Seventeen players used in the first two games. Zidane has opened the fan, he has put all the cards on the table to gauge the potential of the squad with which to face the assault on the three great titles, all while waiting for Hazard and Asensio to return. Two games (Real and Betis) in which the coach has also shown two radically different faces with which he seems to stage what his mouth says at press conferences on the pitch: “Until October 4, everything is possible,” he insists , hinting that he expects some incorporation.
Against Real the coach arranged a 4-3-3 with two clear bands, Vinicius and Rodrygo, and Mayoral and Jovic did not even come out to warm up despite the draw. Against Betis, he used a 4-4-2 with two forwards and no bands. There he made use of Jovic and Mayoral and Rodrygo and Vinicius were the ones who did not even go out to warm up although it was necessary to overcome the 2-1 of the first part … Night and morning only a few days apart.
The only element that served as a connecting link in these two games was Odegaard, the Norwegian starting in both, playing ahead of the midfielders. But the Nordic has diluted the effect of being the new face of the project at the first of changes. Furthermore, against Betis he was replaced by Isco at halftime (with only 23 passes given and part of the blame in William Carvalho's second Betis goal), moment from which the team improved until completing the comeback …
The best of Madrid's experience at this start, without a doubt, are the four points won out of the six at stake.
The club.
In spite of everything, the club insists that there will be no incorporations of any kind even though the transfer of Jovic (who is increasingly far away) or the departure of Nacho to Calcio is consumed. In addition, some confusion slides with the first decisions made by Zidane. In the first place with those of the summer, since it is insisted that it was Zidane who forced the exits of Reguilón, James, Ceballos or Bale. Secondly, because of the obvious message that the coach sent by removing Jovic and Mayoral from the activity and giving entry to Marvin and Arribas against Real. And, finally, for the lurch given against Betis in terms of system and choice of players. Jovic's ownership was surprising, at least he left the game having sent Emerson off after failing to shoot on goal and touching the ball only ten times, four of them wrong, in 72 minutes.
The technician.
The point of view of the coaching staff is quite different. The massive rotations are part of Zidane's plans, especially in this start of the League (given the accumulation of efforts) in which they want to avoid injuries. Vinicius and Rodrygo will almost certainly return to the scene in Wednesday's game (9:30 pm) against Valladolid. But what about the idea of the future?
Zidane suspects two solutions if he ends up not coming, as it seems, a nine of guarantees. In the first of them the drawing is definitely a 4-4-2 in rhombus, but the striker who would accompany Benzema is Hazard. The Belgian would be freed, in this way, from any defensive task. With this option, Isco and Odegaard dispute the position that remains in the playmaker. In the second of the solutions planned by the technician, the drawing changes to a 4-3-3, with Hazard and Asensio on the sides and Benzema on the front (this idea is less likely because it would not only force Hazard on defense, but also to Asensio).
So far the offensive baggage is three goals in two games, 1.5 on average, a bit below what Madrid had last season (1.8 per game) or the previous one (1.9). With Cristiano in the team he averaged 2.8 and 2.9 in the Portuguese's last two seasons. For now, at this start of the season they have managed to score a half (Valverde) and a defender (Ramos), plus Emerson's own goal. At the club they still trust in the future contribution of Hazard (who made 21 in 52 games in his last year at Chelsea) as Benzema's companion, which does match the coach's idea. And they hope that, with the return of the Belgian and Asensio, Zidane's line-ups will have a little more stability.