Holes in the white wall

A Zidane, within his usual calm and monotone tone, was glimpsed the tiredness during the press conference after the triumph over Inter in Valdebebas (3-2): “Defensively, offensively … There is always a balance that must be had, and there is a rival who was very good offensively, they have shown it.But, I don't know, 15 days, three weeks ago, we were talking about not scoring a goal, now that we fit. Well … what we have to do is keep working, it is not easy to achieve both, to score and not fit in, but it is what we are going to try to do. Improve, improve and improve, working “.

Zizou is right on one point: Madrid's lack of a goal is a thing of the past, at least for now. In the last five games he has scored 14 goals, with an average of 2.8 per game; an increase in offensive production that has coincided with the awakening of Benzema's goalscorer, finally, with four goals in Madrid's last three games. However, the white team suffers from blanket disease, a classic among the greats: if you cover your head, you uncover your feet; and vice versa. Finding that balance, marrying defensive strength with offensive demelene (and its inherent risks) defines in many cases the path of title hopefuls.

Six matches in a row fitting

Without going any further, Madrid started the season with a dynamic contrary to the current one: in his first four league games he added three wins and a draw, conceding only two goals and scoring six. That was an almost identical version to the one that returned from confinement last year to come back in the league and end up lifting the title, with four goals conceded in ten games, all of which ended with a white victory. Now, however, Madrid's step forward in attack has generated secondary effects: they have conceded six consecutive games.

These games are against Cádiz (0-1), Shakhtar (2-3), Barcelona (1-3), Borussia (2-2), Huesca (4-1) and Inter (3-1). And they are goals received that have cost points, specifically three in the League (those of Cádiz) and five in the Champions League (Shakhtar and Borussia). In the Champions League, the issue is especially bloody, with seven goals conceded in three games that have Madrid, for now, out of the qualifying places for the round of 16, although they have three games to fix the mess. Madrid are adopting the habit of relaxing at home in the European Cup: they have conceded 18 goals in their last 8 home games.

Many shots, many saves

In LaLiga he has managed to maintain a straight line in defense, with five goals conceded in seven games, a figure only improved by Real Sociedad (4) and Atlético de Madrid (2). Madrid occupies the 11th place in the ranking of the least finished in LaLiga (76; Athletic is the least, with 42) and the eighth with the fewest shots received on goal (26; again, Athletic is the best, with half, 13). Courtois has had work: he had to make 20 stops, the 7th most and very even with Oblak (21).

Madrid must be careful with this trend, because a stage of the calendar is coming that will put the thickness of its armor to the test, after the recent skids: This Sunday he travels to Valencia to visit Mestalla and, after the national team break, he will travel to Castellón to play against Villarreal (with the danger of the FIFA Virus always present) and to Milan for the dispute of the fourth day of the Champions League group stage, against Inter. Three high-intensity away games in which the white defensive performance could be the key for Madrid to maintain and accelerate that cruising speed that, it seems, is beginning to take.