With the season now entering its third week, there seems to still be an element of restlessness among Real Madrid fans. From questions over the ability of Zinedine Zidane to the ability of players, it’s worth remembering that this process was never going to be easy.
Real Madrid fans have seen some incredible success in recent seasons. Los Blancos fans have watched the team win 4 UEFA Champions League titles in 5 years, three of them on the spin. The team that has run through the past few years is one that will be remembered for years to come. A team filled with quality and narratives. Keylor Navas, the keeper who was almost chucked out becoming a pivotal cog in the machine, Sergio Ramos, the all-action defender, Marcelo and Carvajal providing their marauding presence on the flanks, the midfield machine that Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Casemiro became and Cristiano Ronaldo being the ultimate big game man.
However, like every cycle of dominance before them, the dynasty has to end some day and the rebuild must commence. When Zinedine Zidane resigned and Cristiano Ronaldo left for Juventus, it really drove home that the golden run was over and a new dawn was rising. Although, it could be argued that the departure of Ronaldo and Zidane was not the end of the cycle, it was already staring everyone right in the face that year.
Despite the fact that Real lifted their third UCL crown in a row that season, the triumph did little but paper over emerging cracks. Madrid were nothing short of a disaster in defending their La Liga crown, finishing a distant third and ruled out of the race before winter had ended. The fight back in the team that was seen in the 16/17 season was seemingly gone, Ronaldo struggled early on to score, the midfield trident barely controlled games how they did before and the defence leaked goals more-so than in times gone by.
As the 2018/19 season progressed, the need for change began to seem more prevalent than ever. For the first time in a while, the once immortal figures in the team appeared more mortal than ever. Ramos and Kroos looked to be struggling, Marcelo lost his place to Reguilon, Isco was out of the team and World Cup finalists, Modric and Varane seemed to be suffering a World Cup hangover.
With such decline evident, Real looked to address the issue this summer. As Zinedine Zidane returned to the management hot-seat, it seems as though fans immediately expected wholesale changes throughout the squad. Whilst that is something certainly need on paper, it is something that also requires time to implement.
When a squad loses a generational talent in Cristiano Ronaldo, how do you replace that in one season? Even more so, how does a club replace somebody of that magnitude and still manage to fix other holes in the roster? Gone are the days of picking up a talent like Toni Kroos for under €30m.
Looking across Europe, even other managers have taken time to assemble the squads in their current process. Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool is a prime example. If you compare the German’s first Liverpool XI, only 3 players from that entire match-day squad remain at the club today, only one of them being a starter in James Milner. Pep Guardiola’s first squad for Manchester City only includes a total of 7 that still remain in the current team.
Both managers took some time to establish their squad as they looked to change things. However, given the patience and trust, the German and Spaniard are now thriving. Pep has won the league back to back in the past couple of years and Klopp lifted the UEFA Champions League last season, following back-to-back finals.
Whilst Zinedine Zidane has bought in some new faces, there is still work to be done. With two games of the season played, there are positives to be taken. The team has largely played well, they are creating chances and the squad is still yet to welcome stars like Eden Hazard and Ferland Mendy into the mix.
Given just how impressive Eden Hazard can be and the high potential of Militao, Jovic and Mendy, Zidane could very well see the team go up a gear or two with those new faces. Not only that, Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez have both been given second chances and both are capable of providing world class output if they both hit their best form.
Most importantly? We must not forget that Zidane took this team to huge success in his first stint. He took over from Rafa Benitez and inherited a side that had been trashed by Atletico that same year. He turned Asensio into one of the brightest looking talents around and he made the impossible seem possible, yes, he had an amazing squad. But to insinuate he simply inherited a good squad is foolish, so-called better men have tried and have fallen with the same or similar level of squads around Europe. There is plenty to be optimistic about this season, it is just a matter of trusting the process and allowing it time to take its course, this is not an overnight process but the reward could bring some of the best moments seen in recent history.