Real Madrid vs Arsenal

[Stuttgart88]

Where did that result & performance come from?

Lehmann, Gilberto & Ljungberg were all excellent, showing their experience. Best game from the latter two in ages. Toure was qaulity as was Eboue at right-back.

The guy who stood out for me was Fabregas. What a composed performance from a teenager.

I've often compared Graham Kavanagh to Thomas Gravesen. On last night's showing Kavanagh is better.

[Rover 2 U]

Where did that result & performance come from?



madrid, through the power of satelites (note: there was a bit of a hint in the name of the team they were playing against)

[Stuttgart88]

Thanks R2U. This modern era of wirelesses and TVs is still a bit hard for me to come to grips with. I had previously failed to make the connection with Real Madrid & the city Madrid before too. Thanks for pointing it out.

[KK77]

Excellent performace really was fair play to them. I wonder are they worht a punt to go all the way????

[Risteard]

The attitude of the Madrid players stinks in my opinion.
No graft out of them at all.
Then they're all smiles at the end, hugging Henry and applauding their fans just enjoying the big matches. They still have better players than Barcelona or anyone else and should have swept all before them in La Liga in the last two years.
A lot of selling required from them this summer i'd imagine.

[chappie]

its that old addage, form is temperary class is permanent...im not an arsenal fan but i like to see good football fair play to the gunners...febregas was superb...i havent seen ljungberg do so much running in about 4 years...hope they can finish the job in 2 weeks....

p.s gutted to see woodgate limp off again...

[Karlos]

The overall level of the performance didn't surprise me to be honest. I've maintained all along that there was enough quality in that Arsenal team if they could alleviate some of the small errors. One other big difference for me last night was that the big experienced players performed like they used too. Younger players played well again but the older lads particulary in Ljungberg & Henry were outstanding - best they have been all season. Mathiu Flamini deserves special praise for his performance out of position as a left back - top class.

One other person deserving special praise is Jens Lehmann, who undoubtedly has been Arsenal's best player this season. Still don't understand the tripe that gets written about him. Must be in the running for Premiership Keeper of the Year.

Far from over, but it will stand as a moral victory for Wenger's selection policy at the very least. Arsene Knows...

[klein4]

couple of things.
has anyone ever watched a game where so many passes went astray? from both sides. more so from arsenal tho possibly cause they had all of the ball. Great win tho and thouroughly deserved.
secondly did anyone think the ITV commentry was a bit much at the start of the game? was basically saying peoples heads will be up for arsenal but their hearts will be up for Real and their super brand of football. arsenal went on to totally outplay them playing really good football.
not a fan of arsenal but really looking forward to seeing this team develop in next couple of years. a perfect antidote to chelseas boring brand of football.
(oh yeah and febercgas was brilliant!)

[hoops1]

What players do Madrid have that are better than Barca?

[NeilMcD]

One word of caution about Arsenal is that they play really when they are let play. But when it has been up up to them by rough tactics by Man Utd Bolton, Chelsea West Brom etc, they dont like it. In many ways last nights game was perfect for them in that regard. I think many of their players would much rather a game in Madrid rather than a game against Bolton or West Brom.

[Stuttgart88]

I think teams in Europe can't employ the "rough house" tactics that some English teams employ as European referees adhere more strictly to the new FIFA / UEFA protect the player / non-contact philosophy.

[Over the post]

Madrid don't do graft. They can be irresistible on their day, but it's been a long while since they had one of those. They can still play champagne football against weaker teams who try to play for a nil-nil draw and stay too far back, but anyone who takes the game to them causes them serious difficulties.

Twas funny the way the only English players on the pitch were playing for the Spanish team and the "English" team had two Spaniards in their starting eleven and another on the bench.

[Closed Account 2]

What players do Madrid have that are better than Barca?


Well I'd say Casillas is a better keeper than Vitor Valdez, Zidane would probably just make it into Barca's starting XI too.

[Bosco]

I wonder are they worht a punt to go all the way????

Got them at 5/1 to beat real last night,not bad:D :D :cool:

[Risteard]

What players do Madrid have that are better than Barca?
Casillas (v Valdes)
Roberto Carlos (v Oleguer)
Jonathan Woodgate (v either of the two)
Cicinho(v Gio van)
Zinedine Zidane* (v Motta or Deco)
Ronaldo(Mr. Wasted Talent)
Belletti and Marquez are not as good as they originally looked imo but Rijkaard has really sorted out the defence over the last year without any world class defenders.
I'm big Barca fan by the way. Just refuse to believe that Reals players are crap. Something very strange with that club. They seem to have suceeded in being the biggest revenue-makers.
Onfield, they just seem to make the least of what they have.
They look like they haven't had a manager in years.
edit---tonights evidence would suggest 11 Messis but need time to prove he's more talented than the 3 below.
------------Casillas-------------
Cicinho------------Roberto Carlos
------Woody--Puyol------------
Xavi------Edmilson---------Zizou
Etoo-----Ronaldo---------Ronaldinho

Subs, Belletti, Messi, Robinho, Gravesen, Salgado, Valdes

Manager-Frank Rijkaard

[hoops1]

Casillas maybe
Ciccinho playing(badly) out of position
ZZ legend (but his legs cant carry midfield anymore)
Carlos in terrible form this season
Ronaldo( dont make me laugh even the madrid fans hate him
terrible attitude)
Woody (to injury prone)

[Risteard]

Well i thought we were going on talent.
Them being in terrible form is my point, remember.

Ronaldo is easily more talented than Etoo, Giuly etc except as you say he does have a bad attitude and isn't being coached properly.
Woody is too injury prone for what exactly?

[hoops1]

On Talent, form whatever very few would get a
game for Barca
On fitness levels alone.I dont think any of Madrids Players
are fit enough to play for Barca
The players you named would not get a game for Barca for the reasons
i gave you
Ronaldo has been sent home twice from training this year for being
under the weather aka suffering from a hangover and wouldnt replace Eto
Woody wouldnt replace anyone becasue hes never fit
ZZ is finished as a top player
Ciccinho is playing poorly as a result of being played out of Position
So today if you were picking a team none would make it

[Risteard]

Reading over the posts, I think:confused: :confused: we're actually in agreement hoops1.:)

[feo123]

Cesc Fabregas was outstanding! best game i've ever seen him play!
Eboue, toure, Reyes, Lehmann, Hleb and Henry stood out too.....as did Ljungberg who was out of position!
Flamini tended to get caught out a lot though with the diagonal ball from the left and Beckham got in behind too often!
They deserved nothing but a win....best performance all season, even betters the 7-0 against Middlesbrough IMO.
There worth a small bet to win it

[CollegeTillIDie]

Casillas has at times prevented Real Madrid finishing any lower in La Primera Liga than they have done in the past few seasons. Considering he has had almost no defence to play behind since your man the legend went to Bolton!

[feo123]

the reason arsenal are doin s**t in the league and class in europe is because in europe they can play more football, its not as aggressive as the Prem! in the prem they come up against tougher players and they dont have as much time on the ball and they dont have many ''hard hitters'' like vieira and campbell(he dosnt play a lot nowadays). if you let arsenal play football, they will punish you, thats why they could win the champions and may not even come 4th in the premiership!

[Risteard]

Casillas has at times prevented Real Madrid finishing any lower in La Primera Liga than they have done in the past few seasons. Considering he has had almost no defence to play behind since your man the legend went to Bolton!
+ the loss of Hierro (inevitable)
and ridiculous selling of Makelele (in favour of Beckham and Figo.)
+ Conceicao
Where's Helguera nowadays, injured?

[Donegalcelt]

Neil McD spot on

Barca employ players who play for the jersey and have hunger. must of the real guys were hitting thirty and had won loads and made millions before signing for them. Granted, Barca players are hardly suffering financially but few, if any, have anything like the egos of the Madrid ones.
Also, imo perez, the real president insists that the Galacticos must all play so it ties the manager's hands a bit. You've seen them try to play Becks or Guti as anchor men with little success.