Zinedine Zidane was a coach that excelled in terms of man management.
On floodlit nights in the Champions League, the former Real Madrid midfielder was the
right personality to get the best out of a star-studded eleven, relying on individuals
to prove their quality.
Often, Zidane would use a 4-3-3 system with a recognisable front three: Gareth Bale, Karim
Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo.
In his final campaign in charge, a 4-4-2 formation was also utilised, asking more from Ronaldo
in a central striking role and calling on the likes of Isco, Lucas Vazquez and Marco
Asensio to impress in wide areas.
The summer of 2018 has been all change.
Zidane stepped down after winning three consecutive Champions League trophies, while Cristiano
Ronaldo upped sticks for Turin as he seeks a new challenge and fresh records to break
with Juventus.
Julen Lopetegui has perhaps stepped out of the frying pan and into the fire.
After a dramatic end to his spell as Spain boss on the eve of the World Cup in Russia,
the former Porto tactician has arrived in Madrid with a remit to make Los Blancos more
competitive over the longer, more drawn-out format of LaLiga.
The title has stayed in Barcelona’s grasp for too long.
Lopetegui has used various different systems (4-2-3-1/4-3-3) and in-game tweaks since taking
over as Real Madrid boss, but several key points remain consistent as Los Blancos try
to move away from relying on individuals and instead shoulder the responsibility to defend
from the front and score goals as a collective.
Although Marcelo and Dani Carvajal maintain some width from full back, a vital tool in
recent seasons, there are some sizeable changes in approach already.
The BBC era is over, with Benzema, Bale and Marco Asensio the new immediate triple threat
for Lopetegui’s Real Madrid in the final third.
While Asensio starts on the left-hand side, Bale is deployed on the right and Benzema
features centrally, there is a lot of license for free movement.
Benzema is free to drop very deep to help link up play, before offloading the ball and
getting back up top to lead the line, while Bale and Asensio can read the flow of the
game and pick their moments to switch flanks or drive infield on the ball.
Isco is given free reign to support them creatively.
While Bale’s cross which eventually lead to Carvajal’s opening goal in LaLiga arrived
from the left flank against Getafe, his own finish to make it 2-0 came from the right,
as did his assist for Benzema versus Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup.
Versus Girona in league action, Asensio won two penalties - one on the left byline, with
the other arriving on the right-hand side of the opposition box.
Lopetegui gives his intelligent front three the license to take their own decisions in
terms of movement, so long as when they are asked to track back, they fill in the gaps
defensively based on the positions of their fellow forwards.
This fluidity forces the opposition to remain organised, switched on and to communicate
well.
As you can see from their average position vs Girona, the front four have plenty of liberty
to roam, with Benzema a key associative presence.
The Frenchman combines with his midfield before getting into the box, and already has a working
relationship with Bale from the right.
Should there be a mistake in possession which allows opponents to steal the ball, the idea
is that Real Madrid immediately click into gear as a unit and hunt it back down as a
group.
This is yet to be implemented throughout a full game by Lopetegui, but when Real Madrid
are playing their best football at a good intensity and tempo, it is accompanied by
more energetic pressing and setting up camp in the opposition half.
Even when 4-1 ahead against Girona at Montilivi, the visiting strike force and midfield would
squeeze further up the pitch, in an attempt to force mistakes from the opposing defence
or long balls into areas where the likes of Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane can prevail
in the air.
Lopetegui has kicked off his first LaLiga campaign in charge with a double pivot in
midfield consisting of Toni Kroos and Casemiro, as well as a riskier midfield three of Isco,
Dani Ceballos and Kroos.
When Real Madrid find themselves on the back foot, their front four do work hard to get
back, but inevitably leave a huge amount of work for their defensive midfield two to get
done - especially if Marcelo joins the attack too.
Isco is a player in whom Lopetegui places great trust, with Luka Modric introduced very
slowly after his World Cup exploits.
The Spaniard can sniff out the direction in which play is headed, connecting the dots
between Bale and Asensio in the wider areas of the field by shuttling wide, boasting a
good relationship with Asensio and the range of passing required to slip Bale in behind
or find the Welshman wide on the right with a well-weighted diagonal pass.
Isco has total freedom to play the game as he sees it.
Kroos has been the metronome at the base of midfield, both alongside Casemiro and when
he was deployed without a defensive presence alongside Isco and Ceballos, with the Germany
international very much key in terms of maintaining control when Real Madrid have the ball, racking
up 96.3% pass completion against Girona, and 98.3% versus Getafe on the opening day.
There are still creases to be ironed out and balance to be struck, but Lopetegui has clear
tactical ideas that his squad appear to have faith in.
A more aggressive, reactive press, mixed with a fluid front three will certainly make Real
Madrid a far more unpredictable side in LaLiga this season.
Under Zidane, Los Blancos were guilty of becoming one-dimensional and relying on good service
into the box from Marcelino and Carvajal out wide, but Lopetegui wants his side to have
more freedom on the ball and more varied approach play.
Balancing stars might be tough, but the Spaniard can’t be criticised for not being afraid
to put his own stamp on a very successful Real Madrid squad.