Loconté

Football | Tactics | The business behind the game.
Writing what others overlook.

Co-Founder @BetXtra_ | Co-Founder UmbrellaInc | Advisor @RealDealPodz

[The Real Deal @RealDealPodz]

“It just feels so unsustainable to have it where Ligue 1 moves fixtures around for one team, but then our league moves fixtures around to try and hurt us because they're unhappy with how we're portraying the league. And this can't continue. This has to be something that stops soon. Like it's just so imbalanced, you know? Like PSG rest all their players, they try for one half. Once they go up three zero, they stop trying against Man City.

The whole thing feels like a farce, in my opinion. Between Man City, then PSG and Negreira, I feel like football is genuinely under question and I know I feel like a lot of tactical analysts like ignoring these things 'cause they come here to escape. from their day to day lives. But it's just I think the sport is under question right now.”

[Loconté @Loconteee]

Dean Huijsen is Real Madrid’s best CB for me. His passing changes where the midfield can receive, while his defensive work gets reduced to the mistakes.

In La Liga, he leads Madrid CBs for completed passes per 90 (69), passing accuracy (96.6%) & interceptions per 90 (1.7). He’s won 65% of his duels & been dribbled past once across 592 minutes
.
Against Sevilla, his 19 progressive passes led the match. Against Leipzig: 97/102 passes, 19 line-breaking passes, 12 into the final third & 7 interceptions.

The value is getting Madrid beyond the first pressure and that is key. His decision-making still needs work.

But the ability to progress possession & step in to intercept give Real Madrid a much needed boost.

[Loconté @Loconteee]

Jude Bellingham needs freedom in this #ElClásico . Drop to help Madrid escape pressure, drift to combine, arrive in the box when Mbappé moves. This was my biggest caveat w/ him not resting either Sevilla or Leipzig games.

But the bigger issue is what happens around those movements. Jude drops? Someone has to occupy the space he leaves. He carries through midfield? Give him a pass to release it. Madrid need to exploit his movement instead of waiting for him to solve the next action. Don’t put too much on his plate.

Mourinho has to create a cohesive approach where Jude Bellingham isn’t forced into 12-15 isolated duels v their pivot.

[Loconté @Loconteee]

@Richie_Ramos29 Two league losses in 19 games. Beat Monaco and Benfica and you finish 2nd in CL.

Funny indeed.

[Loconté @Loconteee]

Real Madrid dismissed Alonso in a close league race v Barça, inside the CL top eight (Monaco & Benfica left for top 2-3 finish) & having just beaten Atléti before taking Barça to deep waters with a depleted side.

There was enough left to play for to let him finish the season. What’s happened since makes that decision look even more premature.

Arda at the heart of midfield, with Valverde’s running used elsewhere. Competition between Vinícius & Rodrygo, instead of treating Vini’s place as undisputed. Decisions that gave players roles suited to their qualities & made selection something to earn. Mourinho is using exactly those establishments and principles. Alonso’s vision aging like a fine-wine.

He deserved to close the season. Then assess the football, the results & whether the players were improving. Madrid made that judgment before giving his changes enough time to become a team.

You can’t be alive & well in all competitions but get sacked without a plan B. Thats exactly what happened and derailed the season.

Alonso has coached 120 league matches: has lost 14. 88% of the time he doesn’t lose.

• Rookie coach appointed after 8 games played already & battling relegation: 7 losses & European football secured.
• 0 Losses the following year
• 3 on his last league campaign

• 2 losses in 19 games with Madrid
• 2 losses in 7 games with Chelsea

No matter the narrative you build around. Xabi Alonso is an elite tier coach with great vision, work ethic and platforming players to have them overperform.

Admitting his sacking was a mistake doesn’t kill you, nor does understanding decision was made and couldn’t be reversed.

[(fan) REAL MADRID FANS 🤍 @AdriRM33]

🎙️ Qué lecciones aprendiste en el Real Madrid?

🗣️ Xabi Alonso: "Sentí que las cosas llegaron a su fin antes de lo que esperaba, estábamos compitiendo tanto en la Champions League como en La Liga. A pesar de todo, la experiencia fue valiosa."

[Loconté @Loconteee]

@Jideadeyemoh Can’t even make one compelling argument against facts and resorts to stupidity. Typical? Absolutely

[Loconté @Loconteee]

@NealGardner_ I don’t mind it, and personally love when Courtois is the heel. Extremely entertaining.

[Loconté @Loconteee]

For this #ElClásico , Camavinga should start alongside Arda. The midfield that can shift across, support the ball & move forward together.

Konaté holding his position & Dumfries tracking the far post makes me more comfortable without a fixed anchor. The trade-off is losing Tchouaméni’s protection centrally, but Fede narrowing from the right gives Arda another option & Camavinga less ground to cover alone.

[Loconté @Loconteee]

@NealGardner_ Please no. Anyone but him.

I hate because he’s exact prototype of player we struggle againstZ

.

I take Rodri + Pedri for 90’ 10/10 times.

[Loconté @Loconteee]

He is completely right saying that. Real Madrid had one of toughest CL campaigns, were cruising in the league before certain and something & HE STILL managed to keep it compact and survive.

Did he make mistakes? Yes. But everyone does.

Truth is that Madrid’s trajectory was upwards.

[Loconté @Loconteee]

@HellenKell42873 What year are we on?

[Loconté @Loconteee]

José Mourinho can watch Como’s 4-2-3-1 & see exactly how to use this Madrid midfield.

Arda in Perrone’s role, Valverde in Da Cunha’s & Jude in Nico Paz’s. Camavinga taking Luis Milla’s floating role to complete the pivot

Huijsen is already being used in Jacobo Ramón’s role. There are similarities of usage btwn Diomandé/Baturina and how FBs operate.

Cesc Fàbregas is most certainly a much better tactician but you learn by adapting to the rules.

[Loconté @Loconteee]

@janufooty I really don’t think it was fixed. Work upon? Yes. Can we call that fixed? Don’t think so

[Loconté @Loconteee]

My biggest concern for #ElClásico is distance between the press & the defensive line.

Madrid can push defenders high without disrupting the player making the pass. Leipzig exposed that time & time again.

Against Barça, the first escape can leave the entire midfield chasing towards its own goal.

Courtois cannot keep being the solution to a structural problem. If Jude & Arda jump, everyone behind them has to move with them. And Mbappé cannot be a negative on that side of the ball. Cant be playing with 10.

[Loconté @Loconteee]

@MsChelseaBlue @Mike_RMCF Check how many league losses he has across his career. You’ll understand why he does it.

[Loconté @Loconteee]

@Mike_RMCF What the hell?

[Loconté @Loconteee]

@covfefeak I was fully unaware of this. Thank you

[Loconté @Loconteee]

I expect Mourinho to keep Valverde & Arda together, with Dumfries at RB, but the midfield selection will tell us how much football Madrid intend to play. Sevilla + Leipzig games should serve as lesson to Roma/Inter/Derbi Madrileño mistakes.

My XI would be Courtois; Dumfries, Konaté, Huijsen, Carreras; Camavinga, Valverde, Arda; Bellingham; Diomandé & Mbappé.

A 4-4-2 that narrows on the right (Arda + Fede) with Dumfries pushing behind pressing line and Diomandé stretching with Álvaro Carreras as LB who comes on the inside. #ElClásico

[Loconté @Loconteee]

@0xTao__ I highly doubt Trent can athletically keep up on this match. Mourinho’s set-up doesn’t help either.

Dumfries should give runs behind the press, effectively having Valverde as RB in a lot of first line actions.

[Loconté @Loconteee]

Mind elaborating on Carreras off-field issues outside of the Arbeloa situation when everything had gotten out of hand? I’m inclined to agree with Cucurella.

I still think there’s a lot of room for Mourinho on other side. Plenty of film he’ll be watching and I like to believe he won’t be narrow-minded approaching the game knowing it’s a final. Either of two outcomes outside of win is essentially a loss that hands La Liga in October.

[Loconté @Loconteee]

@dagar_jr You mean the guy who had best CB partnership last year (+ Militão), and this year (+ Konaté) who just put SEVEN interceptions with ridiculous passing volume and line breaking passes (that is essentially your route to bypass a relentless team) should be benched?