When Real Madrid’s won the race to sign Arda Guler, there was a lot of optimism around his arrival. He was touted as one of the best young talents in world football. However, his time on the pitch was rather sparse in his first season under Carlo Ancelotti.
But things changed towards the final stretch of the season. The 20-year-old showcased his true worth with some game changing impactful performances in the final league games and that has continued under new head coach Xabi Alonso.
Starting in midfield against Pachuca in the second game, Guler scored his first goal under Alonso in a well constructed move. His right footed finish and the timing of his run into the box were the standouts. The 20-year-old scored his 10th goal in white colors.
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Alonso’s inclination to start Guler in midfield has resulted in an increased influence in the build up and progression phase with his passes and vision. He got on the ball much more in deeper areas, helping Madrid break through lines quite frequently, spotting line breaking passes with his magical left foot and also helping out in defensive situations.
His movements to combine and progress play from a midfield position looked quite sharp as well. In the first game against Al Hilal, Guler’s influence was evident in his line breaking passes off the bench, helping Madrid create threat through sustained possession. His ability to pick out passes in almost non-existent passing lanes, makes him an efficient option to break a deep block.
These performances are in continuation of his strong showing towards the end of the season under Ancelotti.
Guler’s performance against Celta Vigo, showcased his ability to produce the final product, find the jaw-dropping line breaking pass and being a creative powerhouse through the middle for Madrid. He picked up a beautiful assist via a throughball and scored an absolute peach of a strike with his left foot. On top of that he created three chances and was heavily involved in the attacking half for Los Blancos.
Against Mallorca, we saw a different version of Guler, who was much more proactive in possession. He attempted 81 passes with an 80% completion rate, being heavily involved in the final 40% of the pitch. He dictated how Real Madrid’s constructed attack through sustained possession, creating six chances in the game while also playing eight progressive passes. Real Madrid’s attack moved to his tunes despite him not picking up any goal contribution, underlining his influence without them as well.
Against Real Sociedad in the final league game of the season, we saw a slightly different aspect of his play as well. The former Fenerbache star once again was involved in the buildup and progression phase, operating quite narrow from his right wing starting position.
He still created three chances and recorded five progressive passes, on top of attempting over 90 passes in the game. It was his front footed aggressive defending that really stood out. He made six ball recoveries, four in opposition half, and two interceptions both in in opponent’s half. His contributions off the ball underlined his influence on overall team play, making him a perfect fit for different systems.
However, it’s not all glitters for the youngster. His performance in El Clasico left a lot to be demanded. He struggled retaining possession under Barca’s press and in 1-v-1 physical duels, often easily being bullied into a turnover. While he can pick out the linebreaking pass 9/10 times, he has room to improve in being able to control and sustain possession in certain spells of play.
While Guler isn’t a finished product yet, his time under Xabi will be crucial in his development. Alonso’s vision to play him in midfield will be key to his integration and has the potential to transform how Real Madrid control games and break through opposition lines.
Beyond the teething issues, Arda Guler is a gamechanger, who can win matches from open-play and set-piece situations alike.