CONTERMPORARY : Real Madrid 2009-..

[cagiva]

Real Madrid 2009-2010
Manager : Manuel Pellegrini
Club : Real Madrid
Country : Spain
Modern Notation : 4-2-2-2 ; 4-3-3 ; 4-2-3-1
Era : Contemporary
Honours : Dubbed to be the new Galacticos
Contributor : cagiva

The old new president Florentino Perez is trying to build the "Galacticos II" . The result is that some of the very best players in the world have arrived in the white half of Madrid. Pellegrini is the coach who is under pressure to bring success to the Bernabeu.

This formation and the style within it is built around one player - Cristiano Ronaldo. When he is not injured the whole team relies on his presence and goals. Xabi Alonso and Kaka are charged with creating attacking opportunities for him.

The team uses two very attacking fullbacks which often join in the attack phase. Lassana Diara, therefore, plays as the defensive holding midfielder to cover these runs. Alonso is the play maker, using his great vision and passing ability all over the pitch. The left midfielder's main role is to run down the flanks, creating havoc in the opposition defence by crossing and providing penetrative through balls. The most expensive player in the world starts on the right flank and is given the freedom to roam almost everywhere on the pitch with one purpose - to find the spaces from which to score goals. His great goalscoring skills make him the most important player for this style and this team.

Even the striker, who is purely a finisher, drifts wide to free space in the centre for Ronaldo to cut in. The role of the player behind the striker is to support the attack, making himself available to receive passes in the final third; also his purpose is to create chances for the others player in the attack of the team by running with the ball, or threading the ball behind the opposition's defender. He also has the freedom to roam in order to create space for his team mates.

Iker Casilas	Goalkeeper	Defend
Alvaro Arbeloa	Wing Back	Attack
Pepe	Central Defender	Defend
Raul Albiol	Central Defender	Defend
Sergio Ramos	Wing Back	Attack
Lassana Diara	Defensive midfielder	Defend
Xabi Alonso	Deep-lying playmaker	Support
Marcelo/Rayston Drenthe	Winger	Support
Cristiano Ronaldo	Inside Forward	Attack
Kaka /Raul	Attacking Midfielder	Attack
Karim Benzema/Gonzalo Higuain	Poacher	Attack

Philosophy	Fluid
Passing	Shorter
Creative Freedom	Default
Closing Down	Stand off
Tackling	Default
Marking	Default
Crossing	Default
Roaming	Default

[Millie]

Excellent work, cagiva. Bumping this up as it was originally written in the closed staff forums.

[Blizzard]

Great contribution, thanks! 

When I first read "Diarra" I was actually thinking "What?? Mamadou doesn�t play anymore, he�s a regular bench warmer" 

But then I realized in the description that it was actually Lassana Diarra, which of course DOES make sense.
In spain they call him "Lass" and it�s also on his jersey/kit, that�s why I got confused 

[Bebeto347]

 . But I think that it's the beginning season tactic. Now They play with 2 forward Higuain and Ronaldo (it's a 4-3-1-2), Ronaldo is a complete forward here , Arbeloa don't push up a lot whereas Ramos yes, Arbeloa is here to cover Marcelo, Ramos is covered by Lass who must be as an right defensive midfielder. But it's a default formation to allows Marcelo to left midfielder (normally a full back) because of his weak defensive capacity.

[Millie]

Ronaldo's strength, though, is starting on the right and cutting in. The formation posted here essentially is a 4-3-1-2; with Ronaldo and Raul up front (2), Kaka just behind (1) and Drenthe, Alonso and Diarra in the midfield (3).

If Ronaldo really is playing centre forward for Real Madrid then they're mis-using him.

There may be a case for playing Ronaldo at FR rather than AMR, but I have my doubts. It would be worth getting some other opinions on this, though, because I may be completely wrong.

[cagiva]

When the current season begin,in the first 5-6 matches Pelegrini used the 4-2-2-2 ( with two DMCs ,Lass and Alonso ) formation,but to be honest with average succes. Doing this he utilised Alonso as pure destructure,which is not his strenght ,and limited his great vision and playmaking style of play. Upfront there were combination of Raul and Benzema or Raul and Higuain. On the wings Ronaldo played some good matches,because even with that formation he has the freedom to cut inside,or even to spearhead the attacks,when Raul dropped deeper,and the other player upfron ( Benzema/Huguain ) moves wider to open space for Ronaldo. Still the team doesn't play good,and were vulnureble in defence. Moreso when Ronaldo get injured Pellegrini completely changed the style and formation,just to suit Ronaldo's abcent,and the talent of Kaka and Alonso. He starts to use the asymetric 4-2-3-1/4-3-2-1/4-3-1-2 ,or whaterver you want to called it ,where Lass was pure destroyer,covering the fullbacks,where Marcelo was winger,Alonso has move higher on the pitch to be the playmaker of the team,and Kaka was attackind midfielder,when mostly of the time Higuain filled the Ronaldo's position.
I think in the last month or two Real M showed very drastically how this new style is used by them.

[Death Ball]

A big problem of the team during the use of the box was the overpopulation of the center and the abuse of it, with everyone there and everytime trying to move the ball through the middle, the players were denied the space to use their talents. It was not once or twice a RM player was the one blocking the shots longer balls of a teammate. Many a time you'd see Kak� trying to dribble more than he could, always in the middle, instead of looking for a teammate and rarely with an option out wide. the problems were worsened when Ra�l tracked back to the midfield (or his substitute).

They had trouble even with sides as weak as Xerez (from what I've read).


As notes to the article now in the front page:

- Heinze was sold in early preseason and was planned so from the start, so Arbeloa should have been mentioned instead (Marcelo and Drenthe playing there while �lvaro's injury kept him out of the side).

- Pellegrini, from what I remembered, had abandoned the box already against Barcelona. But I might be wrong, since I couldn't get more than a half hour during second half due to internet channels saturation.

[cagiva]

Heinze was sold in early preseason and was planned so from the start, so Arbeloa should have been mentioned instead (Marcelo and Drenthe playing there while �lvaro's injury kept him out of the side

Yep,Millie made a mistakes. I think there is no problem and he will edit his text.

Pellegrini, from what I remembered, had abandoned the box already against Barcelona. But I might be wrong, since I couldn't get more than a half hour during second half due to internet channels saturation

Unfortanelly I didn't watch the game too, so I can't express any opinions on that matter.

[Millie]

Yep, brain fart. My apologies. Don't know where I got Heinze from.

[defjam71]

Nice tactic there.

Reminds me of an old, old chelsea one similar from years back.

[Death Ball]

Hey, no apologies needed, Millie, I just say, nothing bad for an errata.

[Millie]

Now, if I were a pedant, I'd say it's "erratum", since "errata" is the plural. But to correct someone who quite rightly pointed out a blatant factual error on my part is a little rich.

So, it's a good job I'm not a pedant, so I didn't say it.

Edit: - although, seeing as it was an author error, not a publishing error, I suppose that technically it's a corrigendum... 

[moj]

Benzema/Higuain just a poacher? Are you sure?

[cagiva]

Their overall play suggested that they are no more than consumers. Only when Higuain are played on the flanks is more involved in the overall build-up play,but when he is upfront is pure poacher.

[Blizzard]

From what I saw yesterday, Kak� and C.Ronaldo switch sides on a regular basis and Benzema looked more like a complete forward than a Poacher to me. But I guess that�s due to playing away from home. I think at the Bernabeu you are spot on cagiva. 

[RozA]

should any individual tweaks be made to compliment this? such as telling the wing backs to hug the touchline?
or maybe making Ronaldo the target man as to get him to finish off most of the attacks?

and also in terms of the teams width...how wide would you say Real Madrid are playing this year? because in past years i would have said they play wide but with the wingers drifting in more centrally.

[cagiva]

You should give Ronaldo full movement freedom and freedom to move into the channels. I don't think that Real's fullback are hugging the line all the time. Their aim to dribble down the wing will indirectly make them to hugging the line most of the time.

In terms of the team's width I think it depends both of tactical approach and who is the opponent and how they are playing.

[RozA]

thanks cagiva 

too give Ronaldo full movement freedom is that just simply roam from position and move into the channels?
also do you think making ronaldo the target man would be a good idea or not?

with the width what would you recommend for say playing at home against a weak side, because what I would like to know is how wide or narrow would be best for Ronaldo to get the goals?

[cagiva]

If you pointed him as TM you will limit your team choices in attack. And the result will be that your team will have far less variety in phase attack,as in every opportunity the player with the ball will try to feed Ronaldo.

Like I said before width should depend of your overall tactical approach and your opposition tactical approach and style of play. For example if you are at home ,and you want to attack in numbers your width should be wider ,with the purpose your team to have free spaces in where to cut into/move into. If you want to control the match from the start you should narrow your team's width as you should want your players to pass the ball more between them,waiting for the opportunity to arise.

[RozA]

Oh right. Thanks for clearing it up for me cagiva

the 1 thing I don't fully understand is how to give Ronaldo full movement freedom could you clear this up for me?

[cagiva]

Creative freedom = acting freedom
Roam from position/Free role = movement freedom

To give Ronaldo fully movement freedom you should instruct him to just roam everywhere he wants,searching empty spaces.

[RozA]

nice 1 cagiva thanks for clearing it up

[Bebeto347]

Real Madrid use the central part of the pitch a lot so for starting formation it's must be a narrow width.

[Zizinho]

Hy,

As a fan of Real Madrid, I'm very interested in this post.

However, it's seems to me that Real Madrid is nowadays playing a 4-4-2 diamond with Marcelo and Lass respectively in left and right sides with defensive duties and natural teamwork.
A couple of weeks ago I read (on marca or as, spanish diaries) an interview of Lass saying his was adapting himself to his new role.
The diamond is also composed by Alonso as deep playmaker and Kaka as a tretraquartista with a free role.
It's looks like the Older Milan diamond : Pirlo-Gattuso-Seedorf-Kaka
In the front of Attack, Pellegrini used to play with Ronaldo and Higuain (before his injury).
The Huge freedom of Kaka, Ronaldo, and Higuian create some chaos in their attacking movements.

On TV screen, it's usual to see Ronaldo, Benzema or Kaka in both sides with the help of Marcelo or Lass.

Thanks for your very interesting post

[BlueAngel]

I have a couple of things to add to this.

Firstly, I feel that Lassana Diarra and Xabi Alonso are in the wrong places, if only slightly. Xabi Alonso should be move back to the DMC spot while Lassana Diarra should move up to MRC as a Ball-Winning Midfielder. I feel Marcelo is a wide midfielder, not a winger, but that is more debateable. Up front, I have seen Higuain playing very well recently, but not as a poacher, rather in a more deep role (deep-lying forward or perhaps even trequarista).

The rest is fine I think, except that there is a case for playing Ronaldo at FR, but I find this very debatable and simply a matter of preferance!