Real Madrid Sending Mixed Messages Amid Improvements and the Same Old Errors

Back to winning ways, a six-goal haul and a 22-match unbeaten streak—it's funny how 90 minutes can change the entire outlook for a club, least of all one as big and as prone to wild mood swings as Real Madrid.

Saturday's victory over Real Betis sent Los Blancos back to the top of La Liga, joint with Atletico Madrid at this early stage of the campaign, and gave plenty of reasons for manager Zinedine Zidane to be pleased with his players after an international break that saw his side exposed to headlines and question marks following four successive draws.

But neither the result nor the performance is as straightforward as an unmitigated success. Zidane likely has conflicting emotions after the 90 minutes in Andalusia, as well he might. While several parts of the team began to function as they should, there are clearly still areas for improvement that the coaching staff must remedy sooner rather than later.

Anything You Can Do...

First and foremost, keeping pace with their rivals at the top was important. Real Madrid had the short straw of playing last on Saturday after each of Sevilla, Barcelona and Atletico had played and won earlier in the day.

In their own ways, each set out a marker of sorts: the Andalusians picked up their first away league win in a year-and-a-half, Barca left Leo Messi on the bench and were still comfortable winners and Atleti put down the biggest of all with their seven-goal mauling of Granada.

Nothing less than a statement victory would ensure Real Madrid ended the matchday as the most talked-about side, and that's what Zidane got from his team thanks to a much brighter start to the game than had been seen against any of Eibar, Villarreal and Sporting CP in other recent fixtures.

"

Carvajal: "I agree with Zidane. Before this we hadn't started our games with intensity & look what happened when we did?"

— M.A.J (@UItraSuristic) October 15, 2016"

Sure, they hit one goal less than Atletico did, but Los Rojiblancos were at home, not away, and were playing the bottom side, while Betis sit mid-table. The odd goal doesn't matter at this point, but the perception does.

In these regards, Real Madrid were ruthless and efficient enough to make sure none of the other sides could get overly excited about their own form while also ending the run of draws that plagued Zidane and Co. before the international break.

Defensive Woe, Defensive Wow

While Madrid have, this term, looked better and more organised as a unit—particularly in the early stage of the season before the big guns in attack were available—they have conceded a large volume of chances because of individual errors.

That theme continued at Betis, and it didn't make for pretty watching.

Toni Kroos gifted a chance early on thanks to a wayward pass from the edge of his own box, but he wasn't the only one to do so.

Both full-backs were caught sleeping, slow to react to passes in behind them even when they weren't surging forward and high upfield, and Pepe's lack of accuracy on the pass led to the Betis goal.

@karlmatchett

On the other hand, some of Real Madrid's most dangerous moments came from instances when they had been defending, won back possession and then initiated quick transitions involving few players, direct passes and exploiting space.

The best example came just before half-time, when Madrid scored perhaps the most perfect counter-attacking goal La Liga will see this season; Pepe, Mateo Kovacic, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo were all involved in moving from one penalty box to the other, with Isco tapping in from six yards out at the end.

CRISTINA QUICLER/Getty Images

It was a sublime move, executed to perfection with decision-making, technique, pace and timing, and it was the type of goal that is likely to be a hallmark of this Real side under Zidane.

But that's when it goes right.

When the first pass out of the back line isn't spot on, the disjointed lines or players out of position invariably mean Madrid do not react quickly enough, do not reorganise in time and concede chances. Sergio Ramos wasn't involved this time, but he's not the only culprit in making poor decisions at the back this term, and this match showed as much.

Ronaldo

Even without yet hitting top form for Madrid, their No. 7 remains an irrepressibly important part of the side. Whether his movement creates openings or his simple presence ensures defenders' concentration is not on other players, Ronaldo made plenty happen for his side in the final third.

@karlmatchett

The forward worked hard, played from the left and then centrally and, importantly, ended his luckless run in front of goal late on.

But before all that came a host of missed efforts, from unbelievably close range on more than one occasion, and a visible frustration with his lack of ruthless, clinical edge. Ronaldo tallied eight shots in the match, per WhoScored.com, double the number of any other player on his team, but he had to wait until the last quarter of an hour to finally find the back of the net.

The game done, the result secured and his goal irrelevant—except it wasn't.

A Ronaldo who finds the net and believes utterly in himself is a fearsome weapon in the Real Madrid armoury, and every team has seen a forward go through a goal drought before that one effort goes in and sparks a top run of form. It would be no surprise to see the Portuguese star score in successive games.

It's also pertinent to note that Ronaldo didn't merely hit a penalty or tap in a rebound; this was a powerful, determined surge through the middle of the defence with hungry intent to lash in a goal that meant nothing for his team in the scheme of things but everything to him.

Individual Improvements

Elsewhere, there were similar stories: players who performed well for the most part but made errors or else played better than they had been doing but still were nowhere near their best.

Karim Benzema frustrated once more, and even his goal was a poorly struck effort that owed more to goalkeeper Antonio Adan's bizarre positioning and guesswork than a clean finish, but like Ronaldo, any goal counts and could spark an upsurge in form.

CRISTINA QUICLER/Getty Images

Isco's performance was quiet compared to some for half an hour, but his sudden involvement, then goal before the break, was the shot in the arm he has lacked for too long. Tracking back for the Betis goal? That was Isco, trying to put in a last-man challenge. The best individual strike of the match? Isco's curler. He also put the finishing touch on the devastating counter for 4-0.

More is required of him, and this game gave him a run in the No. 10 position that is rarely on offer in Real Madrid's lineups, but two goals and lots of involvement mean the all-important perception could change rapidly.

So much improvement. So much to work on.

It was a fine result for Real Madrid, a welcome and thoroughly merited victory as they showed their superiority over Betis. But it was also a display that should showcase to Zidane how he cannot get carried away or think the team has turned the corner just yet.