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What a game !!!
Wasn't it just, fair play to Schalke, they gave it a hell of a go. That Madrid defence is well dodgy, as was Gareth Bale, playing him on the right didn't help mind, trying to cross with his left made him look so awkward.Originally Posted by Cardiff Irish wrote on Tue, 10 March 2015 21:31
Good, wasn't it? I felt S04 just about derseved to have got that elusive fifth. If only they had connected properly with one of the last two - or, course, got the two or three goal lead they should have attained in the first half!
Re our Gareth. I honestly fear for his development as a player. Whilst a certain amount must be gained from playing with and against world stars at the highest level week-in-week-out, he is constantly played out of position in a side that seems to exist just to feed the stats of you-know-who. They are not a strong team in the full sense of the word. This is why they get knocked hard when they play proper teams like Atleti and why they are being found out this year.
Bale seems to be in a type of moveable rectangle on the right-wing most of the time and his many talents are hardly being tapped. CR, of course, takes the pens he dives to win and any others as well as virtually all the dangerous free kicks. Even worse, he is often picked on in the Spanish press for not 'doing enough' despite being played on the right. When of course the faults of this lack-lustre Real Madrid team lie with their manager and failure to strengthen properly.
As befits perhaps the world's most arrogant club, having pinched the Copa del Rey (thanks to a wonder goal from our Gareth) and having won the CL in extra-time against an Atleti side who were out on their feet, they chose to ignore their failings from last year and somehow pretend they were the bee's knees. But they are not! Roll on el clásico, I say. 7-1?
But I would love to see GB move on to a club where he could develop more as a player. ASAP.
I'd love to see Bale at a club where the team was built around him rather than you know who. God knows he's good enough to build a team around...
Any other club in the world I think they would idolise him. Look at Suarez and Neymar at barca. They get a lot of love and respect from the fans despite playing with the best footballer ever to grace the game.
Real Madrid fans are the worst in the world (just ahead of our own) and they deserve to lose Bale to realise what they're missing...
****ing class game as well..unlucky Shalke
Fair points, but I think in the long term this is good for Bale. He could be a big fish in a small pond but he will have learned lots about pushing himself to improve even more.
Good article on Bales current plight
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11835/9751310/whats- happened-to-gareth-bale-examining-his-real-madrid-struggles
Yes. An interesting piece. It seems that Carleto is admitting to the team's play being in a mess. The words about it being too individualistic are telling. I think having Modric back will improve them (not hard mind!) but to address the lack of a team-approach they will surely have to make deeper changes. Fact is, they have chosen to base their play around CR for a long time now. Surely changing that approach will mean a bit of a sea change there and will upset you-know-who?
Our Gareth is played out of position. And is caught up in this mess that Ancelotti appears to be recognising, but which is his (Ancelotti's) responsibility. I just hope he remains thick-skinned enough to not let it get to him. It is not his fault at all. But, afraid to criticise the man who brought them their 'décima' or the stat-genius-would-be-one-man-team, the Spanish press are wont to look for non-Spanish victims, unfortunately. When it should be the very idea of supposedly being a 'great team' and yet basing everything around one player that they should be attacking. Bale himself must realise that his game (at club-level at least, let's hope it goes no further than that....) will suffer in these circumstances.
Events may take their toll and cause the 'Vikingos' to adopt radical measures more quickly than expected, i.e. a right stuffing at the Camp Nou. As a Wales fan I care a lot about Bale's development but I am quite happy to see a club which sees itself as being above football as a team sport reaping the rewards of its excesses. If they had any sense they would instigate root and branch reform in an attempt to bulld a great side. Even if that meant downgrading CR's role or, dare I say it, shipping him out. If he were to leave it would be much better for our Gareth. Otherwise, I'd much prefer him to move to another top-level club.
Ronaldo had a run of about 3-4 games towards the end of their winning streak and those following immediately where he was the worst player on the pitch, yet if he doesn't get the pass he throws his hands in the air like he's the only one that can score. The Madrid fans aren't supportive, Ronaldo isn't supportive on the pitch and while I trust Bale to come through it at the moment he seems to be lacking confidence which isn't what you want with an international game on the horizon, especially when Rambo is feeling the same. It's even more crucial that we support them fully out there.
It is a right mess, isn't it? I don't really see how it can change whilst Ancelotti is there and as long as Ronaldo holds sway. If they have any sense they will surely look to limit damage at the Camp Nou on 22/3. But who knows?
Bale has seemed to be more and more 'full on' when playing for us. His facial expression seems to show how much it means to him. And he has been prepared to adapt to circumstances - witness the shift he put in in that outstanding draw at the Heysel. So I don't think any 'meltdown' at RM will affect him for Wales. But I hope he doesn't have to put up with this situation at club level for too much longer. Also, that 'clásico' won't be over until about 23.50 Spanish time on the 22nd so we are going to be on edge until then!
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