Cristiano Ronaldo's Fine Form Is Bringing the Best out of Real Madrid Team-Mates
The form of Cristiano Ronaldo has been a joy to behold in the early stages of the season. Twenty-one goals for Real Madrid, six assists and a clutch of individual awards have made it a few months to remember for the Portuguese sensation, and with the 29-year-old in unstoppable form, Los Blancos look like the best team on the continent at the moment.
But it’s worth remembering that there are other important cogs to this wonderful side, players who are revelling in their own duties and being aided by Ronaldo’s brilliance.
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Indeed, when the European champions lost two of their opening three matches, there were cries aplenty from detractors about the club’s perceived naivety in selling Angel Di Maria and Xabi Alonso. Naturally, those same criticisms are in scarce supply now.
Since Carlo Ancelotti’s team lost 2-1 to city rivals Atletico in the Madrid derby, Real have won 13 games on the spin. Ronaldo, admittedly, has been the star turn of this team, but after a turbulent early start to life in the Spanish capital, some of Real’s new signings are beginning to find their feet.
The man who’s been one of the primary supply lines to Ronaldo’s blistering surges is summer acquisition James Rodriguez. The Colombian has not only shown his intricate abilities, but a wonderful versatility too in the early weeks of the season, and whether he plays as an orthodox No. 10 or on either flank, he’s developed an unerring ability to affect games at critical times.
He’s got a penchant for scoring spectacular goals, too, as we can see here courtesy of World Soccer Talk:
With Bale out of the team in the past few weeks, the former Monaco man has been deployed on the right-flank recently. But he’s been given licence to drift inside to link up with the likes of Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, and it's worked to great effect.
Bleacher Report’s Karl Matchett thinks that it’s a role that suits the midfielder perfectly:
His pass to Ronaldo against Liverpool is a fine example of what Rodriguez can do when he floats into those areas undetected. But in the centre of midfield, there are two players who are flourishing for Real Madrid and affording the attacking players and underpinning defensive insurance to their forward forays.
Toni Kroos has showcased a magnificent artistry in the middle of the park for Real, and following the sale of Alonso, he’s a player who has stepped into the role of orchestrator extraordinaire with distinction. His partner in crime is Luka Modric, who continues to showcase a staggering coalescence of technical acumen and downright tenacity.
As a pair, they’re developing an excellent understanding, something that Ancelotti touched upon in the aftermath of his side’s 5-1 demolition of Rayo Vallecano, per Dermot Corrigan of ESPN:
Benzema is another player who’s benefited from Ronaldo’s remarkable form. Whisper it quietly, but the Frenchman himself has notched 11 goals this season for Los Blancos, including five in the Champions League, and with opposition teams seemingly intent on halting Real Madrid's No. 7, Benzema is revelling in the extra space afforded to him.
The 26-year-old’s work at the point of the attack has long been understated and underappreciated, but this season, even with Ronaldo banging the goals in and hogging the spotlight, the forward seems to be getting a little more recognition. And not only for his forensic edge in front of goal, but his link play, work rate and all-round contribution to this team.
Earlier in the season, ESPN FC’s Graham Hunter had high praise for Benzema’s efforts: "Some of his interplay with Ronaldo is dazzling—they appear to be the yin and yang of the Madrid attack. Like-minded, equally visionary on the pitch, patently enjoying their 'Butch and Sundance' partnership. It works."
Bale, who has helped himself to five La Liga goals this season, has also spoken of how working with Ronaldo has helped him grow as a player, per BBC Sport:
"The amount of goals he scores and what he does for the team is incredible. Nobody is living up to that at. At the moment he's on another level to everyone else.
By seeing him in training and in games it gives me that kind of platform to aim for and keep improving, and hopefully one day I can get there.
"
Ancelotti has fashioned a side that look capable of bettering the heights of last season, in which they won the Champions League and the Copa del Rey. Lofty ambitions, of course, but they are ambitions that have some undeniable clout behind them.
We’ve looked at a few players who are reaping the rewards of Ronaldo’s form in the first team but haven't even touched upon on the likes of Isco, Sami Khedira, Jese Rodriguez and a defence that is growing in stature week by week. Make no mistake, Real are not a one-man band, they're a truly remarkable crop of footballers.
Ronaldo has been tantamount to creating a real feel-good factor at the Santiago Bernabeu, and there seems to be an irrepressible air of positivity emanating out of every pore of the club.
That can only be a good thing for Real Madrid, and looking at the season so far, Ancelotti should be confident that in the unfortunate case something should happen to his talisman, there are a host of classy operators ready to step up.
All statistics courtesy of WhoScored.com
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