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Analysing Marcelo's worrying comments

Update:

Marcelo's frustration

Marcelo spoke to a pitch-side reporter immediately after the final whistle at the Bernabeu on Wednesday and claimed: “The team talks pre-match about errors we have to avoid and we end up making the very same mistakes. Later, Sergio Ramos tried to play down the comment but the annoyance from the Brazilian player was clear. Where exactly or at who was this comment directed? The finger (for the third Las Palmas goal) points firmly at Keylor who rushed out as Boateng was released on goal. The culpability can also be directed at the midfield and defenders as the Las Palma player launched his run from his own half. One thing is for a player to make an individual mistake but another thing is for a player to turn his back on the collective team effort.

MARCELO
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MARCELOFELIPE SEVILLANODIARIO AS

The BBC

The frustration I'd suggest is aimed at the forward line. When the BBC play (Wednesday saw Morata being used instead of Benzema) the midfielders feel exposed and in a certain manner it feels like a 7 v 10 game. The problem becomes more accentuated if Casemiro is not on the pitch. The forward line play little attention to defensive responsibilities whilst the likes of Carvajal and Marcelo provide marvellous support for the attackers with their bursts of eighty metre runs along the touchline, recovering their defensive position immediately. During many game it often appears that their work rate and effort is on a different par with the forward line and are constantly outnumbered when called upon in their defensive capacity.

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Manu BruqueEFE

CR7

Madrid have in the side one player who seems to be above any criticism: Cristiano. Ramos referred to him as a ‘happening’ within the squad whereas Ancelotti claimed that there was one very special player in his team and that was the striker from Madeira. Back then Cristiano was scoring an average of fifty goals per season and that ratio has dropped off so some of the culpability most be apportioned to the Portuguese player. Against stronger teams, Madrid's rear-guard suffer as they are physically separated, this becomes even more worrying when they lose spirit and the will to play for the collective. This is what I feel Marcelo was insinuating with his post match comments on Wednesday.

CRISTIANO RONALDO
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CRISTIANO RONALDOJESUS RUBIODIARIO AS

Follow the match LaLiga 2016/2017 date 26 : Eibar – Real Madrid.