Could Real Madrid's Injuries Prove to Be Blessing in Disguise for Rafa Benitez?

It had bordered on being a second-string lineup from the beginning, and by the time it ended, it most definitely was. 

When the final whistle blew on Saturday at the Bernabeu, Real Madrid's XI consisted of Kiko Casilla, Danilo, Nacho, Raphael Varane, Marcelo, Lucas Vazquez, Casemiro, Marcos Llorente, Borja Mayoral, Isco and Cristiano Ronaldo. It wasn't exactly the granddaddy XI, not by any stretch, but it didn't matter. 

"People who thought they weren't going to get any game time are giving us points," said Rafa Benitez, relayed by Marca. And he's right.

Isco and Jese scored in the 3-1 win against Las Palmas, maintaining Madrid's unbeaten start to the season; Vazquez and Danilo were involved in goals during the close shave against Celta Vigo; the aforementioned quartet contributed to taking a valuable point away from Paris; Casemiro, well, he's been just flat-out excellent the whole time.

"[They're] helping us maintain a competitive level," added Benitez of that group, relayed by the club's official site. That they are—perhaps at an opportune time too.  

If ever there was a period in which the obstacles presented by injuries could be navigated relatively safely for Real Madrid, it was in these opening months of the season. So far in the league, aside from two difficult trips to the Vicente Calderon and Balaidos, Madrid have faced Sporting Gijon, Real Betis, Espanyol, Granada, Athletic Bilbao, Malaga, Levante and now Las Palmas. 

At the time of writing, those eight teams sit 17th, 10th, 11th, 18th, 12th, 16th, 20th and 19th respectively.

For a depleted Madrid, it's a dream run; Benitez couldn't have hoped for anything friendlier. But could this run prove to be valuable in coming months? Could it prove to be more than just the navigation of obstacles and actually become beneficial?

Maybe.

Francisco Seco/Associated Press

Had Benitez had his full quota to choose from in these opening months, we wouldn't be seeing what we are now. There'd have been no consecutive starts for Jese. There'd be no permanent place for Isco. There'd be no regular opportunities for Vazquez or Mateo Kovacic. There mightn't even be a place for Casemiro. 

Instead, we'd predominantly be watching the fearsome Real Madrid XI that picks itself, the one defined by an almost front six: Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale, James Rodriguez, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos.

For Benitez, there'd be little choice. Though he's a known advocate of rotation, though he likes to prepare specific XIs for specific opponents and situations, the Madrileno will know that when the stars are fit, they must play. This is Real Madrid.

In such a scenario, therefore, Benitez wouldn't be afforded the chance to do what he's doing now.

Indeed, at present, the new boss is being given the opportunity to explore the options at his disposal, learning about the depth and versatility within his squad and essentially the full scope of what he's got to work with.

Amid this injury crisis, he's been able to see how Casemiro alters the dynamic of the midfield. He's been able to see how Kovacic can provide solutions for different systems. How Vazquez adds width. How Jese makes the team more direct. How Danilo offers something very different to Dani Carvajal. 

It hasn't been flawless, and Madrid have hardly been devastating, but Benitez's men have remained both unbeaten and unscathed while going through a period of exploration—a period in which alternative solutions have been identified, in which coping mechanisms have been developed. 

Those things were lacking last season. A lot.

So are there any drawbacks?

Francisco Seco/Associated Press

The counterargument, of course, is Real Madrid are being denied the opportunity to develop rhythm and continuity. With Bale missing, Benitez's men aren't growing accustomed to the Welshman's altered positioning; without Rodriguez, they're not developing the ultimate fluency; without Benzema and his unique skill set, the whole attack has to function differently.

Ahead of a more challenging fixture list that includes dates with Paris Saint-Germain, Sevilla, Barcelona and Shakhtar Donetsk, such an argument isn't without validity. But that doesn't mean the flip side lacks it, either. 

Right now, Real Madrid are doing what they didn't do last season and avoiding trouble even when circumstances aren't perfect. Last term, when Ronaldo was missing at Anoeta, they were embarrassed by Real Sociedad; when Rodriguez and Modric were missing at the Calderon, they were hammered by Atletico.

This season, though, setbacks are being overcome. And they're being overcome while Benitez makes full use of his squad, exploring tactical options while his stars have their tanks spared and backups have their appetites satisfied.

Could Real Madrid's injuries be a blessing in disguise, then?

Maybe. It's possible.