Seems a bit of an overreaction. He was good in the first half, bad in the second, but nothing catastrophic.
He'll find his form again.
He'll find his form again.
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I didn't see his game for Portugal but the fact that he scores 4 goals after one or two dismal games for us and then returns and plays pretty damn poorly raises a bit of a conundrum. Is it him or is it the team? Something about this system just isn't clicking with him maybe.
Capello said he hasn't dribbled past anyone for years and he was right about that. If he doesn't have the ability to penetrate through the wings like the Ronaldo of old, then it looks like his best position really is as a classic CF. Mind you, a 4-3-3 would be most conducive to his playing that position well whereas Dybala is thriving in the front two. So, a bit of a pickle there.
Capello said he hasn't dribbled past anyone for years and he was right about that. If he doesn't have the ability to penetrate through the wings like the Ronaldo of old, then it looks like his best position really is as a classic CF. Mind you, a 4-3-3 would be most conducive to his playing that position well whereas Dybala is thriving in the front two. So, a bit of a pickle there.
A lot of the goals he scored for us as CF last season were from crosses, not through balls. He knows how to lose his marker, he can still jump awfully high and he has a powerful header.
He doesn't have the agility that used to leave his man for dead anymore though. I don't see his use out wide anymore.
He doesn't have the agility that used to leave his man for dead anymore though. I don't see his use out wide anymore.
with costa's injury and the consequent switch to diamond, we basically gave up on the flanks though. without cuadrado and sandro, the crosses won't come from the fullbacks either. against atleti, it was de sciglio, pjanic (ffs 
) and dybala who tried the most crosses, with 3 attempts each. complete change of plan compared to either his real madrid years or even last season. cr would not only need some rest, but also some feeding to restart scoring on a regular basis. now that dybala is our top scorer, and higuain is having a good run of form too, and neither of them requires high crosses to score, it's the best time to bench the goat.
) and dybala who tried the most crosses, with 3 attempts each. complete change of plan compared to either his real madrid years or even last season. cr would not only need some rest, but also some feeding to restart scoring on a regular basis. now that dybala is our top scorer, and higuain is having a good run of form too, and neither of them requires high crosses to score, it's the best time to bench the goat.
He knows exactly how to utilize him, but he is not ready to make the sacrifices needed for that. If Ronaldo plays as CF then both Higuain and Dybala will have to be benched and that is unacceptable by any standards so Sarri is doing the best he can to keep all our attackers happy. Best case scenario is ppay a 4-2-3-1 with Pjanic and Ramsey as CMs and Costa-Dybala-Berna behind Ronaldo but since Costa is injured all the time the only other solution is a 4-3-3 with Berna-CR7-Cuadrado as the attacking trident. I see no other way with our current rooseter how we could possilby play Ronaldo as a lone CF
Zidane didn’t play Ronaldo as a lone CF but in tandem with another striker (Benzema). Ronaldo is incapable of playing lone striker. He needs a reference point in attack to play off so only one of Higuain or Dybala would be benched (he usually prefers selecting Higuain as he’s a better reference point for Ronaldo in terms of hold up play).
Anyway, Madrid’s version of the 4-3-1-2 worked so well because they had Marcelo on the left providing all the width and combining with Isco who had a free role as a trequartista behind the two strikers. Think that’s what Sarri is aiming towards but failing as he doesn’t have the required personnel.
Anyway, Madrid’s version of the 4-3-1-2 worked so well because they had Marcelo on the left providing all the width and combining with Isco who had a free role as a trequartista behind the two strikers. Think that’s what Sarri is aiming towards but failing as he doesn’t have the required personnel.
There should be absolutely no reason to play him against Sassuolo if he isn't healthy. Rest him this week, play him against Lazio if he is better, rest him against Bayer and Udinese.
The key to his last season at Real was that Zidane was giving him the proper rest when needed. We have to do the same. With Dybala and Higuain here, there is no reason not to.
The key to his last season at Real was that Zidane was giving him the proper rest when needed. We have to do the same. With Dybala and Higuain here, there is no reason not to.
