Glory: 5 February 2025 – Managing Madrid

A Conversation

Juninho: So you’ve retired and you want me to be a moderator?

Ezek XI: No, no no. A moderator is just a man lost in the scramble for his own gratification. He can be destroyed, retire, banned. But if you make yourself more than just a man, if you devote yourself and every Daily Thread to an ideal, and if they can’t stop you — then you become something else entirely.

Juninho: Which is?

Ezek XI: A Legend.

Welcome to The Daily Merengue — a place where you can feel free to discuss all things football. Do not be alarmed by the overt RMCF bias. It’s in the name!

Shoutout to the Mods who do a fantastic job, Valyrian Steel, KungFuZizou, NeRObutBlanco, Felipejack, and Juninho (the “shadows”).

Author’s Note: Madridsto requested that I write today’s DT about summer transfer targets and another poster discussed potential formations. That will come Friday!!! I somehow totally forgot that we were going to play Leganes today, so it would be weird if the DT had nothing to do with this matchup (and then the next will be a recap, etc etc.) So apologies. I’m working on it and am half way done.

Copa Del Rey: Real Madrid CF v. CD Leganes

And today we are back again with a scintillating matchup on our quest to reclaiming the CDR trophy (a trophy that constantly seems to elude us lol). However, we will be without a whole cast of key players including David Alaba, Antonio Rudiger, Kylian Mbappe, and Jude Bellingham.

Can the team still muster a win at the Estadio Municipal de Butarque? Find out on the next episode of — Suffering W/ Real Madrid!!!

What I Hope To See

Early Subs. Rather than full blown rotations, I still suspect that we’ll have a relatively strong (well strong as possible) lineup. Whether you want Carlo to stay or want Carlo to leave, I believe we all admit that Carlo is heavily under pressure and a loss to Leganes would be quite frankly damaging to him potentially continuing into the final year of contract. Also this team happens to struggle against anyone + everyone and could use a confidence boost before the Atleti / City matches. So Don Carlo, all I’m asking is for early subs. Atleti quickly dispatched of Getafe yesterday and now has an additional day to rest before the Derby. Hopefully, we can quickly get a result and deep needed rest for the remaining key players.

Arda Guler. I’m not in KFZ mode with Arda. I think he’s a good talent but I’m not entirely sure whether he’ll survive here or take his talents to Arsenal / Real Sociedad (shoutout Odegaard + Kubo). But I hope to see him in this match on the right wing or in the 10 combining with likely Vini and Rodrygo up top. He’s our best set piece taker by a mile and it would be best if we could find ways to have him utilized more. I’m also personally more interested in his growth than handing Brahim minutes.

Jacobo Ramon. I really really hope Jacobo starts (even if it ends up being a disaster). I say this for two reasons: 1) Real Madrid as a whole needs to provide academy players opportunities — period. This is a long term view as this effects future recruitment. If we want to boast of La Fabrica and having the ability to rely on these players then we kind of need to rely on them in moments where we have zero CBs. The other reason why I hope to see Jacobo is that it could indicate that Fede is actually resting (but more on that later). Hopefully he plays and plays well.

Vini Jr. We’re not yet ready to fully discuss the VMR or LW Rodrygo or the passing predicament at Espanyol and neither is Carlo. Therefore, Vini is needed and will be relied on regardless. we should all be rooting for his best.

What I Don’t Want To See

Federico Valverde. I don’t even want to see Fede on the bench lmao. I mean we will but I really don’t want to. Im a bit superstitious so all I’ll say is Fede has played 2,937 minutes, started 34 games, and gone unused ZERO amount of times this season. Fede has played less than 45 minutes ONCE this season. He’s a warrior. But even warriors eventually need to go home. Tchouameni + Modric + Ceballos / Arda should be more than enough.

Extra Time. Of course I’m saying this now…and I’ll be singing a completely different tune when we’re down 1-2 in the 88th minute with a set piece and I’m praying to every deity for a last minute goal. But as of right now, I don’t want to see any extra time. This team desperately needs only 90 minutes. We don’t need more minutes on our legs. We as fans don’t need more football either lmao. Please….please….let this game not go into extra time.

A Rotated Backline. I’ll admit that this is a bit contradictory but hear me out. Although I don’t actually want to see Fede Valverde play this game (or even Ferland Mendy), I also don’t want to see a rotated backline (assuming both start in our backline against Atletico & City). I’d prefer for our potential makeshift backline to develop some sense of chemistry in a lower pressure game before attempting to keep a cleansheet against the likes of Erling Haaland or Atletico that just pasted Getafe. Real often suffers with rotations / substitutions because we tend to throw a random cast of characters into important moments — when they have never had an opportunity to develop as a unit. Carlo Ancelotti’s laissez faire coaching style (which is almost solely based off personnel) also often compromises they’re potential. Nevertheless, I’d be extremely concerned if the Atleti backline is a backline that hasn’t at least passed the ball to each other. I doubt I’ll get what I want (and maybe I shouldn’t), but I’d absolutely prefer for Thibaut to work on organizing this makeshift lineup. I think it would be better for us all in the long run.

Forgotten Lessons

Oscnar: “There Is No Defeat In Death, Juni. Victory Comes In Defending What We Know Is Right While We Still Live.”

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“stop speaking fables”