Arjen Robben reanimates Real Madrid from the right

Wednesday 07 January 2009

Arjen Robben is one of the players at Real Madrid who carries the team in a time of crisis.

Under the reign of the new coach Juande Ramos the Royals are trying to develop more pressure forward.

"We now play sort of an English system: 4-4-2 with men on both flanks in midfield. I think that is the best system anyway," says Arjen Robben, who has become Ramos' number 1 on the right wing.

- How are you experiencing the first weeks under the new coach?

Arjen Robben: "As a period in which things got moving again. Ramos has been very clear about what he wants with the team and the players from day 1. He changed the system a little, we train harder and the players puts a lot of time into individual talks with the players. When I have o mention one thing that is really different it is his communication."

- Bernd Schuster was known for not talking top the players at all...

"Schuster had his style and it would be too easy and also unjustified to criticize him in a comparison with Ramos. Don't forget Schuster did win the league in his first year. But this season things didn't work out at all. Also because of the many injuries we entered into a downward spiral. Something had to happen, that much was clear. We have a squad wit a lot of quality and now that almost everyone is fit it's up to the players."

- Sunday against Villareal besides Huntelaar there was also Lassana Diarra making his debut. How important is his arrival?

"Very important if you want to play the way Ramos wants it. In the first half of the season people got the impression that our defense is weak. But defending always starts up front. When we played with one open flank it was often too easy for opponents to buildup on that side. While we were busy reorganizing opponents would cross the entire pitch with a few passes. Now things are clear: we put them under pressure much earlier up front and we move up field as a whole. Of course that comes with some risks as you might end up 1 on 1 over the whole field. But that is why you need strong fellows like Diarra in midfield. Against Villareal he won most his duels."

- Have you found that people are more critical of the six Dutchman in team in times of crisis? Rafael van der Vaart was under a lot of flack from the media recently.

"Well, I take these things lightly. That's how it goes when there's a large group of players from a certain country within a squad. No one can change these mechanisms, but you shouldn't enhance them either. We realize we should be careful of one thing and that is we don't stick together as a clique of six Dutchmen. When that would be the prevailing image then we have a problem. But that is not the case now. We mix with the Spanish players well and we are all prepared to learn Spanish."

- In your case it helps that you have some specific qualities. You are the only true winger in the team. In recent weeks you have been playing on the right mainly. Why?

"Because I feel well there, better than on the left. That might come as a surprise to many people, but on the right I find my game is is much more surprising. Go inside or outside; never before in my career did I have these possibilities. Apparently that is the development at the moment. I have expressed my ideas and my preferences to the coach and he is going along with it."

- Have you discussed it with Bert van Marwijk?

"No, not yet. But it will probably come up at one of the next games of Holland. Dick Voorn, Van Marwijk's assistant, was here a while ago to see me play."

- There is also a new development in your battle against injuries. Just like Van der Vaart yo are now getting treatment from physiotherapist Dick van Toorn and nutrition expert Tscheu La Ling.

"The way Van der Vaart dealt with his injuries was very stimulating for me. On Ling's advice Rafael changed some things in his diet and Van Toorn's treatment and exercises really helped him. Last autumn I have been working with these guys for three days and it really worked for me. Now don't think I was eating too many pizza's or anything, but the balance between carbohydrates, proteins and fats can be very delicate for a professional. Van Toorn is the most important one in this affair. The man is 76 but besides a lot of knowledge he has the energy level of a puppy. At the hand of test I now do a number of exercises before every training, based on power, and they make me feel good. Of course I will pick up the odd injury but it gives me a lot of peace to know I can visit him for a maintenance call."

- But you weren't too happy with some of the comments made in a Dutch magazine. He said that the medical staff at Real haven't got a clue about the nutrition for a professional.

"No, I wasn't too happy about that. Those weren't smart comments, apart from the question whether he actually said it in those words. I explained it to the club and I must say they were good sports about it. For them there is only thing that matters and that is the fitness of the players."