Contrasting the Early-Season Exploits of Karim Benzema vs. Alvaro Morata

Real Madrid's only major piece of incoming transfer business over the close season was to bring Alvaro Morata home from Juventus, spending big to boost their strike force and homegrown contingent at the same time.

The Spain international was intended to provide competition for Karim Benzema and, at times, play alongside him, but for most of the season so far it has been one or the other for head coach Zinedine Zidane. Fitness and form will doubtless dictate that both see plenty of time on the pitch over the entirety of 2016/17, but which of the duo has made the more encouraging start, and how have they differed?

Stats

The two aren't quite equal in game time, with Benzema having missed the opening games of the season due to an injury that he was recuperating from over pre-season. It meant Morata got the nod in the UEFA Super Cup final and the start of La Liga, but Zidane has worked Benzema into his starting XI more often of late—despite the French striker still not quite looking as sharp as he might.

So far, Morata tallies 441 minutes on the pitch across all competitions, scoring twice, while Benzema has the same goal total from 393 minutes.

Breaking their contributions down to actions on a per-90-minutes basis, we can see how it is still Benzema who is more effective as an all-round striker, though we can also see where Morata's influence can be felt in a different way.

Player	Shots	On target	Aerials won	Key passes	Dribbles	Passes
Benzema	4.8	1.8	1.2	1.4	0.6	18.1
Morata	4.4	1.7	0.6	1.2	4.2	22.2

There is more to playing up front for Madrid than just goalscoring, though, especially with the goals being shared around the squad so far this season and the usual expectation of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale pitching in with a huge haul, too.

Morata has had more time on the pitch, and thus his totals are higher so far in terms of creating or taking shooting opportunities:

@karlmatchett

Totalling those shot-involvement numbers, and dividing by their respective game time (335 minutes for Morata, and 199 minutes for Benzema) shows how they are both extremely close: a shot taken or created every 15.4 minutes for the Spaniard and every 14.9 minutes for the Frenchman.

Regardless of whether they take the shot themselves or fashion the chance for someone else, with either of them on the pitch, Real Madrid are guaranteed three chances per half just through their striker.

Social

As ever, there have been plenty of reactions to both players from the watching world online, both within the football media and from fans—as well as the individuals themselves, of course.

The competition for the centre-forward spot is fierce, and both will play their part, but the majority—both media and fans—are backing the Spaniard for the role at present.

"

Benzema has to play to regain form. But with a more effective Morata, its a sin not to start the latter. Zidane will have to decide soon.

— M.A.J (@UItraSuristic) September 27, 2016"

"

AS:

Morata & Lucas pressure BBC
• When the youngsters play, Real Madrid improves their shot capacity.
• Casemiro - between 1-2 months out. pic.twitter.com/Prtj16MJDi

— RMadridHome (@RMadridHome_) September 22, 2016"

Much of Benzema's time over the summer was spent in recovery and fitness mode...

...while Morata was heavily involved in pre-season after being Spain's leading striker at Euro 2016.

There was also acclaim for Benzema scoring against Las Palmas, making it 30 teams he has faced in La Liga and scored against in the white of Real Madrid, and for Morata's first goal after his return.

"

Karim Benzema played against 30 teams in La Liga, and scored in all teams. #HalaMadrid #TeamBenzema #KB9 - @Benzema pic.twitter.com/jg0ZeImHVu

— Benzema Stats (@Benzema_Stats) September 26, 2016"

"

Alvaro Morata's game by numbers vs. Celta Vigo:

77 mins played
3 take ons
3 shots
1 goal

866 days in the making. pic.twitter.com/IsyQdv59zZ

— Squawka Football (@Squawka) August 29, 2016"

Tactical

It's not as simple as swapping one in for the other and playing the same way; the two players have different approaches to leading the line and linking with the rest of the attack.

Early on in the season, Real had four midfielders behind Morata as the lone striker, and his job was to continually work the channels, allow the players from deep to join up in the final third and be an outlet for the team, which is different to when the BBC attack is in place.

@karlmatchett

Benzema has so far been short of the sharpness and top-class movement that would normally be expected of him, but even so has shown his adaptability to playing in a two as well as from deeper. When Benzema came on as a sub at Las Palmas, he played behind Morata rather than in a classic two-man attack. While the Frenchman isn't the playmaker type of Isco or James Rodriguez, the sudden surge forward and instinct to get into the box was key.

@karlmatchett

Morata hasn't spent too much time in the six-yard box even in matches that Real Madrid dominate, whereas Benzema can be counted on to prowl the near-post area, look for ricochets, knockdowns and rebounds and either finish quickly or tee up a team-mate to shoot.

Key Moments

Both players can claim to have had a telling impact this season already, in a particularly important match or minute.

Morata is ahead in that regard, though: His two goals this season have been worth four points for Madrid across two competitions—a late header to seal a Champions League win over Sporting CP and the opening goal against Celta Vigo. Both matches finished 2-1, so the No. 21's interventions were particularly key, in matches they found it tough to break down the opposition in.

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

As for his team-mate, Benzema would have thought he had scored a winner when he notched at Las Palmas, only for the late equaliser to frustrate Los Blancos. Even so, he found the way through where his team had struggled in the second half, and he did so just a few minutes after coming on.

David Ramos/Getty Images

Similarly, an assist against Borussia Dortmund was simple but important in terms of the flow of the match at the time.

Given the matches which Benzema has been thrust in from the start for—both Champions League games and Villarreal in La Liga—it still feels as though he is Zidane's preferred starter whenever possible, trusting that his compatriot will produce when it matters even if he is not fully fit yet.

Over the course of the season, he will likely overtake Morata and play more minutes across all competitions, but the importance of having a second forward, tactically different but still able to offer a goal threat of his own, cannot be underestimated as Real Madrid attempt to challenge on multiple fronts.

The early points in this battle for a starting role go to the Spaniard, but the French striker has time, trust and years of proven service on his side.

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Stats via WhoScored.com, La Liga only.