Real Madrid fans question Xabi Alonso s tactical arrangements: key player positioning causes offensive deadlock

In Real Madrid's 0-0 draw with Rayo Vallecano, Xabi Alonso's tactical system once again aroused fans' doubts, especially the positioning of Alda Guler on the field. Many fans pointed out that deploying Guler in the deep midfielder greatly reduced the effect of his offensive linkage with Mbappe.

There is dissatisfaction on social media:

"The lineup configuration, tactical design, and substitution adjustments are exactly the same as Ancelotti's worst period."

"Letting Guler delay the organization caused the whole team to run sluggishly. At the beginning of this season, when he served as an attacking midfielder or an advanced midfielder, our performance in the offensive third was significantly better. Excellent"

"Since Alda started playing as a deep-lying playmaker, our creativity has plummeted. He should have appeared behind the front trident"

"Alonso's shortcomings have been exposed again"

The focus of the controversy is: Guler, who was originally a fish in water on the offensive end, has recently been moved deep into the midfield. Fans believe that this has severed the connection between him and Mbappe - the latter especially relies on completing quick passes and cuts in tight spaces. Against Rayo Vallecano, Mbappe struggled to get threatening passes, and Guler was unable to effectively affect the offensive third zone as he did at the beginning of the season. This is an intuitive manifestation of this tactical contradiction.

Fans also questioned Alonso's substitution decision and overall tactical structure, pointing out that compared to Guler's game near the forward line, the current system obviously lacks fluency and threat. Many people compare him with previous Real Madrid coaches and lament that the team's offensive potential has not been fully unleashed.

Although Alonso is known for his tactical intelligence, fans believe that the experiment of using Guler as a deep-lying playmaker is backfired, resulting in Real Madrid's offense being both less creative and easier to predict. With top attackers such as Mbappe and Vinicius, fans expect Alonso to unleash the team's full offensive potential, rather than constraining the smooth cooperation that once made Real Madrid unbeatable.