On
Thursday night, it was a familiar tale for Los Blancos
against Atletico, Atleti were compact, defended deep and with robust
physicality, took their chances and got the job done against their arch rivals.
Madrid fans will point to key mistakes at important times during the game.
However with this being the 5th meeting between the pair this season and with
Real failing to win any, it's more than individual mistakes or psychological
problems that has cost them, big fingers have to be pointed at Carlo Ancelotti
Yes,
he won 4 trophies in the past year, but that should not hide the fact that this
Madrid team have a problem that has been there even during the successful
period. This team lacks a particular identity and lack ideas when the opponent
have played physical and cancelled out their game plan. Madrid look like a team
who win matches based on superior quality of players. Admittedly this isn't a
bad way to win, as it has proved effective, as the success of the past year
will indicate. However, such play can only get you so far. Even a team that has
superior players have it's bad day or a situation where the opponent "park
the bus". It's in those situations Ancelotti's Madrid have been dire and diabolical.
Granted Ancelotti did beat Bayern, Barcelona & Atletico to the Spanish Cup
and the champions league last season, the matches against the former 2, were
won with tactics out of Mourinho's page with better and improved players.
Against Atletico, tiredness on the part of Los Rojiblancos
and relentless desire to win the decima brought the coveted trophy to the Bernabeu. If it wasn't
for the Ramos 92:48 equalizer, Ancelotti would have avoided criticism as
Casillas would have taken the blame for the defeat. Here lies my point, Ancelotti
escapes criticism due to the individual mistakes of players, forgetting that if
he had better tactics the mistakes would have had little or no effect.
Last
season, most of the possible "banana skin" matches Madrid faced in
the league, more often, we slipped(no pun intended). Barca, Atletico,
Valencia, Bilbao, Sevilla, Sociedad, Osasuna and Villareal are all "banana
skin" matches and out of a possible 48 points, we took 26. With a win
percentage of 43.75%. Horrible stats for such a club. In those matches, Ancelotti
made some questionable decisions, Starting Bale as a number 9, Ramos as a DM in
the Clasico and starting with 3 DMs against Atletico.
Luis
Enrique to his credit, learnt from the mistakes of his predecessors and found a
way against Atletico. He switched play quickly using the full length of the
pitch, pressed Atletico, allowed them to come forward to hit them on the
counter attack and even nullify their set pieces brilliance. It was a tactical
masterclass from Lucho. Why Ancelotti hasn't found a way or even copied such is
beyond me. Such problems occur not only against Atletico but also against teams
who have little quality. The aforementioned teams have good players and
brilliant coaches, a little tactical nous will nullify our players individually
and we seem to be lost every time as to what to do when this occurs. It's
atrocious. It's unforgivable.
All
great teams have an identity, Brazil of the 70s had "jogo bonito",
Holland had "total football", Pep's Barca had "tiki-taka",
what do Ancelotti’s
Madrid have? Hard to think of a distinctive way this team plays. Individual
brilliance is the closest thing. The best performance of this season came
against Barcelona. That game was beautiful, we passed exquisitely almost
mimicking Barca and their tiki taka, we countered like the beasts Guardiola
said it's impossible to stop once we're in the mood.
Ancelotti
is Mr La Decima. He has the experience and I believe the tactical nous to find
a way (not the shameful crossing of Thursday night). He has already come out to
say he has a plan against Atletico in the league. Madridistas will hope this plan provides the key to defeating the other "problem" teams as well as Atleti. We all are behind the
team and are not calling for the head of the coach (not just yet), we can still
have a good season. However, things need to change tactically.
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