Alexander-Arnold, Lucas's role, and a truth: the patchwork policy fails at Real Madrid.

Real Madrid's first signing for next season is imminent. Trent Alexander-Arnold's announcement that he will leave Liverpool at the end of the current season simply opens the door wide for Real Madrid, which cannot—or will not—announce the arrival of the English full-back as they are still fighting for La Liga. The arrival of a number two at the Santiago Bernabéu has been more than necessary in recent times ... where a clear sign has been left open.

Without a doubt, one of the players who has been most critical of the fans in recent months has been Lucas Vázquez . The Galician has been left very exposed this year after Dani Carvajal's long-term injury , which has forced him to play at right back constantly and, above all, blurred by the rest of the absences in the defensive zone . The Real Madrid captain has earned more than one concert of whistles at the Bernabéu that lay bare the reality: the patches don't work .

If a team wants to be a winner, it needs a balanced squad and, from there, incorporate the versatility of other players . In a football as demanding, tough, and competitive as today's, it's necessary to unearth that duality of starters and substitutes . A team must be made up of six or seven undisputed players and, from there, have ten or twelve other top-level players who rotate in to distribute the workload, minutes, and effort on the pitch .

Madrid's problem this season has been poor planning . Key players for past successes, such as Nacho Fernández, Toni Kroos, and Joselu Mato , have left, leaving only two forwards: Kylian Mbappé and Endrick . It's true that this has added tremendous firepower to the team, but the team has lost balance and personality in key positions on the pitch. Madrid are now scoring more goals, but they've also struggled more defensively than in previous seasons .

Throughout the season, Lucas Vázquez has been a sieve down the right flank . Lacking defensive acumen, lacking the speed needed to quickly turn back, and blurred in a position that isn't his own, Madrid has been leaking down one flank that has become a significant breach in their structure. And the fans haven't hesitated to heckle, criticize, and punish him, but the problem isn't with the player, but with who puts him in and who believes he can play at full-back.

If we add to that the fact that help had to come from an injured Rüdiger , an Asencio who has just arrived in the first team, or a Tchoauméni who isn't a center back , the storm has been perfect. Lucas is proof that patchwork policies don't work : on a one-off basis, you can solve the problem, but if you play the entire season with players out of position, the problem is huge. As much as the real possibility of ending the season without a major title.

Poor squad planning, under normal circumstances, can be overcome by the skill of the coach, the players' overexertion, and luck . The problem for Madrid is that they were already coming off such a tough season, topped off by the European Championship and the Copa América in the summer. The minutes have piled up for many players, who have reached the decisive stretch of the season exhausted . And Real Madrid has paid dearly for it, although they still have one more ball left.

Players like Jude Bellingham, Vinícius, Fede Valverde , and Rodrygo Goes have had their reserves in reserve for a long time. And the cocktail has been deadly, as evidenced by Lucas Vázquez . So many long-term injuries, physical problems, and lack of lung capacity have caused many players to play roles they aren't prepared for . From the Galician, to Tchouaméni, Camavinga, Valverde, Güler , and Bellingham , among many others.

Of patches and signings

If Madrid manages to beat Barça away, they'll win the league title, but if they don't, they'll end the season with a clean slate . If that's the case, the maxim many have feared since the beginning of the season would be confirmed: the planning hasn't been good, and the patchwork policy has failed miserably . Madrid can't confuse versatility with playing an entire season with patches that, when the moment of truth arrives, make the team's seams show.

There have been games in which Madrid has played with up to four players out of position , with three of them playing in defense. And the greatest example of this chaotic situation has been Lucas Vázquez, who has been continually exposed . The Galician's renewal is taken for granted, but Madrid should be clear that he's a winger, not a full-back . That's precisely why Alexander-Arnold is joining the team. But if Madrid wants to be competitive again, it needs more of that.

Alexander-Arnold is the confirmation of the correct approach : signing players in the positions where they're needed and leaving the patchwork for special occasions. Two center-backs and a playmaking midfielder seem just as necessary as the English full-back. And, from there, it's time to plan the exit plan . If Madrid wants to win, they can't have a team full of patches. Determining Lucas Vázquez's role is the first step toward recognizing the error .