Update

Hello all

So, I've been really really busy... I cant find time to write anything... But I hope I can make some free time and write something

Anyway, things as usual...

Transfer dealings

a) Real signed Theo, Marcos Llorente (I dont remember us signing anyone in attacking half... but we sold Morata, James)

b) actually I was sad to see Morata leave, but with Zidane preferring Benzema in big matches and world cup coming next year, Morata needs assured game time and its understandable he left... too bad his return to Madrid didnt go as expected...

c) then, James departure was expected, there was a slight problem with his attitude... he publicly expressed his displeasure when substituted, his comments during Club WC (in Japan?) when team's celebrating havent gone well with hierarchy... plus, relationship between zidane and player broke off... anyway he left for Bayern at very low price compared to his value... It seems Bayern & Real enjoy good relations in transfer dealings... we got kroos cheaply, they got alonso... now james too at just 35M euros

d) Then, Pepe left (he asked for 2yr contract, even okay with reduced game time, but we only promised 1yr contract), we got back our academy player Jesus Vallejo... I've read that he is very good defender, but he is slightly injury prone... but Nacho is always reliable... with Ramos, Varane, Marcelo our defence is strong...


Super Copa Espana

a) What a resounding victory over our bitter rivals... I've been following football regularly since 2011.. here & there we may have dominated Barca in short spells across a match, but this is the first time I am seeing Real completely dominating Barcelona in both legs



b) too bad Ronaldo got red card - personally, I feel it wasnt red, but minimum punishment for shoving referee is 4 matches... so, 4 matches is fine, but it shouldnt have been red in the first place... but having receiving red card, Ronaldo should curse his bad luck, leave the pitch and hope for it be rescinded before appeal committee... but elation, pressure, high stakes match all got to him and he stupidly (?) pushed the referee (very slightly, ideally I would've liked if referee didnt mention it in his match report, but once he did mention, Ronaldo was bound to get 4 matches suspension at least)

c) 3 mistakes I see here (this is just my opinion; one has every right to disagree with me)
- referee giving red card (but I will not blame referee having any bias against Real or Ronaldo... because I've seen enough fooball, that these things even out... if we got unfairly treated, next time it will be other team... so, we just have to accept referees are human, they are bound to make mistakes
- Ronaldo shove (it was very slightly, not confronting or threatening or using abusive language... he just did that because he was surprised by that decision and in that heat of the moment he did so... but what he did was wrong and he should know better (but boy what a goal he scored just before that... he was goaded into showing his shirt to the crowd by Marcelo & others... he rightly got yellow card for excessive celebrations)
- referee mentioning it in his report (this I feel referee shouldn't have done... once the match is over, referee knows that Ronaldo only did that because of his error is giving 2nd yellow; plus it wasnt that serious shove or push at all... just a slight shove.. he could've let it go... I've seen many instances where players use arms around referee to turn him around, to block him, to argue with him... even Marca posted some video from a match in 2011, where Messi appears to push referee when decision went against him...

Anyway, its over now... we won, and for the first time, since I've started watching football, I've seen Real completely dominating Barcelona


League

a) We started the campaign with a victory over Deportivo, but suffered back to back draws... RM dropped four points in last two league matches (both matches at home, we drew to Valencia & newly promoted Levante)

b) Reasons = Zidane's reliance on rotation... Bale & Benzema both failing miserably (Benzema missed 3,4 glorius chances in that Malaga game; Bale missed 3 clear goal scoring opportunities in Levante game and was booed by the home crowd) when they were most needed with Ronaldo injured... still I think Benzema should be in starting XI and not be sold because he is the one player who links superbly with Ronaldo... they both have an excellent understanding... may be we should've started Isco, Modric, Casemiro instead of Vasquez, Llorente, Asensio... But anything can be said in hindsight... Zidane's B-team performed exceptionally well last season... plus, his rotation policy paid rich dividends reflected in the superb form of  Ronaldo, who was well rested during early parts of the campaign

c) Anyway there was no reason to panic.. its just 4 points.. the important thing is team is playing well, creating lots of chances...

Barcelona

a) During 2008-12, Barcelona had excellent talent coming from La Masia; but now not so much... so, now they too paid high prices like we did 3,4 yrs back (how things turn, now we signed Kroos for just 25M, Asensio for 6M, our average player age is just 24yrs)... they brought Suarez (whose on-field conduct was in question when Barcelona signed him Chiellini biting incident, earlier refusal to shake hands with Evra; Neymar's actual cost of signing him wasnt known to anyone, but I bet it was high.. now they went for Dembele... Of course Dortmund & other clubs knew barca had money, so they played hard realising Barcelona's desperate need to sign their player... still, if Barcelona was so much Mes en que club, then they could've got someone from La Masia... or signed someone younger with potential at cheap price and waited for him to develop... they wouldnt raid other clubs with their huge kitty...

PS: Actually, I dont have problem with Barcelona signing players, but the problem is you cant sign players at exorbitant prices while accusing Madrid for doing the same (apparently Catalan media decried Real's huge spending during 2009 when they brought Cristiano, Benz, Ozil, Kaka, Alonso...

Tough times reveal your true character... when Barca had Xavi, Iniesta, Messi - they said youth academy, develop young players, sustainable way of running a club and stuff... but now they let Thiago go to Bayern... hardly gives chances to La Masia graduates in first eleven... In that matter, I respect Ajax (win or loose, trophies or no trophies, they always emphasise their own youth team.. Bilbao - another team which only signs players from Basque region)

So, point is during tough times (neymar leaving, real winning 3 out of 4 CL and establishing its supremacy in europe - Barcelona were forced); Same was the case with Real... Barca in 2009 was unstoppable... Actually, we have to respect them a lot - Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Puyol, Pique, Valdes - treble winning team, one of the greatest teams ever... Plus, most significant for Barcelona as a club is not that they won treble, but all final 3 Balon d'ors contestants have been La Masia graduates in 2010... No other club can dream to achieve such feat... So, I feel with such dominance from Barcelona, Real has no option but to look for immediate solutions (get Mourinho sacrificing Real's playing style; buy players - although this has been Real's policy since Galactico era in 2000s)

Anyway, enough about Barcelona... Hope they have a good season, but we have a better one than they do :P

Civil Services

a) Mains is on Oct 28... I've cleared prelims... this is my 5th attempt by the way... and since I am from General category, I've one more attempt left not counting this one... hopefully, I'll get through this year...

b) Actually, since I've been preparing real hard, I havent had anytime writing in the blog... lets see how things go once Mains is over..


Hala Madrid