Open Thread: 12 December 2022

The Daily Merengue is a place where you can feel free to discuss all things football. Do not be alarmed by the overt RMCF bias. It’s in the name!

Shoutout to the mods who do a fantastic job, Valyrian Steel, Kung_Fu_Zizou, Juninho, NeRObutBlanco and yours truly, Felipejack

Real Madrid updates

• Nacho’s extension is on stand-by, as the player isn’t happy with his bench role. He might leave at the end of the season or even in January.
• There are more doubts about Mendy. Real is monitoring Miguel and Fran Garcia.
• Real Madrid will announce Endrick’s deal before the WC ends.

WC Poll

English vs France

Arguably the best WC game so far. There is a very interesting tactical analysis in the following thread:

Comments about Brazil crashing out.

As my first thread just 2 days from Brazil being knocked out, I need to put some words about it. First of all, congrats for the result, HalaCroatia and every Croatian here.

As a Brazilian and Madridista, I’m sad for Rodrygo. I think he played well during the game vs Croatia. After everything he did for us last season, being very important in the Champions League journey, he didn’t deserve to miss that penalty.

The message Rodrygo sent to Neymar after Brazil being knocked out from the WC is the following:

I think Brazil’s strategy during the penalty shoot-out made little sense. Neymar is arguably the best penalty taker of the team and he didn’t take any. Tite’s coaching staff put Neymar as the 5th taker, because of the greatest pressure. However, Brazil didn’t even make to the 5th penalty.

However, the penalty wasn’t the worst of it. What the hell the players were doing attacking in that way in 116th minute while they were winning the game?

At the point, Croatia wasn’t creating much harm. What bothered me the most during the World Cup was Brazil extremely low build-up play from the back (I guess it was RealAlvin who said before WC that Brazil had no transition from defense to attack). When they should have slowed down game as possible, they did the exactly opposite with many players going into attack. Coincidentally, Marquinhos, who touched the ball in that amazing Benzema’s second goal vs PSG last year, touched again and changed the ball trajectory. He also missed the penalty. I know that after the fact it’s easy to judge and in fact he was making a very good WC. He was Brazil’s 1st on ball progression (pass and carry). Would have you put him as penalty taker or not?