"Too many cooks spoil the broth" - an age old proverb which might sound veridical to Madridistas at the moment. Real Madrid finished last season as the Champions of Europe, clinching the "La Decima" after a wait of over ten seasons. For the current generation of Madrid fans, it is the very moment when the club tasted European glory following years of struggle, misfortune and falling at the final hurdle on the European front! The agenda this season ought to have been to strengthen the side and upgrade at certain positions of need, allowing manager Carlo Ancelotti to usher in an era of continued success, challenging for the La Liga as well as attempting to be the first club to defend the Champions League trophy. However, three games into the latest Spanish campaign, six points adrift of leaders Barcelona, it looks all but rosy for president Florentino Perez's army.
Real Madrid started the La Liga campaign against newly promoted side Córdoba with an uneventful but solid victory, following disappointing displays against the current holders Atletico Madrid in both legs of Supercopa de Espana. The wheels came off against Real Sociedad as Ancelotti's team lost 4-2, having taken a two-goal lead in the early minutes of the game. Madrid learnt their harshest lesson of the nascent season in last weekend's Madrid derby where they failed to assert their control over the match for long periods of time.
Results can often be misguiding but the manner in which Real conceded both defeats should be a concern for Ancelotti. Iker Casillas' stars have been dwindling for quite some time now - this season, he has been far from convincing though, slow to react and committing frequent mistakes. The defense fumbled in set-piece situations, fell over without resistance in counter-attack scenarios and looked far from composed in their recent outings. What has been most confounding is the performance of the midfield - the deep players failing to seize control and retain possession, the advanced midfielders faltering to penetrate opposition back-line and create chances.
Real Madrid spent an eager transfer window, splashing the cash on two of the brightest performers in this summer's World Cup - Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez. However, the general concern among the fan-base is whether in an effort to make the squad more impressive, Florentino Perez over-compensated, thereby disrupting the balance of the side. That Angel di Maria and Xabi Alonso's departures have hit the team hard would be an understatement. Di Maria was one of Real's foremost squad members last season. A Bernabeu player since 2010, Di Maria came off age last season creating chances at will. His work-rate has always been one of the defining features of his game, something Madrid are missing this season. Xabi Alonso has been one of the talismanic players for Los Blancos, anchoring the midfield ever since he arrived from Liverpool. Although Alonso had not been at his absolute best in recent times, the fact is Madrid do not have any ready replacement for him.
Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, both par excellence central midfielders in their own rights, are still adapting to the deeper role in Ancelotti's system and have not been aided by the lack of support from both the defense and the advanced midfield in general. Asier Illarramendi, Madrid's costliest ever Spanish purchase who was supposed to take over from Alonso, has been far from convincing and yet to make an appearance in the league this season. James Rodriguez is a wonderful, young player but he is not a central midfielder or box-to-box player by any means. Ancelotti has tried to fit in Perez's latest acquisition at the expense of the much-required balance in his side, it is yet to pay any dividends though. His failure to track back was one of the primary reasons why Sociedad got a free look in through the flanks at Estadium Anoeta. Isco's incompetence to connect passes in the final third against Sociedad did not help Real's cause. Ancelotti's decision to stick with Casillas (who was whistled at by his own fans recently) in spite of having Costa Rica's World Cup star Keylor Navas at his disposal has drawn criticism from all quarters.
Two early losses won't hamper Madrid's chances to compete for the La Liga, but Ancelotti needs to stem the rot soon. Los Blancos fans will take heart from the fact that Cristiano Ronaldo is fully fit again and showing glimpses of his terrifying abilities, as against Atletico. Sami Khedira, who had been linked to a move away from Bernabeu during the entire expanse of the transfer window, will play a crucial role as the only capable holding midfielder in the squad at the moment. The key however is the duo of Modric and Kroos - the sooner they find their bearings, the better it is for the current champions of Europe. Ancelotti's problems at the moment are simple - to plug the leaks in the defensive organisation and to make his midfield proficient in proper transitioning from defence to offence. The answers to these predicaments will be far from simple though, varying on a number of factors depending on the new recruitments' calibre to attune to his system as well as the "behind-the-scenes" contexts often playing out in the Madrid dressing room. As Real Madrid take on FC Basel - the giant killers of Europe - on Tuesday in their bid to defend the UEFA Champions League title, all eyes will be on the Galácticos scrutinising every pass, every move and every goal.
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