Matt's Monday Musings

Emphasis on Altruism: Ancelotti’s Tinkering Means New Role for Jude Bellingham

Jude Bellingham is occupying different spaces on the pitch with less freedom and more defensive responsibilities.

Real Madrid’s Unconventional Offense: Prolific Dribblers Ready to Defy Critics

Real Madrid do not need a number nine - they have the best dribblers in Europe’s top five leagues and will create more than enough goal-scoring opportunities this season.

Jude Bellingham and the road less traveled: the reasons behind his move to Real Madrid

Jude Bellingham’s decision to join Real Madrid goes deeper than allure and club prestige.

Rodrygo vs. Kvaratskhelia: The Ultimate Showdown of Two Rising Stars - Who Comes Out on Top?

Comparing the statistical profiles of the Serie A sensation vs the young Brazilian shows a surprising result.

Room to improve for Vinicius Junior, appreciation for Raul’s Castilla, and the fullback conundrum

The Surprising Feature of Reinier Jesus’ Game

The 20-year-old Brazilian has found a good landing spot in Girona and now with some matches under his belt we can dissect his best features.

Real Madrid are sitting on a mountain of cash

Florentino Perez once again provides a lesson in economic management to the rest of the global sports industry.

Monday Musings: Real Madrid’s Franchise Player

The 22-year-old Brazilian is no longer an "up and coming" player, but instead a world class superstar to build a team around.

Monday Musings: David Alaba brings a new dimension to the left back position

In the right context, David Alaba can be an alternative option at left back.

Monday Musings: The 20 minutes that transformed Casemiro’s career and foreshadowed the era to come

This week’s Monday Musings looks back 8 years ago on a historic 20 minute cameo that laid the foundation for the legend that is Casemiro.

Monday Musings: The World’s Most Expensive Benchwarmer

Eden Hazard played well in the season opener vs Almeria, but his on-field status does not correlate with his annual wages.

Monday Musings: The Premier League’s financial dominance post-COVID and how Real Madrid have adapted

This week’s Monday Musings reflects on how the financial gap has widened between the Premier League and the other top four leagues post-COVID + Real Madrid’s reaction to their competitors compounding wealth.

Monday Musings: The Alaba-Casemiro interchange, new set-pieces, and integrating fresh faces

Matt’s Monday Musings provides a final wrap up and review of Real Madrid’s US preseason tour with thoughts on some tactical tweaks, changes in set piece routines, and impressions from the new kids on the block.

Monday Musings: Dani Ceballos deserves better, same old Hazard, and should clubs pay players to leave?

This week’s Monday Musings cover a variety of topics: the need for Dani Ceballos’ player profile in the Real Madrid squad, disappointing quotes and performances from Eden Hazard, and an idea proposed by Arsenal’s sporting director.

Monday Musings: Three Solutions to Real Madrid’s Broken Loanee System

Players like Take Kubo and Reinier Jesus have seen important developmental years in their career impacted by failed loan moves. In this week’s Monday Musings, Matt Wiltse looks at potential solutions to this difficult problem.

Monday Musings: Should Real Madrid sign a new right winger?

In this week’s Monday Musings, Matt Wiltse analyzes the data to see if minutes are available for another right winger or if trusting Valverde and Rodrygo should suffice?

Monday Musings: How Formula 1 Fueled Florentino Perez’s Super League Obsession 

The biggest clubs in the world want to maximize the value of their brand, but in an industry where viewership numbers are declining and Gen Z are disinterested, how do they cope? Formula 1 and Liberty Media provide the answers.

Monday Musings: Real Madrid’s Youth Transfer Policy has been a Resounding Success

Matt’s Monday Musings provides a post-hoc analysis to a five year transfer strategy that has surpassed early expectations both on the economic and sporting front.

Monday Musings: Unheralded Hero - Ivan Helguera’s ‘06-’07 Comeback Story

Matt’s Monday Musings goes back 15 years to remember a player who never received his fair-share of plaudits despite his consistent performances and his return from early-season exile as a veteran.

Monday Musings: What type of rest is required in the offseason?

Matt’s Monday Musings looking at how much rest is truly needed in the offseason and thoughts on savoring a players peak.

Monday Musings: The Tchouameni fee, the future of Madrid’s loanees, & Juni Calafat’s well for talent

The first of a new series — Matt’s Monday Musings — questioning the Tchouameni fee, placing a harsh verdict on Real Madrid’s loanees, and the sources for Madrid’s past and future talent recruitment.