Jude Bellingham has a new role at Real Madrid. Great. Although for numerous reasons this was and wasn’t the ideal match to analyse the secrets to his fast start in Spain.
First, the result. A 1-0 win for the self-styled Kings of Europe against Champions League debutants Union Berlin. A poor showing, but the match-winner? Bellingham in the 94th minute. Huzzah.
But let’s circle back. Bellingham had already been making waves at Real Madrid, both the club and La Liga’s player of the month for August, with five goals contributing towards a perfect five wins from five. Real top of the league, Bellingham their top scorer.
The crux of this goalscoring start has been an advanced role within a rejigged Real side. So used to 4-3-3, Karim Benzema’s departure forced head coach Carlo Ancelotti into a rethink, with a 4-4-2 diamond the result, where Bellingham is at the tip as the CAM behind two of Joselu, Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr.
With a greater license to advance thanks to Real’s choice of three from Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde behind him, Bellingham’s role is more false nine given Rodrygo and Vinicius’ tendency to move out wide.
Hence the poacher-like goals Bellingham has scored this season, including four around the six-yard area, and a start that inspired Gareth Southgate to give the 20-year-old a similar role for England, further up from defensive-midfield duo Kalvin Phillips and Declan Rice.
It worked, and led to a cut-above-the-rest display against Scotland where he scored, assisted and looked just technically better than anybody else on that Hampden pitch.
Back to Wednesday night and the most notable omission on the teamsheet may have been Vinicius – midweek through a six-week absence after a hamstring tear – but in truth it was Benzema, the man who departed for Al-Ittihad in the summer.
Joselu, of former Newcastle United striker fame (a two-season stint that featured seven goals in 52 games) arrived on loan, started against Union Berlin, and was evidently the focal point in the first half.
"He has everything!"
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 20, 2023@martinkeown5 and @themichaelowen talk the brilliance of Jude Bellingham!
@ReshminTV pic.twitter.com/kjS9soqAi0
An early cross from Bellingham found the Spaniard, with his header saved, and that set the tone for an opening 45 minutes where Real completed just five crosses from 21 attempted. From 12 shots, one on target.
Nevertheless, beyond the slow attacking display, Bellingham’s influence was still evident. “You can see he’s one of the leaders,” Steve McManaman said on TNT Sports. “He wants the ball, they want to give him the ball. He’s not going to hide and it shows the confidence in him already.”
But Real needed more, not just from Bellingham but from the team as a whole. This match was still goalless at the hour-mark, with 70 per cent possession accounting for nothing, and Union Berlin smelling a famous point.
The crossing almost worked in the 63rd minute, with Joselu’s header striking the post, while Bellingham’s own endeavours continued – a dummy almost coming off, a pass for Joselu ultimately offside.
Cue the changes, with Valverde and Kroos on for Tchouameni and Camavinga, and what followed was another chance for Joselu, who volleyed wide from Bellingham’s (you guessed it) cross.
“He must have run over a black cat,” mused McManaman, with Joselu’s luck typifying a drab night for Real, where the gap left by Benzema was plain for all to see.
And then of course, just as reports were being written about a below-par draw for the 14-time winners against the competition’s newbies, Bellingham had the final say, endearing himself further to Real Madrid fans with a goal four minutes into the five added on – pouncing in the box like all good strikers would.
Six goals down already at Real, this winner that puts gloss on a wasteful display, and so going forward Bellingham will certainly need some assistance up front, and more importantly, someone actually up front ahead of him.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/n2aSuEW
Post a Comment