Zinedine Zidane raised eyebrows when he fielded a top-heavy Real Madrid first team against Mallorca on Wednesday night that, for all intents and purposes, incorporated four forwards.
But despite a packed offence, the likes of Marco Asensio, Mariano, Isco and Brahim Diaz were limited to substitute appearances while James Rodriguez and Rodrygo never got off the bench. Then there’s even the injured Luka Jovic among their ranks.
Meanwhile, Madrid also have some promising attackers on loan in Martin Odegaard at Real Sociedad and Takefusa Kubo who lined up against them for Mallorca.
Los Blancos have a reputation for boasting illustrious options in attack, but even by their standards, this embarrassment of riches is unprecedented.
It would seem that Florentino Perez’s recent policy of snapping up young talent in a bid to avoid another Neymar situation has largely worked well. But while unwanted superstars like Bale and James remain at the Bernabeu, Zidane is burdened with the impossible task of juggling a multitude of attacking options.
Facing the worst defence in La Liga, the Frenchman took his opportunity to test a bold team selection with Karim Benzema, Vinicius Jr., Eden Hazard and – most surprisingly – Gareth Bale all lining up in attack while Luka Modric and Fede Valverde formed a double pivot in midfield.
Real Madrid 🆚 Real Mallorca
— Goal (@goal) June 24, 2020
Hazard, Benzema and Vinicius Jr all start 🤩 pic.twitter.com/EKLf8uvH6R
In truth, the aggressive set-up didn’t yield the devastating results it threatened to on paper as Madrid secured a modest 2-0 victory to remain at the top of the table with Sergio Ramos’ free-kick stealing the headlines, but the idea is worth developing.
The most notable aspect of the 4-2-3-1 formation was Hazard’s role in the middle as a number 10. The Belgian was allowed a free role as he dropped off and drifted wide at will. His close control in tight spaces threatened to cause serious problems for Mallorca but he didn’t quite capitalise when afforded the opportunity.
In theory, Hazard should thrive as a central attacking midfielder and as he enters his thirties and will gradually see his explosive acceleration elude him, it makes sense that he embrace the role through the middle.
The former Chelsea star has also proved to be excellent in front of goal during his time at Stamford Bridge but failed to take advantage of Benzema’s movement. With the Frenchman dropping off and linking up play, Hazard should’ve made consistent runs beyond him and in behind the defence. There’s clearly potential for him to flourish as a 10 but he may require time and practice to make it work.
On the right flank, Bale regularly cut inside onto his stronger left foot and unleashed a few ferocious efforts with one forcing a good save from Manolo Reina. He looked bright and was a serious goal threat to begin with but he wasn’t always on the same wavelength as his teammates and faded as the game progressed.
Again, Bale simply hasn’t spent enough minutes on the pitch this season but the system still made a strong case for a left-footer on that side be it Bale or James, and eventually, Odegaard or Kubo.
The success story with regard to this team selection was undoubtedly the way it impacted Vinicius’ game. The mercurial winger was allowed to run free on the left side and terrorise the defence.
With Ferland Mendy on the overlap and a delegation of creative impetus in Modric, Hazard and Benzema to link up with, Vinicius was fed the ball in space on a consistent basis and wreaked havoc.
The 19-year-old scored with a delightful chipped finish to give the hosts the lead at the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium but could easily have had more goals to his name.
When it comes to facing lesser opposition, Zidane’s experimental system warrants consideration but this performance even opens the door for variations of the set-up.
For instance, Zidane could even bolster the midfield with Casemiro in a three alongside Valverde and either Toni Kroos or Modric with Hazard retaining the No.10 role while Vinicius and Benzema form a two-pronged front line as wide forwards in a 4-3-1-2 formation.
With the wealth of attacking options at their disposal, the possibilities are endless for Madrid, it’s all about making slight tweaks and finding a stable combination.
Fortunately, balance and a light touch have always been Zidane’s areas of expertise.
