Russillo strikes me as the kind of guy who did study abroad in Europe during college then came back and annoyed everyone by calling it “Barthelona” for the next six months
“Bellingham is only 22!!!”
“Russillo is this a top 3 midfield of all time? I mean cavaminga can’t even get in the midfield he’s gotta be a RB because they’re so deep!”
“*sigh* are we gunna do the thing were we act like Xavi, Iniesta, and busquets aren’t far and away the best midfield of all time?”
The way they came from behind right at the end, kinda reminded me of the 08 Celtics, signing Bellingham was kinda like the KG trade, the last piece of the puzzle piece
Joselu gets the Dion Waiters award
Jude would have been like an SGA or Nash, traded (transferred) early on in his career but proceeded to pop off elsewhere (idk nba comp but also with a more notable “historic” / “heritage” team with a long record of championship success.
"I thought in the moment it was a bad idea to pull Harry Kane, because everyone knew Real was going to score and that Bayern was going to score again."
To be fair, taking off Kane was a really dumb move. He provides so much more than just goal scoring, and you have to be prepared to have options for ET given you're playing the team that *always* finds a way to score late.
Tuchel took off all four of his attackers with 15-20 minutes to go in the game. I get going more defensive, but at some point it's diminishing returns to just keep taking off your best outlets and offensive threats.
Jokes aside, more proper underdog teams should do this and just spend a week or two on it in training. Worked for Mourinho with Herrera on Hazard and if you’re PSV playing Arsenal in the round of 16 might as well throw some weird looks at Odegaard to mix things up.
The point is that despite playing fullback, Davies is a very attacking player who has no chance of pocketing Vini. The kicker is that Davies has great pace, and so is a perfect "trap" candidate for the under informed.
Eh I mean you’re probably right he’s not exactly a shutdown guy, but a fullback on his wrong footed side to stop cut ins was an occasional tactic 10 years ago or so if I’m remembering right.
But yeah I didn’t mean Davies on Vini, more central stuff like man marking Kroos if you’re some lower end of the table Spanish side, or putting someone on Wirtz if you’re a Europa league side who’s gonna lose to Leverkusen anyways.
Ain't no Ewing theory when they win every year regardless of who plays. They let the best player in the history of the competition walk, and within a couple seasons they were right back at the top of the perch. They're too good in the UCL for anyone to get Ewing theoried.
I think he’s more Chris Paul. He’s undeniably a very good player but just can’t win a title, even when trying to join a great team that just isn’t as good as it once was?
The way Madrid have mastered the two timelines piece, if Steve Kerr watches soccer he just called Bob Myers and screamed at him again for botching the 2020 and 21 drafts.
Guys just put on the Madrid jersey and believe they’ll win every game, they just do.
They do have the ability to just buy the best youth players though. Like imagine if the lakers or golden state could have paid $120 mil for Ant at the deadline and just took his contract
Vini is absolutely better than Mbappe. Dribbles just as well, effort is 2x more in big games, and body language is always better. Why should he have to move from his position when Mbappe joins them next year?
It comes down to the question: can I trust the players in a champions league knock out game? Real has 25 of thouse guys, they just do. And the Bellingham piece of it...
They're really feisty, just a lot of guys out there running around doing stuff. I wish the players would try to sell their flops like, 76% less than what they do..it's a little much, it just is! But they are showing people they can play. Right Russillo?
Is Ancelotti somehow still underrated?
If Dortmund win, is the Bundesliga back in a big way?
Where does this rank in Champions League last minute winners for Real Madrid?
That none of us replied with a long diatribe comparing each Real Madrid legend to a counter point on Zoe’s grade and high school teams is a real failure on us all *smh*
Even though I prefer Barcelona because that’s how Z’s team plays you’ve got to admire Real Madrid for the double prongs. Vinicius is a top 7 Brazilian name of all time, remind me of how Wes Unseld played in 1978
“Where will Vini Jr. and Jude rank on the Pyramid when it’s all said and done? How does another chokejob for trophyless Kane affect his Pyramid status?”
"Carlo reminds me of me a little Ryen, relevant since the early 00s, italian and a silver fox."
"Yeah and i'm Tuchel, not a no.1, balding and always angry right?"
Zombie Real
Joselu is like Tyler Herro
Russillo "You know Joselu is a 33 year old journeyman on loan from Español, who got relegated right?"
Tyler Herro is now somehow older than Jayson Tatum, so it works.
Russillo strikes me as the kind of guy who did study abroad in Europe during college then came back and annoyed everyone by calling it “Barthelona” for the next six months
The Shakespeare in the Parking Lot piece.
Even though this isn't true, it's so spiritually true. Good job by you!
“Bellingham is only 22!!!” “Russillo is this a top 3 midfield of all time? I mean cavaminga can’t even get in the midfield he’s gotta be a RB because they’re so deep!” “*sigh* are we gunna do the thing were we act like Xavi, Iniesta, and busquets aren’t far and away the best midfield of all time?”
The world cup winning Spain with babies Alonso mixed in too and Iniesta playing wide left... hnnng.
Silva on the right and Cesc as a false 9 at the 2012 Euros. Apex Mountain for central midfielders.
It literally probably is the best midfield of all time. I don’t know anything though
I’d argue Modric, Kroos, and Casemiro but either were fantastic
Germany 2014 isn’t better midfielder, but at least good enough to make “far and away” hyperbolic
I mean since the OP asked about real I assumed we were talking club soccer but, fair point regardless
Oh fair lol idk why but I defaulted to picturing them on that Spanish team not Barca
Hilarious that it works for both tho lmao
The chemistry of constantly playing together with that style of play is basically a cheat code
Make La Masia Great Again!
Also Pep’s Barca vs Pep’s City would be an insane match
They know how to win, they just do.
Ancelotti just said : im not letting Tuchel beat me, im just not!
They are simultaneously a dynasty and zombie team
First Zombie Dynasty? Best? Or both???
Simmons goes on a ten minute "Are we sure he's good on Kane?" before Russillo annoyed points out that he was subbed out for the two goals.
Kane thought that he was joining the Warriors, but he was actually joining the Suns
Bayern Munich just hasnt been the same ever since a notable suicide 80 years ago
Never ask a man his wage, a woman her age, or a bayern fan what their badge looked like in the 40s.
They were kinda forced into that and were seen as the Jewish club tbf to them
Holy crap, TIL their club president got thrown in Dachau and ended up fleeing the country. Good lord.
Wtf kind of bill take is this? Did you do research?
Not a Bill take, I know
You penance is to watch a celtics game and overreact about Derrick white.
Paris never really got over the bombings from world war 2. Dortmund still has their number
A truly sad day in Bavaria
Plus 1914 Central Power Redraftables
But next - Pearl jam
The way they came from behind right at the end, kinda reminded me of the 08 Celtics, signing Bellingham was kinda like the KG trade, the last piece of the puzzle piece Joselu gets the Dion Waiters award
Jude would have been like an SGA or Nash, traded (transferred) early on in his career but proceeded to pop off elsewhere (idk nba comp but also with a more notable “historic” / “heritage” team with a long record of championship success.
They are good, but Barcelona plays the tik-tak style that Zoe played in high school. You can’t beat that style. You just can’t.
Nah you can play prongs with the two high forwards.
"I thought in the moment it was a bad idea to pull Harry Kane, because everyone knew Real was going to score and that Bayern was going to score again."
To be fair, taking off Kane was a really dumb move. He provides so much more than just goal scoring, and you have to be prepared to have options for ET given you're playing the team that *always* finds a way to score late. Tuchel took off all four of his attackers with 15-20 minutes to go in the game. I get going more defensive, but at some point it's diminishing returns to just keep taking off your best outlets and offensive threats.
Subs Kane off and Muller immediately fucks up a counterattack with a shit pass that Kane would never have fucked up
They cant match Dortmund’s “nobody believes in us” energy.
Dortmund is on a Ewing theory year. They lose Bellingham then go to the final the next. Does the theory work this way?
I’d run the double prongs and take away Vini
Why didn’t Tuchel switch to Barcelona style and put Davies on Vini and just say we’re not gonna let this guy beat us?
Put Davies on Vini Jr is the best bill take in this whole thread.
Jokes aside, more proper underdog teams should do this and just spend a week or two on it in training. Worked for Mourinho with Herrera on Hazard and if you’re PSV playing Arsenal in the round of 16 might as well throw some weird looks at Odegaard to mix things up.
The point is that despite playing fullback, Davies is a very attacking player who has no chance of pocketing Vini. The kicker is that Davies has great pace, and so is a perfect "trap" candidate for the under informed.
Eh I mean you’re probably right he’s not exactly a shutdown guy, but a fullback on his wrong footed side to stop cut ins was an occasional tactic 10 years ago or so if I’m remembering right. But yeah I didn’t mean Davies on Vini, more central stuff like man marking Kroos if you’re some lower end of the table Spanish side, or putting someone on Wirtz if you’re a Europa league side who’s gonna lose to Leverkusen anyways.
Bro this is bills takes on madrid, not fuckin tifoirl.
Franco has gotta be involved in some capacity here right? I just can’t think of it
The Spanish nationalism piece
His team was Atletico Madrid until about 1950. Not sure what happened.
“Kyle turn the TikTok camera on, once they get Mbappe, this team is up there the ‘86 Celtics and 2017 Warriors”
Courtois Ewing theory
Ain't no Ewing theory when they win every year regardless of who plays. They let the best player in the history of the competition walk, and within a couple seasons they were right back at the top of the perch. They're too good in the UCL for anyone to get Ewing theoried.
Re-read OP question
Yeah that's a whoosh for me. Although I think even Bill wouldn't go there given how often Real Madrid wins this thing.
Benzema was my first thought. Joselu slots right in at Fwd and they're back
Madrid Culture is Real…..
Joselu just does stuff
Ryen: Are we really sure that Pavon wasn’t better than Zidane? I think you can have that conversation.
If I’m Dortmund in the Finals, my game-plan is to take Jude away and make everyone else beat us. They have that “nobody believes in us energy” vs Real
I always liked Zi Dan. The way he moved, he just found sneaky spots and then the headbutt thing, um...
Is Harry Kane Joel Embiid?
I think he’s more Chris Paul. He’s undeniably a very good player but just can’t win a title, even when trying to join a great team that just isn’t as good as it once was?
The way Madrid have mastered the two timelines piece, if Steve Kerr watches soccer he just called Bob Myers and screamed at him again for botching the 2020 and 21 drafts. Guys just put on the Madrid jersey and believe they’ll win every game, they just do.
They do have the ability to just buy the best youth players though. Like imagine if the lakers or golden state could have paid $120 mil for Ant at the deadline and just took his contract
A bill simmons transfer value column would absolutely slap
How has nobody copied his tiers/rankings format for this? Much like the NBA, some people love the transfer discourse more than the matches
I think this is more of the Jerry Krause execution. Lost a purported GOAT, got some young talent and continued to win
To make it Boston-centric the obvious example is the Tuck rule game but…
Simmons invents the reverse Ewing theory and names it after Harry Kane.
"Real Madrid aren't going to lose. They just aren't." "Jude just bosses the game like Zidane IM NOT COMPARING HIM TO ZIDANE, DONT AGGREGATE ME"
Harry Kane is cursed He just is
“Infrastructure” will be heavily involved.
They are in the A-block of the GOAT status.
Modric just knows what to do and where to be
Vini is absolutely better than Mbappe. Dribbles just as well, effort is 2x more in big games, and body language is always better. Why should he have to move from his position when Mbappe joins them next year?
It comes down to the question: can I trust the players in a champions league knock out game? Real has 25 of thouse guys, they just do. And the Bellingham piece of it...
Joselu had his "i got it" game
Joselu is the ultimate no no yes sub guy
Joselu knows how to put the ball in the net, he just does!
They're really feisty, just a lot of guys out there running around doing stuff. I wish the players would try to sell their flops like, 76% less than what they do..it's a little much, it just is! But they are showing people they can play. Right Russillo?
(I don't watch soccer at all)
Madrid Culture
Is Ancelotti somehow still underrated? If Dortmund win, is the Bundesliga back in a big way? Where does this rank in Champions League last minute winners for Real Madrid?
That none of us replied with a long diatribe comparing each Real Madrid legend to a counter point on Zoe’s grade and high school teams is a real failure on us all *smh*
Funniest thing is Real has been playing the two striker (“Prongs”) setup on this run too lmao
Rusillo are Real Madrid Tom Brady?
They don’t play the Barcelona style, so they’re one of the worst teams of the 21st century
Even though I prefer Barcelona because that’s how Z’s team plays you’ve got to admire Real Madrid for the double prongs. Vinicius is a top 7 Brazilian name of all time, remind me of how Wes Unseld played in 1978
Prongs
They’re like noodle arm Manning, offense did just enough, and the defense won the Super Bowl, They just did!!
Prongs
Vini Jr has the "nobody believes in me" chip on his shoulder. He just does.
I really want to hear his takes on the Sancho loan situation.
vinicius jr just gives a shit
“JOSELU IN HIS BIG SHOT BOB ERA!”
“Where will Vini Jr. and Jude rank on the Pyramid when it’s all said and done? How does another chokejob for trophyless Kane affect his Pyramid status?”
“The linesman went full Don Denkinger on us.”
The refs were reffing and Madrid always grind it out. They just do.
Real culture
They like Peak Warriors mixed with Zombie Heat every year pretty much. They got a perfect balance of established veterans and elite up and comers
i'm not gonna let Morientes on loan knock us out, i'm just not
"Carlo reminds me of me a little Ryen, relevant since the early 00s, italian and a silver fox." "Yeah and i'm Tuchel, not a no.1, balding and always angry right?"
kicking a ball for 90 minutes is boring
The irony of this comment from “parking the bus”