Madrid to be offensive, which is an area Lass tends to struggle with whenever he plays in the midfield. Even though he is a good technical player, but his partnership with Xabi could see disrupt Madrid’s flow of attack.

Coentrao: Although he has not partnered Xabi in the last few months, Coentrao could be a positive solution. His role would allow Xabi to be the maestro of the midfield, which would give Madrid the attacking mind they need to play against Barcelona. The only problem is after the last Clasico, how will he respond if Mou does decide to go with him.

Altintop: His age & experience could provide something positive, but his lack of minutes could jeopardize his name in the starting 11.

Granero or Sahin: Both are the perfect solution to the midfield. Either one would supply that offensive spark Real Madrid need. The problem is Granero still hasn’t shown much in the two and a half years since coming to Madrid and Sahin is still in preseason mode trying to get back into form after his injury.

Option #2: 4-3-3

The formation that won Real Madrid the Copa del Rey last season. If Mourinho is looking to stop Barcelona’s tiki-taca style, this is the formation he would choose. Mou has a few options he can go with, but considering the circumstances, there is one possibility he may highly consider.

With Arbeloa out, and Lass the likely candidate to substitute him, put Pepe, the man who struck fear in all Barcelona players, back in the midfield. Although some people might call me crazy, but personally I believe Pepe in the midfield against Barcelona was one of the greatest ideas Mou has had since the day he had to guts to call himself “The Special One”. Every time Pepe played in the midfield against Barcelona, they struggled to play their game, Messi was unnoticeable, and most importantly it gave Madrid a chance to win. The reason “expert” were against this idea was because it was anti-soccer, they wouldn’t see beautiful soccer, and the aggressiveness Pepe brought. The most important thing is to win, and if that means putting a destructive player in the midfield, then so be it.

Option #3: 4-4-2

Mou used this formation for last weekend’s game against Granada, and he could consider using it against Barcelona. Higuain and Benzema have been a lethal weapon every time they partner up and both seem to thrive on each other. Benzema’s talent forces more defenders to be on him, which opens more spaces and allows Higuain to be free. Higuain’s prescience on the field takes pressure off Benzema and allows him to be more open and creative. The problem with this formation is how to set the lineup. With Di Maria possibly being ready, it is not typical to use two outside wingers (Di Maria & CR7) if you play with two strikers up top. Also, what happens with Ozil, who goes in the back, and who starts as Xabi’s partner? If Mou does decide to go with this formation, he needs to think clearly about who to put in and how to use it.

Option #4: 3-3-3-1

For anyone who reads this, your eyes are not deceiving you, it is a 3-3-3-1. Many of you may be thinking I’ve lost my mind, but after looking into it, this system could work. This would consist of having 3 non attacking defenders, 3 defensive midfielders that will limit Barcelona’s possession and pressure high to soak of their attack, 3 attacking midfielders, and a lone striker up top. No doubt this would be an all out attacking formation. If Mou decides to go with this, every player from the get go is going to pressure up high, not sit back and wait for a perfect counter attack.

In order for this to work the 3 defenders must be back at all time and cannot go up as much to attack. Meaning defenders, like Ramos who likes to go up, cannot be moving up and down the field. The 3 midfielders in front of the defense is the team’s insurance policy. When the whistle blows, they go all out to pressure Barcelona and prevent them from even reaching the defense. After that it is the 3 attacking midfielders and the lone striker who pressure Barcelona’s defense and are responsible for making the game very uncomfortable for the Cules as most of their attacks begin in the back. The best part of this formation is Real Madrid will have 6 players in the midfield to Barcelona’s 3 or 4, which means if every single player has their head in the game, Madrid will swallow up Barcelona’s midfield.

Goalie

Right Defender                                             Central Defender                                      Left Defender

Midfielder                                                         Midfielder                                                  Midfielder

Midfielder                                                         Midfielder                                                  Midfielder

Striker

With a two game fixture against Barcelona, it is more than likely Mou will pick one of these formations. The problem with approaching this series is Mou cannot think in just winning, he must focus on winning and making sure they get a great result for the return leg in the Camp Nou. These games have a very small margin of error, especially with Real Madrid playing the 1^st leg in the Santiago Bernabeu. Now, just because I put up these four formations doesn’t mean Mou will use one of them. For all we know, Mou might be planning a formation or lineup that no one thought he would ever even look at.

Either way, on Wednesday Real Madrid will have a 2^nd opportunity to play Barcelona and show the world what they really are made up. After last months humiliating loss, they will be determined to avenge that defeat and make a statement to the world. In the past few days, “experts” have said that Real Madrid eliminating Barcelona is very difficult or down right impossible. Well what a way for Madrid to prove their doubters wrong than by proving it in this series. First things first, Real Madrid has to focus on winning at home, think in scoring the 1^st goal before thinking in the 2^nd or 3^rd, and most important, prepared to play 180 minutes of soccer. If they do all that then the series looks bright for Real Madrid.

!HALA MADRID! !A POR ELLOS!

Malaga vs. Real Madrid Recap 2nd Leg Copa del Rey

By El Maestro

With a 3-2 score line in favor of Real Madrid, everything was on line where even the slightest mistake could determine the outcome. If anyone expected Madrid to play the same way they did the last time they went to Malaga in La Liga, then they were wrong. Real Madrid went to Malaga as Mourinho defined it in the post game, to be practical and get the necessary result. The 1^st half was as expected, Malaga coming out with all their arms and Madrid sitting back, soaking up the pressure, and waiting for the perfect time to strike. Malaga created a few dangerous opportunities, but were not able to capitalize on them thanks to a top-notch defense led by Ramos & Pepe. In the 2^nd half, Mou decided to take off Kaka for Marcelo to give his team more spice in attack. With a more tired Malaga side, Real Madrid was able to have more possession, which allowed them to take more control of the 2^nd half, but lack of finishing prevented Real Madrid to score the goal that would send them to the quarter finals. With about 20 minutes left to play, Mou was determined to get that goal when he substituted Higuain for Benzema, and just three minutes later it would be Benzema who would score the decisive goal with a bit of luck after his shot was not properly stopped and went through the legs of Malaga goalkeeper Willy Caballero.

Malaga kept fighting, but with a two-goal disadvantage and playing against a Real Madrid side that was a rock in the back, it was a mountain. At the end, Madrid got the result they were looking for, which qualified them for the next round where, unless Osasuna can miraculously overturn a 4-0 deficit, the opponent will most likely be arch rivals Barcelona.

 

Real Madrid vs. Granada Recap

By El Maestro

After a big scare in midweek against Malaga, Real Madrid put aside the Copa del Rey to focus on La Liga. One thing Mou was hoping to avoid was another slow start as the team did in the 1^st half in Copa. To his relief, Real Madrid was more organized and structured, and in the 19^th minute it would be Benzema to open the scoring. It was looking like it was going to be an easy night for los blancos, however, sloppy defending aloud Granada to tie the game just two minutes later. After the goal, Madrid struggled in attack with easy turnovers and inconsistent passing, but just ten minutes from halftime it would be Ramos from a corner who would make it 2-1. In the 2^nd half, Real Madrid came out strong and just two minutes after the restart, it was Higuain who 3-1. The goal relieved Madrid of stress and allowed them to play with more ease, and then eight minutes later it would be once again Benzecrack who would put the game on ice by making 4-1. Unfortunately, that would be the last thing he would do, as a minute later he would be taken off due to injury. There was still one more goal in tack and it would be Ronald, who was looking for it the entire game, to make 5-1 and keep Real Madrid atop of the La Liga table.

Although Real Madrid won and remains in first place, don’t let the score fool you. The game wasn’t spectacular or brilliant. Real Madrid did not play with that same pace and ability we are all accustom to. After the Malaga game, Mou was adamant with his players and commented that some players interpret the Christmas break as a time to eat and drink instead of relaxing and recovering for the second half of the season. The first games after the winter layoff tend to be a problem for some teams, as players have not trained together for over a week and ruins the momentum they were caring before the break. Still, the break is no excuse for the horrible 1^st half against Malaga and this game against Granada. Real Madrid’s next game is against Malaga in La Rosaleda for the return leg of the Copa del Rey where there is no room for error. Mourinho will not allow any of this to continue and will make sure each of his players gets it through their heads, or else things aren’t going to be pretty.

 

 

 

Real Madrid vs. Malaga 1st Leg Copa del Rey

By El Maestro

Real Madrid began 2012 the same way they ended 2011, on a bang. After a disastrous 1^st half which saw Madrid down 0-2, Mourinho decided to role the dice and make all three substitutions at the start of the 2^nd half (Arbeloa for Khedira, Kaka for Ozil, & Callejon for Benzema). That gamble would change the entire completion of the 2^nd half as Madrid became more organized, disciplined, and clearer with their ideas. Real Madrid was more organized and disciplined, something they lacked in the 1^st half. Despite the upgrade, Madrid struggled to break through the Malaga defense and with all the holes opening in the back, there was a concern that Malaga could snatch a third goal. Real Madrid kept fighting in search for that first goal, but with all the missed opportunities it was looking like it was going to be one of those days that the ball didn’t want to go in. However, all that worry would go out the window in the 68^th minute as one of Mou’s substitutes, Khedira, would break through to pull one back and just two minutes later a defensive mistake allowed Higuain to round the keeper to make it 2-2. With the momentum totally in Madrid’s favor, it was their time to complete the comeback and that is exactly what they did twelve minutes from time when a great team combination allowed Benzema, another Mou substitute, to make it 3-2 and give Real Madrid a good lead for the return leg in Malaga next week. An epic comeback with work still left to be done.

Look at next week

The score line is by no means safe for Madrid and especially going to the opponent’s stadium for the 2^nd leg. In league, Madrid already won in the Rosaleda 4-0 where the game was settled in the 1^st half, but league game are completely different from cup games. In cup-ties, most teams know each other very well, which means no leads in this tournament are safe. For the return leg, it is important Real Madrid score a goal and score early to ease the tension. The most important thing is to be well organized, strong in the back, and avoid mistakes such as the two goals conceded in this game, which both came from two exact corner kicks. If Real Madrid does all this then they should be fine, but if they struggle in some areas, the game could get complicated. However, with the quality this team has, they are capable of winning in any stadium, and after the lesson learned today, I doubt they will let it happen again.

Mourinho’s Gamble

As I said at the beginning of the recap, Mou took a huge gamble making all three available substitutions right at the beginning of the 2^nd half with the score line 0-2 against. All coaches at some point make drastic decisions that either work or don’t work. If it works the coach is a hero and if it fails it is considered a knucklehead move. Making all three substitutions at the beginning of the 2^nd half is always a risk knowing if someone gets hurt you must play the rest of the game with 10 men. Any soccer fan that watched the game saw these modifications coming when the team wasn’t producing and needed an urgent change. What many may not have expected were all of them coming on at the same time, but knowing Mou it is not at all surprising he would make this move. Mou is a tactician and a risk taker when he has to be, and with a two goal disadvantage why wait? The problems are there, you know who to put it; just make them and see how it goes. That is what Mou did and decision like those are why he is known as “The Special One”.