This is such a great analysis. I do think about this a whole lot but I don't think I've written this down here before. Also, I do feel like having Kylian Mbappe now in the striker position has now opened the eyes of too many people that Jude Bellingham is not as hardworking as we think, he was just used to experiment last season and it clicked whenever he comes in to support Joselu while attacking. I do think that they won't be able to win this La Liga if Carlo Ancelotti do not do the right things because they currently lacked creativity from the first set of games they've played this season. Toni Kross absence has indeed affected them. Anyone agrees?!
I agree that Madrid is missing Toni Kross and I agree that Madrid lacks creativity.
Their midfield is not creative at all. They don't know how to control the game. They can't impose themselves on the match something Toni Kross did well. People underrated the art of sitting deep and just making passes and receiving them, but now it's clear that it's deeper than what meets the eye. Kross could hold on to the ball and attract attention to himself while his teammates have spaces to run in behind. That's exactly what happened in the Byaern game last season when Toni gave Vinicius that beautiful assist. They lack that this season.
Bellingham and Valverde are not that calm, composed and calculated on the ball. They're also not technically gifted enough for that.
On the other hand, I do not agree that the age of the age and hunger of Madrid players is a reason they have not clicked. Aside from the lack of creativity, they lack rhythm. They don't flow and communicate well on the field. On-field communication in this context does not require words, but an understanding. They lack understanding.
All things considered, they're not doing too badly. They are second in La lig, three points behind Barcelona and 3 points out of a possible 6 in the UCL. With this performance, they will definitely drop more points, but they have room to improve.