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they need to start hiring good defenders... the best they have gotten is Cicinho, and he's more like midfielder-winger...
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They can get away with having an attacking right back like Cicinho as long as they have a left back capable of covering when he gets caught up the field. At the moment they have Carlos and he doesnt seem so interested in doing that anymore. If they get Woodgate fit he will sove a lot of their problems, the stats showing the difference he makes are impressive, the amount of cleansheets they have got with him in the team compared to how weak they are without him is clear. The only problem is he seems to go from one injury to another, something as frustrating for England as it is for them as he is truly world class at his peak.
In midfield they need to cut the ego's loose. Beckham, for all the criticism he attracts (usually from those who rarely if ever see real play) has been their best player for some time and leads la Liga on assists iirc. I still think Guti and Gravesen have plenty to offer too, but Zidane has been declining for sometime and great as his touch is a team at the top level cannot afford a passenger.
Up front its a real mess with behind the scenes politics often picking the team. its hard to condemn the realitively meagre contributions of Baptista and Robinho as they are so often peripheral. Raul and Ronaldo have been automatic choices for too long and it has left them less competitive and with diminished predatory instincts too. On their day they are still devastating but its unlikely wither will ever reach their top levels again.
So what do they need? If they keep the same tactics they need a solid left back, possibly Del Horno as Chelsea will sell him in the summer. If they cant guarentee Woodgates fitness they should target a similar style centre back, i'd go for Gallas or Ledley King. Genuine defensive cover in midfield (Diarra), a new left winger (Vicente?) someone to replace Ronaldo (as Sant says, he no longer cares) if they dont want to spend big they could use Baptista properly for this role, if they have money they should go for Adriano, who would be absolutely lethal with Beckham and Vicente supplying from wide and Robinho and Guti feeding from central
