and can no longer afford to take games off.

Modric needs to be replaced. I love him and all he has done for the club but those legs just have too many miles. Lucas Vazquez cannot start and Zizou needs to play either Brahim Diaz or Vinicius in that slot.

It will be a long season for Madrid and for the first time in my fandom I feel they will not exit the Champions group stage.

He reminds me of Basti after the 2014 WC. Put everything into it, left some blood on the field and was never the same after.

It was gutting and it is not his first big mistake. The tank is empty.

I know Ramos is hated around here with reason but I fear his era is now ending and Madrid has no plan as to who will serve as the anchor of the defense. Varane is excellent but he is not a lead. Players with Ramos' drive and skill do not grow on trees.

Curtois is a bust. He does not have the temperament to play at the Santiago Bernabeu as he lacks the courage. Getting rid of Keylor is a perplexing mess of a decision.

It may be a long road back but I have faith in Madrid. They always rebound.

Give me a break. They'll pour millions into the next gen of galacticos and reload the squad. That's the model.

They'll add the likes of Pogba, Mbappe, Kane, Neymar, Eriksen, van de Beek, Fernandes, Cavani, and whoever the best goalkeeper they can lure into the Bernabeu.

There was only one Cristiano Ronaldo, and there are no more once-in-a-generation players left for Florentino to go after.

Fuck Madrid. I hope they rot and bankrupt and don't get anywhere near close the run they had.

and I said they are Madrid but its not instant any more. The market is vastly different than before when we got Ronaldo, and while Madrid has unbelievable resources, FFP makes it difficult. They won't get Pogba and Mbappe in the same year. Zero chance. Their midfield is really old, and still good, but not "show up and win" anymore. That won't be fixed by Paul Pogba.

Neymar? Talk about a financial sinkhole. Fuck the transfer fee. The guy makes 37M+ Madrid has never operated at that level and Bale's 23M+ is constantly discussed.

Cavani? Hahaha...fuck Cavani. He's old. If that is the solution I will stick with Benz and Jovic. Hazard/Vinicius.

Look, you can hate Madrid. Its not uncommon. So... fuck whatever team you like too especially if its from the EPL. Madrid has had droughts before and in my time as a fan. I feel this will be another. You don't. Neat. Sorry its not as long as whatever shithole team you like. Hope its not just the USA national team.

As the elite clubs around Europe (Barcelona)?

That seems to be the way these days. Develop young guys and supplement with big transfers. I think you’re right in the idea they’ll just go buy a whole new core of the team is wishful thinking.

The problem is that it is young talent and Madrid fans have the patience that Trump has with reading intelligence briefs.

So in the Madrid/Loan system right now I would say the following have a good chance to play at a high level. Whether they do that with Madrid is another question.

Vinicius (all the talent...needs seasoning), Rodrygo Goes (only 18 but shows flashes), Ashraf Hakimi (what a year he is having at Dortmund), Sergio Reguilon (Sevilla's offense runs through him as a LB), Brahim Diaz, Martin Odegaard (tremendous year at Real Sociedad so far), Dani Ceballos (so-so for Arsenal), Jesus Vallejo (Has to stay healthy), Fede Valverde (he is going to be a special midfielder and will replace Modric or Kroos).

Proper match this is. Spurs pressing like crazy then backed off. THere's no way they could keep that up and survive in the 2nd half.

GEEZUZ!

Aurier was a friggin' revolving door for Serge.

Bayern's first choice is Kai Havertz from Leverkusen, but Phil is doing enough here to make me on the fence about this. Given Kai is five years younger, at least not googling his age but think it might be 20ish, probably the Board wants FC Deutschland.

But Phil is refreshing...quite different than how James was utilized the past two years.

Even if by some chance they get Havertz on a free, you still have an issue of a midfield with Phil, Thiago, Havertz, Goretzka, Thomas, Javi, Tolisso and Cuisance. And technically Kimmich.

I still believe Bayern is best served with Kimmich at RB, but they need another pivot/deep mid in addition to Thiago and it feels like Javi isn't long for the club. And they NEED creativity because unlike Tottenham, BL teams are smart and go compact and narrow against Bayern. Either you're forced wide (which we see constantly) or you have someone strong and creative on the ball - Coutinho or Thiago - work in the middle and distribute.

In a perfect world, I'd like to see Alaba/Luca/Ivan Drago/Kimmich at the back with Pavard rotating, and a midfield rotation that always includes either Thiago or Phil. And both against sides that are going to play narrow and press. Guys like Tolisso and Goretzka will be more effective against teams like Dortmund, Leipzig, Bayer, etc. because those sides will be a lot more open even if they're pressing. So where does Havertz fit in? Not sure he does if you have Coco, Phil, Goretzka and Thomas. Something has to give.

And play through the press. Son will happily run himself off the pitch.

Honestly, I’m as worried about Kane dives as I am Son.

Well Harry Winks has...

And of course a Kane PK.

damn you ref and VAR!!

RM knows all about scoring offside goals in the CL.

Seriously, though - how can UEFA be this obvious?

edit: maybe he wasn't off - there was a defender on the far side that kept it closer than the immediate defenders. Doesn't appear to be a definitive angle.

cuntin it up again. Man, fuck that guy!

they are old.