Combined Real Madrid/Chelsea XI

[DYC. 7,542]

You really can't deny an in form Marcelo. Looked like his usual self today and he was amazing.

Modric is brilliant. Such class and intelligence on the ball combined with such a huge engine. Made Iniesta, Xavi and Busquets look like some fat dudes on mobility scooters.

[iseah100 5,612]

Oscar can, but James is the politcally correct choice, since this board would tell me how if oscar starts as cam, than hazard should start in the combined 11 instead because he is "better."

If you're making an XI of the best, Hazard makes it. If the goal is to find an XI that would play together in a system, Oscar or James.

[Nike 373]

You really can't deny an in form Marcelo. Looked like his usual self today and he was amazing.

Modric is brilliant. Such class and intelligence on the ball combined with such a huge engine. Made Iniesta, Xavi and Busquets look like some fat dudes on mobility scooters.

exactly.. Luis would not start over an inform marcelo. Marcelo inform is the best lb in the world, attacking wise at least.

Nor would cesc start over Modric...Cesc improved chelsea tremendously, but Modric would of made chelsea even better.

[DYC. 7,542]

Oscar can't do what James does?

Modric was fantastic.

James has the stronger offensive contribution though. Oscar is not there yet.

exactly.. Luis would not start over an inform marcelo. Marcelo inform is the best lb in the world, attacking wise at least.

Nor would cesc start over Modric...Cesc improved chelsea tremendously, but Modric would of made chelsea even better.

I think the team needed Cesc more than they would need Modric though. With Oscar at #10 (Willian/Schurrle on the wing), a chance creator like Cesc was really needed in the team. And his long-range passing is very important as well.

R. Madrid is a different case (different playing style, different players).

[Nike 373]

James has the stronger offensive contribution though. Oscar is not there yet.

I think the team needed Cesc more than they would need Modric though. With Oscar at #10 (Willian/Schurrle on the wing), a chance creator like Cesc was really needed in the team. And his long-range passing is very important as well.

R. Madrid is a different case (different playing style, different players).

true. However, Modric is no slouch with chances created and his longshot ability is world class...

He would also do set pieces...

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

You really can't deny an in form Marcelo. Looked like his usual self today and he was amazing.

Modric is brilliant. Such class and intelligence on the ball combined with such a huge engine. Made Iniesta, Xavi and Busquets look like some fat dudes on mobility scooters.

It's just one game and he was up against a tactically disorganised Barcelona side. No one tracked back to help Dani Alves, (a player on decline).

Marcelo for all his brilliance going forward is still a very poor man to man defender. I won't get excited over one game against a tactically poor defense.

[DYC. 7,542]

It's just one game and he was up against a tactically disorganised Barcelona side. No one tracked back to help Dani Alves, (a player on decline).

Marcelo for all his brilliance going forward is still a very poor man to man defender. I won't get excited over one game against a tactically poor defense.

It's not just this game though. Marcelo was strong under Mourinho, bar the first year, and the same last season. Though he struggled a bit with injuries. Remember his performance when he came in against Atletico in the CL final? He was fantastic. He was poor at the World Cup though.

Marcelo will never be the strongest defender but in his usual form, he's more than decent. Couple that with his offensive abilities and you have a great fullback. Of course, if you're looking for a strong defender, you're not going with Marcelo. But for an attacking team, a player like Marcelo is an huge asset.

Besides, Marcelo doesn't have it easy either. For years, Cristiano was in front of him and he hardly tracks back.

[didierforever 7,349]

Courtois

Iva varane Jt coentrao

Cesc matic modric

Bale costa CR

The most balanced formation would be 4-3-3 and hence hazard won't make the cut (sadly).

[didierforever 7,349]

Someone just hates CR7.

messi is nowhere near to CR7 right now.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

It's not just this game though. Marcelo was strong under Mourinho, bar the first year, and the same last season. Though he struggled a bit with injuries. Remember his performance when he came in against Atletico in the CL final? He was fantastic. He was poor at the World Cup though.

Marcelo will never be the strongest defender but in his usual form, he's more than decent. Couple that with his offensive abilities and you have a great fullback. Of course, if you're looking for a strong defender, you're not going with Marcelo. But for an attacking team, a player like Marcelo is an huge asset.

Besides, Marcelo doesn't have it easy either. For years, Cristiano was in front of him and he hardly tracks back.

Marcelo is a very good defender because he plays in a league and for a team where his defensive ability or lack thereof doesn't get called to question a lot. In most of the big games, Mourinho always played Coentrao ahead of Marcelo because he knew he was a better defender. Just look at Marcelo's performance vs Germany in the World Cup, a complete farce.

I'm not saying Marcelo is a mediocre player, because he isn't, he's a very good player, brilliant in attack, poor in defense. He's not just a good defender. A bit like David Luiz. Ultimately and relevant to the thread, no way he's a better defender than Filipe Luis.

[DYC. 7,542]

Benzema was brilliant btw. He always gets a lot stick whenever he doesn't play well, but little praise when he's great

[Atlas Lion 1,223]

An ageing Xavi, an out of form Iniesta, and Busquets who just came back from injury after missing 5 games.

Calm down, yes Modric was brilliant, but it wasn't as if he was going up against top of the line opposition at full throttle

This was the first time i have seen Madrid control the midfield during a Classico, and the reasoning behind that is blatant..

Carvajal was man of the match for me.

[DYC. 7,542]

Marcelo is a very good defender because he plays in a league and for a team where his defensive ability or lack thereof doesn't get called to question a lot. In most of the big games, Mourinho always played Coentrao ahead of Marcelo because he knew he was a better defender. Just look at Marcelo's performance vs Germany in the World Cup, a complete farce.

I'm not saying Marcelo is a mediocre player, because he isn't, he's a very good player, brilliant in attack, poor in defense. He's not just a good defender. A bit like David Luiz. Ultimately and relevant to the thread, no way he's a better defender than Filipe Luis.

Again, you're focusing on defending. I never said Marcelo was a better defender than Coentrao or Luis. And Mourinho didn't always go for Coentrao (Coentrao is a fantastic LB btw), there was quite a bit of rotation there. Marcelo had an off-day against Germany. Didn't you tell me Marcelo's performance against Barca was just one game? Marcelo had 0 support against Germany as well. But yes, he was terrible that game.

Marcelo is a fantastic attacking fullback. You say he's poor defensively, I think he's more than decent. The league he plays in is irrevelant since he has proven his class in the CL. (And the whole notion of the defending in the PL being so much superior compared to La Liga is so old and the result of lazy analysing)

Btw, Mourinho picks Azpi over Luis, does that make Azpi a better fullback than Luis? The same Azpi who is 2nd choice at Spain, which would mean Carvajal and Alba are better than Azpi and Luis..? Of course, that's not how it works.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Again, you're focusing on defending. I never said Marcelo was a better defender than Coentrao or Luis. And Mourinho didn't always go for Coentrao (Coentrao is a fantastic LB btw), there was quite a bit of rotation there. Marcelo had an off-day against Germany. Didn't you tell me Marcelo's performance against Barca was just one game? Marcelo had 0 support against Germany as well. But yes, he was terrible that game.

Marcelo is a fantastic attacking fullback. You say he's poor defensively, I think he's more than decent. The league he plays in is irrevelant since he has proven his class in the CL. (And the whole notion of the defending in the PL being so much superior compared to La Liga is so old and the result of lazy analysing)

Btw, Mourinho picks Azpi over Luis, does that make Azpi a better fullback than Luis? The same Azpi who is 2nd choice at Spain, which would mean Carvajal and Alba are better than Azpi and Luis..? Of course, that's not how it works.

That's not the point I was making. Look, defenders who play for Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern have an easier life because they get tested far less in their league. The ball doesn't go as quick from penalty box to penalty box as in the premier league. Marcelo won't get away with his defending in a team like Chelsea were he's required to defend more.

You're making an assumption I didn't. Azpilicueta is also a better fullback than Marcelo. I'm not breaking it down into "attacking full-back" / "defensive full-back" , and even if you want to, the latter always takes precedence because DEFENDERS are called that for a reason. If you want to debate that Marcelo is a better attacking full back than Luis, then I'll give it to you. He's probably the best attacking left back in the world, he suits Madrid and La Liga's style and that's why he's been a regular for almost a decade. Luis is better because he's the whole package.

And as the whole package, Marcelo is inferior to Filipe Luis and Azpilicueta. There's a reason why Ancelotti (like Jose) trusted Coentrao with Robben in the CL semi-final and not Marcelo because he knew he'll get slaughtered. I won't bother debating it anymore anyway. I know who I'll rather have in my team.

[DYC. 7,542]

That's not the point I was making. Look, defenders who play for Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern have an easier life because they get tested far less in their league. The ball doesn't go as quick from penalty box to penalty box as in the premier league. Marcelo won't get away with his defending in a team like Chelsea were he's required to defend more.

You're making an assumption I didn't. Azpilicueta is also a better fullback than Marcelo. I'm not breaking it down into "attacking full-back" / "defensive full-back" , and even if you want to, the latter always takes precedence because DEFENDERS are called that for a reason. If you want to debate that Marcelo is a better attacking full back than Luis, then I'll give it to you. He's probably the best attacking left back in the world, he suits Madrid and La Liga's style and that's why he's been a regular for almost a decade. Luis is better because he's the whole package.

And as the whole package, Marcelo is inferior to Filipe Luis and Azpilicueta. There's a reason why Ancelotti (like Jose) trusted Coentrao with Robben in the CL semi-final and not Marcelo because he knew he'll get slaughtered. I won't bother debating it anymore anyway. I know who I'll rather have in my team.

The time when players had one specific job on the pitch is long gone. Defensive midfielders don't get away with simply protecting their back-line and simply finishing off chances isn't enough as a striker. Fullbacks are defenders but their role on the pitch goes further than that, depending on the style or system of the team. Dani Alves will go down as a legend for his performances between 2006-2012 (in case you're wondering, Alves was just as good in his time at Sevilla). Not because of his defending though. Roberto Carlos didn't get his legendary status because of his expert defending. Maldini was 5 times the defender Carlos was but a lot of people would pick Carlos over Maldini.

Btw, I never said I thought Marcelo was better than Luis or Azpi. I've said it before, it's all about what you're looking for. But you prefering defensively strong fullbacks doesn't make them better. Back in 2008-2012, Guardiola or any single Barca fan, would've traded Dani Alves for any other fullback. Any other side than Barca wouldn't necessarily feel the same way though.

[y10edn 185]

Why and how Pepe will make this team beats me, just left the Bernabau for the El Classico happy RM fans shared my view about him

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

The time when players had one specific job on the pitch is long gone. Defensive midfielders don't get away with simply protecting their back-line and simply finishing off chances isn't enough as a striker. Fullbacks are defenders but their role on the pitch goes further than that, depending on the style or system of the team. Dani Alves will go down as a legend for his performances between 2006-2012 (in case you're wondering, Alves was just as good in his time at Sevilla). Not because of his defending though. Roberto Carlos didn't get his legendary status because of his expert defending. Maldini was 5 times the defender Carlos was but a lot of people would pick Carlos over Maldini.

Btw, I never said I thought Marcelo was better than Luis or Azpi. I've said it before, it's all about what you're looking for. But you prefering defensively strong fullbacks doesn't make them better. Back in 2008-2012, Guardiola or any single Barca fan, would've traded Dani Alves for any other fullback. Any other side than Barca wouldn't necessarily feel the same way though.

You're assuming Dani Alves (the younger incarnation, not this one) was as bad at defending as Marcelo was. Or Carlos. They weren't.

[zolayes 14,489]

Benzema was brilliant btw. He always gets a lot stick whenever he doesn't play well, but little praise when he's great

I never rated Benzema but this season he is impressive