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By SAM LAWLEY Published: 04: 23 AEDT, 12 December 2024 | Updated: 04: 49 AEDT, 12 December 2024 5 View comments If there was ever a club always a game away from a full-blown crisis it is Real Madrid. The club lie two points behind Barcelona, with a game in hand, at the summit of La Liga and have won 15 of their 23 matches this campaign, and yet a narrow defeat away to in-form Atletico Bilbao was enough to light the tinderbox and trigger remarks about the 'end of an era' and 'the absence of a plan'. A week later and Real are no longer about to descend into footballing oblivion. Victories over Girona in the league and Atalanta in Europe have steadied the ship and pacified the fanbase - for now. As with the last 'crisis', where a humiliating 4-0 defeat in El Clasico was followed up by a home loss to Milan, old sea dog Jude Bellingham has steadied the ship with his control in midfield and moments of brilliance in the final third. The Englishman has now scored in four consecutive matches in all competitions and five in a row in La Liga since the Barcelona debacle, providing three assists in that time. Bellingham has taken a sad song and made it a good deal better but how exactly has he done it? We've been seeing a lot of Jude Bellingham's signature celebration as Real Madrid's form turns The Englishman was on top of the world last season, claiming La Liga Player of the Year But manager Carlo Ancelotti has not known what to do with him this term - to Real's detriment It is fair to say the midfielder's stock was high heading into the 2024-25 campaign. Fresh from an £85million move from Borussia Dortmund, Bellingham took La Liga by storm in his opening season, clinching the division's Player of the Year gong after inspiring Los Blancos to a league and Champions League double. He kept busy during the summer too, scoring an unforgettable bicycle kick to drag England through their Euro 2024 last-16 clash with Slovakia as the Three Lions surged to the final of the competition. But the opening weeks of the talented 21-year-old's latest season were derailed by a combination of injury problems and being shunted around in manager Carlo Ancelotti's constant tactical tinkering. Bellingham's best position was the footballing talking point that would not go away during England's ultimately disappointing summer, with many Gareth Southgate naysayers pointing to the Real manager's effective handling of the star last season. Ancelotti typically played the Englishman as an attacking midfielder in front of three centre midfielders and behind two strikers. And to great effect. Bellingham ended the season on 23 goals and 13 assists from 42 matches, gelling superbly with the likes of Vinicius Jr. His manager kept him in a similar position in the opening game of this campaign at Mallorca, but with an extra man in front of him, as Ancelotti attempted to cram in a wealth of attacking talents which now included Kylian Mbappe. Bellingham made headlines again in the summer, scoring a bicycle kick against Slovakia But he generally struggled for form in an England shirt as the Three Lions lost in the final It was a similar tale in the season opener against Mallorca with Bellingham struggling for space The system resembled England's over the summer and Bellingham looked just as stifled, failing to register a single shot and making only two key passes in an ordinary performance as Real slipped to a disappointing 1-1 draw. The midfielder was then struck down with a muscle injury which kept him on the sidelines for four league matches and two internationals against Ireland and Finland. In the weeks following his return, Bellingham was flung to all parts of the pitch seemingly as a utility option to facilitate Mbappe and Vinicius. Against Espanyol on September 21 he played as an attacking midfielder but, as he was partnered in that position by Luka Modric, he often found himself the fifth nearest Real player to goal with Mbappe, Rodrygo and Arda Guler all in front of him. Nonetheless, Bellingham put in an assured display in the middle of the park but was reduced to taking four hopeful shots in search of his first strike of the season, all of which had an expected goal rating of 0. 05 or less. There was a similar battle for space in the following match against Alaves, this time with Fede Valverde lining up as the second attacking midfielder and Vinicius slotting in for Guler. Much of the early-season uncertainty was due to the departure of the hugely influential Toni Kroos over the summer. The German was able to exert unrivalled control in the midfield while teeing up forward players with cutting passes during a successful career with Los Blancos. He cut a frustrated figure on his return from injury against Espanyol, partnering Luke Modric The Englishman also struggled for space versus Alaves, sharing his role with Fede Valverde During a 4-0 defeat to Barcelona, the 21-year-old was moved out to the right wing Bellingham was pushed further to the margins still two games later against Villareal as Ancelotti started him on the left-hand side of midfield in a 4-4-2 as Eduardo Camavinga and Valverde lined up in the centre. And the star was back on the wings for the saga against Barca on October 26 - this time out on his unfavoured right. Bellingham registered just 31 touches and made only 13 passes in a stagnant showing in El Clasico as Real and Ancelotti reached a low point. But the Italian manager, a veteran of five Champions League titles, learned his lesson, placing his most influential creator back in the centre of the park behind a dream front three of Vinicius, Mbappe and Rodrygo for the crucial redemption match against Osasuna. What resulted was a 4-0 mauling and a classic Bellingham display which saw him free to roam wherever he pleased. No wonder he bagged a goal and an assist. His cool strike from the edge of the box kickstarted his current run of goals in five consecutive La Liga matches. A similar role worked perfectly for Bellingham in the following match at Leganes, with the 21-year-old popping up everywhere, but focussing heavily on the vital area just outside the 18-yard box. In a 3-0 win, he touched the ball 82 times and headed home a corner to wrap up another fine display. Losing the iconic Toni Kroos's control in midfield has also not helped Ancelotti's men When Eduardo Camavinga has been fit, Real have looked more secure in the centre of the park Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe gelling has been vital to Real's chances this campaign Crisis averted. But it's worth noting Bellingham was not the only player central to his - and Real Madrid's - revival. Camavinga provided a steadying presence just behind the Stourbridge-born star which was not seen earlier in the season while the Frenchman was out injured. Meanwhile, the dream duo of Vinicius and Mbappe began to finally gel, creating bags of space for Bellingham to burrow into and appearing in perfect positions to create chances. But the English sensation was at the heart of it all and, despite Vinicius suffering both an injury and morale-crushing Ballon d'Or snub, he was on hand to contribute another goal and an assist in an electrifying 45-minute spell against Getafe. Jude was on fire, and so were Real. But pesky Ancelotti decided to inexplicably shuffle the deck for an away match against Bilbao last Wednesday. Bellingham, after five goal involvements in three games, was shipped out to the left once again with Camavinga and Vinicius injured. Bilbao have enjoyed a fine start to the season, winning nine matches and rocketing into fourth, but, with Mbappe, Bellingham, Rodrygo and Valverde in the front line, Real had plenty enough to overcome them. Not if they hide La Liga's reigning player of the season out on the flanks. When he was moved back behind a front three, Bellingham showed his class versus Osasuna He also popped up everywhere in Real's dominant 3-0 victory over Leganes For some reason, Ancelotti penned the star in again in a defeat against Atletico Bilbao Bellingham might have scored but he endured a frustrating match which only improved for him when he was allowed to roam more centrally as the game went on. Plus ca change. The Englishman's importance to the side is not some kind of trade secret - indeed, Real fans railed against Ancelotti's bemusing tactics in the toxic aftermath of the defeat. A Marca article last week read: 'The easy thing is to point the finger at Kylian [Mbappe] and not address the real problem, which is the team's plan. Or, rather, the absence of a plan. 'What is Madrid playing at? Three and a half months of competition have passed and nobody knows. ' It has taken just six days for the hysteria to die down once more and there's no prizes for guessing the tactical tweak which has triggered the latest renaissance. Handed a free role from the first whistle against Girona at the weekend, Bellingham produced arguably his finest performance of the campaign, slotting home with a sweet strike, setting up Guler for the second and making three key passes - all in just 61 minutes. In a daunting clash away against Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday night, with Real sitting in 23rd on just six points, Ancelotti stuck with the England international in the No 10 role and Los Blancos put on a season-defining show. Bellingham, needless to say, appeared everywhere and bagged Real's third with a low shot into the left corner. Bellingham set up Arda Guler's strike during a statement 3-0 win at Girona last weekend Real's wealth of forward options finally gelled versus Atalanta with Bellingham at the heart of it If they are to compete with high-flying Barca, Real must play Bellingham in his best position In doing so, he hauled his side out of another debacle and continued his own resurgent run of form. The key to Real's season seems clear - get Bellingham to play well and watch the results improve. And the formula for this is no mystery either. Put last year's player of the season where he can cause the most damage and that is what he will do. Bellingham has four goals and three assists in his 10 matches as an attacking midfielder this season. And the numbers look shinier still when you look at the games where he has played as a sole No 10 behind a front three - four goals and two assists in these five matches. As important as Camavinga's solidity has been, the Frenchman was absent for the revival of the last two matches with Dani Ceballos doing a job in his stead. And as thrilling as a firing Mbappe/Vinicius combo has been, the pair were not together for Real's most recent league triumphs against Girona and Getafe. Move anyone - but don't move Jude. Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group