ANDhimself real Madrid that weeks ago astonished in Anfield (2-5) with a dance of goals and a good game… he has run out of ideas when the ball approaches the most sensitive area of the pitch. It does not generate chances, nor does it overwhelm the rival with the ease to which we were accustomed. The bump started in the derby against athleticsettled in the classic and has finished activating all the alarms in the Benito Villamarn.
“The team has done merits to get something else out of here, we lacked a bit of success in the last section, the last pass to have clearer scoring chances. We are in March, we know that it is complicated and we are going to fight until the end because we really believe that we can turn it around”, he tried to analyze Lucas Vazquez in the mixed zone after the distribution of points (0-0) against Betis de pellegrini.
We lacked efficiency, one less center, one less leaked ball…
He survival exercise which in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals generated a threat of crisis in the Madrid team. The beginning of an action that is frustrated before reaching its end: the real Madrid it has run out ‘dry’ at the worst possible moment and no longer generates so many clear chances over the rival goalkeeper. Against the eternal rival, the problem was attributed to the defensive approach of the men of xavi hernndez in it Santiago Bernabú… but the match against Betis seems to glimpse more of a problem of mental fatigueof not being all the fine, fast and accurate that is needed in the three-quarter zone to filter that ball that breaks the defensive framework or that second of calm to decide the future of the play in the most poignant way.
The explanation and what Ancelotti demands
The Real Madrid coach showed his vision of the problem that plagues his footballers after his walk against Liverpool in the Champions League round of 16. “It could be done better, with more efficiency upstairs, We have come out well from behind, we have come out well between the lines, we have lacked efficiency, one less center, one less filtered ball… In the other three games we have scored a goal and set pieces, it’s pretty obvious what’s missingwe have to be more effective. Sometimes the rival team closes, but we have the quality and we have to do better. More efficiency and less dribbling, more forceful, it can be shot from the outside. It is an aspect that we have to improve“.
The Italian asks his men faster transitionsthat the ball ran more freely and the need to leave behind an abuse of dribbling that sometimes slows down the pace with which they used to intimidate their rivals. You can (must) shoot more times from outside the box…because it is not necessary to go all the way to the kitchen to finish a danger action. The ‘definitive’ pass (last pass) is another pending issue in a team that abuses its attempts and that facilitates the rival in its defensive tasks. Have too easy a read and the repetition is never surprising.
Real Madrid was unable to overcome a rival that he did not feel inferior on the field of play and that aggravated the white problems during the first 45 minutes: not a single shot on goal in the first part… by two from Betis, one of them forced Courtois to put on work overalls to avoid so much Ayoze after a powerful shot from the front. After 90 minutes, the data for the white team cannot clear up all doubts either. Five shots between the three sticks… and a sensation that a minimum of ten more are needed to perforate the network. Rodrygo and Benzema had the two clearest chances for Real Madrid after two passes of the death of Vinicius and Valverde. The Brazilian sent it to the clouds and the French collided with Claudio Bravo.
Vinicius’ lack of goal and the scheme
One of the footballers who puts a face to the drought of the white game is Vinicius. The Brazilian end has submerged 20 meters deep to lose his lead in front of goal in LaLiga: 2 goals in the last 16 games (Valencia and Girona). Some figures that are exacerbated away from home, where they have not hosted a ball in the net since Matchday 3.
Ancelotti and his level of anger: “The problem lies in being more effective and less looking at yourself”
In addition, Ancelotti tried to explain Rodrygo’s change of scheme and mobility throughout the attack front after the match.”Rodrygo started as a midfielder and when Ceballos came on I put him as a right winger to try to get him to enter more from the outside. I was looking to put Rodrygo in a position where he can create problems, combining with Valverde,” he said.
the young brazilian He associates himself very easily with Benzema on the insidebut the French seems that does not finish organizing with the same clarity all the attack plays (without putting the goals section in the same bag… since it has been 12 since the World Cup ended). And when the conductor of the orchestra goes unnoticed the white team suffers because of an injury from which they had not previously suffered.
The ‘9’ debate returns
Benzema is the leader, he continues to perform at a very high level… but the matches in which Real Madrid gets stuck in attack, the debate on the need for a pure ‘9’ returns to its place of origin. The white team decided not to go to the transfer market because they considered that with Karim and with the help of the second scoring line it was enough to cover the facet of the goal.
The problem has arisen as a result of the drop in this second line and has caused the French striker has had to throw all the responsibility for the goal on his back. footballers like Vinicius, Rodrygo and Asensiowho last season were involved, either assisting or scoring, in many of the goals scored by Ancelotti’s men, their figures have dropped considerably in this campaign. In addition, there is no guaranteed substitute in the ‘9’ position, at the Frenchman’s age (35) we must add that he plays practically every minute and that mental and physical fatigue can end up taking its toll.
alvaro rodriguez It is right now the only alternative, taking into account that Mariano is not included in the Italian coach’s plans, for a complicated position in the Real Madrid scheme. The irruption of the young Uruguayan served to scratch a draw against Atlético and their shares are always claimed when the rival is locked in the area and they are called up to their height to fight all the side centers that fall near the rival goalkeeper. With very little time he has given good results, but he is the only alternative in attack since in the white club he still The need to sign an attacking footballer for next season is under studyadded to the future arrival of Endrick in July 2024.
