The Madridista Nation has much to be excited about this summer with the new personnel arrivals, Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo, Raul Albiol, and Karim Benzema, but perhaps the most important piece of the puzzle is the new boss, Manuel Pellegrini. Can he manage the stars and find a formation suitable for them? The truth is he can't play every galactico in the same line-up. However, I'm sure he has been turning these questions over in his head since the minute he signed the contract. Pellegrini is a coach that has seen pressure before, coaching in the harsh Argentine leagues' atmosphere and with Villareal in La Liga and in Europe, but knows he will have to deal with it again. The Chilean has been under close surveillance of his squad in their preseason camp base in Ireland this summer. He has studied newcomers Ronaldo and Benzema but will have to wait a bit longer for Kaka and Raul Albiol because like their new teammates Sergio Ramos and Casillas, played in the Confederations Cup this summer, granting them an extended vacation. I'm bummed out to know I can't get inside the boss's head and study his thoughts on the whole selection ordeal but like Pellegrini, I have been toying with the starting XI as well. Here is an idea of what I've come up:
- ------------Casillas------------
--------Pepe----Albiol---------
Ramos-----------------Marcelo
-----Lass/Diarra---------------
--------------Sneijder----------
-----------Kaka----------------
-Ronaldo--------------Robben-
-----------(Any ST)------------
Here is why I like this as a first choice. Obviously Casillas will be in between the posts. We all remember the Pepe meltdown from last season, but I think Pepe is still growing and developing. He is a player with a lot of heart and has all the key elements for a center back. My other center back is Albiol, with the exit of Cannavaro this summer, the Spanish International new signing is a good fit for the job. And if I'm wrong, our youngster Garay, returning from loan at Santander is capable of stepping right in. Notice the outside backs are a little higher than their center backs. Here's why; take a peek at who I have selected, Ramos and Marcelo. Both players are good technically and love to get forward. Obviously when one goes thundering up the pitch, the other holds and tucks in and if necessary, my Lass/Diarra can slide into their spot temporarily. Now on to the midfield. I avoided the England problem by not putting the same types of players together. My Lass/Diarra player is the holder, the creator, the key to the team. He keeps the shape and changes the point of attack. Sneijder didn't have the best of years last season. However, I believe it had a lot to do with injuries. Being a Real Madrid fan, I know as well as any other Madridista knows, what he is capable of doing if healthy. Prime example: Season 07-08. He is my box-to-box midfielder, the Lampard job. Developes attacks and gets behind the ball defensively. He is a complete player so Madrid might as well use him as one. Kaka is right where he needs to be here, not a forward but hardly a midfielder with two center midfielder's already behind him, he is free to attack. It is the poaching job he has made famous. Ronaldo and Robben, both fast and quick, excel at taking on defenders 1v1, but I haven't glued them to the touchline. Ideally, that's where I want them to take on defenders, but in order to let them express themselves creatively, I'd give them the freedom to wander a bit away from the flank because sooner rather than later, Marcelo and Sergio Ramos will be storming up the side line in their place, allowing Ronaldo and Robben to drift into the middle awaiting service from the outside backs. Ahh, at last the forward. This will be quite the headache for Pellegrini. Any of the center strikers could do this job effectively. It is essentially the "Number 9" job. Benzema, Raul, Higuain, Van Nistelrooy if fit would all excel in this position working to create commotion with Kaka, Ronaldo, and Robben.
I'd love to hear what others think about this. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has been contemplating this for the last couple weeks. I know everyone has their own mouth-watering scheme cooked up somewhere. I know I didn't use it for my own blueprint, but why be afraid of the 4-4-2? It's an affective strategy.
Viva el futbol y Hala Madrid,
Bobby
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