The Open Thread/Daily Merengue is a place where you can discuss anything and everything related to football. Feel free to discuss the topics presented here, or start your very own discussions! The Open thread will be posted every day by one of those mods you’d totally do a movie night with: Valyrian Steel, Felipejack, YoSnail, Ezek Ix or... yours truly.

Some Transfer Rumors

• So a lot of rumors have been going around when it comes to potential signings for the Defensive Midfielder position. I was expecting to hear about this guy at some point and, well, here it is ladies and gents.

• In the previous thread, I let you guys know about the rumors regarding Yuri...

No, not that one. The other one with the “o” in their name! Anyway, I am now bringing you the obligatory updated edition; The Vanilla rumor plus the competition from Barcelona DLC.

• Vanilla Haaland, Mini Haaland, Chocolate & Strawberry Haaland, Day One Limited Edition Haaland, Haaland Lite, Haalands everywhere!! At least you know that if you fail to get your target, there may be consolation with the Slim Edition. Jokes aside, this youngster may indeed be a beast in the making. He’s fast, he’s tall and a capable finisher who you will probably see more of in the near future. But, he’s still “in the making”.

A piece that I found to be a fair description of the Espanyol game

...But Thibaut Courtois is the best and that’s always a bad business. It is not good when the goalkeeper is the player who stands out for a team.

Real Madrid have repeated the pattern of the Espanyol game on too many occasions. First halves given away followed by attempts to bounce back in the final quarter of an hour, mainly thanks to Karim Benzema and his wonders. Against Espanyol, he couldn’t do it all. Carlo Ancelotti’s tactical pastiche in the first half was too much. Nobody knew what he wanted to do. Espanyol played tag and hunted Real Madrid, creating a number of occasions that would have brought Ancelotti to a shameful position.

It’s a piece of an article by Roberto Palomar, which I found on Marca.

Carlo himself wasn’t holding any punches post-game. Oh well, in the Eyebrow we trust fellas. For trust we must, for now.

ICYMI

• Kiyan brought this pretty sweet column to you in which he analyzes different aspects to Real Madrid’s game. SPOILERS; He (justifiably) didn’t show Madrid’s press any mercy.
• The Femenino team seem to be going through a crisis. Okay actually, they’re unquestionably going through a crisis... And of course, the MM crew had plenty to say about it in yesterday’s podcast! What’s your take boys and girls? Does Aznar turn the ship around or is he - In Tanya Lacey’s voice ....

♫ I’m shutting it doooown

Turning you ooooff

With every beat of my heart

I’m gonna turn it back around

I’m cutting it ouuut

And let it all buuuuurn

I’m making it right

Now that you’re gone ♫

Enjoy today and may the Madridismo be with ya all.