From Anfield to Bernabeu: Arnold s Legendary Road

. Arnold returned more to the right-back position, and while he still had the freedom to cut into the middle, the movement became more cautious and selective. The chain reaction of this change is that Arnold's offensive data has dropped significantly, and he is no longer the team's only creative center as he used to be. But on the other hand, a more stable formation also better compensates for some of his shortcomings on the defensive end. We know that Arnold's defense has never been his strong point, mainly because he does not have an advantage in physical and speed when defending one-on-one, and sometimes he is not focused. Slott's system reduces his defensive pressure to a certain extent by leaving more players behind the ball when the offense and defense transitions, and adopting a 4-2-4 formation to limit the opponent's mid-lane advance.

Now, when Arnold joins Real Madrid, the most concerned issue is how he will integrate into the system of Xavi Alonso. We can learn from Alonso's coaching experience at Leverkusen that he emphasizes control over the game and has clear tactical principles, but he will not defend a formation dogmatically, but will adjust according to the characteristics of the players. In theory, there may be a good chemistry between Arnold and some Real Madrid players. For example, his long pass can fully utilize the speed advantages of Mbappe and Vinicius, especially when he turns from defense to offense. Valverde's large-scale running can provide him with defensive protection when he is forward.

But judging from the preliminary impression of these Club World Cup games, it will take time to get started. We see that Arnold is not clean enough in some details of handling the ball, such as when catching the ball from behind, he is easily oppressed by his opponent. After Real Madrid entered the opponent's half, since the team's overall offensive rhythm was slower than Liverpool back then, and there were not many players running in the penalty area as before, it became even more difficult to find his target with his signature cross. In general, a more controlled and less chaotic offensive rhythm has also weakened some of Arnold's unique advantages in the Premier League, and also made his defensive problems more easily exposed. Of course, these are just a few preseason games and we can't draw too many conclusions from it. He also has highlights in the game, for example, in the game against Juventus, he gave assists through an inward run.

Overall, Arnold has undoubtedly been one of the world's top players in the past few years. It is very rare for a defender to be the core of an offensive end of a top team all year round. Real Madrid also hopes that he can replicate his success at Liverpool and help the team get out of the trough of last season. But we know that football is not a simple superposition of stars. To fully realize Arnold's potential, Alonso needs to create more controllable "chaos" for him like he was at Liverpool, combining his passes with the team's quick impact. How to find a balance between embracing this "chaos" and maintaining overall ball possession will be the key to determining the success or failure of Alonso's coaching. When Arnold left the Premier League, he was already recognized as one of the best players in league history. Whether he can reach the same height at Real Madrid will be the most noteworthy topic in the coming seasons.