Real Madrid gave the league away against Barca on Saturday, but their problems didn’t start then. Here’s why Madrid’s summer transfer decisions are to blame.
Real Madrid had a relatively quiet summer when it comes to transfer dealings. The most noise Madrid made came in the form of sales and loans. Madrid offloaded Alvaro Morata and Mariano Diaz for a hefty sum, and loaned out James Rodriguez out to Bayern Munich in a bizarre deal that left many scratching their heads.
There was no major Galactico signing. Despite persistent links to Real Madrid, then-Monaco player Kylian Mbappé opted instead to leave for PSG for astronomical wages. Real Madrid were content to bring in younger squad players like Dani Ceballos and Marcos Llorente to bolster squad depth.
Real Madrid seemed to be operating off of four assumptions. First, that Gareth Bale would remain healthy for the majority of the season. Second, that Karim Benzema would continue the fine form he saw developing towards the end of last season. Third, that the players who stepped up big from the fringes of the squad last season would have a sufficient output to make up for the loss of Morata, James, and Mariano. Fourth, that Cristiano Ronaldo would have another stellar season.
The first three of these assumptions have proven false. First, Gareth Bale did not remain healthy. Far from it, Bale continued the worrying trend of going down with injury, recovering for a match or two, and then going down with injury again.
Additionally, Benzema has not continued the form that he saw last season. In the past, Benzema made himself an undroppable staple on this team not because of his goal-scoring output, but because of his intelligent movement, hold-up play, combinations with Ronaldo. However, even though he’s never been known for scoring tons of goals, Benzema still used to be much more lethal in front of goal with his limited opportunities.
This season, Benzema’s intelligent hold-up play has dropped off ever so slightly, but his goalscoring has taken a nose-dive. Benzema is getting in great positions, but continuously has been hitting the post, going just wide, or shooting straight at the keeper.
Benzema hit the post again in #ElClasico 🙈
— MARCA in English (@MARCAinENGLISH) December 23, 2017
He's hit the woodwork more than he has scored this season! https://t.co/mvTsjPeoxq pic.twitter.com/zY3YAImFFw
Zidane has indeed given the fringe players on the squad a greater role. Specifically, Isco, who was having a hard time finding a match at the beginning of last season, has become a crucial player in Zidane’s usual starting XI. Marco Asensio is close to surpassing his total minutes played in La Liga from last season, and we’re not even to Christmas yet. Isco and Asensio were crucial parts of Madrid’s double-winning campaign last season, and scored a number of key goals along the way.
It’s not that either player has been particularly bad, but neither has imposed themselves on matches in the way that would be required for them to make up for the massive output of the three players Madrid lost. And Zidane has not yet given Dani Ceballos much of a chance to make an impact.
As for Cristiano Ronaldo, it’s been a mixed bag. Cristiano had to start the season late after getting a five match ban in the Spanish Super Cup. He also looked rusty coming back, going through one of his longest goal-scoring slumps earlier this season. But he also has looked in fine form in recent weeks, putting in commanding performances in La Liga and the Champions League.
The problem is, Ronaldo is being asked to do too much by himself. With Gareth Bale sidelined, Ronaldo is having to rely on Karim Benzema for support, and Benzema has been far from his usual self. As it stands, Madrid’s attack has looked disconnected and out of ideas. Isco and Asensio are doing their part, but it hasn’t been enough to overcome the sheer loss of statistical offensive output Madrid experienced this summer.
I said it on The Real Champs’ podcast earlier this year, but between goals and assists, with just Morata and James alone, Real Madrid offloaded thirty-nine goals in the summer transfer window, and expected an unhealthy Bale, a subpar Benzema, a steadily aging Cristiano, along with Asensio and Isco, to make up all of those goals. If any one of those four assumptions listed above went wrong, the whole plot could go awry. And so it has happened.
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Real Madrid’s biggest mistake this summer was not doing everything in their power to sign Kylian Mbappé. PSG came in with a financial offer that Mbappé could not refuse, and Madrid stood their ground. It was an honorable stance to say that there are limits to what can be expected of Real Madrid, but in hindsight, Madrid might be wishing they would have worked a bit harder to lure the young French teenager. Mbappé fills holes across Madrid’s offensive lineup, and could have added an extra dimension of pace and agility that is currently lacking when Bale is out injured.
Some will say that Kylian Mbappé’s arrival at Paris was an inevitability, that Madrid could not have done anything different lest they risk upsetting their wage structure. Fair enough. I’m willing to accept that maybe there is no way Madrid could have changed Mbappé’s ultimate destination.
But if Real Madrid knew that the Mbappé deal wouldn’t go through, then the onus was on them to find a replacement. I refuse to believe that a club with the financial resources at their disposal of Real Madrid would not be able to scrape together a suitable replacement striker to help Madrid replace the goals which were drained this summer.
This is not to say that the transfer policy is 100% to blame. Or to distract from the very serious questions that need to be asked about Zidane’s tactical problems, and his seeming inability to find solutions to those problems. Nobody forced Zidane to play Benzema over Asensio, Isco, and Bale in El Clásico. Nobody has forced Zidane to continue to roll out the 4-4-2 Diamond time and time again, even after it has been found out. Nor is it to pull blame away from the players, who have looked uninterested and lacklustre during key parts of the season.
But we should not kid ourselves: Real Madrid messed up their transfer decisions summer, and it may end up costing Zinedine Zidane his job.
Fortunately, Florentino Perez has the opportunity to right the ship in January. Real Madrid need to reinforce their squad and bring in some other options to help Madrid in the attack. Check out the link below to see three strikers Real Madrid could sign in January to help salvage their season.
Next: Scouting 3 strikers Real Madrid could sign in January