Same old story. Real Madrid arguably deserved
the win but a corner-kick from Manchester United was enough for Ferguson's team
to put los blancos in trouble for the second leg. Varane's age made Real Madrid
fans worry about containing Van Persie and Rooney, but the French man played
brilliantly. It was Sergio Ramos the one that had trouble. He didn't only allow
Welbeck to score, but he also tried to pass the ball with his chest while being
the last man, and that cost Real Madrid another big scare. He seems
uncomfortable on the pitch, and that's something this defense can't afford.
Jose Mourinho said in press conference that
the team worked really hard to stop United from scoring off set-pieces, but he
also explained that nothing can be done when one-on-one marks are lost. Ramos
didn't even know where the ball was when Welbeck was in the air trying to
score.
Given Varane's recent performances in big
matches such as the last Clásico against FC Barcelona, Real Madrid should
consider starting him on Ramos' spot. Some could argue that the Spanish
defender should go back to the right-back position, but his careless play in
that spot is something the team can't afford against elite teams. Arbeloa plays
poorly offensively, but he's very realiable on defense and he always gets some
important steals very high on the pitch because of his good pressure on the
opposition's deffensive line.
Gonzalo Higuaín and Karim Benzema both were
completely invisible. The team plays better with the French on the pitch,
because he creates space for his teammates and is a good passer, but Real
Madrid should have a better striker on the roster in order to make games
easier. Higuaín has never been the same player since he had surgery on his back
two years ago. He works well, but the Argentinian isn't much of a clinical
finisher neither. At the end, the team depends on Cristiano Ronaldo too much.
It wasn't enough even with Di María and Özil playing well, since both of them
lack the ability to score.
Fabio Coentrao was one of the best Real Madrid
players, but the team is surely missing Marcelo when attacking. Coentrao had
two big chances saved brilliantly by De Gea, but he doesn't have Marcelo's
skills to pass and dribble the ball.
Simply put, this game was similar to Real
Madrid's season so far. The team does enough to win, but set-pieces and a lack
of a clinical striker end up costing los blancos a well-deserved win.
Source::
