AS analyzes Real Madrid s dilemma: Mbappe is severely dependent and lacks an aerial dominance

Hupu reported on November 11 that Mbappe had two consecutive games without a goal... Real Madrid also misfired. He scored 18 of the team's 34 goals, accounting for 52.9%. Without him, the team struggled, and the offense completely stalled against Liverpool and Rayo Vallecano. Whether it's him personally or the team as a whole. This is the first time since May 2023 that Real Madrid has failed to score in two consecutive games.

Even the chances created are pitiful. The expected goals at Anfield was 0.45 and at Rayo Vallecano it was only 0.8. This is a double or even triple problem. Because they faced offensive obstruction, the substitute forwards did not get a chance, and neither Gonzalo nor Endrick became alternatives.

In Rayo Vallecano, the two of them didn't even have a chance to warm up. It also reflects a recurring problem this season. Gonzalo's breakout in the Club World Cup is a thing of the past. During the Club World Cup, he was the starter and top scorer. Not only did he win a contract extension, he also earned a place in the first team. This is due to Alonso's huge trust in him. But as the season progressed, his importance diminished, totaling only 108 minutes.

And Endrick has even less. Specifically, he was selected to the roster 11 times and played only 11 minutes. That was against Valencia. That was his first and only appearance under Alonso. This is his first appearance since a serious injury against Sevilla on May 18. After 167 days, he finally returned, but he did not play at Anfield or Rayo Vallecano. Perhaps for him, renting out is the best option. This decision is not final but will depend on progress during the final period of the year.

There are more crosses than there are players grabbing points

In the game against Rayo Vallecano, there were more crosses than players grabbing points at certain moments. Specifically, there were 21 crosses in the game (8 of which were corner kicks), and the only offensive player who successfully received the cross was Bellingham (1 time). The others who headed the ball were Militao (2 times) and Asensio (1 time, the most obvious opportunity in the game). This has been the norm since the start of the season. A total of 217 crosses were made, and only 2 (0.9%) were converted into goals. The goal scorers were Guler and Camavinga. The only center who successfully received a header from a cross was Gonzalo, only once. Neither Mbappe nor Vinicius are good at heading the ball, with zero attempts.

"Joselu Factor "

As a comparison, look back on the 2023-24 season. At that time, Real Madrid had completed 924 crosses, 20 of which ended in headers. From 2.2% at that time to 0.9% now, there is one key difference, and that is Joselu. Of those 20 header goals, 8 came from the center forward. With Joselu on the court, crossing is not only a method, but also a weapon. So this type of player is very important, a finisher, a dominator in the air.

The dilemma of Gonzalo and Endrick

In the Club World Cup, Gonzalo stood up. He even received praise from Joselu himself: "He will not give up any ball, he will press, which can bring a lot of benefits. I think he will become a player who scores a lot of goals at Real Madrid." This youth training player has indeed done it. He emerged as top scorer and proved he could be a consistent aerial threat. It's not about height, it's about jumping ability, timing and technique, and that's the key. He renewed his contract and stayed. But he's not a reliable replacement right now, and neither is Enderrick.

Mbappe Dependence

Without Mbappe, there would be no goals. At least for now, this dependence is greater than last season (Mbappe scored 28.9% of his goals last season), and this season's 52.9% ratio also exceeds Ronaldo's best season at Real Madrid (61 goals in the 2014-15 season, accounting for 38.61%). After the Frenchman, there are 5 goals from Vinicius, and 3 goals from Bellingham and Guler... The gap is too big.