Ancelotti is playing with a defense of three, and not precisely in reference to the tactical system. There are only three players who have guaranteed a spot behind in this beginning of the season and in which he fully trusts. In fact, they are the only ones that, being available, have always been headlines: Alaba, Militao and Nacho. The rest of the defenses have them injured (Carvajal, Mendy and Marcelo) or they do not finish giving full guarantees to the Italian technician (Lucas, Miguel and Vallejo).
Defense is being a problem for Ancelotti at this beginning of the season. By results (10 goals conceded in nine games), by resources (there are seven pure defenders in the first team and three are injured) and by the changes you have made (has lined up six different defenders and five pairs of different full-backs).
The only thing Ancelotti is clear at this point is that Alaba and Militao are his titular partner in the center of the defense, those in charge of making forget Ramos and Varane. Also that Nacho is your defense for everything. Has already put it central, right side and left side. It is the resource that he is pulling to solve the doubts he is having in the bands.
Lucas, Miguel and Vallejo
Outside of this trio, Ancelotti has many doubts with the rest of his defenses. TO Lucas vzquez He was renewed as a right back after the great end of the season that he did as substitute for Carvajal. For this reason, Odriozola (also due to space problems in the template). But it’s not defense and Carletto does not see it as clearly as Zidane or the cub. In fact, since Carvajal was injured again he has not started as a winger again.
Miguel Gutirrez He is not in the first team, but as if he were, like Antonio Blanco. Ancelotti had a hard time betting on him despite the casualties of Mendy and Marcelo (He started by moving Alaba to that position against Alavs and Levante). He has given him four starting games, but the confidence is not quite full. I ‘protected’ him in big games like Inter, Valencia and Villarreal and the other day before him Sheriff He ended up replacing him 25 minutes from the end of the game.
Waiting for Mendy
Vallejo nor has it debuted yet. Even though the calendar invited rotations these last three weeks, the central has not entered any of them to give some rest to the three defenders who are playing the most and those who Ancelotti is squeezing ruthlessly.
With this panorama, Ancelotti looks at the nurse waiting mainly for Mendy, which will solve several problems at once at your disposal. The first, that of the left-handed side, and the second, that of the central in case you need it sometime. If necessary, it is possible that you bet on French before Vallejo.
Carvajal has been around for a while yet and there is some concern about the injury dynamics he has entered.. In that position, he must continue betting on Nacho if he does not recover the ‘Lucas formula’, once the Fede experiment did not go well. The youth squad Santos, which has already debuted, is another alternative. And regarding Marcelo, the Brazilian aims to play a supporting role throughout the season.
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