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Update, 15:39 CET: Our newest contributor, Jared Dublin, has appended his ratings. Scroll down to check them out for another take on Madrid's performance, player by player!
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Hey MM'ers, here are the second Player Ratings in Managing Madrid's history. Compared to last week's Atleti game, Ramos and Özil improved their performances while most of the side performed pretty much the same.
It's likely that you will disagree with some of the grades, and if you do, please let us know respectfully in the comment section. Check the grades after the jump!
Álvaro Arbeloa: 4 (he was even worse than against Atlético. Madrid's weakest point as of now)
Pepe: 6 (good game defensively, but not as brilliant with the ball)
Sergio Ramos: 7 (great performance delivering crosses and supporting the midfielders)
Marcelo: 7 (he helped the team offensively and even had two good scoring chances, good game for him)
Nuri Sahin: 5 (not a good game. He should've done a lot more with the ball so the team could be dangerous)
Sami Khedira: 6 (average game for him)
Mesut Özil: 7.5 (in the second half he deserved a better grade, but his first 45 minutes were terrible)
José Callejón: 5 (ineffective. Changed at halftime. This is why he is a perfect substitute, not a starter)
Cristiano Ronaldo: 8 (good game by the Portuguese player. His goal saved the day)
Gonzalo Higuaín: 7.5 (pressed the defenders well and scored Madrid's first goal)
Karim Benzema: 6.5 (he is showing a dip in form in his game but he was able to score the third goal)
Ángel Di María: 6 (average game for him. Should get better as the time passes)
Esteban Granero: 6 (moved the ball well after Madrid scored the second goal)
José Mourinho: 7 (his starting lineup should've been enough, but his changes were positive, moving Özil to the midfield instead of Sahin and then introducing Granero in this position)
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Jared's ratings:
RB: Álvaro Arbeloa - 4.5 (Madrid's weakest link for the second straight match, struggled to contain Trejo throughout the match.)
CB: Pepe - 7.5 (Solid at the back. Did well to provide cover for Arbeloa. Good display from the Portuguese defender.)
CB: Sergio Ramos - 7 (Unfortunate penalty decision, but gave a great overall performance. Passing out of the back was exceptional, especially the cross leading to Higuaín's opening goal.)LB: Marcelo - 6.5 (Attacking threat from his left-back position, but he could not breakdown Sporting's defense with his inventive combination play and skill.)
DCM: Nuri Sahin - 5
DCM: Sami Khedira - 6.5 (Solid performance from Khedira, especially in the second half where Mourinho left him as the only defensive midfielder on the pitch.)
CAM: Mesut Özil - 7.5
RW: José Callejón - 5
LW: Cristiano Ronaldo - 8 (For the second match in a row, Ronaldo wins the three points for Madrid by scoring the decisive goal.)
ST: Gonzalo Higuaín - 7
Ángel Di María: 7 (Whipped in the cross for Ronaldo's winning goal. Looked threatening on the ball.)
Esteban Granero: 6
Manager:
José Mourinho: 8.5 (Showed what it takes to be a world-class manager. Realized that Madrid were struggling to breakdown the compact Sporting defense, and made big changes at half-time. Brought on Di María and Benzema, and altered the system as well. Both substitutions paid off, with the Argentine providing the assist for Ronaldo and Benzema scoring the third.)
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