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Spanish Inquisition: Do Real Madrid Play Better Without Cristiano Ronaldo?
As Los Blancos finally break an ancient curse, Goal.com’s KS Leong takes a look at how it was accomplished without the world’s most expensive player...
01-Feb-2010 6:44:00 PM
By KS Leong
First and foremost, before we open our cannons and begin the ugly yet intriguing business of arguments and debates, here’s a big shout out to the reformed Guti and the exquisite assist he made at the weekend for Karim Benzema against Deportivo La Coruna.
For those who haven’t seen it, I won’t spoil it by attempting to describe it in words because – as you’ve guessed it – it won’t do it justice. But suffice to say, it was one of the most audacious, outrageous assists you’ll ever see this season, chiefly because of its sheer unexpectedness, but it was also one that was, incidentally, almost matched 24 hours later by the pairing of Jesus Navas and Alvaro Negredo who helped Sevilla take down Valencia.
And that brings us nicely to the discussion about collective team play in football. Again, for those who missed the clash between Depor and Real Madrid on Saturday, Los Blancos put on a masterclass in the first half, playing some sublime one-touch football and controlling the game with their crisp, incisive passing. And they looked rather effective upfront, too... all without Cristiano Ronaldo.
After all the fuss about the Portuguese’s red card the weekend before, the subsequent two-game ban and the torrent of appeals that followed, it turned out that Madrid really didn’t need the €94 million man anyway to end their nightmare 18-year winless run and six straight defeats at the Riazor.
But was it just a case of Madrid being so desperate to break their near-two decade long jinx at Deportivo that they knew they simply had to step up to the challenge collectively to make up for the absence of Ronaldo? Or did Madrid really play better without CR9? Don’t forget, Manuel Pellegrini also had to make do without a host of other vital components in the team including Gonzalo Higuain and Lassana Diarra and he had to deploy a make-shift defence. Is it then just a case of too many cooks when the coach has all their superstars present in the kitchen?
The fact that Kaka, for one, had an excellent outing against Depor is unsurprisingly given that he was the key player for the Merengues on the night and he was able to see much more of the ball than when Cristiano is playing. The Brazilian did not shy away from stamping his authority and showing everyone that he was king of the ‘Casa Blanca’ as he marauded all over midfield, switched from one flank to the other and in between, occasionally pit-stopped in the middle. It’s something that he may not have the liberty or the luxury to do with Ronaldo around, as it seems that CR9 is always the one who decides when to swap wings.
Ronaldo has, without question, become more of a team player ever since he returned from his ankle injury. And even at the start of the season, he was involved in a few cracking team goals. Ofcourse, he brings his own razzle dazzle to the party but the hype and the pressure on him to impress and score superhuman goals is so great that you just feel whenever one of the ‘Men In White’ have possession, they feel obliged to pass the ball to him and stand back as he weaves his magic. His mere presence on the pitch also prompts the opposition to double up in numbers at the back and defend more aggressively, as Athletic Bilbao demonstrated a few weeks back.
But without that burden on Saturday night in Galicia, Madrid were given more time and space to work with. They were able to pass the ball around at their own leisure and carve open the opposing defence at their own pace, without being rushed by Ronaldo’s galloping runs or demands to play the ball to him quicker.
Perhaps the former Manchester United ace is still in Premier League mode, where everything has to move at breakneck speed from one end to the other and all attacking ventures have to go the direct route.
Benzema’s second goal against Depor – the one with the delightful assist from Guti – is the perfect demonstration of a lightning quick counter attack that did not require a player to run 20 miles per hour up 50 yards and outsprint half a dozen defenders.
It started with Iker Casillas’ throw out from his own area to Benz, who touched it on to Kaka, who sprayed it forward diagonally to Guti, before ending back at Karim’s feet... all the while none of them seemingly moved any faster than at jogging pace. Granted, Deportivo at times made it too easy for Madrid by not hassling them off the ball, but again, that comes back to the question of whether the Galicians would have been more hostile in their defending had they had to attend to Ronaldo.
Football is a fickle game indeed, especially when Real Madrid are involved. Ronaldo simply could not get the spotlight off himself for the whole of last week but as the new week begins, the headlines and the office chit-chat has been all about the genius of Guti.
The most expensive footballer on the planet will be absent again this weekend when Madrid host Espanyol as he serves out the second of his two-game suspension. But which Madrid will we see? Can they once again produce a majestic display or will they go on to prove that they do indeed desperately need the services of Cristiano Ronaldo?
For those who haven’t seen it, I won’t spoil it by attempting to describe it in words because – as you’ve guessed it – it won’t do it justice. But suffice to say, it was one of the most audacious, outrageous assists you’ll ever see this season, chiefly because of its sheer unexpectedness, but it was also one that was, incidentally, almost matched 24 hours later by the pairing of Jesus Navas and Alvaro Negredo who helped Sevilla take down Valencia.
And that brings us nicely to the discussion about collective team play in football. Again, for those who missed the clash between Depor and Real Madrid on Saturday, Los Blancos put on a masterclass in the first half, playing some sublime one-touch football and controlling the game with their crisp, incisive passing. And they looked rather effective upfront, too... all without Cristiano Ronaldo.
After all the fuss about the Portuguese’s red card the weekend before, the subsequent two-game ban and the torrent of appeals that followed, it turned out that Madrid really didn’t need the €94 million man anyway to end their nightmare 18-year winless run and six straight defeats at the Riazor.
But was it just a case of Madrid being so desperate to break their near-two decade long jinx at Deportivo that they knew they simply had to step up to the challenge collectively to make up for the absence of Ronaldo? Or did Madrid really play better without CR9? Don’t forget, Manuel Pellegrini also had to make do without a host of other vital components in the team including Gonzalo Higuain and Lassana Diarra and he had to deploy a make-shift defence. Is it then just a case of too many cooks when the coach has all their superstars present in the kitchen?
The fact that Kaka, for one, had an excellent outing against Depor is unsurprisingly given that he was the key player for the Merengues on the night and he was able to see much more of the ball than when Cristiano is playing. The Brazilian did not shy away from stamping his authority and showing everyone that he was king of the ‘Casa Blanca’ as he marauded all over midfield, switched from one flank to the other and in between, occasionally pit-stopped in the middle. It’s something that he may not have the liberty or the luxury to do with Ronaldo around, as it seems that CR9 is always the one who decides when to swap wings.
Kaka seems to always benefit from Ronaldo's absence
Ronaldo has, without question, become more of a team player ever since he returned from his ankle injury. And even at the start of the season, he was involved in a few cracking team goals. Ofcourse, he brings his own razzle dazzle to the party but the hype and the pressure on him to impress and score superhuman goals is so great that you just feel whenever one of the ‘Men In White’ have possession, they feel obliged to pass the ball to him and stand back as he weaves his magic. His mere presence on the pitch also prompts the opposition to double up in numbers at the back and defend more aggressively, as Athletic Bilbao demonstrated a few weeks back.
But without that burden on Saturday night in Galicia, Madrid were given more time and space to work with. They were able to pass the ball around at their own leisure and carve open the opposing defence at their own pace, without being rushed by Ronaldo’s galloping runs or demands to play the ball to him quicker.
Perhaps the former Manchester United ace is still in Premier League mode, where everything has to move at breakneck speed from one end to the other and all attacking ventures have to go the direct route.
Benzema’s second goal against Depor – the one with the delightful assist from Guti – is the perfect demonstration of a lightning quick counter attack that did not require a player to run 20 miles per hour up 50 yards and outsprint half a dozen defenders.
It started with Iker Casillas’ throw out from his own area to Benz, who touched it on to Kaka, who sprayed it forward diagonally to Guti, before ending back at Karim’s feet... all the while none of them seemingly moved any faster than at jogging pace. Granted, Deportivo at times made it too easy for Madrid by not hassling them off the ball, but again, that comes back to the question of whether the Galicians would have been more hostile in their defending had they had to attend to Ronaldo.
Football is a fickle game indeed, especially when Real Madrid are involved. Ronaldo simply could not get the spotlight off himself for the whole of last week but as the new week begins, the headlines and the office chit-chat has been all about the genius of Guti.
The most expensive footballer on the planet will be absent again this weekend when Madrid host Espanyol as he serves out the second of his two-game suspension. But which Madrid will we see? Can they once again produce a majestic display or will they go on to prove that they do indeed desperately need the services of Cristiano Ronaldo?
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