The Good, The Bad and The..SMH: 18 July 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!

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“Chances are, when said and done

Who’ll be the lucky ones

Who make it all the way..”- Five For Fighting

Everyone is healthy and who needs a pre-season trophy..

The new boys Tchouameni and Rudiger arrived in good shape for pre-season. The focus on fitness remains under the watchful eye of Pintus the Great.

The squad has a clean bill of health heading into the warming games which is something to be always greatful for. Karim has had a slightly longer break than his teammates which is to be expected given he tends to play until his body gives up. I would not be surprised to see Ancelotti giving Karim more breaks this season given his age and importance and the need for the team to adapt to playing without him.

All that said.. Who needs a pre-season trophy? The UEFA supercup.. anyone?

Clogged? Well-endowed? or cumbersome?

Flo and JAS have been working tirelessly since the departure of the great CR7 to stockpile young quality players while of course not resisting the urge to make a handsome profit when the opportunity arises.

This is where unintended consequences rear their ugly head. Consider this.. Reinier and Kubo are non-EU players Real Madrid recruited for the current state of affairs but suddenly cannot use them. Reinier if he was eligible would be tried in the role of KB9. Kubo if he was eligible would be given a chance on the RW for a different dynamic. The likes of Blanco and Arribas are elbowed out by mainstays such as Odriozola and Mariano.

Things are a little clogged at the moment but there is still time in the window. The aforementioned duo of Reinier and Kubo will play elsewhere this season. Kubo has found at place at La Real which will be great for him. Reinier is linked with Valladolid which would be a great opportunity to stay in Spain.

On the bright side, it is always better to have too much talent than to have too little. The club just managed to have both too much and too little talent at the same time. Quite unusual.

Oh..and Asensio..Sigh!

Hazard, Rodrygo or..? Doomsday?

Carletto has suggested he’s eager to try Hazard as a number 9, probably false. This is good news for Hazard given Karim will need to be wrapped in cotton wool in a World Cup year. There’s a lot of hype surrounding Hazard though many expectations have been tempered given that he’s heading into his fourth season and has barely produced anything of substance. Hopefully Hazard will be the attacking depth we’re all yearning for.

Rodrygo has an eye for goal and has the poacher’s instinct maybe second to Karim in the whole squad which is kind of a compliment. The young Brazilian’s versatility allows him to find and attack spaces where you scarcely find his teammates when he’s on the pitch. I have no doubt we’ll continue to see Rodrygo develop across the frontline this season. If he stays fit, he’s got more goals in him.

It seems however that outside Hazard and Rodrygo, Ancelotti will be experiencing a visit to the dentist, trying to adapt the team to play without Karim.

PS - Vini can play CF. He’s that good.

The Fabrica stories

Morante on the move?

The once very promising Ivan Morante has found himself a wanted man throughout La Liga. There’s a decent chance for him to make the next step in his career and perhaps the club will retain some interest in him.

Raul cutting his teeth for the Bernabeu dugout?

Raul looks to be focused on staying at Castilla until he’s matured enough to be offered the top job. One has to wonder if he’s not missing out on valuable experience by turning down some fantastic opportunities to learn.

Boy wonder?

There’s been a lot of talk about Bruno Iglesias bing fastracked to the big time. The kid has has undoubted talent and is being touted as a possible addition to Raul’s Castilla. There’s not a lot of 17 year-olds at Castilla.

I thought I told you all that we won’t stop

[Outro]

“Chances lost are hope’s torn up pages

Chances are waiting to be taken, and I can see

Chances are only what we make them and all I need”

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