Whilst Real Madrid forward Marco Asensio has enjoyed some good moments throughout this season so far, his recent performances have continually become more and more disappointing, with the Supercopa against Barcelona being a particularly low moment for the Mallorcan.
During his time on the field, Asensio was largely ineffective against the Catalans, offering little in attack and nothing in the way of aiding Dani Carvajal defensively. It seemed at times he was unsure of what to do, often making rushed decisions that killed team moves.
On a couple of occasions, he fired hopeful shots despite not seeing potentially better options or passed the ball back, without taking chances or trying to find space in order to create danger. The numbers showcase just how ineffective the winger was during his stint on the field.
Asensio had 29 touches of the ball, the fourth-fewest in the squad, with the other three players all being substitutes who played less than he did. He also had the fifth-fewest passes attempted, again, all those behind him were also substitutes.
Marco Asensio can play well at times, and that’s frustrating
Even in his three duels attempted, he once again only led players who were featured much later in the game than he was. For a player who has been largely the undisputed starter in recent fixtures, this level of performance in a big game was nothing short of abysmal.
What has made Asensio’s performance all the more frustrating, is the fact that he has shown he has the capability to perform and contribute. His attacking game can be incredibly useful, however, the issue has always been consistency – something which cannot be rewarded with regular starting opportunities.
For Carlo Ancelotti, he should be comparing the difference made by Rodrygo in this game, and considering his options on the right flank. The Brazilian featured for 52 minutes against Barcelona and in that time, he had more touches than Asensio did, created more chances, and attempted and completed more duels.
Not only was Rodrygo more effective in an attacking sense, but he was also more helpful going backward too. His presence was felt, the pitch suddenly felt a little wider, there seemed to be a bit more zip to Real’s attacks – there was another option.
What Rodrygo showed in that appearance was that he certainly should be considered, he may also have shown some levels of inconsistency too, however it was beyond apparent last night that Real need something else on the right side.
If the club isn’t going to trust in Eden Hazard, they will need to at least trust in Rodrygo to create competition for the position. Continuing to field a hit-and-miss Marco Asensio is only going to lessen and hamper Real’s attack. With the side already heavily reliant on the brilliant Benzema and Vinicius duo, the others need to step up. If Asensio is not going to, offer the chance to someone who has shown they will.