Actual Madrid put Actual Sociedad away 4-1 of their first match on the Bernabeu this season. A hat-trick from Kylian Mbappe, together with a aim from Vinicius Junior, made positive that Jose Mourinho’s return to the stadium was not spoiled.
Dean Huijsen and the artwork of finishing boring passes
This isn’t meant to be a diss.
One in every of Dean Huijsen’s greatest criticisms from final season was his tendency to all the time discover a spectacular move. He was all the time diabolically vertical along with his passes, no matter whether or not they made any sense. He appeared to all the time be constructive along with his actions — typically too constructive, and that damage Actual Madrid on many events.
Issues could be going properly, and the workforce could be ready the place they wanted to maintain the ball. As an alternative of enjoying the straightforward move, Huijsen would all the time attempt to discover an attacker who was by no means anticipating a move within the first place.
In opposition to Actual Sociedad, and in addition in opposition to Espanyol, issues appeared extra ‘boring’ and normal and fewer chaotic with Huijsen. The Spanish Worldwide had a 96% move completion fee on 72 makes an attempt, as he performed numerous sideways passes to Bernardo Silva, Marc Cucurella and Ibrahima Konate.
He progressed the ball when it felt proper and mandatory, but in addition understood the significance of maintaining the ball and having management of the sport. There have been a few pointless by way of balls right here and there, however issues usually appeared good, and it is a model of Huijsen that Actual Madrid can positively use in video games the place they might battle to maintain possession. A constant, ball-playing centre-back like Huijsen lifts this workforce’s ceiling.
Off-ball actions and one-touch passes
Actual Madrid have struggled to get inventive in video games the place they face a low block at many factors over the previous couple of years, and never numerous it has to do with the standard on the pitch. Even when it’s Actual Madrid’s finest XI enjoying on the Bernabeu, the low block has given them a great deal of issues.
In opposition to Actual Sociedad, every time the away facet shifted to a low block to defend — which didn’t occur on a regular basis — Los Blancos have been in a position to get inventive. The second half noticed numerous strain from the house facet, which pressured La Actual to take a seat again and take up strain. Even at some factors throughout the first half, it appeared like Actual Madrid would battle to have many clear sights on aim, however their motion was significantly better than earlier than. There have been a great deal of entries into the field from the attackers, and at factors, the midfielders as properly. They occupied so many positions within the field that there have been many gamers to put the ball off to. That led to some sensible one-touch strikes and pass-and-go’s — considered one of which resulted in a aim for Mbappe.
Even for those who disregard the aim, there have been some spectacular passes and actions in and across the field which, coupled with persistence and ball retention, made it comparatively simple for the workforce to interrupt down a really sturdy Actual Sociedad.
Ibrahima Konate, ground raiser
It is a model of Konate that Actual Madrid followers can get behind. In his two video games, he has appeared completely rock-solid, and it looks like he’s edging nearer to his finest model in a Actual Madrid shirt.
He has solely performed two official video games for Actual Madrid, however he has already appeared higher than the model that confirmed up for Liverpool final season. Clearly, there have been private issues he needed to cope with, which had an impression on his soccer, however it looks like he’s slowly coping with it, whereas additionally recovering a model of himself that was a pleasure to look at in his first few years at Liverpool.
In opposition to Actual Sociedad, Konate accomplished 52 of his 54 passes, had two tackles, three blocks, three clearances and two recoveries. He knew when to step up and put strain on Actual Sociedad’s attackers, and in addition was in a position to handle the fitting facet fairly comfortably every time Denzel Dumfries went on considered one of his darting runs into the attacking third.
If Konate is ready to preserve himself match and firing this fashion, a lot of Actual Madrid’s defensive points will slowly go away.
