Real Madrid put the weekend’s derby disappointment behind them despite another performance that saw struggles in front of goal. Los Blancos needed 18 shots before making it 1-0, a fact that worries fans but is no longer a surprise.
The yellow wall erected by Alvaro Valles was broken by Brahim Diaz, who had already squandered several chances to score and who was Madrid’s best player, which puts the spotlight on Ancelotti.
It’s unclear why the Italian has kept Brahim on the bench for much of the first six matchdays, nor is it clear why he took him off before the hour.
Right now he is playing better than Rodrygo, but Carletto seems to value, maybe too much, a player’s workrate. Brahim is going to have to do very well in order to play more regularly, especially now that Vinicius is back.
Brahim deserved it
He isn’t an undisputed starter, but he isn’t a player who should be forgotten about either. Brahim showed in his first opportunity as a starter that he can be a very useful player for Real Madrid.
Brahim did very well, but fell short of outstanding due to the chances he missed. Scoring was never his strong point, but he was the player who opened proceedings on Wednesday.
Brahim overlaps and plays between the lines which is a plus for Madrid in front of closed defenses. In the comparison with Asensio, who is the player he replaced, he wins one on ones. If he is performing better than Rodrygo, let him play.
Joselu is not a world-class player, but…
In this Madrid side Joselu is going to be a key player. He is the only pure nine in the squad and he proves it every time he plays.
Of course he doesn’t have the abilities of Benzema or Cristiano, but he is always in the right place and will finish the season with 15 or 20 goals. At the Bernabeu he is still perfect, scoring every time he plays.
He didn’t deserve to come off after scoring the 2-0, just like Brahim.
No Kroos or Modric….
The noise surrounding Kroos and Modric, singled out every time Madrid loses a game with them on the pitch, isn’t fair.
Modric, it’s true, didn’t play his best game at the Metropolitano, but three days earlier against Union Berlin he put on a clinic. The German, for his part, was one of the best at the Metropolitano, but the defeat against Atletico masked that.
The idea that they can no longer play together is catching on to such an extent that Ancelotti is reducing their minutes in an excessive way, especially those of Kroos, who is still the player who is the best pure midfielder.
If it wasn’t for Alvaro Valles…
Las Palmas arrived at the Bernabeu without many points, but with the fewest goals against in LaLiga, largely thanks to their goalkeeper, Alvaro Valles.
The goalkeeper was key in preventing a blowout at the Bernabeu, because his defense offered no opposition whatsoever. Madrid had 18 shots in the first half and 12 in the second, with VAlles ending the game with nine saves.
Joselu, Brahim, Rodrygo and even Nacho came close to opening the scoring, which finally came in first half injury time. A shot to the top corner by Brahim that grazed Curbelo put an end to Valles’ magical night in Madrid.
A litmus test for Ancelotti in Girona
Ancelotti began to extinguish the fire of the derby in the pre-match press conference against Las Palmas, though it was goals from Brahim and Joselu that brought peace back to the Bernabeu.
The positives must be confirmed on Saturday against Girona, an opponent that has never been good for Madrid and is one of the worst teams you can face at this team. Girona is a great team that makes Saturday’s match a litmus test, especially for Ancelotti.
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