These observations — where I look at Real Madrid's history, its players on loan, Castilla, tactical tidbits, and other relevant thoughts — are now a regular thing. All previous editions can be found here.
Here is a new thing I'm committing to this season: Five semi-informal bullet points after each game.
Also, check out last night's post-game podcast where I break down the loss for 34 minutes:
I'm not pushing a panic ******* on. I realize that what I'm about to say will come across as 'low standards', 'acceptance of mediocrity', 'a moral victory', etc — but I will say it anyway and with my chest: If you replay this game 10 more times, Real Madrid wins it 10 times. We just happened to play the freak version where Kylian Mbappe missed a penalty, three big chances, and then Vinicius missed a big chance, Espi had bad luck, and Real Madrid squandered an xG of nearly four. The math checks out: Real Madrid were mostly good but didn't score, somehow. What should've happened was Real Madrid go up one or two goals by half-time, Bellingham and Güler get a deserved ******* ist each, then Real Betis open up in the second half and get cooked. But also, all that to say: Real Madrid didn't deserve to win just because they created more chances, and I just made up a scenario to make myself feel better — possibly because I feel numb to the way the last two seasons have gone. Also: Real Madrid are generally terrible at the Benito Villamarin in the last few years. But, at some point, you have to stop using past precedence as an excuse to lose. How many league ******* les do Real Madrid have in the past 20 years again? Answer: Not enough.
Another Arda Güler masterclass, wasted. He's basically been lights out in every minute he's played in this season. When I have to repeat this after every Arda Güler performance, that's pretty ******* good evidence that he's one of the best players in Europe right now, and certainly, from an ******* ytical standpoint, clearly one of the best creators on the entire continent.
#thing
Here is a new thing I'm committing to this season: Five semi-informal bullet points after each game.
Also, check out last night's post-game podcast where I break down the loss for 34 minutes:
I'm not pushing a panic ******* on. I realize that what I'm about to say will come across as 'low standards', 'acceptance of mediocrity', 'a moral victory', etc — but I will say it anyway and with my chest: If you replay this game 10 more times, Real Madrid wins it 10 times. We just happened to play the freak version where Kylian Mbappe missed a penalty, three big chances, and then Vinicius missed a big chance, Espi had bad luck, and Real Madrid squandered an xG of nearly four. The math checks out: Real Madrid were mostly good but didn't score, somehow. What should've happened was Real Madrid go up one or two goals by half-time, Bellingham and Güler get a deserved ******* ist each, then Real Betis open up in the second half and get cooked. But also, all that to say: Real Madrid didn't deserve to win just because they created more chances, and I just made up a scenario to make myself feel better — possibly because I feel numb to the way the last two seasons have gone. Also: Real Madrid are generally terrible at the Benito Villamarin in the last few years. But, at some point, you have to stop using past precedence as an excuse to lose. How many league ******* les do Real Madrid have in the past 20 years again? Answer: Not enough.
Another Arda Güler masterclass, wasted. He's basically been lights out in every minute he's played in this season. When I have to repeat this after every Arda Güler performance, that's pretty ******* good evidence that he's one of the best players in Europe right now, and certainly, from an ******* ytical standpoint, clearly one of the best creators on the entire continent.
#thing
7 days ago
