Rome wasn’t built in a day: Give Alonso some time

Yesterday saw Al Hilal face off against Real Madrid in the Club World Cup and it marked the first real upset of the tournament as the two teams reached a stalemate once the full time whistle was blown. The score finished 1-1 and Los Blancos were unfortunate to not come away with 3 points after they began to turn the style on in the second-half, however this was just met with frustration as they just couldn’t find a way past Al Hilal and Morocco’s brilliant shot-stopper - Yassine Bounou.

For Al Hilal and Saudi Arabian football, this game was absolutely pivotal as they had to go and prove to the world that the gap between them and Europe’s best might not be as large as people presume. Al Hilal can come away from the fixture with their reputation enhanced and can hold their heads high because they battled well for the whole 90. It was also a contest between two new managers looking to stamp their ethos and personalities on their sides. Two new managers, in Xabi Alonso and Simone Inzaghi, who just happen to be two of the most talented coaches in world football. In some ways, it’s a shame that we couldn’t see them face off in the 25/26 season as right now their ideas and tactics are yet to be fully implemented and it would make for a fascinating matchup when their respective teams are fully-flowing and up to speed.

I don’t want to seem reactionary or as if I’m blowing things way out of proportion. I know it’s been one game played in circumstances we’ve yet to become accustomed to. Yes Real Madrid dropped points but it’s hardly the end of the world. With that being said, I’m of the belief that we are really underestimating the size of this rebuild and the time it may take for Real Madrid to reach the levels of Europe’s best teams in PSG, Liverpool, Barcelona and the like. 

Last season, Madrid were shocking. I’ve written about this a few times. The gap between them and Barcelona was as large as I can ever remember the gap between the two sides being. No matter the level of talent in the squad, we can’t expect Alonso to come in and instantly get Los Blancos to the level of their rivals. The managing styles of Ancelotti and Alonso are wildly different and if you look at Real Madrid’s most successful spells in the last 15-20 years, you’ll find that Alonso doesn't fit the mould of any of the coaches who led Madrid to all those trophies. Zinedine Zidane, Carlo Ancelotti and Jose Mourinho all achieved a large amount of success at Madrid whilst playing a system which empowered the vast talents of their attacking players by giving them the freedom to do as they pleased in attack areas. Their man-management style platformed individuals to the maximum and rewards were reaped as a result. 

Tacticians with a heavy eye for detail and precise instructions have tried at the Bernabeu but they all failed. Rafa Benitez and Julien Lopetegui both tried to stamp their authority on the players but were met with discontent from fans and individual players who hailed them as too defensive and boring. I’m not saying that Alonso is necessarily going to meet the same fate, as I think he is much more talented and flexible than the two coaches I mentioned prior - but, I have my concerns. I think Real Madrid’s squad planning over the last few seasons has been pretty tragic. Because of Ancelotti’s free-flowing football, there was little regard for getting in different and unique profiles that make for a more complete squad. As I sit here today, I look at the fact that Real Madrid have just signed Franco Mastantuono - a left-footed player who likes to drift in from the right-hand-side. Does that sound familiar? Because Arda Guler and Brahim Diaz both like to occupy similar positions and even those two are struggling to come by any serious minutes. I see Madrid still haven’t got a tempo-setter in midfield who is able to control games whilst also employing a front three of left-wingers who clearly don’t work well together. This is without considering the lack of depth the club has at the left-back position and the doubts I still have about Trent’s signing at right-back.

For the abundance of talent they have in their squad, there are still a lot of holes which need to be filled. I’m sure Alonso is aware of this, but whether they are all fixed in time for the new season, is a different question. I don’t want this to come across as if I’m saying that Xabi Alonso will fail at Real Madrid. I don’t want this to be the case and I don’t think this will be the case if he is given time and patience by  the Real Madrid fans and board. But time and patience is one thing that Real Madrid are infamous for not having. The standards that have been set by  the club are so high that any signs of mediocrity and stagnation will be viewed as the end of the world as we know it for Madristas. There will be teething problems, no doubt. You can’t switch from Ancelotti to Alonso’s philosophies without encountering a host of issues which the Spaniard will have to deal with on the fly. 

With the fact that Barcelona are one of the 3 most impressive teams in Europe at the time of writing and look to only be getting better, the pressure inside the Santiago Bernabeu is going to be suffocating from the second the first ball is kicked. Expectations of instantly challenging for the Champions League and League are slightly unrealistic in my book. 

The squad and the manager are young and have much room for improvement as they look to build towards the future together and so don’t let the names and grandeur blind you. Real Madrid are far from the finished product in my eyes and you have to give Alonso time before you see the very best of what he can produce. If he starts badly, there’s no crisis - it’s natural. I hope fans and the media reach the same verdict instead of crucifying him and the players alike because that will certainly do more harm than good. What do I know though, Madrid can start the season off like a bullet train and never look back, you never know with football. 

All I’m saying is that if Real Madrid and Xabi Alonso aren’t wear most fans expect them to be in 6 months time - fighting with Barcelona at the top of the table and considered as one of the best teams in Europe, don’t fret. In Alonso, Los Blancos finally have a coach who can build sustainable greatness for the next decade instead of just living off insanely lucky Champions League wins. 

Give him patience and I’m convinced he will produce the goods. Greatness takes time.