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Jose Mourinho has his work cut-out for him. He has a talented squad, undoubtedly. However, talent, just ain’t enough. The previous two seasons stand as a testament to that very reality.
The Good..
Mourinho got in good very early with Vinicius,
Mobutu and Nelson Mandela. He has somehow managed to make all three feel very important and has them currently pulling in the same direction. I expect we will see Vinicius putting a few more chances on a plate for Kylian in the upcoming matches. Vinicius and Jude have generally had a wonderful connection on the pitch dating back to the historic 2023/24 season. This relationship was strained obviously over the last two seasons likely due to the formers heavy decline in form. Mourinho knows that having the biggest players pulling in the same direction makes it easier to rally the troops when needed and let cooler heads prevail when the storm descends upon us. Fede Valverde is also seemingly a big fan of the Portuguese manager. Courtois has previously worked with Mourinho at Chelsea and understands how the manager works and the heavy demands he places on players. So far, the players have responded positively and appear keen to make things work by working harder off the ball and sacrificing for the team. Long may it continue. We will need that spirit when the big games arrive.
The Bad..
Getting the big players on-side comes at a cost. The cost seems to be that Mourinho has decided certain players are untouchable. That has its pros and cons. The pros are that Mourinho can have a trusted core who are respected by the rest of the squad. The trusted core can be called out collectively to take responsibility and rally the troops out of a trough. The cons are obvious.. These players can become complacent and entitled. They can begin to feel they have a very long rope and that they’re now necessarily above the rest of the squad. Attempting to discipline these players can have disastrous consequences. José has effectively gambled with his time at the club by taking that approach. What is more, adjusting the roles of the chosen ones will likely be met with hostility. The players will not mind adjusting for a game or two but a permanent change will not be welcomed and could cost Mourinho his job. The first test will come when Mourinho benches a healthy Valverde, Vinicius, Kylian or Jude. The first instance will not be an issue but continued rotation of players who cannot imagine the team function without them.. Good luck, Sir!
The Story So Far..
Real Madrid are not playing all that well. This is to be expected given all the changes. Turning the boys to men was never going to be a walk in the park. The transition game is improving on both sides of the ball. The weakness is a large, pulsating, red circle: Ball possession, progression and game management. It is still early days and the players are adjusting to their new reality and the demands of their new coach. Let us keep this in the proper context. 5 games, 4 wins and a surprise defeat at Betis. The team has a lot of room for improvement. This relates largely to the ability to control the game both on and off the ball. Chance creation has not been an issue even though putting chances away can be concerning at times, it is far from a serious issue for the team.
And yet..
Arda Güler has come a long way. He arrived the same season as Jude Bellingham. It’s a small miracle that he didn’t completely disappear with Jude delivering one of the greatest debut seasons of all time. This coincided with persistent injuries and lack of opportunities for the young Turkish international. However, three seasons later Arda Güler continues to make his case for a consistent starting role. The youngster has a special set of skills which could not be made more evident in his cameo against Rayo Vallecano at the Bernabeu littered with whistling fans letting forth their ire for the team’s display. Arda took over the game. The only thing missing from Arda’s performance was the superhero music. Arda can play transition football. He can carry the ball, switch play, increase the speed of play and slow it down. He has one of the best first-time passes out there and he does so off of both feet. The games against Inter Milan and Rayo Vallecano not only highlighted a need for more control of the ball but further highlighted the need for Arda Güler in the XI. It seems rather difficult to expect that Arda could do more to stake a claim among the untouchables given the glaring need for his special set of skills.
