Another 3-0 loss for Montreal.

Can we go any worse? 

Before the game we knew we'd miss all the injured/suspended players and performance would be affected but we also wanted to experiment how deep our squad is and how dependent is the team on certain players. 

I don't want to take away any credit to DC United, the did the right things and availed our errors wisely. I don't know why I enjoy watching playing Boskovic, maybe because he reminds me in some way to what Fernando Redondo, Argentinian and Real Madrid legend, treated the ball and set the pace to the game. 

The truth is we thought our squad was deep and is here where we face the reality of an expansion team and the dilution of the league talent, but we will develop this subject in another post.

Can we save a player from last night? wow, not even Davy Arnaud, who always makes solid performances, was victim of the fatigue of the last few games where traveling and little rest has been the rule, especially if he plays all 90 minutes in every single match. Here I blame Marsch a little, especially when he made no substitutions in the win against Houston after winning 4-2 with 30 minutes left, he could have freshen the midfield and avoid extra tax key players like Felipe, Mapp or Arnaud. 

We also have Sinisa Ubiparipovic, very erratic last night; he couldn't make a decent play in the entire match. I've always been a fan of him, he came last year and gave us sparks of magic but never forget it Montreal was still playing on 2nd division (NASL). I was very happy Jesse Marsch kept him on the team and coming off the bench he has done some good things when the team is on full potential. But there is a big difference when you want Sinisa to start the game and carry your MLS team on the shoulders. He simply hasn't been able to fill that role. He is like our own MLS Guti, referencing to the role Jose Maria Gutierrez played last decade with Real Madrid who was unable to pull out a good performance when starting the game but did great things off the bench. Although Sinisa hasn't been particularly spectacular coming off the bench either. 

I also blame Jesse Marsh for persisting on using Nyassi as a forward, what are we? Spain using a false 9? He has never performed well in this position and you can see he tends to go to the flanks and make the plays from there because he is a natural winger. I would rather have Arnaud as a center forward than Sanna Nyassi and having forwards on the bench like Sebrango or Montanio makes me really think about how we are using our tools. 

Marco Di Vaio, we better wait two or three more games before start evaluating his performance. 

At the end, we need Bernier, Ferrari, Rivas, Felipe and Warner the 90min and Marco Di Vaio adapted to MLS to compete in this league.

   

Big night for Madrid in Champions League.

It's prime time Tuesday afternoon for us in America when the UEFA Champions league 4er finals starts and from the first time in 7 years the most recognized team in the history of the Competition, The Real Madrid, makes his appearance.


I haven't feel this way in a long long time. Always remembering the last time Los Merengues were in quarter-finals beaten by the AS Monaco of Didier Deschamps, Fernando Morientes and Manu Adebayor with 1 more away goals. It was devastating and the beginning of the end of the Galactic era.

By that time, Fernando Morientes was traded to Monaco the previous year because he did not have spot in the galactic bench and tonight we see Rafael Van Der Vart in the same position, having and extraordinary season in Tottenham hotspur and coming back to Santiago Bernabeu to show he is a top class midfielder and should not have received such a treatment being traded.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Marcelo, Di Maria and Kaka are coming back from injuries and it seems Mourinho does not want to miss a star in his do or die match tonight. Are the ready? we don't know, but we are sure Mou does not want to be criticized for excluding them.

Tottenham also have many players on injury problems, but fortunately stars Garreth Bale and Aaron Lennon will start but bafana bafana capitain Steven Pienaar won't be able to play.

We will see if Jose Mourinho spell in European competitions will help Los Merengues this year. Well, all set for first leg between Real Madrid FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC for TSN and RSN in Canada.


 

Real Madrid and the quest of a striker.

How can we make Karim Benzema behave like the striker and number 9 of the best team of the last century? Last season he passed almost undercover when competing the spot against the 16th season of Madrid idol Raul Gonzalez and a red hot campaign of Argentinian Gonzalo Higuain. I would not say it was understandable, because you don't pay 30MM Euros for a player that can't compete in the big leagues, but the organization gave him another chance this season, that is for sure. 

The 2010-2011 begins with a new Coach and without Raul, a good moment to forget past failure and reborn in the white house, but Higuain started as hot as he finished last season and Mourinho just did not count with the frenchman from September to November, only a few substitutions on the 80th minute. 


Since December, Higuain injured due to a herniated disk, Benzema has been used as the only striker available and therefore the expectations raised high about the ex Lyon. He scored 2 hatricks but in non-transcendent games and, rather than that, Karim unfortunately hasn't showed much, not hunger, not sacrifice nor results. 

Karim Benzema has had more chances in the starter line-up than any other striker in the last 10 years on Real Madrid. I Remember players like Samuel Etoo, Michael Owen, Portillo, Soldado, Huntelaar whose always fought a spot against superstars like Morientes, Ronaldo, Robinho, Van Nisteelroy. These strikers always delivered 110% during the few minutes on the pitch and even scored important goals as substitutes.


 The frenchman has only scored one important and elaborated goal, yesterday's goal, where we all start thinking "he finally broke the ice!, from now on we will see a better striker". But after the nice and skilled goal, he continue to miss the same opportunities he has been missing since he arrived in Madrid. 

Only one player has had a similar disappointing campaign as striker and he was Antonio Cassano, an attacker that never woke up and never delivered the quality the Bernabeu was looking for. I think Benzema is now on the same category.






So, can we say Karim Benzema is the striker Real Madrid needs to remain unbeaten for the rest of the season, to fight La Copa del Rey semifinals and Champions league Quarter finals? I would say no, but only Mourinho will know.