He needs to both outsocre every striker in the league and outwork all of them defensively. And that's the least, when in need, he should be able to get under the sticks and defend the goal like Courtois does.
He didn't change the culture, he tipped it over from tolerable to intolerable. I can imagine he came in here thinking its going to be easy with all the other stars, but in reality the team's cohesion was barely holding before him, and his arrival sealed the schoolyard football culture in every sense.
And yet not only did we win nothing, we got stomped out multiple times by rivals and looked terrible all season. You'd think after his atrocious start, he'd make just a tiny bit of effort. No one is asking him to be a pressing machine but can you maybe not walk all game? I feel the same about Vini who imo has his walking privileges completely removed after this season and Jude who seems to have gotten a bit lazy. This isn't just an Mbappe thing. Bragging about goals scored in a season we didn't win anything really makes me feel like we're back in the galactico era where being shiny and expensive was better than winning trophies.
Imagine if we didn’t have Mbappe this season. Vinny still would have imploded due to the Balon Dor snub. Rodrygo is still wildly inconsistent. Bellingham - who knows what? We’d be fighting for a CL spot without Mbappe.
Without him we’re entering the Europa league next season. Just think about it. The team need to get up to his level. Never mind running back
Um... I hate to be the one to break it to you, but without Mbappe the team won a CL and La Liga double. So if the club just gets a couple of decent defenders, maybe a RW and a real CF/#9 instead of Mbappe I don't see any reason why it wouldn't have won trophies. I think without Mbappe around Vini would have gone on a tear post Balon d'Or but with someone to take the load off and along with the attention he was able to just kind of fade into the background and sulk.
Next year when Mbappe wins a pichichi and Jr wins Golden ball but we lose every thing, I'm sure you'll feel good about their individual success
If that player comes from another club and is made the highest paid player on a CL and La Liga winning team with one player winning the CL best player award and anopther player winning the La Liga best player award. And this same guy who shows up basically empty handed but is given the farm and told he doesn't have to do anyof the work, he can just come out for the harvest. Yeah I would think that changes the lockeroom culture, atmosphere, etc.
Our CL run was very fluky like the 21/22 run. No way we would have won it this season regardless. League we had last second Jude heroics and Barca implosion last year that got us the league. No way we replicate that this season regardless. As for Vinny, if you think it’s Mbappes fault he’s sulking and playing like dogshit, then either he’s a total mental midget and we’re doomed next season. If he had any mental strength, he should have embraced the challenge from losing out and done what was right to adjust his play to benefit the team, stop being a total knob on the pitch, and improve his game. Instead he retreated and reverted back to 2020 Vinny.
Dude, i was here when Barca had wrapped up the league title and we were playing ronaldo in meaningless games so he can statpad for individual awards. This club humiliated itself on the world stage this year to appease a player, for that same award you're making fun of, in fact, the club seemed to care more about the award than any other trophy this year. You should be telling that to the club officials, not me. The same golden ball you're throwing around here had us become a circus worldwide. Tell me something about that.
Are you saying it's Kyilan fault that we didn't sign a RW, and a couple of decent defenders? I will be glad if could share what RW you are suggesting we should have signed.
Mbappé scored 39 goals in 53 games this season—but with 3 hat-tricks and 5 braces, he actually failed to score in 22 matches. Ronaldo, by contrast, scored in ~310 of 438 games at Madrid, going goalless in only ~29% of matches vs Mbappé’s 41%. Mbappé’s output is very good, but not consistently game-changing. If he’s not scoring, he needs to impact the game in other ways. And to be clear we were more successful after Ronaldo left because Benz was efficient enough in front of goal but also doing much more off the ball.
Well, it's crazy that after his bad start to season he still can finish with the golden boot. Viktor only got more 1 game to play and Salah only 2 more games.
The point here isn't whether he can score more than Ronaldo, the point is and was always that the main goal getter of a team works less in coverage and defense Vinicius did the same last season and got used to it, most likely
That's not my point, I'm saying unless your are an elite finisher you need to help you team in other areas. A guy that doesn't score in almost half the games isn't good enough to not participate in other areas of the game. Mbappe at this level should be winning or at least competing for some aerial balls and helping some with defense. The irony here is PSG even if it was against their wishes lost the player and is now competing in a Champions League final.
Its truly amazing that some fans think its ok for a guy in prime age to be the laziest player in europe and CL because he score 40 goals it must mean he had amazing season and that it didnt harm the team in any way. Even Ronaldo and Messi did defensive work in big games and at certain times like ronaldo being one of best set piece defenders, thats one way of helping the team defend and the also had far more off overall game going forward aswell. But its seems its too much too ask for lord mbappe do anything to help the team he "just scores goals" and he look at goal tally at end of season after team won nothing.
I think the Mbappe argument has some parallels with the Ancelotti ones in which both are criticized of lacking in some areas. Ancelotti has always won trophies and is GOAT tier. And it isnt his fault the board didnt enforce the defense. But he still hasnt maximized all the avenues at his disposal for solutions and makes questionable choices making it harder on himself. Yeah, but he knows more than anyone about foorball! Mbappe has scored 40 goals. Yeah but he doesnt defend. Doesnt win headers. He destroyed the teams balance. Not his fault defense is bad. He is also a proven winner and won a WC and he scored a hat trick in a WC final so he is a proven winner.
For me, if you look at the big picture, this is incredibly telling. A year ago, without Mbappe, Madrid were CL and La Liga winners with a young team and a bright future, while PSG were seen as a dysfunctional mess. Fast forward to today and PSG are in the CL final and look like they could have a period of sustained success while Madrid can't keep it together with reports of at least one player complaining about the clubs most successful ever manager, rumors of possible locker room friction, etc .
Let's pretend Madrid's defense and midfield hasn't been this weak in years and that Mbappe hasn't won the World Cup.