squabble up: 26 Nov 2024

To Whom It May Concern:

RMBestVini: “Discussion is an exchange of knowledge; an argument an exchange of ignorance”

Juninho: Dear MM — Keep these fake factos away from me. Read all my blessings faithfully. If my essence contagious, that’s okay with me. I’ll burn this bi— down, don’t you play with me or stay with me. I’m crashin’ out right now, no one’s safe vs. me. Wrote DTs with integrity and TT still try to hate on me. So just wait and see, more strays be spraying, it’s just paint to me. Dangerously, 2+ years but nothin’ changed with me, still got pain in me. Flip a coin, want the nameless me or Freddy’s famous me? How annoying, that it angers it me to know these lame alts can speak. On the origins of the game I breathe, that’s insane to me. It’s important, keep asking have we collectively lost our minds. Someone tell me why [censored] deserve to @ the greatest of all time…?

Welcome to The Daily Merengue — a blog 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, KungFuZizou, NeRObutBlanco, Felipejack, and Juninho (the “boogeyman”).

Another Injury

come So let’s address today’s major news. Vini Jr. has been ruled out of the Liverpool game as well as for the next 3-4 weeks due to a hamstring injury that he picked up during our match against Leganes. To my knowledge, it has not been confirmed when he initially felt this discomfort but RM twitter currently suspects it may have occurred in the first half where there is video of him slightly grabbing his hamstring area.

Let’s Play The Blame Game. Generally, I’m pretty ambivalent to injury blame games. I’m not a doctor. Injuries sometimes just happen due to unfortunate events. At times, it’s hard to ask why him and not him or her or them etc etc. But in this case, I think the blame game may be a bit appropriate towards Real Madrid as a whole (medical staff + Carlo Ancelotti + his staff + Vini).

Let’s first start with the argument of blaming the intense UEFA / FIFA schedule. I agree that the schedule for footballers is currently insane and there needs to be some tailoring of how many games top-level players play. However, I find only blaming UEFA / FIFA somewhat a poor excuse because the schedule is well-known by everyone who participates in football. I know the schedule, you know the schedule, so I would assume the players + staff also know the schedule and when you have available knowledge its imperative to then plan around it…

We are approaching the new year, and for some the holiday season, so let me quickly use this analogy: For many, we will be traveling to visit friends and family around this time of year. We all understand that there is an influx of travelers at airports (or train stations) which may cause additional waiting time to pass through travel security and onboard our plane / train. This additional waiting time could cause a late traveler to miss his/her flights or train. With this available knowledge, what does a rational traveler do? You budget time…You ensure you arrive at the airport (or whatever station) with enough time to face potential onboarding traffic and delays. You ensure that if you miss said flight / train, blame isn’t assessed to your actions but third parties.

Carlo / Medical Staff / Real Madrid. With that analogy, imo a solid portion of Vini’s injury blame needs to lie on the heads of Real Madrid and our staff. I understand the necessity for Carlo to win games (as there is clear pressure regarding his job security), but Vini played a 90 minute game after traveling to Brazil and playing two 90 minute matches. Carlo even admitted in the post-game conference that Vini primarily played centrally because he was already tired before the game. At some point, it would behoove Real Madrid to evaluate our lifeless Leganes opposition and rest our star player. I’m also somewhat frustrated because it feels like this same lackadaisical approach was also applied to Rodrygo (who re-aggravated an injury after surprisingly gaining “full fitness and health” a week or so ahead of schedule) and early season Mbappe (who clearly played at 50% speed against Lille and Villareal).

I’ve been saying this for a bit of time but it feels like we’re rushing our players. Thoughts and prayers for Fede. I’m not sure how he’s holding up.

Liverpool Prep

So What Now?. With Vini’s injury, we are somewhat now left with a gaping hole in our Gala XI. Idk why I said “somewhat”. There’s a gaping hole. No Rodrygo. No Vini. No Tchouameni. No Militao. No Carvajal. BUT WE GOT GOATQUEZ BACK. But seriously what do we do now?

442?. I’ll admit, I haven’t really thought this through (just the past 2 mins) but I think I’d opt for a psuedo-442 formation against Liverpool. Something kind of like this:

Courtois

LV (if healthy), Asencio, Rudi, Mendy (sadly)

Arda, Fede, Camavinga, Brahim

Jude (!!!. Think Jude against City 1st leg and maybe Napoli?)

Mbappe

I’m going to be honest. I just typed that and there is zero chance that formats at all properly once I publish this thread but what I’m saying is that Jude operates as a pseudo forward / 10 but is slightly staggered to the right behind Mbappe who is a LF. I think early Liverpool did something similar with Stevie G + Torres, but I could be wrong.

You’re probably wondering why I’m not opting for Luka Modric (who I actually believe will start). Personally, I’m worried about how Modric will operate against Liverpool’s athleticism. He struggled 1st half against Dortmund until they started parking the bus and I don’t really see how this situation is better lmao. Now, I fully expect him to start but if I was the manager he’d be a quick HT sub because I do believe we’ll NEED him just not for the first 45. He’d be better suited against slightly more tired legs.

What would you do?

….the real answer is play Fede at RB and start Ceballos….

New Norms?

Orange Kits. They’ve kind of grown on me. I wasn’t a huge fan at first, but these aren’t bad. I’d like to see our gray kits used more frequently too. Let’s normalize using all of our kits more frequently.

LW Mbappe. Rumor has it that Carlo was planning on using Mbappe as a LW against Liverpool before the Vinicius injury. This is a pretty interesting turn of events imo as you’d assume Vinicius marauding runs against TAA would be far superior than plugging Mbappe into those channels. Well, imo both would be successful but Vini is a better dribbler than Mbappe so I’d expect his success at a higher rate. I’m curious on whether this will be our new norm going forward?

I’ll admit — I’m not entirely sure that this SHOULD be our future but if Mbappe does perform well while Vini is injured, I wouldn’t be surprised if it BECAME our future. IMO Vini isn’t amazing in central positions but he also isn’t half bad in these positions because he follows Carlo’s primary request — make runs in behind. He is pretty relentless at it and it serves the team well. This imo is strategically different than Rodrygo who when playing as a pseudo-nine was frustrated by these limits and Mbappe who just doesn’t seem to get his timing right. Soooo it could work especially if we see more of the Mbappe against Leganes going forward.

Now (and again) I wouldn’t really commit to this new form or advocate for it but its food for thought. Let’s just pray for a Kylian masterclass regardless.

A good breakdown by Sid…though with a bit of scathing language lol.

…JNX PT. II

conquense: “I’ll say it again…Juni is real. Maybe too real.”

“Hol’ up. (Hol’ up.) Where you from? (Where ya from?) This my week. (This Juni’s week.) And I’m finna go dumb. (And he finna go dumb.)

Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, even Phillyphil rockin’ it. Quid pro quo, what you want? Receipts be watching it. Work on the court, let me know if you dunkin’ it. Crodie won’t go, but I know that he poppin’ ish. It was Capitol tickets on sale til I silenced it. Pipe down, son, these some whole other politics. [Coral removed this line] “Juni don’t receipt him, he got kids with him” my apologies. Vini smile, Camavinga guile with the Smirnoff. Yeehaw, we outside, whoadie ‘bout to gif him off. This blaps on blaps, it’s a fact — crying Carvajal. Tell me why you sending me @s when accounts fictional? Tell me why you emailing feds when you also criminal? “Ayy June, can I get a rec?” I’m like “[censored name]nah” Purge season, Juni Daily Threads from the Westside to e’en Nepal. It’s a full moon, let the wolves out, I been a dawg.”

BSG: Crash.

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“is my anger unjustified?”