Cristiano Ronaldo and the 5 Real Madrid Stars Who Must Improve Quickly

Real Madrid's start to the 2016/17 season has been generally impressive, though recent draws have caused consternation and seen the team knocked off top spot in La Liga, with Atletico Madrid now in first place.

Zinedine Zidane is still searching for the right formula to mix his attacking stars with defensive resilience, meaning Real have kept only one clean sheet since the opening day of the season—not to mention they have conceded late goals in two of their draws recently.

While the team collective is still not quite perfect, a big part of Los Blancos' failings in recent weeks has been key players not being at their optimum level for a mix of reasons.

Zidane and the rest of the team need those key men to find form quickly after the international break, starting with the main man: Cristiano Ronaldo.

Cristiano Ronaldo

It must be pointed out that Ronaldo's failings over the past few games are down to one easily remediable issue: rediscovering his rhythm after injury. And he has rarely had such a prolonged spell away from the game.

The Portuguese star is still getting in the right areas and is still heavily involved in the final third—getting shots away, being unmarked inside the penalty box and trying to create chances for his side—but that last touch, the one that matters most and that Ronaldo has always been a cast-iron guarantee of a goal with, is missing.

A miscontrol, a wayward effort or a shot at the 'keeper and Ronaldo quickly gets frustrated.

When it happens more than once, it's a cumulative effect, and the self-doubt starts to creep in—much as it does with any forward. When it happens eight times in a match, as the No. 7 attempted against Eibar (per WhoScored.com), it's clearly a technical problem that will take a little time to fix—but is fixable.

Of all the players who need an improvement at the team, Ronaldo is closest to his true level, but because his position is the one that has often won points and games for the side, it is his misses in front of goal that have contributed greatly towards Los Blancos failing to wrap up matches.

"

MARCA: Real Madrid hadn't lost a single game until 2013 in which Cristiano had scored in. They need him back fit quick.

— M.A.J (@UItraSuristic) October 6, 2016"

Keylor Navas

Goalkeeper Keylor Navas missed the summer pre-season programme through injury, and his rehabilitation stretched into competitive action, meaning Kiko Casilla was the No. 1 heading into the season in both La Liga and the UEFA Champions League, as well as the UEFA Super Cup.

The Costa Rican regained his place for the fixture against Borussia Dortmund, but it quickly became apparent that he was still readjusting to life on the pitch rather than the training field—a series of misjudgements blighted his return, and he was at fault for one of the goals in the 2-2 draw.

Punching instead of catching cleanly was perhaps a deliberate tactic to avoid any spillages in his first game back, but it didn't work out to Real Madrid's benefit.

Ronaldo was spotted discussing the technique during the match with Gareth Bale, with Sport suggesting the No. 7 was critical of Keylor.

BVB peppered Keylor's goal thereafter, and his usual instinctive brilliance was seen on more than one occasion—but like Ronaldo missing chances to seal a win, a goalkeeper's single mistake can cost a game.

Keylor was one of the most important parts of Madrid's team last term, particularly in the first half of the season, and there's no doubt he'll again be a key part for Zidane's regular XI. For goalkeepers, though, time is a luxury they cannot often afford to rediscover top form.

Sergio Ramos

Sergio Ramos continues to be a conundrum. The Spanish defender will cost and score a goal in the same game, he'll be aggressive to put his team on the front foot yet switch off in a relatively benign defensive situation, and he'll look dominant aerially yet lose his man when a cross comes in.

The club captain is supposed to be one of the world's foremost defenders, a guaranteed pick for club and country, yet he shows hideous inconsistency from half to half at times, never mind game to game or month to month.

Raphael Varane and Pepe have both shown their capabilities at centre-back this season—particularly the young Frenchman. And while there's no suggestion the duo should be preferred over Ramos in Zidane's first XI, maybe such a move would give the No. 4 the mental rocket he perhaps needs to refocus, relearn the art of 90-minute concentration and ensure his own game is in top shape.

@karlmatchett

All defenders make mistakes once in a while, but Ramos' are coming with disturbing regularity, both in positional judgement and when to actually make interventions. Real Madrid need him on top form—he can't always undo his own errors with a goal at the other end.

Isco

Isco's is a clear-cut case: He needs to perform better, but it's largely for his own sake rather than the team's in this instance.

He passed up his big opportunity against Eibar in pitiful fashion, as discussed here, but with James Rodriguez struggling with fitness, Luka Modric out after surgery, and Casemiro's absence meaning Toni Kroos is back in his deeper role, Real Madrid are desperate for an attacking, creative presence from midfield.

Isco isn't going to get too many more chances to start meaningful games—certainly not through a warranted spot on the team such as Marco Asensio earned. He needs to be far quicker in moving possession, more deliberate in the final third and have a much bigger impact next time he takes to the field.

Karim Benzema

French striker Karim Benzema has been missing chances just as Ronaldo has, but the No. 9's problems at present go deeper.

His movement inside the penalty box has always been one of Benzema's best attributes, but it is sorely lacking at present, and he is not linking play anywhere near as well as might be expected of him.

Benzema has laid on just three shooting chances for his team-mates in his seven appearances so far this term, per WhoScored.com, and he touched the ball just six times in one half against Eibar before being substituted.

Like two or three of his team-mates, Benzema spent the summer in injury rehab, and the lack of an intensive pre-season is showing in his sharpness, fitness and general mobility—or lack thereof, more to the point.

The striker has less pressure on him to deliver immediately, as Alvaro Morata has been re-signed to the squad to cover for Benzema when needed, but after scoring at a rate of every 93 minutes last season, so much is expected of the Frenchman—especially after not participating at Euro 2016.

Real Madrid need at least three of these big players to show a huge improvement after the international break to get their season back on track, but while Ronaldo and Keylor are as close to guarantees as possible, the other three clearly have plenty of work to do to warrant being undisputed choices going forwards.