tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2315029118252270574.post1094298881098423639..comments2023-07-14T14:55:50.369+05:30Comments on 90 minutes on the pitch!: Alonso joins Madrid..finally!Tanuj Lakhinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01444220810959564412noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2315029118252270574.post-79570963148607365812009-08-05T10:32:19.666+05:302009-08-05T10:32:19.666+05:30Xabi and Lass, I think that's the only way the...Xabi and Lass, I think that's the only way they can play. Both of them would protect the back four and also could provide the width(highly unlikely with the way they play) or could create space in the middle. This also might reduce the space for Marcelo to go up front.<br /><br />I would like to see how Villareal used to lineup to actually make something of it. Although Villareal wouldn't have had these many attacking options to choose from.Tanuj Lakhinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01444220810959564412noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2315029118252270574.post-45594989875784077762009-08-05T01:25:12.576+05:302009-08-05T01:25:12.576+05:30Thanks for the mention (and pointing me to this).
...Thanks for the mention (and pointing me to this).<br /><br />I think this is the general, overly simplistic-take home:<br /><br />Committing to Alonso forces you to play with two deep midfielders (Alonso and a partner that can protect the back like Lass, since Xabi is not going to do that), which then limits what you can do with the four remaining players.<br /><br />Xabi's a very good player, but you need a Senna or a Mascherano to play with him. Real Madrid has that (in fact, they have a couple of players in that mold), but it does limit the tactical versatility Pellegrini may otherwise like to have.richardhttp://worldsoccerreader.com/author/richardfarleynoreply@blogger.com