In a year where Real Madrid won their 11th Champions League, as well as the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup, we analyse the squad during the year of 2016.
Zinedine Zidane: 10/10
From day one, Zidane has written the book on how to win. Florentino Perez looked around and found the Frenchman as he looked for a successor for Rafa Benitez. Immediately, Zizou - who was the great star of world football a decade and a half ago - was revealed as a specialist in ego management. In the dressing room, where the players never took to Benitez, they welcomed their new boss with open arms, a coach they knew from his time as Carlo Ancelotti's assistant. At that time, Zidane acted as a link between the coaching staff and the players. He was in charge of pampering the psyche of players going through difficult moments, such as Karim Benzema, Jese and Raphael Varane.
Those experiences as an assistant and a link gained a lot of ground with the players, who spoke of the great as someone they could speak to as an equal. Along the way, Real Madrid have won three of a possible four titles - the Copa del Rey does not count - with La Liga being the only trophy they did not win, and even then it went until the last day. With 53 games played under Zidane, there have only been two defeats.
Although he has a preference for the 4-3-3 formation, he does not hesitate to change in accordance to the situations of the team or the match. Zidane has played 4-4-2 when the situation has demanded an offensive stance, such as in the final of the Club World Cup against Kashima Antlers. Over time, he is continuing to write his book on how to win. Meanwhile, he is still smiling.
Keylor Navas: 8/10
After impressing in the first half of the year, Navas is looking to get back to his best. His saves secured points and matches for Real Madrid. But, an Achilles tendon injury led to Navas requiring surgery, a difficult process for a goalkeeper. Nevertheless, Zidane brought the Costa Rican back into the line-up, although his performances have dwindled since returning from the knock. In Madrid, a team in which he may only need to make two saves in a game, he is expected to return to his best version in the coming year.
Key stat - Save percentage (75.1%)
Dani Carvajal: 8/10
Without competition, the No. 2 will be a key player for many years. The Spaniard reacted brilliantly to the challenge of Real Madrid signing Danilo. Solid defensively, the 24-year-old has become more decisive in attack, and the only criticism can be that Carvajal displays too much passion in some defensive displays. The highlight of his year has to be scoring the decisive goal in the Super Cup against Sevilla.
Key stat - Recoveries (201)
Raphael Varane: 8/10
The centre-back has come back and been released from Pepe's powerful yoke. One of the main issues with Varane in the past is that he could not play 10 games in a row without his knee breaking down. Well, Varane has played. A lot. To the point that he has started to fulfil the potential that he showed when he first burst onto the scene at Madrid. So far this season, the Frenchman has played more than Pepe, the go-to option for Los Blancos for a decade. He still misses a gram of the maliciousness that made the Portuguese great.
Key stat - Yellow cards (2)
Sergio Ramos: 9/10
The owner and master of all the prodigies in the White House. That is where the analysis ends. In another case, a centre-back of his age and experience has great positioning and decision making. He scores decisive goals and at this point, it is foolish to speak of this as chance. In addition, his leadership infects the team, and is it even more languid when Ramos is missing. This year he has scored in two of the three finals that Los Blancos have won. There is little more to say, ladies and gentlemen.
Key stat - Goals (7)
Marcelo: 8/10
The wanderer of the left wing did not finish the year well, but nobody can deny his transcendence in Real Madrid's attack. His balancing exercises on the wing and on the ball will be remembered for decades at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. There are also, of course, those runs where there is no way that he can get back and cover. But, on the whole, his forays forward are joyous adventures. One fact: he was the one player missing when Madrid suffered a series of draws, called 'Yellow Fever'.
Key stat - Games started (38)
Casemiro: 7.5/10
A specialist at protecting the back four, Zidane does not ask for more from the Brazilian. The certainty, with regard to Casemiro, is that Real stopped losing when Zidane brought him into the line-up. The main criticism of him is that he should offer more when he is on the ball, but he answers the questions for the need of a defensive midfielder. While there is debate among supporters, there is none for Zidane. He knows what Casemiro can give him and that's exactly what he expects; no more, no less. The poetry is in the hands of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric.
Key stat - Recoveries (178)
Luka Modric: 9/10
The little genius that has made Real Madrid big. Modric speaks of his presence, but it is his absence that is most felt. The crash of two years ago, brutal, coincided with the Croatian's injury. He is currently in the best form of his career and is as important as the names that perform in the attack. In addition, he is excellent at recovering the ball.
Key stat - Passes completed (2269)
Toni Kroos: 8/10
It's hard to remember a bad match from Kroos. He is as reliable as a Volkswagen, and is arguably the biggest benefactor of Zidane's decision to play Casemiro. Playing the Brazilian allows more room for Kroos and Modric as they search for passes into the last third. He now plays, in short, more like he did at Bayern Munich and with Germany. In addition, he is able to prevent the ball reaching the defence with his interceptions. His right foot is a glove from which he is drawing oil from the large payroll of powerful white auctioneers.
Key stat - Assists (16)
Gareth Bale: 9/10
At various points this season, Bale has been the best player of Los Blancos' BBC, and his heart-stopping penalty in the Milan shootout demonstrates his big-game mentality and determination. Stiff with cramp, the Welshman didn't shirk from responsibility and did his duty. However, he occasionally lacks scoring consistency and can go missing in the shadow of Ronaldo.
Key stat - Completed passes (894)
Karim Benzema: 9/10
The perfect foil for a Real attack, Benzema is a player for adjusted tastes. Taking to the pitch in a different way to those that endlessly chase impossible balls, the striker's anticipation and intelligence is essential to Zidane's setup.
Key stat - Goals (23)
Cristiano Ronaldo: 10/10
Remaining the alpha male of the pack, the Portuguese sensation is a double champion of Europe, top of the tree in every which way possible for his club, and possessor of four Ballon d'Ors. Over the years, his game may be more focussed to doing the damage inside the box than out of it, and his goalscoring threat has been quite incredible in 2016.
Key stat - Shots (275)
Kiko Casilla: 6/10
Presented with an opportunity to steal Keylor Navas' spot at the start of the current season, the Spaniard didn't do enough to be the world class shot-stopper that Los Blancos require. However, that was probably down to the defensive issues as a whole that have abided at the club than his own errors. Nevertheless, Casilla helped lift the UEFA Super Cup in August.
Key stat - Minutes (1096)
Pepe: 7.5/10
Time waits for no man and Pepe has probably felt the clock ticking more than any other in 2016. The glorious moments of his triumphs in France and Milan have given way to the inevitable rise of Varane ahead of him in the Madrid pecking order. A solid performer in the first half of the year, one wonders if he'll be around for another 12 months.
Key stat - Fouls committed (30)
Nacho Fernandez: 8/10
Certain labels stick to players, but Nacho has shrugged off those who denounced him as nothing more than a 'fringe' player, or a 'utility option'. Playing as a centre-back, and remaining a solid full-back, the Spaniard has shone after biding his time and stepping up when required. It remains to be seen how far this good form can stretch, however.
Key stat- Starts (15)
Danilo: 5/10
It has not been the best year of Danilo's sporting career. He arrived to compete with Carvajal, but nowadays he is a long way from doing that. He's also a long way from performing as you would hope a 30m euro player would. Despite this, it sometimes shows that he is a good player, out from below this mountain of bills, but often away from the Bernabeu. In the place that should be his home, Danilo plays with a lot of nerves. This is a situation that is very difficult to turn on its head.
Key stat - Games (24)
James Rodriguez: 6.5/10
Houston, we have a problem. James believes that it is Zidane, and Zidane believes that it is James. The situation is that the Colombian is not enjoying the playing time that his status, and his quality that was shown in his first season for Los Blancos: demands. The player is unhappy and Zidane, all smiles in public, only changes his demeanour when he is asks about the No. 10. Despite his secondary role, his left foot has led to more assists than any other Madrid player this season. It will be for something.
Key stat - Assists (12)
Mateo Kovacic: 7.5/10
Kovacic has been especially important during the absence of Casemiro. His big test arrived at Camp Nou, in which he put in extra work to remain vigilant of Lionel Messi. He did not only play in tune with the rest of the team, but he nonetheless added something. With regards to his style, he is radically different to his Brazilian teammate. Devilishly vertical, he is best when driving upfield at pace in order to break opposition lines. On a defensive note, he lacks a tactical astuteness, but he is young and has shown that he has a future.
Key stat - Starts (19)
Marco Asensio: 8.5/10
His first half of the year was at Espanyol, but it was certainly notable. A return to Madrid was a risk, but he has taken it in his stride wonderfully. He made a space for himself during pre-season and every time that he has played, he has shown that the Real Madrid shirt doesn't weigh him down. On the contrary, he looks like somebody who was born wearing it. It is very clear what his role is in the squad, and he has performed it to perfection. Zidane, meanwhile, will continue to nurture his left foot, as he has since the summer.
Key stat - Goals (6)
Isco: 7.5/10
2016 has had some good moments for Isco. There have even been some very good ones, such as the LaLiga game at Estadio Vicente Calderon. He has played in his position as a No. 10, but the problem is that in Zidane's Madrid there is often no room for a player of this nature. In the 4-3-3, it doesn't fit, and Benzema is ahead of Isco up top in Zidane's pecking order. Despite all of this, he was important in the Champions League final, once again coming off the bench - a role that doesn't appear to satisfy him.
Key stat - Starts (26)
Lucas Vazquez: 9/10
He has consolidated himself as the 12th man of the squad. If a midfield is missing, Zidane calls upon Lucas; if he is missing a wide man, he does the same. He can even play - as he did for Benitez - as a right-back. His abilities are best used on the right-hand side as a winger, his position that his identity is based around; playing one-on-ones, dominating, cheek, daringness, assists. All of this, on top of having the heart of a youth player. The fans love him, and they have all reason to.
Key stat - Assists (10)
Mariano Diaz: 7.5/10
Mariano is a specialist, his strength is in shooting. He has shown it, but he has not been able to play many minutes. He would even shoot with a medicine ball, because he has goals in his blood, and he has a hunger. He knows that he could use his gift for goals for other clubs, but he has insisted on staying in Madrid. Of course he could leave in the summer, or would even be able to do it in the winter, but Mariano has a dream. And apart from being a goalscorer, he is stubborn.
Key stat - Goals (5)
Alvaro Morata: 8.5/10
This summer the club decided that rather than signing a Galactico, their big signing would be Morata. It cost them 30 million euros to bring him back from Juventus. Above all, it must be kept in mind that he hasn't played as much as he may have hoped. But despite everything, his attitude is impeccable. He knows what he has to do in order to unsettle BBC: work harder and score more goals.
Key stat - Starts (9)
Fabio Coentrao: 4/10
Nobody can define the left-back's situation better than himself. But now, he is not able to play in Madrid. He played an important role at Monaco, but a serious injury that he suffered has affected him both physically and mentally. In both aspects, he continues to be weighed down.
Key stat - Minutes (128)
Ruben Yanez: 6/10
He has played just 14 minutes, during a game that was completely insignificant. Zidane wanted to reward a player that stands out for his daily work-rate, and his contribution to the chemistry between all of the goalkeepers in the squad.
Key stat - Games (1)
Comments
Post a Comment