Bellingham disagrees that Real Madrid should prioritise the defensive block to be more competitive.
Carlo Ancelotti is having problems with his game, results, injuries and unhappy players. Mbappe’s is the most media-driven and annoying , and it is also difficult to explain, but it is not the only one or the most serious. At the same level of importance as the Frenchman, there is the anger of Jude Bellingham. The Englishman, who played at Anfield with some discomfort, is not comfortable on the field and this is compounded by the discontent at the club.
He showed his disappointment at the team’s lack of attitude to take control of the game and was honest in acknowledging Liverpool’s superiority. The Englishman stood up for himself after the defeat. Something that Mbappe did not do, who, in addition, is criticized for having gone first to the changing rooms and not having approached to greet the Real Madrid fans who were in the stands as his other teammates did.
“When we had the ball, we didn’t threaten enough and that’s not due to injuries and players absence. We didn’t take responsibility. We didn’t take the bull by the horns and they did,” were the striking statements from the Englishman. He was self-critical and the most annoyed by a defeat, but he disagrees with the way it happened: with the team sitting back and not putting enough effort.
Bellingham’s sincerity carries a powerful message for the coach and his teammates. He says that they did not lose because of Mbappe’s penalty miss, nor does he use injuries as an excuse. He dismantles Ancelotti’s weak speech and points to attitude.
Jude Bellingham showing support to Mbappe after his missed penalty. pic.twitter.com/4SGr2RCiTW
— JBZ fan (@JBellinghamZone) November 28, 2024
Worry in the club
There is also debate and concern at the club about Bellingham’s decline in performance, his positioning on the field and his gestures of frustration. Last season he played closer to the opponent’s box area, he surprised everyone and was an unbalancing factor for the opponent. His influence in the forward position has dropped considerably. He is nothing like Bellingham from his past years and has only been able to score two goals in the last league games (Osasuna and Leganes).
Bellingham adapts to various positions and needs. But he prefers to play forward than close to the centre of the field, where he has to win balls from the opponent players. He stands out for having the attitude to work all over the pitch, but in this long process of Ancelotti’s search to fit the pieces together and make a solid team, the Englishman is desperate for the lack of a more elaborate and ambitious plan in the big games.
He is young, has the character and leadership on and off the field to give his opinion on what can be improved. Jude Bellingham prefers to play in the opposition’s half, to be more threatening and to be aggressive in winning the ball. As he did in the play that led to the first goal in Butarque.