The Daily Merengue is a place where you can feel free to d all things football. Do not be alarmed by the overt RMCF bias. It’s in the name! Shoutout to the mods who do a fantastic job, Ezek, Valyrian Steel,
Felipejack, Juninho, NeRObutBlanco and yours truly, Kung_Fu_Zizou
Real Madrid welcome Celta Vigo to the Bernabeu. The Merengues have won every single home game this season and will look to continue that form after the righting the ship away from home at the daunting San Mames in Bilbao. Real Madrid are unbeaten in their last 19 meetings against Celta Vigo, winning 16 of them. This bodes well for the Merengues going into this tie looking to build on their recent 3-0 victory away at Athletic Bilbao. Real Madrid have also won every single home game this season with eight straight home wins across all competitions making the Bernabéu a fortress. It is imperative that Los Blancos continue their 100% record at home. Charity begins at home. We can always improve our form away from home, but we have to be consistent at the Bernabéu. If we are going to close the four-point gap to Barcelona and win La Liga, our home form must be non-negotiable.
The injury to Camavinga could lead to a cautious approach by Xabi in the lead-up to Manchester City’s visit on Wednesday. Naturally Ceballos and Arda Guler would be the alternatives in midfield. We can expect at least one of the two to return to the starting XI even if Xabi decides on only 3 starting midfielders for the match. Valverde looks increasingly likely to bolster his portfolio at Right-Back with the perpetual absences of both Carvajal and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Xabi Alonso has not yet opted to bring in a Castilla fullback for the role. Fede Valverde will in essence remain a utility player. However, Fede is no ordinary utility player as he’s guaranteed a starting berth in Xabi Alonso’s team.
The Attacking Duo ..and Dressing Room Leaders
Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior will look to continue improving on their combinations in attack with the Brazilian looking to get back on the scoresheet and boost his confidence in front of goal. Bilbao was a match where both Vinicius and Kylian played well with the Frenchman netting twice and setting up Camavinga for his second goal of the season with a headed assist not normally identified with the Bernabeu faithful’s electric number 10.
Vinicius Junior has a curious story at Real Madrid and while many admirers and detractors of Real Madrid alike may make him an object of their discontent, his story continues. None of us know the future but if Vinicius continues to amass trophies at the Bernabeu, this could be a blip in the story of another legendary footballer in the classic all-white strip. Vinicius has to be a leader.. This demand is down to the culture of the club and the responsibility it places on players who have held long-service in the dressing room. This is also true of Valverde and Courtois who belong to Vinicius’ class of 2018/19. 7 years at Real Madrid is nothing to scoff at. Especially following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo. Carvajal is the club captain but it is undeniable that Vinicius, Fede and Courtois are the most visible of the captains and the ones who will shoulder the responsibility under the spotlight as has been the case so far when things have gone awry.
This is NOT Kylian Mbappe’s team. He is the best player in the team without a doubt but it is NOT his team. It is not built around him even if he is the most important player. As I have said, Real Madrid rewards long-service even if implicitly. Your longevity commands respect and I believe that is fair and creates a healthy culture even if some senior players tend to abuse their status. It is Carvajal, Fede, Vini and Courtois’ team. They are the captains. It is their team. No senior player including Vinicius wants to be seen by the fans as being the problem at his own club. This was visible in his gestures towards the fans following the Clasico debacle. Fede Valverde has also addressed claims accusing him of not wanting to sacrifice for the team. While we scoff at these gestures, they should remind us that the players remain aware of their connection and responsibility to the club and its fans. Player power at Real Madrid is a pyrrhic victory.. Eventually the fans will simply want better players and not merely a new manager. The players are keenly aware of this. If they do not win this season, the fans may blame Xabi but they will be very loud when questioning why the same players with reinforcements have failed under two proven managers who have a history at the club. They will turn their ire to the players and demand replacements.
The Midfield Puzzle..
Arda Guler is a special player but one who is so easy to dismiss when he is less than brilliant. Xabi Alonso recognises his quality much the same as his teammates do. However, the youngster still has some way to go. He has time on his hands given the resources we have. We will not win or lose silverware based on the number of minutes he plays. We do not rely so heavily on him but Xabi must find a way to exploit his gifts. The club will bring back Nico Paz another brilliant footballer to add to an already competitive midfield collection and perhaps Chema Andres who I personally thought was worth keeping for his development given his particular set of skills. The inevitable departure of Dani Ceballos coupled with the decreasing likelihood for a RW starter points towards a trend of midfield heavy squad with the likes of Fede, Jude and Camavinga exploiting their physical gifts to cover for that lack of natural width on the right side of attack. Adding Nico Paz and Chema Andres would bolster depth and perhaps overshoot in terms of squad competition but the quality of options to compete on all fronts would be immense. That said, this season, Arda has to continue to learn and develop, every time he does not start he must study the game and how his game impacts the team. His role is purely cerebral. He needs to understand that and refine those attributes continuously.
The Back 4.. Uncertainty
Rudiger and Militao would make the most consistent starting pair if they could remain healthy. It is a slap in the face of those of us.. Mainly just me, who are always overhyped about our younger players. Reality has dawned and I must say that I find encouragement more than disappointment in knowing we have reliable alternatives to the error-prone youngsters when everyone is healthy. I would even consider extending Rudiger’s stay if it allows the likes of Huijsen a chance to be taken out of the spotlight from time to time so they may compete and develop. I still believe that Huijsen, Asencio and Joan Martinez will all become first team regulars in the coming years and will be among the best in the world but they must be allowed to fail if they are going to grow.
Xabi’s Challenge: Gaining Control Out of Chaos
Real Madrid is in its own way very organic and very chaotic. Things rise and settle and eventually move forward. The players embody this chaotic nature driven by an insatiable desire for more success. Our players thrive in chaos, they unsettle opponents and they unsettle themselves or at least the structure and balance of the team but they somehow organically manage control out of chaos and win in the end. This is essentially the task facing Xabi Alonso.. How do you gain control out of all this brilliant chaos. The drop of the shoulder, the out of position recovery cobra tackle, a banger from outside the box during a lacklustre display.. How do you get control out of all these elements? Take the individual brilliance harnessed through freedom and forge deliberate control? Today will be another opportunity for Xabi to address some of these questions. I expect another clear victory. Not a perfect display. Every victory is earned. The players must take responsibility and execute the manager’s instructions, we will concede chances but we must react with positivity and desire.. With accountability. We must WIN!
Hala Madrid!
