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 purpose from Vinicius Junior, made certain 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.
Certainly one of Dean Huijsen’s largest criticisms from final season was his tendency to at all times discover a spectacular cross. He was at all times diabolically vertical along with his passes, no matter whether or not they made any sense. He seemed to at all times be optimistic along with his actions — typically too optimistic, and that harm Actual Madrid on many events.
Issues could be going nicely, and the group could be able the place they wanted to maintain the ball. As a substitute of taking part in the simple cross, Huijsen would at all times attempt to discover an attacker who was by no means anticipating a cross within the first place.
Towards Actual Sociedad, and in addition in opposition to Espanyol, issues seemed extra ‘boring’ and normal and fewer chaotic with Huijsen. The Spanish Worldwide had a 96% cross completion charge 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 essential, but in addition understood the significance of preserving the ball and having management of the sport. There have been a few pointless by means of balls right here and there, however issues typically seemed good, and this can be a model of Huijsen that Actual Madrid can positively use in video games the place they’d battle to maintain possession. A constant, ball-playing centre-back like Huijsen lifts this group’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 few years, and never numerous it has to do with the standard on the pitch. Even when it’s Actual Madrid’s finest XI taking part in on the Bernabeu, the low block has given them a great deal of issues.
Towards Actual Sociedad, each time the away facet shifted to a low block to defend — which didn’t occur on a regular basis — Los Blancos had been in a position to get inventive. The second half noticed numerous strain from the house facet, which compelled La Actual to take a seat again and take up strain. Even at some factors in the course of the first half, it appeared like Actual Madrid would battle to have many clear sights on purpose, however their motion was a lot better than earlier than. There have been a great deal of entries into the field from the attackers, and at factors, the midfielders as nicely. 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 — one in all which resulted in a purpose for Mbappe.
Even in the event you disregard the purpose, there have been some spectacular passes and actions in and across the field which, coupled with endurance and ball retention, made it comparatively straightforward for the group to interrupt down a really sturdy Actual Sociedad.
Ibrahima Konate, ground raiser
This can be a model of Konate that Actual Madrid followers can get behind. In his two video games, he has seemed 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 seemed higher than the model that confirmed up for Liverpool final season. Clearly, there have been private issues he needed to take care of, which had an influence 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 observe in his first few years at Liverpool.
Towards 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 suitable facet fairly comfortably each time Denzel Dumfries went on one in all his darting runs into the attacking third.
If Konate is ready to preserve himself match and firing this manner, a lot of Actual Madrid’s defensive points will slowly go away.
