Analysing Karim Benzema's Early-Season Form for Real Madrid

An assist, a towering header, a cool finish on the break and an injury: That was Karim Benzema's night for France against Armenia on Thursday, an outing that summed up both the striker's current form and, far away, the chaotic medical room at Real Madrid.

Indeed, the brace in national colours took the Frenchman's goal tally to nine in 10 starts for club and country this season, but Benzema is now facing three weeks on the sidelines, becoming the eighth Real Madrid player to have suffered an injury in 2015-16 after Gareth Bale, Sergio Ramos, James Rodriguez, Danilo, Daniel Carvajal, Pepe and Jese. On Saturday, Luka Modric became the ninth. 

For Benzema, the injury blow comes at the most inopportune time. After being challenged to reach 25 league goals this season by manager Rafa Benitez, per El Pais (h/t AS)—the striker has never gone past 21 strikes in a league campaign for Real Madrid—the 27-year-old has put together one of the best stretches of his career. 

In the league, it's six from six for the Frenchman, his early header against Atletico Madrid taking him into the lead for the Pichichi ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo, Imanol Agirretxe and Nolito. But perhaps more importantly, Benzema's goals have been the difference in games; to date, his strikes have directly earned Real Madrid seven of their 15 points in La Liga.

He's "Sniper Benzema" at present, said Marca. And he hasn't always been. 

Daniel Ochoa de Olza/Associated Press

Undoubtedly the most notable aspect of the No. 9's early-season form has been his efficiency in front goal, which hasn't always been a strength of his.

This term, Benzema's six league goals have come from just 20 shots, according to WhoScored.com, and 11 of the 20 have been on target. Thus, the Frenchman's shooting accuracy stands at 55 per cent, and 30 per cent of his shots have found the back of the net—figures that represent significant improvement. 

Last season, Benzema's shooting accuracy in the league was 43 per cent (30 shots on target from 69), and only 22 per cent of his shots (15 of 69) found the back of the net. The season before, in 2013-14, those numbers stood at 45 per cent and 17 per cent respectively. The one before that, 50 and 17. 

In short, Benzema has never been more efficient in front of goal than he is right now. 

Interestingly, however, the striker has been less involved in Real Madrid's build-up play this season. In recent years, one of his primary traits has been the way he's operated as a central fulcrum between Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, presenting himself as a sort of attacking hub off which others operate. 

Typically, that's seen Benzema regularly push into the midfield to link with the likes of Modric and Toni Kroos, while he's also been equally adept at interplay around the box—particularly with his back to goal. 

In 2015-16, though, the former Lyon forward has seen his numbers dip in that regard. Whereas last season he completed 27.3 passes per game, that number has this season fallen to 21.2, almost the whole discrepancy found in short passes. 

Alvaro Barrientos/Associated Press

Contributing to such figures has been a slightly reworked system from Benitez.

With Bale having missed a good portion of the season, Madrid's shape, though often starting on paper as a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, has actually drifted toward a 4-4-2, with Benzema and Ronaldo stationed centrally and supported by a four-man midfield. Consequently, Benzema has been more of a penalty-area target than a roaming striker, his game-by-game statistics in recent weeks illustrating the shift. 

Against Atletico Madrid, Malaga and Granada, the Frenchman completed the fewest touches of any Real Madrid outfield player to start, while only Isco completed fewer against Athletic Bilbao. Yet in three of those four games, it was a Benzema touch (or two) that proved critical. 

Thus, what we're witnessing this season is a more focused Benzema, "focused" in this sense relating to his role rather than his mentality. Essentially, by operating closer to goal, by having a goal target set for him, his task is narrower and his responsibilities are fewer. Rather than being part striker, part provider, he's currently playing almost purely as a penalty-area sniper. 

As "Sniper Benzema."