Rafa Benitez May Never Be Popular, but Early Signs Positive for His Real Madrid

Rafa Benitez had been sitting at his press conference barely 90 seconds, and already he was talking tactical systems. 

"We have had four systems—4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, 4-3-2-1 and 4-1-4-1," the Real Madrid manager said of his team's ever-changing shape at the San Mames, where Real Madrid claimed an extremely important 2-1 victory over Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday. 

From Benitez, it wasn't exactly surprising that he was launching into a discussion on formations so quickly; frankly, he's rarely been able to contain himself from doing so. "On our first date," his wife, Montserrat Seara, told La Region (per Goal) recently, "Rafa explained to me what a 4-4-2 was."

Some date that must have been, huh? Although, given that Benitez is now married to the same woman, maybe he knew something the rest of us don't. Maybe the key to first-date success is telling that potential partner on the other side of the table exactly how you've taken Woking from the Conference to the Champions League in six seasons on Football Manager. Go on, give it a try next time.

Of course, that's if there is a next time. 

But anyway, what's the significance behind Benitez's talk of systems and Real Madrid's use of various ones? Essentially, it's that it appears the new boss is steadily addressing the major shortcoming witnessed at the Bernabeu last season. 

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Under Carlo Ancelotti, what started so magnificently in Chamartin ended in despair, much like a night that begins with a Jagerbomb. The ultimate diplomat, a sort of cool dad more than a boss, the Italian got Real Madrid winning again by letting Real Madrid enjoy it again. Ancelotti's players were empowered, protected and, most crucially, united, the environment the catalyst for trophies and not the other way around. 

Loaded with talent like no other, then, freed from the shackles and gently steered, Los Blancos spent the calendar year of 2014 putting together expressions of pure footballing freedom. The team was instinctive rather than drilled; natural rather than structured. And, boy, did it work. For a while.

The issue that eventually confronted Ancelotti's Real Madrid, however, was that, as problems and obstacles arose, the team hadn't developed the necessary mechanisms to cope. When Valencia got physical with them, they didn't have an answer. When Atletico Madrid denied them space, when Bilbao harassed them, when Juventus cut off their supply lines, they didn't have an answer.

Ditto when injuries hit. 

Labelling Ancelotti as tactically inept would be too extreme, but there grew a sense that his Real Madrid was one too reliant on individual talent rather than a collective idea.

When it clicked, when the planets aligned, when the perfect balance was struck, it was remarkable. But it also had too little margin for error; the balance was too delicate. When Real Madrid's players struck trouble, they didn't have something to fall back on because they, as empowered and staggeringly talented individuals, were the foundations rather than an encompassing method or system. 

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In fairness, Ancelotti, given what he'd achieved, probably deserved a chance to right the wrong. But he wasn't given it; Benitez was. And the early indications are positive for the madrileno. 

Real Madrid are now six games into the competitive season and boxes are being steadily ticked. They're top of the league and unbeaten; they've scored 18 goals and conceded only one; they've successfully rotated, managing the minutes of key players; they've overcome the problems presented by injuries.

What's more, they've done it while playing attractive, attacking football—the very thing that Benitez supposedly couldn't oversee. 

Admittedly, the opponents faced to date haven't been fearsome; Sporting Gijon, Real Betis, Espanyol, Granada and Shakhtar Donetsk won't strike fear into the hearts of Europe's elite anytime soon. But Wednesday's victory over Athletic Bilbao was significant. 

Real Madrid had only taken a single point from their two visits to the new San Mames prior to Wednesday. Last season, the trip there resulted in one of the club's most damaging losses of the campaign, prompting headlines from Marca to the tune of "Athletic take BBC off the air" and "Annus horribilis for Real Madrid." 

This time, though, the reaction was very different: "Rafa Benitez dishes out humble pie," said Marca after the 2-1 victory. 

Though the scoreline was tight, the play itself wasn't. Los Blancos were fluid and fast in attack, their forays forward into space consistently powerful, their opportunities abundant.

From the full-back posts, Marcelo and Daniel Carvajal were dynamic; in midfield, the combination of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic worked effectively; up front, an initial trio of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Isco was menacing. On another night, Real Madrid might have scored five or six such was the threat they posed. 

And yet, here's the thing: Real Madrid also did what they often didn't do last season—adapt. 

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Rather than simply relying on their own power to overwhelm their opponents, the visitors reacted to the challenges presented to them by Athletic, setting out to neutralise the hosts' strengths. There was a genuine process evident that wasn't always last season. 

In the first half, an initial midfield three defined by their passing ability was used to establish control; in the second, Jese replaced Isco, changing the system, making their threat more direct and limiting Bilbao's ability to press. Then, late on, Casemiro was introduced and the shape was altered again, completing the feeling of a game being managed and not simply played. 

"At the start, we had to manage the game, and later, we worked on Athletic's midfield," said Benitez after the game. "Then we adjust with two holding midfielders, and we ended up with Casemiro."

Evidently, Benitez is putting his own stamp on Real Madrid. It feels as though his Real is being built upon a collective idea and not only talent. 

"The players have taken on the concepts," he added of his team. "And the advantage is that we won, and we made chances for Benzema and Cristiano. Almost everything we have done has been positive."

Though he's just six games into the season, Benitez can rightly feel he has Real Madrid heading in the right direction. For Wednesday showed that he's doing exactly what he was brought to the Bernabeu to do: to maintain the team's attacking power while systematically bolstering the defence. 

Sterner tests await, of course, and for the ever-unpopular Benitez, criticism and doubts are only one loss away. But at this point, you can only judge him by the available evidence, and that evidence right now is favourable.

The early signs are positive. 

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