First it was definitely not a second squad, and second maybe he thought the usual benchers would have more motivation? Leaving Ronaldo out, given what he's been doing isn't really a terrible decision, and Bale is made of glass. I mean, yeah he took a risk, but it was a very low risk, and we're talking after the facts now because it went wrong. The players are the #1 responsible for this game, I'm not saying Zidane had 0 fault in it, but I think it's wrong to put everything on him for a game like that. He can't be on the pitch, he can only plan a game. If it goes wrong because his players are doing shit, what can he do?

Deleted User 26513

2376 Posts

January 25 2018 13:38 GMT

#3482

I seriously don't know why Madrid played with a bunch of reserves. I guess Zidane thinks that his team still has a chance for the second place in La Liga and that it is more important than Copa del Rey. I personally don't agree, but whatever. Now the team will be well rested for PSG... 3 weeks of rest should be enough.

Pandemona

Charlie Sheens House51493 Posts

January 25 2018 13:51 GMT

#3483

So your saying the players Zidane had at his exposure without Ronaldo and Bale were more than good enough? Yet they went out and played like shit and lost. That is players fault not the manager for lack of motivation / set up properly? You can't sack 11 players mate this is football, results lie with the manager and the manager only.

This isn't new shite for Real Madrid, they have been lacklustre until Ronaldo goes super sayian and wins them something. This = manager problem for me, it's even worst when he comes out and says he has a squad to be able to do it all yet he isn't doing anything. Worst performance in the league (worst than Rafa when he got sacked) is still outside the top 4, is out of the only cup that was winnable to them and has an increasingly harder tie in the champions league vs PSG.

Zidane himself thinks if he loses vs PSG now he is done for as quoted in Marca after the game last night, i don't even think he is going to reach that game now tbf.

sneirac

Germany3464 Posts

January 25 2018 14:14 GMT

#3484

while I agree with almost all of that, it still made me remember this

http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewpost.php?post_id=25218988

Pandemona

Charlie Sheens House51493 Posts

January 25 2018 14:18 GMT

#3485

Which is true, Mourinho is goat and he got sacked cuz the players cba anymore because they won the league and were like meh.

Zidane is having same shit but with Mourinho he tried to sign more players but our board did our board part where they were like well.... xD
Zidane has said MULTIPLE times his squad is good enough and doesn't need ANYONE where it is as clear as day they need 2 strikers, another midfielder and a whole new back 4. The only position i thought Real are fine with is the Keeper which is always the one they are linked with in the press lol, nothing wrong with Navas is there?

WillyWanker

France1915 Posts

January 25 2018 14:20 GMT

#3486

The overall season performance is on Zidane and the direction. But a game like that can't be his fault, I'm sorry. Even with a a bad coach, you beat Leganes. Professional athletes at this level don't need someone to motivate them for events like this where you can qualify for a semi final and be 3 wins away from a title.

{CC}StealthBlue

United States41117 Posts

January 25 2018 14:45 GMT

#3487

Ballou Tabla is on his way to Barca.

Bacillus

Finland2073 Posts

January 25 2018 19:42 GMT

#3488

Mourinho extends the ManU contract to 2020. If it goes that far, it's the longest he has managed any team.

nayumi

Australia6499 Posts

January 25 2018 21:01 GMT

#3489

On January 24 2018 23:57 sneirac wrote:
Leeds United reveal their new badge after 6 months of research and canvassing 10.000:

[image loading]

+ Show Spoiler [current one for comparison] +

and here i thought Juves was a bad idea

This looks like the club is being ran by some communist union shit ...

Greg_J

China4409 Posts

January 25 2018 23:37 GMT

#3490

Not been remotely part of the Leeds community or understanding the importance of gesture the new badge just looks stupid. There was nothing wrong with the old one to be honest. One of my friends said it looks like a mans shower product logo not a football team's logo.

Nothing too exciting going on in the transfers now the Miki-Sanchez deal has gone through. Terrible position Arsenal got themselves into entierly Wenger's fault. However the solution isn't that bad. Miki is not as good as Sanchez but he's a hell of a lot better than Sanchez walking for free in the summer.

Why is every ageing past it English striker been linked with Chelsea?

fabiano

Brazil4644 Posts

January 26 2018 00:05 GMT

#3491

On January 26 2018 06:01 nayumi wrote:

Show nested quote +

This looks like the club is being ran by some communist union shit ...

It's the human figure that fucks it up. If you picture it without the human figure it looks better:

[image loading]

A little bit bland yea, so sure add something in the middle there.

aseq

Netherlands4015 Posts

January 26 2018 01:15 GMT

#3492

I like the colors, the text and font too, and the shape of the whole thing. The stripes are a bit too Swedish for me.
Maybe something like this? (They should update the rose too)
[image loading]

Greg_J

China4409 Posts

January 26 2018 11:38 GMT

#3493

On January 26 2018 08:37 Greg_J wrote:
Why is every ageing past it English striker been linked with Chelsea?

Shy sports decided to answer my question for me with an interesting discussion about exactly why they feel Chelsea are looking for a target man. Apparently they won the league by creating an overload in the middle of the pitch playing very narrow and tightly passing through people. But teams this year have been responding by filling the middle and thus leaving space on the wings. Making it much harder for Chelsea to play through teams and much easier to get crosses in from the wings. It makes a little sense we've seen a few Azpilicueta to Moratta headed goals. But it seems a little eggs all in one basket to just go down the wings every time and through a target man in there.

Does this sound like a fair explanation? I was very surprised with the names that have been mentioned.

Pandemona

Charlie Sheens House51493 Posts

January 26 2018 13:15 GMT

#3494

Carroll was the only legitimate link that we were in for, until it was ruled he is injured for a month. We need a "change option" when we can't win or score by playing our stuff, Conte wants to go old fashioned route one. We could do that with Costa because he was like Drogba, he can turn in and run behind with good pace as well as hold the ball up for fun and bring others into the game. Morata can't yet and Batman also can't yet thus he wants someone who can.

The Crouch/Barnes/Rondon are just lazy journalism. For example the inquiry we made for Crouch was back in the summer asking if we could sign him and Stoke said no. Yet the press said we asked last week!

Jockmcplop

United Kingdom9956 Posts

January 26 2018 17:35 GMT

#3495

On January 26 2018 06:01 nayumi wrote:

Show nested quote +

This looks like the club is being ran by some communist union shit ...

Looks more like an ad for Gaviscon to me

{CC}StealthBlue

United States41117 Posts

January 26 2018 22:32 GMT

#3496

Greg_J

China4409 Posts

January 27 2018 01:24 GMT

#3497

Thanks for the more informed Chelsea fan perspective Panda. I misunderstood It's not a deliberate switch to plan A been down the wings get a cross in there for a target man. Plan A is still the good Chelsea football we love to see. But Conte is correct in seeing the way teams set up is making plan B more of an option. Morata is ideal though because he can do both. You don’t have to remove the threat down the middle whilst abusing the room down the wings. Not sure if some of the other players been linked would be able to offer so much of a double threat.

DucK-

Singapore11447 Posts

January 28 2018 16:21 GMT

#3498

Woo Ampadu & Hudson-Odoi! The former played with maturity and confidence, the latter had some nice moves but needs more experience. Barkley though looked real short of match fitness and sharpness.

Sad for Musonda, but at least Conte didn't bring on Fab/Moses when the game was 3-0 up.

city42

1656 Posts

January 28 2018 17:06 GMT

#3499

I don't understand the point of VAR. Sane very nearly had his leg broken by a terrible challenge, and the ref inexplicably gave the Cardiff player a yellow. Protecting players should be an even higher priority for VAR than allowing/disallowing goals.

edit: https://streamable.com/cy4om

If VAR can't be used to send a player off for that, it needs fixing.

sharkie

Austria18713 Posts

January 28 2018 17:08 GMT

#3500

On January 29 2018 02:06 city42 wrote:
I don't understand the point of VAR. Sane very nearly had his leg broken by a terrible challenge, and the ref inexplicably gave the Cardiff player a yellow. Protecting players should be an even higher priority for VAR than allowing/disallowing goals.

Wtf are you crying VAR here? How can any technology prevent players doing horrible tackles?