Real Madrid’s trip to Valladolid presented Zidane’s men with a great opportunity to pull ahead in the La Liga race. Barcelona lost to Valencia the day before and a draw or win for Madrid would put Los Blancos a point or three clear at the top of the table. There was a certain nervousness amongst Madridistas due to previous occasions this season where the team failed to take advantage of similar opportunities. These fears were almost vindicated as Real Madrid left it late and until Nacho’s goal in the 78th minute appeared to be possibly heading towards a draw.
Ramos returned from injury to lead the back line with Varane while Mendy continued at left back almost confirming his status as the preferred choice for that position. On the right flank, Nacho filled in for Carvajal as the primary backup for that spot, Odriozola, has been loaned to Bayern Munich. Casemiro, Kroos, Modric, and Isco made up the midfield while Benzema and Rodrygo were the selected forwards. This tactical review will focus on the significant challenges Real Madrid have been experiencing in offense which were particularly highlighted in this contest. The team’s attacking impetus has been in the doldrums in recent matches and it would be good to analyze what the underlying factors are.
A matter of personnel – Valverde and Hazard are missed
If anything has been learned since Hazard sustained his ankle injury in the Champions League, it was the value that the Belgian brings to the team going forward. Hazard’s decision-making and on-the-ball intelligence complements his superior technical skills and vertical drive perfectly to make him a great instigating lever for the team. This contrasts very starkly with his “player for player” replacement on Sunday in Isco. The latter’s style fits much more in the mould of a midfielder than that of an offensive player (which Hazard unquestionably is). While Isco provides the possession control and numerical superiority in the middle of the park that have become hallmarks of Zidane-ball, his lack of pace and directness hamstrings the team.
The Spaniard’s vision and ability to deliver final balls have never been at a consistently world class level. Against Valladolid, there were very few attempts to advance play through incisive passes (that would bypass lines) or destabilizing switches of play. In addition, his lack of direct dribbling made Los Blancos predictable for the Vallodolid defense. Isco would occasionally take men on when he found himself on the wing but couldn’t easily drive into the box to get into more dangerous positions for crosses or cutbacks.
The one piece of the working formula that was uncovered as the team began to play more fluidly was also absent. Valverde was on the bench for this match and the high octane energy he brings was sorely missed. Kroos, Casemiro, and Modric were severely flat and relied almost entirely on the Croatian to probe the opposition in search of a gap.
Mendy and Nacho lacking bite
At their peak, Marcelo and Carvajal were the engines to Real Madrid’s attack. The width they provided to the team along with their exquisite touch and feel for the game was essentially unmatched in world football. They supported our wings-centric offensive model and helped diversify the approach when necessary by being able to switch to more intricate combinations with forwards and midfielders at the snap of a finger. Mendy and Nacho could not come close to matching those two against Valladolid. Their conservative positioning and less refined skills on the ball had several ripple effects.
Part of it was intersectional as Mendy tends to be isolated when Isco plays in the setup utilized against Valladolid as the Spaniard’s fluid positioning takes him away from the left side for extended periods. The Frenchman is then often forced into making basic passes back to the midfield and not able to work more effectively to generate opportunities. Nacho on the other hand is traditionally much more reserved and doesn’t have Carvajal’s (even though his offensive inventiveness and efficiency has regressed) natural knack for moving into spaces as they open up. The result was Rodrygo being forced into several individual actions and being on the receiving end of a number of harsh fouls from the Valladolid defense as they targeted him.
The glass half full – defensive stability
Real Madrid’s defense has been impeccable for a good stretch now and that without doubt is the redeeming quality about the current ultra-control based football the team is playing.
Valladolid were limited to an xG of just 0.19(!) – their lowest in the league of the season to date. The central defenders proactively stepping up along with the incredibly compact and disciplined shape maintained by the midfielders suffocated zone 14 and closed off its access to the opposition.
Going forward, the key will be finding the right balance especially in the league as there will be matches such as this one where there is a greater need to guarantee three points versus minimizing defeat. This will be significantly aided by the return/future use of key players such as Hazard and Valverde and the continued exploration/integration of others like James and Vinicius.