A sad surprise awaits the Real Madrid star: Mourinho identifies four names to solve Madrid's crisis
Real Madrid's Portuguese head coach Jose Mourinho is working to resolve the attack-building crisis that has plagued the team for several seasons. He's using the international break to reorganise the distribution of roles within the midfield, aiming for a cleaner build-up from the back and better handling of opponents' pressure.
According to the Spanish website "Defensa Central", Mourinho has identified four players to shoulder the responsibility of building attacks: Arda Guler, Bernardo Silva, Jude Bellingham and Federico Valverde. He's banking on their technical ability and their capacity to control the ball, rating them the most suitable for the task ahead of Frenchman Aurelien Tchouameni.
Tchouameni, in Mourinho's view, lacks the qualities needed to deal with the ball under pressure, despite his importance in the defensive holding role. That's why the coach prefers to use him for winning back possession, containing opponents' attacks and exploiting space, handing the responsibility of building play to colleagues better suited to it.
The plan hands Valverde a central role in the double pivot. Guler and Bernardo Silva are called on to support him in the early stages of attack-building, dropping into deeper areas to offer multiple passing options and ease the pressure opponents apply.
Bellingham, meanwhile, is set to take on a more advanced role gradually, acting as the link between midfield and attack. He'll create space for his colleagues and operate as a free man against defensive blocks, speeding up the transfer of the ball and sharpening the team's collective movements.
Mourinho's technical vision insists Valverde cannot be left isolated during attack-building, especially against sides that press hard. The system only works if the midfielders move in sync and offer the passing angles needed to beat the press and keep the ball.
Leaving Tchouameni out of the build-up doesn't mean he's slipped down the pecking order. Mourinho intends to lean on his defensive strengths rather than hand him roles that don't suit him, a clear departure from the jobs he was given under Carlo Ancelotti, Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa.
