Kylian Mbappé played 90 minutes against Sociedad to be replaced in the stoppage time by Endrick, and for most of the skeptical, he was one time slower in this game.
He scored in the 75th from the 12-yard spot, but much more is expected from Kylian and the team, especially in the final third of the pitch. Mbappé is that type of the player, who likes to run, but the opponents leave him no space and this makes the games more difficult for him.
Yes the teammates can find him easily in the space and he can be dangerous, but something extra is required. We saw a Mbappé who could find the spaces in the last match. However, some details made his game an average game. The first thing, he was one moment slower on the left, and that made his game readable in that flank. He could not pass the opponents and despite trying with one shot similar to the goal he previously scored with PSG against Sociedad, he missed the chance.
That second of slowness in response may cost him one or two goals. Often, Mbappé had to dribble two or three opponents simultaneously and this was impossible.
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Things were not better in the right flank, where we saw some improvements. We can notice some speed and aggression in that flank translated with shots and dangerous chances. But this is not the player’s best and we are far from his best levels with PSG.
Kylian Mbappé has scored three in this La Liga season in 147 minutes played according to Transfermarkt, and this is an impressive stat. He scored two against Real Betis and one against Sociedad, so his level is rising game by game. But some improvements could be made. One is the speed of the attacking, the other is how fast he reacts to the initial time with the ball.
These two components would improve his game like no other and we could start comparing him with the gold ages of Cristiano in Madrid. But for the moment, this is not the case and we can see changes after Bellingham’s return. Mbappé’s versatility can bring new levels of experience into Ancelotti’s tactics and in Madrid they know that.
The player is a real star and the goals prove that. He might need some extra game to regain momentum and rhythm. Only the pitch will tell us how good he is and the initial steps in Madrid are impressive. But fans demand a level of Mbappé and having in mind his skills, this is not his best level, yet…