NEW POWER GENERATION by LeBusinessCat
If we were to decide on a common characteristic for the new faces of Real Madrid 2013/2014, we would all agree it’s youth. None of our signings is over 23 years old, even though they have experience at the top level and most of them are international players. This fact could raise some questions about their pose and performance, but the first two months have demonstrated that youngsters are here to stay. Let’s see how they are faring individually:
Dani Carvajal
From Segunda División to Germany to El Clásico. Carvajal has gone in two years from being a player for the reserve team for Madrid, to being recognized as an up and rising right defender in Germany to being a starter against Barcelona and being the one in charge of Neymar. He’s rotating constantly with Arbeloa, but he’s seeing play regardless and, more importantly, he’s accumulating minutes of experience to take over as the starter de facto in a few months or next season.
The fact that he’s not afraid to get near the rival’s area, his quickness to recover his position and, surprisingly, being the best ball robber in the team are the characteristics that are making turn heads to the sub’21. Carlo’s confidence in him is high and there’s no doubt Dani loves Real Madrid, which means that we’ll see him even more, and even better.
Asier Illarramendi
Can you say Xabi Alonso redux? No, really, they are like clones: he’s a central midfielder like him, has the same playing style, come from the same team and both even have red-haired beard. You have to admit that they know how to make this kind of player in San Sebastián.
Comparisons with Xabi apart, Illarra is demonstrating why Madrid had to pay 32 millions of euros for him. He never gets nervous and always takes the best decision with the ball in his feet. By doing the simplest things he can give a sense to a possession by his team and build the consistence in the midfield needed to balance attack and defense. No one doubts he should start in important matches until Xabi is fully recovered, and that talks clearly of his importance in Madrid.
Isco Alarcón
Let the magic begin. We were all aware of Isco’s ability to change the sign of a match in a single play, but that doesn’t change the fact that watching him play is mesmerizing. His technique is nigh-perfect, he can dribble the best defenders in the world and has even added the goal to his repertoire (4 in League and 1 in Champions).
Physically he has suffered the exigency of Real Madrid. It is understandable, given that Ancelotti wants him to play in the midfield rather than behind the center forward. That forces him to run forward and back a bit more, but he’ll probably adapt to this role in the end. He’s only 21 years old, anyway. The future is his even though he’s important for this team right now. And not only that: his overall performance will dictate if we can aim for LA DÉCIMA… or wait for another year. He’s the difference between success and failure.
Gareth Bale
They said he was injured. They said he had an hernia and that we had signed a failure in the process. Then he score two goals against Sevilla and assisted two and they had to shut up for good. This is how football works: one day you suck and on the next one you should with the Ballon d’Or (doesn’t matter, Messi will win it even if he went on to play basketball. Or bowling).