I have an idea
I’ve been thinking about Real Madrid’s current attacking structure, especially with Mbappé and Vinícius both naturally occupying the left side.
From what I’ve observed, Mbappé tends to prefer central areas rather than staying wide. Because of that, Madrid often uses Carreras as a left-back to provide the width, while Mbappé and Vinícius move into more central zones on the left side.
The issue with this is that it creates an imbalance — both in the right-side coverage and in central structure — which can make Madrid easier to defend against. It reminds me of similar structural issues France had before Olise, and Barcelona had before Cancelo.
A possible solution, in my opinion, would be to intentionally maximize half-space occupation rather than forcing strict wide roles. Let Vinícius and Mbappé operate more freely in the half-spaces between the centre-back and full-back, with more positional fluidity so they can disrupt defensive structures. There’s no problem if they rotate or become positionally “unfixed,” as it would actually confuse opponents and create better attacking flexibility.
Defensively, Carreras could tuck inside more often, either into midfield or even as part of a back three in buildup phases, which would improve defensive stability and allow quicker counter-pressing transitions. On the right side, width could be maintained either through a full-back or winger, while the other attacker occupies the opposite half-space.
Of course, this system would ideally require a proper number 9 — someone like Haaland (just as a hypothetical example, regardless of transfer realism) or Gonzalo García from Castilla, who could develop into a very strong striker. That would give a real presence inside the box.
This setup might also mean adjusting Bellingham’s role into more of a box-to-box #8, which is arguably his natural position anyway. The system would fit a 4-2-3-1 structure, with a double pivot — one of Bellingham plus either Tchouaméni or Valverde.
In this version, on paper Mbappé would be positioned as a #10, but in reality he would constantly drift into the left half-space during matches rather than staying centrally fixed. Vinícius would remain on the left wing, Gonzalo as striker, and either Arda Güler or Mastantuono on the right.
On the right side specifically, I actually think Trent Alexander-Arnold could be a more optimal full-back option than using Valverde there, due to his elite progression and crossing ability. In that case, Valverde would be better utilized as a defensive #6 “destroyer” type midfielder, covering space, winning duels, and providing long-range shooting whenever space opens up.
The idea is to stretch the pitch properly: use Arnold and Vinícius for width and progression, while Mbappé and the right-sided attacker dominate the half-spaces, and the striker pins defenders inside the box.
At times, additional midfielders could step into the box to create overloads, while the full-backs provide structure, balance, and rest-defence behind the attack.
For context, I’m actually a Barcelona fan — but I found the tactical idea interesting, so no hate intended.