Hello friends, good vibes to all.
Currently I would not want to be in Xabi Alonso's shoes being in charge of a club that does not move forward, that if it takes one step forward it takes three more steps backwards, making it impossible to be competitive. I do not say this lightly, yesterday's game against PSG was the perfect example of what it means to be light years away from being a team that knows what it plays, that is forceful, that presses, that is where it needs to be mentally and that the fans like the Paris club. The image shown yesterday by Real Madrid was poor and pitiful, it was that of a team that has no soul and seems to have no planning whatsoever. Let's break down why these statements were made.
We have to start with the premise that they have no defense. Rudiger's level is in the basement, I don't know where that effective and feared center back of a few years ago went to, and he is certainly not the one who is currently at Madrid. Asencio is something to sit down and analyze, and in the three games he played in this World Cup he was the protagonist for the worse: a penalty, an expulsion and yesterday's childish and amateurish mistake that cost him the first goal. It is possible that his mind is elsewhere given the legal problem he has in Spain but those mistakes cannot be made in a team like this one and even less in a World Cup. Something has to be done.
It is true that they signed Huijsen, a central defender with a lot of projection, but yesterday he was out due to suspension (also sent off). So they are already relying on a young newcomer? - Bad sign. Alexander-Arnold got injured at the last minute which made Valverde play on the right; the Uruguayan is wasted in that position because his natural one is in the middle. And it is here where the other problems of this team are, without Valverde in the middle there is NO ONE to bring order (Modric has already left) and that speaks of poor planning, Los Blancos urgently need a 5. PSG gave them the ball under their noses in that area and Xabi Alonso's players were sterile both to score and to keep the ball.
And we landed in the offensive zone. What a mess we have up there. I think it's no surprise to say that Vinicius and Mbappe can't play together, tactically they can't both be in the same area of the pitch clashing with each other, that generates a lack of fluency, of play generation and goal scoring opportunities. And if we add to that the fact that the two of them do not help at all to defend, the problem is even more important. The good thing is that Xabi Alonso doesn't seem to shake his hand to move the "untouchables" and yesterday he sent Vinicius off after the disastrous game he played. Back to the beginning: lack of planning. And to finish with the bad, there is a player who is not talked about much but for me is another player who has lowered his level drastically.
Yes, I am talking about Jude Bellingham. The Englishman who left Dortmund and came to Madrid and dazzled everyone in his first season no longer exists. I think it's because of the issue of his position on the pitch that affects him, he works at the edge of the area and in this team he plays very far back which makes the same thing happen to him as Valverde: he loses his potential and talent. And this is very noticeable, he looks lost, it is difficult for him to make good passes, he does not generate much danger; a real pity the truth. But since not everything is bad, there are a couple of things to highlight from yesterday that may bring some stability to this battered Real Madrid. After more than 7 months Eder Militao returned to the field and after almost a year Dani Carvajal did the same.
Carvajal's importance on the right flank is paramount and having him at full strength will be one less headache for Alonso. Not to mention Militao, given the lack of confidence generated by the central defenders, having more options is always a plus. Likewise, I think the Merengues should go for another center back and someone in midfield, as long as the Financial Fair Play allows them to do so. This is a slight x-ray of Real Madrid that shows us that the old problems are still there despite the fact that there is a new boss at home. We will have to give time to time...
¡Un abrazo a todos, nos leemos en la próxima!
Well my people, that's all for today, I hope you liked it.
¡Hugs to all of you, see you next time!