Real Madrid close to signing Sahin

James ♠ wrote:

Fine Shagger wrote:

James ♠ wrote:

Fine Shagger wrote:

James ♠ wrote:

But Sahin isn't that type of player. Who is going to do the tackling?

Alonso has played as the more defensive minded player plenty of times.

Khedira plays very advanced so it's not like he'll be any more pressured to do the defensive work than he already is, but on top of that Real will have more attacking threat seeing as how Khedira isn't very good in the final third.

Yeah but even though Khedira plays advanced he is still the one that is expected to tackle more than Xabi.

Yeah but is he really needed in the majority of games?

Yeah, its not as if teams are useless. A midfield of Xabi, Sahin and Ozil looks good going forwards, but when the other team hits Real on the counter, what happens then? None of them are going to track back quick enough.

Alonso plays pretty deep, he's underrated when it comes to interceptions. It's not really any more risky than playing Busquets-Xavi-Iniesta is it?

Wait, have I said anything wrong?

ZlatanFabregas wrote:

James wrote:

ZlatanFabregas wrote:

James wrote:

ZlatanFabregas wrote:

They are both box to box midfielders. It should work.

No they are not.

I always saw them as box to box players. With Alonso being more defensive minded, and Sahin being more attacking minded.

Playmakers...

From deep.

Doesn't mean they are going to be great defensively. Whenever you play someone like Xabi, I think you need someone beside him that has energy and can cover ground fairly quick.

Sahin is the pivot in Dortmund's set up. He plays box to box. He's not an attacking midfielder.

Scuba Steve wrote:Sahin is the pivot in Dortmund's set up. He plays box to box. He's not an attacking midfielder.

This.

Scuba Steve wrote:Sahin is the pivot in Dortmund's set up. He plays box to box. He's not an attacking midfielder.

Yes. Thankyou, I thought so.

Fine Shagger wrote:

James ♠ wrote:

Fine Shagger wrote:

James ♠ wrote:

Fine Shagger wrote:

Alonso has played as the more defensive minded player plenty of times.

Khedira plays very advanced so it's not like he'll be any more pressured to do the defensive work than he already is, but on top of that Real will have more attacking threat seeing as how Khedira isn't very good in the final third.

Yeah but even though Khedira plays advanced he is still the one that is expected to tackle more than Xabi.

Yeah but is he really needed in the majority of games?

Yeah, its not as if teams are useless. A midfield of Xabi, Sahin and Ozil looks good going forwards, but when the other team hits Real on the counter, what happens then? None of them are going to track back quick enough.

Alonso plays pretty deep, he's underrated when it comes to interceptions. It's not really any more risky than playing Busquets-Xavi-Iniesta is it?

Busquets alot better defensively.

It all depends if Mourinho will change the shape.

I was just a bit confused by James trying to tell me that he was an attacking midfielder.

Scuba Steve wrote:Sahin is the pivot in Dortmund's set up. He plays box to box. He's not an attacking midfielder.

Playmakers don't have to always play behind strikers.

Scuba Steve wrote:I was just a bit confused by James trying to tell me that he was an attacking midfielder.

I did not. I said he was a playmaker who is better going forwards than Xabi. I didn't say he was an Ozil type.

James ♠ wrote:

Fine Shagger wrote:

James ♠ wrote:

Fine Shagger wrote:

James ♠ wrote:


Yeah but even though Khedira plays advanced he is still the one that is expected to tackle more than Xabi.

Yeah but is he really needed in the majority of games?

Yeah, its not as if teams are useless. A midfield of Xabi, Sahin and Ozil looks good going forwards, but when the other team hits Real on the counter, what happens then? None of them are going to track back quick enough.

Alonso plays pretty deep, he's underrated when it comes to interceptions. It's not really any more risky than playing Busquets-Xavi-Iniesta is it?

Busquets alot better defensively.

It all depends if Mourinho will change the shape.

I don't think he is tbh. Anyway you seem to be focusing on the dangers of a counter...Pepe is very quick at the back, he can recover lost balls quick enough to eradicate the need for Khedira imo, especially when there'll be more control in Madrid's play with Sahin playing.

Fine Shagger wrote:

James ♠ wrote:

Fine Shagger wrote:

James ♠ wrote:

Fine Shagger wrote:

Yeah but is he really needed in the majority of games?

Yeah, its not as if teams are useless. A midfield of Xabi, Sahin and Ozil looks good going forwards, but when the other team hits Real on the counter, what happens then? None of them are going to track back quick enough.

Alonso plays pretty deep, he's underrated when it comes to interceptions. It's not really any more risky than playing Busquets-Xavi-Iniesta is it?

Busquets alot better defensively.

It all depends if Mourinho will change the shape.

I don't think he is tbh. Anyway you seem to be focusing on the dangers of a counter...Pepe is very quick at the back, he can recover lost balls quick enough to eradicate the need for Khedira imo, especially when there'll be more control in Madrid's play with Sahin playing.

I don't watch Real much.


------Sahin---Xabi

Ronaldo-Ozil--Di Maria
-----------Higuain

I'm assuming that is the way they will set up.

That is gonna be fine against the bottom 10 teams.
But against the likes of Sevilla, A Madrid, Valencia, Villareal, Barca who have top players going forward, that midfield will get destroyed on the counter by them, same in Europe.

I'm sure Sahin wont be too happy playing in the small games.

He should stay at Dortmund or move somewhere that'll he'll be the main man in midfield. Don't see why Man U wouldn't be interested in him with Scholes on his way.

James ♠ wrote:

Fine Shagger wrote:

James ♠ wrote:

Fine Shagger wrote:

James ♠ wrote:

Yeah, its not as if teams are useless. A midfield of Xabi, Sahin and Ozil looks good going forwards, but when the other team hits Real on the counter, what happens then? None of them are going to track back quick enough.

Alonso plays pretty deep, he's underrated when it comes to interceptions. It's not really any more risky than playing Busquets-Xavi-Iniesta is it?

Busquets alot better defensively.

It all depends if Mourinho will change the shape.

I don't think he is tbh. Anyway you seem to be focusing on the dangers of a counter...Pepe is very quick at the back, he can recover lost balls quick enough to eradicate the need for Khedira imo, especially when there'll be more control in Madrid's play with Sahin playing.

I don't watch Real much.


------Sahin---Xabi

Ronaldo-Ozil--Di Maria
-----------Higuain

I'm assuming that is the way they will set up.

That is gonna be fine against the bottom 10 teams.
But against the likes of Sevilla, A Madrid, Valencia, Villareal, Barca who have top players going forward, that midfield will get destroyed on the counter by them, same in Europe.

I'm sure Sahin wont be too happy playing in the small games.

He should stay at Dortmund or move somewhere that'll he'll be the main man in midfield. Don't see why Man U wouldn't be interested in him with Scholes on his way.

He can also play alongside Khedira/Lass too though in the matches when Alonso is rested.

As Barca show though the control you can get in games by having top passing midfielders is beneficial, there's less turnovers so less chance of a counter.

The point that he'd be better moving somewhere else is fair enough, I think a lot of top teams would be happy to have him.

Alonso wont get rested for the big games though. That is what I meant when I said Sahin would only get the lesser games.


Barcelona play different to Madrid though. Madrid seem to play at a faster tempo so the ball turns over more often.

+ Ronaldo refuses to pass and is their key man so if the ball goes to him it is 90% of the time back in the keepers hands.

I dunno, you could be right but I don't think it's clear cut that Alonso-Sahin as a partnership wouldn't work for Real Madrid.

It would be great for Real Madrid to get him but I do think it's too early for him to move.

Xabi can come home

Jay.Davies11 wrote:Xabi can come home

Tolosa?

Who said Xabi Alonso won't be dropped when Sahin signs? why would Sahin sit on bench?
Mou will play
Khedira - Sahin
Di Maria - Ozil - Ronaldo

Sahin is in Madrid to start, he's better than all their central midfielders bar Ozil...but he might even be preffered to Ozil due to his versatility.

If anyone drops Alonso they shouldn't be allowed to have anything to do football again.

Yeah, Xabi >>> Sahin right now.

People said this when Ozil came for Kaka...that Ozil wont bench Kaka. Same will happen and Sahin will bench Alonso.

chiboygeorge wrote:People said this when Ozil came for Kaka...that Ozil wont bench Kaka. Same will happen and Sahin will bench Alonso.

Yeah, but Kaka hasn't been that good for Madrid.

chiboygeorge wrote:People said this when Ozil came for Kaka...that Ozil wont bench Kaka. Same will happen and Sahin will bench Alonso.

Ozil was and is better than Kaka though, Sahin isn't better than Alonso.

Alonso hasn't got serious injury problems either like Kaka did when Ozil signed.

ZlatanFabregas wrote:

chiboygeorge wrote:People said this when Ozil came for Kaka...that Ozil wont bench Kaka. Same will happen and Sahin will bench Alonso.

Yeah, but Kaka hasn't been that good for Madrid.

And Alonso? not good enough to not be replaced and benched by Sahin.

chiboygeorge wrote:

ZlatanFabregas wrote:

chiboygeorge wrote:People said this when Ozil came for Kaka...that Ozil wont bench Kaka. Same will happen and Sahin will bench Alonso.

Yeah, but Kaka hasn't been that good for Madrid.

And Alonso? not good enough to not be replaced and benched by Sahin.

Sahin is so stupid to go to a club like RM.

ZlatanFabregas wrote:

chiboygeorge wrote:

ZlatanFabregas wrote:

chiboygeorge wrote:People said this when Ozil came for Kaka...that Ozil wont bench Kaka. Same will happen and Sahin will bench Alonso.

Yeah, but Kaka hasn't been that good for Madrid.

And Alonso? not good enough to not be replaced and benched by Sahin.

Xabi Alonso is not good enough to not be benched by Sahin. He's good but not to where you can say "Sahin can't bench Alonso"

i think some people are underating and overrating sahin here, hes very good but to call him a direct replacement for alonso isnt exactly correct, they may play the same position on the teamsheet formation but they are still different types of players. sahin is more direct and can carry the ball with a lot more zest than alonso can. he can also spring passes around from deep but he doesnt do that as good as alonso. sahin is closer to the type of player ozil is than alonso which some of you might think is a bit far fetched but alonso and sahin together would compliment eachother. alonso does not mind doing a lot of work off the ball, he does it all the time both in keeping the team shape and in trying to win the ball back. he also plays much more deeper than sahin as he is the first person to pick up the ball from carvalho and/or pepe from defence. if sahin played for real madrid he would not be that first outlet. sahin could play a similar role to what guti did when he was at real madrid and infact, i think he is a lot closer to guti than he is to alonso

chiboygeorge wrote:

ZlatanFabregas wrote:

chiboygeorge wrote:

ZlatanFabregas wrote:

chiboygeorge wrote:People said this when Ozil came for Kaka...that Ozil wont bench Kaka. Same will happen and Sahin will bench Alonso.

Yeah, but Kaka hasn't been that good for Madrid.

And Alonso? not good enough to not be replaced and benched by Sahin.

Xabi Alonso is not good enough to not be benched by Sahin. He's good but not to where you can say "Sahin can't bench Alonso"

Alonso is maybe Real Madrid's most important player. When he doesn't play they look woeful.

Fine Shagger wrote:

chiboygeorge wrote:

ZlatanFabregas wrote:

chiboygeorge wrote:

ZlatanFabregas wrote:

Yeah, but Kaka hasn't been that good for Madrid.

And Alonso? not good enough to not be replaced and benched by Sahin.

Xabi Alonso is not good enough to not be benched by Sahin. He's good but not to where you can say "Sahin can't bench Alonso"

Alonso is maybe Real Madrid's most important player. When he doesn't play they look woeful.

Well, out of the 4 games Xabi didn't play for Real they only lost 2 and the one against Sporting was pretty much a second team. But that means nothing, he might be a very important player but I'm saying Sahin can come in a do a great job of what he does.