El Grande Classico: Page 7 - The Arsenal discussion community: One More in the Tolly

El Grande Classico

Burnwinter

Ronaldo's got a bit more aggression about him.

Edit: to clarify, I think Messi's a better player. Not sure I wouldn't rather have Ronaldo on the field with five minutes to go in a crunch match with scores level, though.

Tony Montana

General Mirth wrote:
A complete package is a pretty subjective term to begin with. In almost every technical aspect of the game I'd rate Messi higher be it passing, dribbling or finishing. And the difference between Ronaldo and Messi is 8 goals and 10 assists in the same number of games which is a fair gap, I'd say.

Messi's got a better team and structure behind him though.

He's still better of course.

Claudius

Mirthy, when I say complete package, I look at the things that Ronaldo does away from dribbling through crowds and putting it past the keeper. In the Copa last week, Ronaldo scored the perfect header. By the time he left United, he was probably their most consistent aerial threat, rivaled only by Vidic. Ronaldo has that beautiful dipping free-kick technique. He can run on the wing and cross the ball. He puts in a lot of work on defense. I saw him busting his chops on both ends in extra time of the Copa, closing down players, and then going on an Olympic sprint late in the first half of extra time. The kid clearly spends so much time working on different parts of his game. He's the Kobe Bryant of basketball (complete with the arrogance and polarizing effect on fans). Love him.

Pepe LeFrits

Ronaldo plays basketball?

Burnwinter

Caligula wrote:
He's the Kobe Bryant of basketball (complete with the arrogance and polarizing effect on fans). Love him.

I wonder what Kobe thinks about that 😃

Claudius

Ha.
If you want to see great athleticism, look for Kobe Bryant's dunk against the Hornets last night.
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?categoryId=2459789&id=6434935 (go to 34 seconds in after the commercial)
or this from the other night

what's incredible about both of these dunks is that he drives to one side, dribbling with that hand and then rises and dunks with the other. And he goes in different directions on the two dunks. Completely catches the defenders off-guard. Not even Ronaldo can do that on a basketball court

Rex

Nothing Kobe is doing these days that MJ didn't do better back in the day...

Claudius

That's true, but nobody is doing what Kobe's been doing the last couple of years right now in the league.

Mirth

Caligula wrote:
Mirthy, when I say complete package, I look at the things that Ronaldo does away from dribbling through crowds and putting it past the keeper. In the Copa last week, Ronaldo scored the perfect header. By the time he left United, he was probably their most consistent aerial threat, rivaled only by Vidic. Ronaldo has that beautiful dipping free-kick technique. He can run on the wing and cross the ball. He puts in a lot of work on defense. I saw him busting his chops on both ends in extra time of the Copa, closing down players, and then going on an Olympic sprint late in the first half of extra time. The kid clearly spends so much time working on different parts of his game. He's the Kobe Bryant of basketball (complete with the arrogance and polarizing effect on fans). Love him.

Fair enough! Ronaldo has worked incredibly hard to improve weaknesses in his game, fair play to him for that I suppose. However, I prefer watching Messi.

Anyway, on topic: I think Madrid will beat Barcelona over the two legs.

GaelForce

So hard to predict. I think Madrid will need to take a lead to the Camp Nou if they're going to do it, something they still haven't done against Guardiola's Barca (win in 90 mins), as they will definitely lose the 2nd leg. Wouldn't put it past them though, with Pepe, Ronaldo, Di Maria and Ozil in their current form.

If I had to, I'd say we'll see a draw tonight and Barca to win the 2nd leg.

y va marquer

Iniesta's out for this leg.
Think I'd back Madrid to come through over the two.
Mourinho seems to have got well inside Guardiola's head.

“Jose permitted himself the luxury of calling me Pep so I will him call him Jose.
He has won the battle off the pitch.
If he wants his own personal Champions League, I’ll let him have it.
But I worked with him for four years [at Barcelona] and I’d very much like him to have believed me, not a newspaper“

He can say or do whatever he wants. In this room, Mourinho is the f------ chief, the f------ boss. I do not have to compete with him in here.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/champions-league/8475557/Real-Madrid-v-Barcelona-Pep-Guardiolas-fury-explodes-over-Jose-Mourinho-jibes-ahead-of-Champions-League-tie.html

Qwiss

Everyone seems to have jumped on the Madrid bandwagon lately, I still the Catalan scum will do them over 2 legs. Close at the SB then a decisive win at the NC.

y va marquer

qs! wrote:
Everyone seems to have jumped on the Madrid bandwagon lately, I still the Catalan scum will do them over 2 legs. Close at the SB then a decisive win at the NC.

That'd be as a result of Madrid having the upper hand over the two games they've played so far in this run of four?

Their the ones bringing the positive result into this leg.

Missing Iniesta will weaken Barca in a key area too.

GaelForce

Real Madrid: Casillas, Arbeloa, Sergio Ramos, Albiol, Marcelo, Alonso, Pepe, Diarra, Ozil, Ronaldo, Di Maria. Subs: Adan, Kaka, Benzema, Granero, Garay, Higuain, Adebayor.
Barcelona: Valdes, Dani Alves, Pique, Busquets, Puyol, Xavi, Mascherano, Keita, Pedro, Messi, Villa. Subs: Pinto, Jeffren, Milito, Afellay, Fontas, Roberto, Thiago.

The difference between the benches is staggering. Cesc would have been useful for Barca around about now!

lorddulaarsenal

Why is it a luxury to call him pep?

y va marquer

I think maybe in Catalan it's considered impolite to address somebody by a nickname or first name unless you're family.

Timbob

Madrid have ridden their luck in the first 2 games. That luck cant last.

Qwiss

y va marquer wrote:
I think maybe in Catalan it's considered impolite to address somebody by a nickname or first name unless you're family.

Then how come Fab has Cesc on the back of his Spain shirt?

Gurgen

This tactic with Pepe in midfield reminds me of Greece playing Sokratis in midfield vs. Argentina to kick Messi during the World Cup. But that was Greece 😆

Mourinho is such a fucking disgrace.

Qwiss

Real should have started with Adebayor up top, get crosses into him and he'd destroy Masherano in the air.

« Previous Page Next Page »