Real Madrid had very few bright spots in their 2-1 loss to Real Betis, and substitute Arda Guler wasn't one of them. In approximately 30 minutes of action, Guler named himself among the many anonymous attackers of the day at the Benito Villamarin, failing to make a real impact off the bench in another matchup and leaving some fans wondering just what is going on with the Turkish standout from Euro 2024.
Guler took many Madridistas by storm in his first season at the club, because not only was he a pleasantly unexpected signing, but he also looked like one of the team's biggest gems with six goals in a meager 373 LaLiga minutes. This season, in around 600 minutes, he's scored just once.
Although there was a school of thought among Real Madrid supporters that Guler wasn't getting enough opportunities to start from Carlo Ancelotti, that narrative has changed abruptly. Following another nondescript appearance in the starting XI against Real Sociedad at mid-week, many Real Madrid fans are wondering what's wrong with Guler.
The reality is that there is nothing wrong with Guler. If there was any fault, though, then it was on us, as fans, for gassing up Guler so quickly and so strongly when he should not have been. Real Madrid aren't signing players after international tournaments because the quality of the competitions are so variable - and even worse now in this high burnout era - so, why then, did fans so effusively praise Guler for strong performances in the Euros against weaker defensive sides?
Arda Guler has so much to learn
Guler is such a great talent technically and has so much promise as a playmaker; there is no doubt about that. But at no point has he proven that he is ready to start regularly for Real Madrid at demanding positions in terms of athleticism, work rate, positioning, defensive involvement, and attention to detail, including on the right wing.
He's only 20 with very little exprience under high pressure and stress on the wing. He's not ready yet. Anyone can see that Guler is still facing a steep learning curve when it comes to helping the right back, getting open, finding the right spaces in transition, setting up his shot, and creating non-obvious chances against low blocks.
These are all really tough skills that take most players years to master. Fede Valverde and Vinicius Junior were not overnight sensations, nor was Rodrygo Goes. These guys took time before becoming starters at Real Madrid, and Guler is going to need time, too, especially since he's not as used to playing on the wings as Vini Jr. and Rodrygo already were.
Even as a playmaker, there's a lot for Guler to absorb, because the No. 10 role in the modern game is so much more nuanced and physically demanding than it was 10 or 20 years ago. Jude Bellingham is the blueprint for the position and sets such a high standard that is both difficult for Guler to match but also serves as an excellent example for the less experienced attacker to learn from.
So if anyone made a mistake, then it was Madridistas for demanding too much out of Guler and even putting pressure on Ancelotti to play a guy who isn't ready for the responsibilities of being a big-time player in Madrid. It's supposed to take a couple of years for someone to be ready for this weight of expectations, and it's OK that Guler isn't.
But for Guler, he needs to realize this and ignore the praise, because it's going to get to his head and make him doubt himself or even want to leave if he thinks he's supposed to be "the guy" already. To avoid a Martin Odegaard situation repeating, it's best for Real Madrid supporters to dial back their praise and expectations and just let the club's process play out. Guler has a lot to learn from Ancelotti and his veteran teammates.