Real Madrid News
Mourinho faces a challenge to accommodate two key Real Madrid stars in the same lineup
After a month of preparing for the season ahead, Jose Mourinho has made some key observations in his new-look Real Madrid squad.
The coach has already been impressed by youngsters Mario Rivas and Alex Ciria. But as far as the first-team is concerned, that is rather inconsequential.
Mourinho’s big challenge will be accomodate the six new signings into the system. But perhaps a bigger challenge will be to plan around existing stars as well.
Mourinho’s big dilemma this season
According to MARCA, Mourinho faces a big dilemma in Real Madrid’s creative unit heading into the new season.
His plan is to accomodate both Jude Bellingham and Arda Guler in the same lineup, so Real Madrid become extra effective when creating chances.
However, in a team full of star attackers such as Yan Diomande, Vinicius Jr. and Kylian Mbappe, that is going to be rather difficult.
Even the former coach Alvaro Arbeloa had a difficult time settling both Bellingham and Guler in the same eleven last season. With Real Madrid signing more players this summer, Mourinho’s job will be made even harder.
What can they offer to the table?
Having Bellingham and Guler in the same eleven does solve a lot of problems for Real Madrid.
Bellingham is effectively a number ten who can offer those marauding runs into the box, making life extra difficult for opposing defenders.
Guler, on the other hand, can operate well in tight spaces and versatile enough to move out wide, if necessary.
The two could work in tandem to create openings for players like Mbappe, Diomande and Vinicius in the final third.
The only possible way Real Madrid can accomodate the two in the same lineup is if Mourinho sacrifices Diomande, with Guler operating wide alongside Vinicius and Mbappe leading the line. Bellingham can operate as the sole number in a 4-2-3-1.
Alternatively, Bellingham can operate in the double-pivot, but that would leave the number six with a lot of defensive work – something that is not feasible.
Real Madrid’s adventure so far under new coach Jose Mourinho has been far from perfect and this fact shouldn’t be lost even after the team’s brilliant comeback win over AS Roma in midweek.
However, there are areas where Los Blancos have shown a clear improvement under Mourinho, when compared to previous bosses such as Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa.
One of those areas has been set plays, with Real Madrid appearing far more potent from set pieces this season.
A clear improvement from last season
As reported by Diario AS, the three goals in Rome, all from Arda Guler corners inside a seven-minute blitz, were the perfect advert for the work being done at Valdebebas.
Those strikes took Real Madrid’s set-piece tally to seven goals in just ten matches this season. Four of them have come in La Liga, one from a corner and three from free kicks, with the trio in Rome completing the haul.
It is a striking figure when set against last season’s return. Under Alonso and Arbeloa, Madrid managed 12 set-piece goals across the entire campaign, all in La Liga, split evenly between six from corners and six from free kicks.
On current trends, this side looks well placed to surpass that number comfortably.
The reason behind Real Madrid’s improvement
Attacking set pieces are led at Valdebebas by Pedro Machado, with the whole coaching staff involved and Mourinho himself giving the final green light on every routine.
Defending them, meanwhile, falls to Sami Khedira, though it is treated as a collective effort. Mourinho’s appreciation of that teamwork was clear when Bellingham headed in a Guler free kick against Espanyol, prompting the manager to leap up and embrace his assistants.
Machado, one of Mourinho’s most trusted lieutenants, has followed him from Fenerbahce to Benfica and now Madrid, part of a backroom team blending experience with young, ambitious talent.
On the pitch, Guler is the undisputed master when available, his left foot the key weapon, with Bernardo Silva, Trent Alexander-Arnold and even Diomande also trusted to initiate attacks.
Such meticulous strategy has helped Real Madrid turn into a potent side from set-pieces this season.
