Real Madrid C.F. 2008/09

None of that is going to happen

Your squad will remain as is

I have a feeling Huntelaar will stay another year at Ajax under van Basten. Villa and Benzema would obviously be very good signings, but would cost quite a bit. Diego, who I really rate highly, wouldn't make much sense after getting VDV and Sneijder being back in a few months.

I think Ruud, Raul and Higuain are good enough to win the leaugue, but for the champions league we could really use another (young) classy striker.

TM wrote:I agree, an extra million euros shouldn't be a problem. Besides we've only got 3 CB's at the moment, and Metz looked a bit shaky last season.

We still need a RW and a LB, Bernado wants to play Heinze as a CB, which leaves Marcelo who had a good season, but does he have enough experience to play away from home in the CL? And M. Torres who didn't play that well last season, and it seems the coach doesnt have faith in.

Calderon saying VDV is the final signing of the summer is worrying. When we still need about atleast 2 more players.

I think buying an LB would be a mistake, given that we have 3 players in our current squad who can play there. Schuster will want Cannavaro to start this season as well (and Pepe of course), so Heinze is bound to be first choice LB and Marcelo is more than adequate as backup. I'm confident that he will make that position his own within 1-2 seasons.

I have little faith left in Torres since he only seems to be getting worse as time passes, but as third choice LB he'll be fine. I'd be more worried about an RB, since this is where Torres/Salgado are second choice. It's ironic that we're short on RBs at this stage since 3 years ago I remember us having at least 5 with Diogo, Cicinho, etc.

And don't believe for a second that we will have no more signings. Calderon knows his stint as president is over if this happens.

Hope there a few more to come!

Villa rumours are on and off, but now with VDV, buying Villa, it will be hard to acomodate all the starters from last season, not to mention Higuain will get less playing time.

Real Madrid have decided that Robinho is untransferible and will remain at the club despite Chelsea preparing to increase their offer for the player.

Los Merengues believe that they can calm the Brazilian star down and make him stay with them and are set to refuse any bids that come in for him in the current transfer window.

Bernd Schuster sees Robinho as a key part of his plans for next term and has always asked the club's hierarchy to try their best to keep him.

During the lengthy saga to prise Cristiano Ronaldo away from Manchester United, Robinho's name was mentioned as a possible makeweight in the deal and that opened up the current rift.

Allied with the 24-year-old's desire to be paid a similar wage to the club's top earners, Madrid looked set to lose one of their main assets.

By denying Chelsea's improved offer however, the Spanish champions hope that will be the end of the matter and that they can placate Robinho with a new deal.

The Premier League team made it clear that they were willing to pay him around €6m-per-season and that has made Madrid's €4m pale and left them having to draw up a fresh plan.

Torrente wrote:We should have gotten at least 15 million for Baptista, but I guess 9 million isn't so bad. I wish Baptista well in Roma. He was almost like another Solari for us. Not good enough to be a starter but never complained when put on the bench and was always a positive influence in the dressing room.

Except Solari was good enough to be a starter for us until we signed the 3rd and 4th galacticos.

Good luck to Baptista. No one can question his commitment or his work ethic.

As for the plan B. I don't know if we will make another signing or not but I think if there are not more signings, it will not be because we didn't try. Calderon, I think, is still not going to give up on Ronaldo until 31 Aug. And I there is evidence that we are still actively trying to sign Villa. So we'll just have to see. I think it would be wise to bring in Garay after the Olympics. I don't think we need another left back at this point. Heinze is adequate and we can see if Marcelo continues to make the necessary progress to be a Real Madrid player and we have Torres in case of emergency. And I don't really think we need Quaresma. If we were going to play with two out and out wingers then I would say ok (even though I think Joaquin would be the better/cheaper option). But Schuster wants to play his odd version of 4-3-3. So there is really no need. I'd go for Villa myself and bring in Garay and I think we'll be ok. If there are truly no other signings I think we could find ourselves in trouble because I'm not convinced we will have adequate cover in defence (Metz and Heinze never fit) and obviously, for the millionth time, we have nobody to cover Ruud.

Would this work...

Robinho - out

Villa - in

?

Who would Villa play over? He would obviously be the best striker at the club but who would get dropped?

Batman wrote:

Casillas

Ramos . . Pepe . . Cannavaro . . Marcelo

Diarra . . . Gago

Robben . . . . . . . . . . . . . VDV

Ruud . . . Villa

Well, I'm sure Robinho will start, and I don't think Raul will get dropped either.

Batman wrote:

Casillas

Ramos . . Pepe . . Cannavaro . . Marcelo

Diarra . . . Gago

Robben . . . . . . . . . . . . . VDV

Ruud . . . Villa

There's no Raul in that team. ie. it's never going to happen unless he's injured.

I dont think we need anything more then a fine striker who can play when Ruud is out. we dont really need Villa currently because we would have to drop a big name either Ruud or Raul.for the future Villa would be great but currently we just need someone who can take over from Ruud.
with that in mind i would go for someone like Milito who wouldnt cost alot and is proven in La liga as goalscorer.
other then that we really need to get a Rb. our system is built on the right back having to storm down the flank since we dont have anyone in midfield who does it. that is why we struggled alot when Ramos was out last season in attack. Salgado isnt bad in attack but defensively he is Cr@p.
we should have kept ownership of Diogo.

nothing more is needed as i see it.

PS. Solari unlike Baptista was good enough to play in the team when we won Cl. the only reason he didnt keep on playing was that Zidane was moved to the lef wing. but other then that i see your point Torrente.

Jaime wrote:

Torrente wrote:We should have gotten at least 15 million for Baptista, but I guess 9 million isn't so bad. I wish Baptista well in Roma. He was almost like another Solari for us. Not good enough to be a starter but never complained when put on the bench and was always a positive influence in the dressing room.

Except Solari was good enough to be a starter for us until we signed the 3rd and 4th galacticos.

Good luck to Baptista. No one can question his commitment or his work ethic.

As for the plan B. I don't know if we will make another signing or not but I think if there are not more signings, it will not be because we didn't try. Calderon, I think, is still not going to give up on Ronaldo until 31 Aug. And I there is evidence that we are still actively trying to sign Villa. So we'll just have to see. I think it would be wise to bring in Garay after the Olympics. I don't think we need another left back at this point. Heinze is adequate and we can see if Marcelo continues to make the necessary progress to be a Real Madrid player and we have Torres in case of emergency. And I don't really think we need Quaresma. If we were going to play with two out and out wingers then I would say ok (even though I think Joaquin would be the better/cheaper option). But Schuster wants to play his odd version of 4-3-3. So there is really no need. I'd go for Villa myself and bring in Garay and I think we'll be ok. If there are truly no other signings I think we could find ourselves in trouble because I'm not convinced we will have adequate cover in defence (Metz and Heinze never fit) and obviously, for the millionth time, we have nobody to cover Ruud.

True, but to be fair to Baptista, Solari didn't have the competition Baptista did to play in his position until the Galacticos came, which is why he could start often. Baptista may have been good enough to play as a support striker for us, but we'll never know since he never got a run in the team in that position (except at the end of the 2005-2006 season, when incidentally he showed his best form for us).

And I really don't think that 4-3-3 is Schuster's true formation. I think that formation was made out of necessity more than anything, since we had no real RW besides Balboa and Schuster was trying to accommodate Sneijder, Gago, Guti, and Raul in the same team. And besides, that wasn't a real 4-3-3 since Ramos had to play 2 positions. Ramos will be burned out within 4-5 years if Schuster keeps playing him like that.

Torrente wrote:And I really don't think that 4-3-3 is Schuster's true formation. I think that formation was made out of necessity more than anything, since we had no real RW besides Balboa and Schuster was trying to accommodate Sneijder, Gago, Guti, and Raul in the same team. And besides, that wasn't a real 4-3-3 since Ramos had to play 2 positions. Ramos will be burned out within 4-5 years if Schuster keeps playing him like that.

I don't disagree with any of that but unless Schuster is willing to drop Raul (or Ruud or Sneijder or VDV or whoever else might be playing in a central attacking role, he is not going to play with two wingers even if that is what makes the most logical sense.

kas wrote:

Batman wrote:

Casillas

Ramos . . Pepe . . Cannavaro . . Marcelo

Diarra . . . Gago

Robben . . . . .ROBINHO . . . . . . . . VDV

Ruud . . . Villa

There's no Raul in that team. ie. it's never going to happen unless he's injured.

How is TRW settling in at RM?

Has The Real Wiz - aka Van Der Vaart played yet?

S4P wrote:Has The Real Wiz - aka Van Der Vaart played yet?

Weak!

Real Mallorca are about to seal the signing of young Real Madrid Castilla ace Juanmi Callejón, beating Espanyol and Real Zaragoza to his signature...

The 21-year-old midfielder broke through to the Real Madrid reserve side in early 2007, establishing himself as a Castilla regular last season.

Managing eight goals and a wealth of assists in 33 Segunda B appearances last season, the Motril-born ace caught the eye of several Liga sides, but it is Mallorca that have made their interest official.

Juan Miguel is set to make his debut next Thursday in the Ciutat de Palma clash against PSV Eindhoven.

Where he plays is another matter. Although he is right-footed he can play on either wing or behind the forwards, and thus could serve as an attacking utility man.

Mallorca are likely to pay €1m for 75% of the player's rights, although Madrid will retain the rest, and quite possibly a buy-back clause, due to coach Bernd Schuster's admiration of Juanmi.

His twin brother, José, plays for Espanyol.

Green Arrow wrote:

S4P wrote:Has The Real Wiz - aka Van Der Vaart played yet?

Weak!

Not as weak as your wind up attempt sir.

That fat gypsy c**t has played already!

What the hell are you and TS doing in that photo fey?

Taking a hot pose!! Im doing my James Bond and he is being hisself!

Schuster asks for a striker...Pedja wants Huntelaar, Portugal wants Villa.

If that rabbit comes as well Im gonna buy a Barca shirt!

We can't sign another dutchie ffs.

Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster is demanding a new striker signing.

Marca says Schuster, concerned over the lack of cover for Ruud van Nistelrooy and Raul, is urging his board to add a new No9 to his squad before the summer market shuts.


Real's sports chiefs are split over who to go for, however. Pedja Mijatovic wants Ajax striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar, while Miguel Angel Portugal prefers Valencia's David Villa.


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Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon will meet with Racing Santander counterpart Francisco Pernia this week.

Top of the agenda will be the future of Ezequiel Garay, with Pernia adamant the Real summer signing remain in Santander for the new season.


Pernia also wants to boost his defence with a Real loan signing and will seek to finalise a deal for either Miguel Torres or Javi Garcia.

I'd rather us spend 50 million on Villa than 25 million on Bugs Bunny. I would also prefer us to spend a fortune on Benzema.

Yef wrote:If that rabbit comes as well Im gonna buy a Barca shirt!

No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!