New Delhi: With the recent acquisition of Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid is currently in a difficult position as a number of important players are finding it difficult to fit in with the team’s structure. In this sense, manager Carlo Ancelotti is having trouble integrating his best players into a coherent scheme.
Their recent grand signing of Kylian Mbappe has created a few issues around the system of Real Madrid on the pitch. Madrid have had a slow start to their campaign, and considering their star studded squad, their current situation has raised a numerous questions on their perfomances on the pitch. There are few factors that are revolving around the addition of their newest star signing Mbappe into the squad.
As he did with Jude Bellingham last season, Ancelotti usually bases his strategy around his players’ abilities. Usually, he fosters an atmosphere that allows them to flourish. But things have gotten more complicated since Mbappe arrived, and it seems like certain players are suffering as a result. This has been a major issue for Ancelotti this season, and their performances have nowhere close to what the squad is capable of.
Mbappe’s current role for Real Madrid
Incredibly disappointed with Mbappe’s performance yesterday.
For a player of his calibre (T5 in the world), he showed a worryingly lack of adaptation throughout the game.
~ Caught offside early, ADAPT
There was no change or variety in his attempts to get in behind the… pic.twitter.com/YbvGubaxU0
— CounterPressers (@CounterPressers) October 27, 2024
Perhaps the most important situation is Mbappe’s. He has been assigned to a position that is not a good fit for his skills. Mbappe has always performed best as a left winger, where he can cut inside and take shots with his right foot because to his exceptional speed and agility. However, he frequently has to play with his back to the goal in his present role as a centre forward, which restricts his ability to make an impact on the game.
His abilities were first noticed at AS Monaco, and then the French forward made his reputation as one of the most lethal wingers on the planet. At PSG, Mbappe excelled as a striker but his move to Real Madrid meant that he needed to up his game, and the only way to do that is by playing him at his natural position, that is the left flank of the pitch.
Given that Ancelotti had tried using Vinicius Jr. as a center-forward to free up more room for Rodrygo on the left, this tactical mismatch calls into question his approach. These rotations appear to have become less common since Mbappe joined the team.
Restricting Jude Bellingham’s forward movement
Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham, left, and Atletico Madrid’s Rodrigo De Paul fight for the Ball
In particular, Bellingham is having trouble with this new arrangement. Since Mbappe’s inclusion in the attacking line has limited the areas where he typically performs well, he is in a less advantageous position under Ancelotti. He frequently made sharp runs from the back last season, which greatly aided the team’s offensive play. But since Mbappe has been dominating center areas, those opportunities have decreased, which has resulted in a discernible decline in his scoring opportunities.
Last season, Bellingham had an astonishing 25 goal contributions in the league, while this season, the stats have dropped drastically. So far Bellingham has only managed to get one assist thisn season, without scoring a single goal for Madrid in seven starts. This is a major factor that has revolved around Mbappe’s addition to the squad.
Endrick’s lack of playtime
Fiorentino Perez is really furious because Güler and Endrick are stuck on the bench even though they play well for their national teams
He believes this is the best squad in Real Madrid’s history and wants to see instant results ☹️ pic.twitter.com/7ycrQWNyoY
— Futbol Xperience (@FutbolXperience) November 1, 2024
When Real Madrid signed Endrick, there was certainly a buzz all around where people were excited to see the Brazilian striker excell at Santiago Bernebeu. However, so far things haven’t looked good for the talented teenager as in his seven games that he has played this season, he has only managed to play for an overall total of 40 minutes.
Currently Endrick is in his phase where he needs more play time and show his maturity on the field, but ever since the signing of Mbappe, things have shaped quite the different from what is required for his personal growth and development.
Rodrygo’s off position troubles
Rodrygo Goes playing for Real Madrid against Sevilla (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
Additionally, it should be mentioned that Rodrygo has also fallen victim to this change. Despite his great connection with Vinicius last season, he has been somewhat marginalized in Ancelotti’s attacking plans. They were a serious threat to opposing defenses because of their connection, but Rodrygo’s role has decreased since Mbappe joined. Since Rodrygo is renowned for his ability to open doors and provide possibilities for others, a talent that has been suppressed in the current formation—this decline in influence is worrisome.
It is quite obvious that Rodrygo’s importance in this Real Madrid team is immense and this season, despite having four goal contributions in the league, he has not looked anywhere close to the level he can possess.
Further out of position problems with Camavinga
Eduardo Camavinga posted an update regarding his injury back in August (via@Camavinga)
Camavinga is another player enmeshed in this tactical conundrum. The youthful French midfielder has struggled to establish himself in the squad. Camavinga’s opportunities to show off his skills are limited because Aurelien Tchouameni is usually used by Ancelotti as the starting midfielder. Federico Valverde’s adaptability also makes things more difficult.
In order to cover defensive responsibilities and limit Camavinga’s opportunities to succeed in a more central role, Valverde frequently plays as a right midfielder. The young player excels at controlling the midfield and playing both defense and attack, but he finds it difficult to get into a rhythm when he plays on the left.
In conclusion, Ancelott has had a difficult time since Kylian Mbappe arrived. Four important players—Mbappe, Bellingham, Rodrygo, and Camavinga—now find themselves in positions that do not make the most of their skills as a result of the present tactical arrangement. The coach needs to reevaluate his tactics because Ancelotti’s insistence on starting these players in unusual positions has lessened their impact on the game.
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