The start of the 2021-22 season has been an overall positive season for Real Madrid so far. Real Madrid is currently top of the table, earning 30 points from 13 matches- winning 9, drawing 3, and losing 1 of them. The team is playing some great football and is managing to win crucial games against top clubs like FC Barcelona and Inter Milan. While almost everyone is performing up to the mark, there are some players, who I believe can still contribute more to help the team.
Dani Carvajal
I’ll go with Dani Carvajal as the first one. Many people might not agree but I have my reasons. Dani Carvajal is one of the best right backs in the world, and there is no doubt about that. The Spaniard is an injury-prone player and has been dealing with many problems lately. He has already missed a total of six games so far this season.
Even though his performances have been somewhat satisfactory, once he is fully fit, I believe he can offer much more this season. He was called up by Luis Enrique to represent the Spanish team in the recent international break and it has seemed to benefit Real Madrid as he looked pretty sharp against Granada and capped a good display, earning a player rating of 8.0.
How Dani Carvajal can further improve his contribution is by making those forward runs more often and posing a threat to the opposition with those dangerous crosses in the box, with Karim Benzema and Luka Jovic ready to cash in on those crosses. Other than that, his short passing has been a little wayward this season, which I believe he can improve gradually.
Luka Jovic
Yet another player who has a lot of scope for improvement. In my previous article, I wrote how Vinicius Junior’s great run of form can help Luka Jovic succeed at the club. Now, I’ll be telling what are the areas that, in my opinion, Luka Jovic can work on.
The Serbian forward is a great prospect for the future, but he never really got a chance to prove himself to the Madridistas. Of course, who can do that when you have a world-class striker like Karim Benzema ahead of you. Luka Jovic has been unlucky so far, and we cannot blame him. But now is the time for the Serbian to tell the world that he has moved to the Spanish capital of Madrid to stay.
There have been rumors about Luka Jovic’s loan move away from Real Madrid, but it seems highly unlikely because Karim Benzema has been very injury-prone lately. The Frenchman is aging and since he is now playing with the France National Team too, he has to deliver every week which further adds to his fatigue.
Sending Luka Jovic out on loan further intensifies the burden of Benzema since his only backup would be Mariano Diaz. Apart from that, Carlo Ancelotti loves Luka Jovic (as he said in one of his press conferences) and would want to play him more often. But it will most probably be at the cost of substituting Benzema or maybe one of the midfielders (if he wants to play both the strikers).
Now the main question is how can Luka Jovic give more this season. The 23-year-old does not press much. He rather prefers to save his energy and use it when the team is attacking. When you play for a top club like Real Madrid, pressing is something you need to be good at to pressurize the opponents. So, he should change his approach a little.
Other than this, Luka Jovic’s shots are very powerful and his headers are perfectly placed almost every time. In my opinion, he should fancy his chances with more shots and show his strength inside the box to win headers. Also, he should look more towards combining with the teammates when the team has possession of the ball. We did not get to see that from him in the Granada game, but hopefully, he can work on that too.
Eden Hazard
The Belgian forward’s situation at the club is getting worse with each passing day and it is all getting frustrating for Real Madrid more than ever. Eden Hazard was yet again pulled out of the squad against Granada. Well, I am not surprised. It is something we are all used to hearing now. This time it is not an injury though. The Belgian forward was out with gastroenteritis. It is stomach flu. But irrespective of what it is, Carlo Ancelotti seems to be done with Eden Hazard.
Accompanying Isco, Gareth Bale, and Marcelo, Eden Hazard will reportedly be shown the exit door. Carlo Ancelotti seems to be no longer inclined to give the Belgian a shot to revive his career at the Spanish capital. With his situation at the club unlikely to improve, the only gift he can give to Real Madrid is to play well enough to find an appropriate club for him. But will any club be interested to sign Eden Hazard irrespective of him being good? No, because of how expensive he will be (his hefty wages).
But how can he actually improve his form? Vinicius Junior is on a spectacular form to lose his starting role to Eden Hazard at the left wing. What about the right wing? Real Madrid already has Rodrygo Goes to play there. Apart from that Eden Hazard is no longer quick enough to compete with Rodrygo over a role. And as a False 9? He is simply not physically strong enough to fight with the opposition’s center backs.
The only true role of Eden Hazard is if he plays as a playmaker in a free role. But he will need to improve to play in that position too. Carlo Ancelotti is committed to Real Madrid’s 4-3-3 position and will not prefer to compromise it just to fit Eden Hazard in the line-up. Even if he does, Eden Hazard will have to prove himself to the Italian.
He must improve his passes and his chemistry with Vinicius Junior, who will be a key player in Eden’s role. Apart from that, Hazard will have to be physically strong and should improve his long shots to fancy his chances from distance. Last but not the least, Eden Hazard is highly gifted. He will need to be selfish at times to actually get on the score sheet.
Gareth Bale and Isco Alarcon are the players who I think can improve. But both of them will either be leaving in the winter transfer window or the summer window when their contracts expire. Isco might still improve to find himself a club, while Gareth Bale is injured again and will have to wait longer to play again. Irrespective of what happens with the two, Real Madrid is highly determined to part ways with them.