Real Madrid 4-AS Roma 2
28th August 2004
My brother is a hardcore Barca fan and after 25 mins, he messaged saying he was sleeping (it was 1 a.m. our time) because he knew the final score that we were losers.I told him I would call him and wake him up when we equalised, and then again when we scored and took the lead.
Of course, he said I was an optimist and delusional, but I said it's not optimism. It's belief. Belief in your team, in your players, in what Real Madrid represents. Because in 10 minutes, I had seen enough to know that the team would attack better than the last few games and that they really cared about this.
Yes The defence was a shambles, Helguera looked crestfallen, but it was there in Zidane's face, in Figo's runs, in Raul's shouts, in RC's "try to hard to impress", in Ronaldo's actually putting in effort. The fact that they cared about the goal, cared about the result and were willing to play with passion and pride.
I think our defending last night was panicky and shambolic, and that Helguera and Samuel had better develop some understanding really fast. They need to be more decisive, and this absurd habit of multiple players running after the opponent with the ball while leaving his team-mates unmarked has to stop.
RC still has not put in a consistent game where he is reliable in defence as well as potent going forward.
And Ronaldo needs to find his scoring boots. His work-rate has improved, the chances are there but the goals are not, and I wonder if we should persist like we did with Raul or let Moro start against Depor.
There were many things wrong but there were so many things right last night.
Figo's old legs showed that some of magic is still there when his heart is in it. In the 2nd half Roma could not put 2 passes together as the players harassed them the way they have been harassed by people like Seville last year or Bayer 2 weeks ago.
Beckham, who I have possibly trashed more than anyone on this board, proved that he actually could tackle if he put his mind to it and I was wrong in wanting him dropped. Zidane, half-fit, still showed what we had been missing. Even my favourite punching bag Guti played well after replacing Celades, much to my consternation.
But that's not what last night is about.
And people who find it strange we are excited after a win against a struggling team don't understand why we are excited.
It's not about beating Roma.It's about the emotion the players showed on the pitch. And it's about Raul having his 3rd good game in a row, during which he has scored 3 goals and won a penalty.
It's about passion and heart and pride.
About a king who reclaimed his throne.
About a team whose spiritual soul found direction and expression after months in the wilderness.
We are not out of the wilderness. But we know where to go. And the king has returned to lead us there.
28th August 2004
My brother is a hardcore Barca fan and after 25 mins, he messaged saying he was sleeping (it was 1 a.m. our time) because he knew the final score that we were losers.I told him I would call him and wake him up when we equalised, and then again when we scored and took the lead.
Of course, he said I was an optimist and delusional, but I said it's not optimism. It's belief. Belief in your team, in your players, in what Real Madrid represents. Because in 10 minutes, I had seen enough to know that the team would attack better than the last few games and that they really cared about this.
Yes The defence was a shambles, Helguera looked crestfallen, but it was there in Zidane's face, in Figo's runs, in Raul's shouts, in RC's "try to hard to impress", in Ronaldo's actually putting in effort. The fact that they cared about the goal, cared about the result and were willing to play with passion and pride.
I think our defending last night was panicky and shambolic, and that Helguera and Samuel had better develop some understanding really fast. They need to be more decisive, and this absurd habit of multiple players running after the opponent with the ball while leaving his team-mates unmarked has to stop.
RC still has not put in a consistent game where he is reliable in defence as well as potent going forward.
And Ronaldo needs to find his scoring boots. His work-rate has improved, the chances are there but the goals are not, and I wonder if we should persist like we did with Raul or let Moro start against Depor.
There were many things wrong but there were so many things right last night.
Figo's old legs showed that some of magic is still there when his heart is in it. In the 2nd half Roma could not put 2 passes together as the players harassed them the way they have been harassed by people like Seville last year or Bayer 2 weeks ago.
Beckham, who I have possibly trashed more than anyone on this board, proved that he actually could tackle if he put his mind to it and I was wrong in wanting him dropped. Zidane, half-fit, still showed what we had been missing. Even my favourite punching bag Guti played well after replacing Celades, much to my consternation.
But that's not what last night is about.
And people who find it strange we are excited after a win against a struggling team don't understand why we are excited.
It's not about beating Roma.It's about the emotion the players showed on the pitch. And it's about Raul having his 3rd good game in a row, during which he has scored 3 goals and won a penalty.
It's about passion and heart and pride.
About a king who reclaimed his throne.
About a team whose spiritual soul found direction and expression after months in the wilderness.
We are not out of the wilderness. But we know where to go. And the king has returned to lead us there.
posted by Anirban Blah at 1:17 am
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