According to Relevo, Carlo Ancelotti would consider certain tactical adjustments in Real Madrid's next matches. The Italian coach is reportedly looking for the best solution to compensate for the lack of defensive work from Kylian Mbappé since the start of the season.
Second in La Liga, provisionally nine points behind Barça. Twelfth in the Champions League, with one defeat and two victories on the clock. Without being infamous, Real Madrid's start to the season is generally below expectations. Despite its offensive armada, the Merengue club rarely dominates the debates and sometimes produces laborious performances. According to Relevo, Carlo Ancelotti would not be satisfied with the performance of his team in recent weeks. After studying the performances of his protégés in detail, the Italian coach concluded that the defensive system was his main concern. And not necessarily because of his back line.
Carlo Ancelotti would have especially noted the lack of defensive investment from Kylian Mbappé. The 65-year-old technician does not want to demand too much pressing and replacement efforts from his center forward, at the risk of tiring him and reducing his offensive impact. But he still expects more from the former Parisian. During the correction received against Barça last week in La Liga (0-4), the captain of the Blues only ran 8km on the Bernabeu pitch. Much less than his teammates. Enough to create a source of concern in the locker room.
Mbappé forced his teammates to make more effort
Kylian Mbappé forces his partners to produce more effort to compensate for his lack of defensive work. A situation which regularly weakens the balance of the team. Jude Bellingham, forced to multiply in order to plug the gaps, has seen his offensive contribution decline since the arrival of the former PSG star. Some have noticed that the 2018 world champion tends to want the ball to pass his pressing line as quickly as possible so that he can walk, catch his breath and prepare for his next acceleration. An attitude that Karim Benzema also had when he arrived at Real Madrid, before working more without the ball over the years.
Casa Blanca would like Mbappé to self-criticize and understand the importance of his defensive investment. This criticism had already been made in a rather scathing manner by Luis Enrique last season, as shown in the documentary devoted to the Spanish coach's adventure in Paris.
Reverse Mbappé and Vinicius Jr in the defensive phase?
Carlo Ancelotti is reportedly thinking today about different alternatives to improve things, knowing that he considers Kylian Mbappé as an indisputable starter. The coach of the European champions would intend to make some tests during the next meetings. He would particularly like to change the positions of Mbappé and Vinicius Jr in the defensive phases. The Brazilian would then put pressure on the goalkeeper and the opposing centrals, while the Frenchman would try to hinder the right side. Mbappé could also have to block passes between the centrals and their first midfielder, while “Vini” would tighten his marking on the side.
Either way, Ancelotti wouldn't want Mbappé's attitude to rub off on the rest of the team, as has already happened. The transalpine coach would fear seeing certain players make less effort when losing the ball if their attacking partner does not press in front of them. The Merengue club would still have the feeling that the humiliation against Barça made Mbappé understand that defending was a “necessary, urgent and collective” task. Now it remains to confirm it on the green rectangle. After the postponement of its trip to Valencia, due to the floods which devastated Spain, Real Madrid will host AC Milan on Tuesday in the Champions League (9 p.m.).
