In Real Madrid’s recent 3-2 win over Alavésa small but telling moment went largely unnoticed. With the score at 3-0, Madrid launched a counterattack. Vinicius Jr. was leading the charge, with Jude Bellingham in support. However, the Brazilian decided to take the shot himself, and Bellingham, visibly frustrated, threw up his arms in disappointment.
By that point, the game had turned into a celebration at the Santiago Bernabéu, with fans even calling for Vallejo to come on. Bellingham, however, was eager to make his mark, seemingly missing the goal-scoring prominence he enjoyed last season. Now, with the injury to Kylian Mbappé, the Englishman will find himself playing in more attacking positions.
Bellingham goalless ahead of Derbi
Last season, his first with Madrid, Bellingham scored seven goals in the team’s first nine matches, finishing the campaign with 23 goals and 13 assists. This season, which was expected to confirm his status as a key player, he remains influential but less so in front of goal. He has yet to score and has registered just two assists. While he missed only one of Madrid’s first nine games last season, this year he has managed to play in just five so far.
Although it seemed that Rodrygo would be the odd man out with Mbappé’s arrival, potentially losing his spot in the starting lineup, Carlo Ancelotti’s determination to keep the Brazilian in the XI has led to a tactical shift back to a 4-3-3, reminiscent of the “BBC” era. This adjustment has forced Bellingham to drop deeper, altering his role. No longer positioned so close to the goal, Bellingham is now more involved in the team’s build-up play, and does so to great effect. However, with Mbappé’s injury, Jude is returning to the attacking midfield role where he was so dangerous – acting as a number 10 in attack and defending on the left in a 4-4-2 when Madrid is on the back foot.
The statistics clearly show Bellingham’s change in involvement. He’s shooting less frequently and from less optimal positions than last season. In 2022-23, he took a total of 96 shots, scoring 23 goals, needing 4.17 shots per goal, and averaging a shot every 35 minutes. This season, however, Bellingham has taken just nine shots without finding the net, averaging one shot every 49 minutes, a noticeable drop from last year. Going into El Derbi against local rivals Atlético, Bellingham will be back in the position that brought him so close to winning the Ballon d’Orwith the chance to rediscover his goal-scoring form. Don’t be surprised if we’re hearing more of a famous Beatles track coming from the stands in the coming weeks.
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