There is no room for experimentation at a club like Real Madrid and Zinedine Zidane is aware that the Legia Warsaw result in the Champions League and recent matches in LaLiga mean there is hardly any margin for error. As a result, the French boss has taken responsibility for the midweek fiasco in Poland, and will likely stick to his more trusted line-up against Leganes than he did in a match that featured Alvaro Morata and BBC together. WIth Casemiro out injured, it is clear that Real has become a more unbalanced team defensively, struggling to keep a clean sheet, so Zidane opted to tilt the balance even more to the attacking end by including Morata.
Looking to bounce back from a poor performance, Real and their coach will try to use the Legia draw as a lesson to build on in the coming weeks. With the stakes so high, and the players now knowing their specific roles, it may be some time before Zidane decides to experiment again.Therefore, to Zidane, it is vital that what happened in Warsaw is a turning point in looking for a change.
1. Greater concentration and defensive solidity
The team patently has a defensive weakness and one that continues to disappoint. Losing Sergio Ramos and, more recently, Pepe is a huge blow because conceding 15 goals in the last 10 games is not normal for this Los Blancos side. A lack of concentration has cost Real dearly.
2. Zidane doesn't understand why Real can't close out games
Warsaw was not the first time it happened. There have been several games in which Madrid has suffered more than necessary because of their inability to finish teams off when in a favourable position to do so. Zidane is at a loss to explain why that remains the case.
3. Lack of team work and cohesion
Zidane will not say so publicly, but the lack of involvement and level of attention to detail from some of his players is far from what he requires as coach.
4. Correcting errors and decision making
Now it's a difficult time to do correct mistakes and make difficult decisions because the amount of current injuries doesn't help, but the intention of the coach is to decide on a course of action and then follow through with it. He wants to improve the team as a whole immediately and seek greater continuity in performance.
5. Finding rhythm to hurt the opponent
Intensity and intent is what Zidane wants more of. Pace throughout the side and, above all, greater intent in attack in order to take games away from the opposition. Too many times Real have taken their foot off of the pedal at crucial moments in the game.
6. Effort is non-negotiable
The message has already been made clear by Zidane in public and in private. "You have to run, run and then run." It's clear that an equal or superior collective effort is needed, otherwise Real will suffer, as has happened in Warsaw and previous meetings.
7. A continuation of different formulas such as 'BBCM'
In eleven games so far, Zidane has experimented, for example with BBC and Morata. He will continue searching for alternatives because the season is long, there are injuries (as now) and the team must have resources to get out of tight situations such as the present one.
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