Life just flows so much smoother when Real Madrid players are cooking.
Real Madrid fans can have no complaints at the start of this season. That's rare to say for a high achieving club, as the paradox suggests that Real Madrid fans should never be satisfied. There's always something to work on, right?
But Xabi Alonso, in his first few months in charge of the club, has got the players playing how they should. The form is a complete U-turn from Carlo Ancelotti's final few months in charge, and, while we don't want to jinx anything here, it's been phenomenal to see.
One player who has benefitted the most from Xabi Alonso's arrival is Arda Güler. The Turkey international was hardly given a sniff last season under Ancelotti but this season, something about him feels different.
Güler has always seemed hungry to succeed. This was clear as day, even when he was starved of opportunities. Now, though, he's given play time and creative freedom in a fluid position.
And the results are astronomical. In the season's first three games, Güler created more chances than any player in Europe.
He's not just cooking for Real Madrid, either.
Arda Guler reps Real Madrid with another generational performance
Yesterday, Turkey took on Georgia in the World Cup qualifiers. Within the first hour, the game was already put to bed (albeit Georgia did return twice later on).
Güler was at the heart of the action, providing an assist and being involved in another goal.
His offensive action is widely documented. Real Madrid fans need no reminding of the type of monster Güler can be in the final third. So, what sticks out most is his defensive accumen yesterday.
For Turkey, Güler was expected to pressure the opposition off the ball. He made some great recoveries for his country (four, to be exact), and this is something that will make Xabi Alonso applaud his TV screen.
There's no hiding in a Xabi Alonso system. You either buy in, or you get sent packing. This is just part and parcel of playing for one of the world's best coaches.
At the start of this season, it can be said fairly that Güler needed to improve the defensive side of his game. If yesterday's performance for Turkey is anything to go by, then we will only see those improvements made in a Real Madrid jersey.
For the time being, nobody can complain about Güler's output. Long may it continue.