Real Madrid were simply awful in the game against Cadiz. It ended in a 0-0 draw and that ends Real Madrid’s winning streak of 10 games in all competitions. While a draw wouldn’t have a major impact on the points table immediately, thanks to the massive point gap Real has established with their offensive gameplay this season, but, these kinds of matches may come to haunt you afterwards. We hope that wouldn’t be the case.
Real Madrid had a sound game defensively, the central defensive pairing of Eder Militao and David Alaba were up to the task and they sniffed out all sorts of danger, but there wasn’t much, to begin with. The same was the case with the defensive shifts from our fullbacks, Lucas Vazquez and Ferland Mendy although, they were nightmarish in the offensive third. As you’d deduce by now, Real’s attack is what struggled in this game.
There were a couple of visible problems. First, the main man in front of goal, Karim Benzema’s match fitness was visibly lacking. A striker with his instincts never hesitates to pull the trigger as he did against Cadiz. However, we expect Benzema to make up for it with his ability to get teammates in the game. However, even that was lacking in the Frenchman’s game last night. And, I am a hundred per cent sure that it had to do with his match fitness.
Secondly, the wings were uncharacteristically quiet in this game. It’s not like they didn’t have the ball, they just couldn’t do much with it. Vinicius Junior was paired up against Carlos Akapo – who had a man of the match performance – and it is safe to say the Cadiz man had the better of Vini all day long.
This is why I think Vini was over too eager to convert the clearer chances off the passes that he received from the likes of Toni Kroos and Fede Valverde. He did do what he was asked to – shoot without thinking about it for too long. But, in a game like this with few clear chances, Vini has to be patient and think all options through. He overran one pass from Valverde and that led to a touch from the defender marking him and the chance went begging. That is just one example, these are areas that still need a little more work from Vini.
Kylian Mbappe is the solution to all of Real Madrid’s problems in the offense
Now coming to the main argument I’d like to make through this column. As you must have already read in the title, the piece should be about discussing the solution to this major issue as much as it should be about explaining the issue itself. Well, here’s my solution, Kylian Mbappe. Yes, having that man in the team would be the perfect solution Real Madrid could conjure in such situations.
Firstly, Mbappe is a versatile forward. Of the two issues I mentioned here, Mbappe has the ability to solve both. Firstly, he would have been a brilliant replacement for the struggling Karim Benzema who could really do with some bit of rest. Mbappe plays in that Center-Forward position day in and day out and there’s no denying that he is great at what he does from the traditional striker’s position. He can create, can play direct and his finishing is just beyond what words can describe.
You might think that there already is Luka Jovic so the point about playing Mbappe the main striker isn’t valid. Well, if that was really it, I simply don’t understand why a Benzema who desperately needs rest should start against Cadiz of all opponents ahead of Jovic who has supposedly gained Carlo Ancelotti’s trust.
Granting that the striker’s role is well covered by the Serbian, even then, Mbappe would be the perfect ingredient for Real Madrid to solve their issues down the wing. Well firstly, our reinforcements on the wings weren’t up to Carlo Ancelotti’s preference as we know three right-wingers have contracted COVID and they’d be out at least for this year. The Italian boss hence went with Eden Hazard as a right-winger and number 10 hybrid which honestly, messes up Real Madrid’s overall gameplan. I think at this point Marco Asensio is a better option.
It is true Hazard played well in the second half and he did do things better to create more for Real Madrid. But, he just doesn’t seem like a Real Madrid player to me. On a day when your main striker and left-winger aren’t getting the impact they usually get, you need to up your game. Hazard simply could not do that. It might seem like I am being too harsh on him but his play which majorly is flicks and smart touches only these days isn’t adept for Real Madrid.
Once again, what’s the best solution? Yes, Kylian Mbappe. He favors the left but he won a World Cup on the right! As I already said that man is versatile. He can do things on days like this when your partners in the attack are having an off-day. He has been doing it all season in Ligue 1. It has mostly been him who comes up with the goods for PSG in times when their star-studded line-up fails to do their job. He is their superstar among the superstars.
And, to close it off, the introduction of Luka Jovic to get a goal made Real Madrid play more of a two-striker system. And, Mbappe and Benzema have been a bit of a dynamic duo in a similar system for the French National side this season. He is well adept at that too. Mbappe’s finishing is what makes the difference in games like the one against Cadiz. Not to forget he is also good at creating chances for others. He has 12 assists to his name for PSG in all competitions this season and is in the 99th percentile for progressive carries. He is the man Real Madrid needs. No ifs or buts.