Let's be honest - Real Madrid didn't have a great summer transfer window. Yes, we hyped it up when it was happening, but now, the obvious flaws are coming to the surface.
Real Madrid's first real test of the season was an epic failure. They didn't just lose the match against Atlético, they lost their dignity in the process. 5-2 against your local and eldest rivals is simply inexcusable, and Real Madrid players should feel like they have a problem to fix now. They do.
However, throughout the match, there was quite a disturbing trend that doesn't seem to be going away.
Real Madrid just don't want to use the right wing
For whatever reason, Real Madrid continued to penetrate down the left-hand side. against Atlético. The graph from Opta (via AS) is quite telling that Real Madrid attacked down the left 41.1% of the time (center - 26.1%, right - 32.8%).
The truth is that no Real Madrid winger wants to play out on the right. This has been the case for many years, and it continues to be the case now.
Arda Güler is still figuring out his best position, and against Atleti, he was arguably the best player in a Real Madrid shirt. He operated the right-wing, but that channel wasn't used nearly as much as it should have been for Real Madrid.
What Real Madrid lacked in the attack was creativity and unpredictability. Güler is the most creative player at Real Madrid right now, and he even got an assist at the weekend. But, let's face it, Real Madrid didn't use his prowess nearly as much as they should have.
You might think Güler is being given a chance at Real Madrid, but he isn't, really. He cannot get away with the same stuff that Vinícius Júnior can get away with. Simply put, Güler could try twice as hard as Vini, but the play would still go down the left flank.
At the weekend, this concerning trend was to no avail.
So, why did Real Madrid continue to pursue this avenue, and why have they tried to keep those hopes alive all season so far?
Well, it could be due to another factor. Güler was partnered by Carvajal, who is nowhere near as offensively gifted as Trent Alexander-Arnold (injured). On the left, it was Carreras and Vini - On paper, you would value the left-hand side as one to pursue over the right.
However, the right was more fruitful than the left, all things considered.