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Sergio Ramos' Form a Big Worry Even as Real Madrid's Defence Improves

Karl Matchett@@karlmatchettX.com LogoFeatured ColumnistAugust 22, 2016

Real Madrid's defender Sergio Ramos (L) and French defender Raphael Varane (R) protest during the Spanish league football match Real Sociedad vs Real Madrid CF at the Anoeta stadium in San Sebastian on August 21, 2016. / AFP / ANDER GILLENEA        (Photo credit should read ANDER GILLENEA/AFP/Getty Images)
ANDER GILLENEA/Getty Images

Real Madrid got their 2016/17 La Liga season up and running on Sunday night, and it took them less than 100 seconds to show they mean business when Gareth Bale scored the early opener in an eventual 3-0 win over Real Sociedad.

Bale's two goals in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema might steal most of the headlines, but Zinedine Zidane deserves credit for the way in which he set his team up at Anoeta, a tough place to travel to for most of the big sides and where Real needed a late winner at the back end of last season.

Even without two of their best attackers, Real's team had enough offensive talent to beat most sides, but the balance between attack and defence was impressive to witness from the reigning Champions League holders—with the exception of centre-back and captain Sergio Ramos, who continues to give reason for concern over his individual form.

                 

Setup

Zidane's lineup for the game at Anoeta was ostensibly a 4-3-3, but it was clear from the opening stages of the game that the alignment would be very different from last season's variation of that system, where the front three were exactly thatforwards, high up field and not overly inclined to close out gaps between the lines.

Pre-season, however, has seen an evolution of the roles performed by that line, particularly with Ronaldo's absence.

The wide men are predominantly operating as midfielders without the ball, continually giving Real a flat four across the middle of the park, allowing Casemiro to close out gaps between the lines and track runners from deep. It's a 4-1-4-1, giving the team a great base to frustrate opponents and, later, a base from which to build attacks.

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Casemiro has already proved his worth several times over in the last 12 months, with his powers of recovery and natural athleticism meaning he can scurry across to the flanks when the full-backs are caught up field, drop in between the centre-backs when required and travel with the ball into midfield.

With the midfield line well-organised and working hard to stay in shape out of possession, Real Madrid operated very much as a team in their season opener.

The wide players, Bale and Marco Asensio, were key in their determination to drop back into shape and force Sociedad to play sideways, backward or long, giving the full-backs protection.

While this wasn't spectacular football and didn't mean Real dominated the match endlessly, it was extremely good tactical play. Zidane clearly formed a plan and worked on it in the buildup, and Real executed it to perfection.

Can it remain the same when Ronaldo returns?

            

Counter

Because Real Madrid didn't dominate relentlessly throughout, they instead alternated between playing short, clever passes to sustain periods high up field and, at other times, draw Sociedad on by sitting deeper in those compact lines, encouraging the home side to break out of its own shape.

The line of four Madrid midfielders was then able to break at speed and overload in key areas, particularly the channels, but at other times simply driving straight through the centre to exploit Sociedad's infrequent moments of danger when they had committed men forward.

Mateo Kovacic was particularly impressive in that regard, but striker Alvaro Morata was also a big outlet.

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His runs into the channels gave Real Madrid a direct out ball when required, dragged the line of midfielders upfield and created one-on-one problems for the defence. Morata didn't score, but this was a typical game of his: energetic, good at linking play, keeping the team high upfield and missing a few chances. It was a job done in excellent fashion for Real, especially away from the Bernabeu. It shows how important he'll be for the team in a tactical sense.

All these counter-attacking facets of Real's game, though, stemmed from the defensive organisation and game plan of Zidane.

SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN - AUGUST 21:  Head coach Zinedine Zidane of Real Madrid reacts during the La Liga match between Real Sociedad de Futbol and Real Madrid at Estadio Anoeta on August 21, 2016 in San Sebastian, Spain.  (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/
Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images

Dominating inferior opponents and scoring five or six goals happens with frequency, and against that type of opponent, Real rarely drop points. On the road at mid-table opponents, or against their real rivals, is where the difference can be made. Tactical discipline, work rate and closing out spaces in front of the defence is all-important. Zidane's side showed evidence of this at Anoeta and took a deserved clean sheet.

                    

Sergio Ramos

It was not a completely perfect game, of course, and the biggest question marks concerned Ramos.

The centre-back often shines in the biggest of matches and has a habit of scoring important goals (and lifting trophies, lately), but he was all over the place positionally against Real Sociedad. The lack of stability in his game is a continuation of last season, when he was poor overall.

More than once at Anoeta, Ramos was caught out stepping up from the defensive line at the wrong moment, risking conceding chances as Real Sociedad simply exploited the gaps he left behind him. Both Raphael Varane, who made an impressive return to the XI in competitive action, and Casemiro were important in getting Ramos off the hook during the match.

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Perhaps more than Ramos' movement, though, was his on-ball technique. He twice gifted runs on goal to Real Sociedad with bizarre passes, a clear indication that the No. 4 simply lacks concentration and focus in his game at present.

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A guaranteed starter for Real—and Spain—when fit, Ramos has the determination, aggression and leadership in his game that has made him a figurehead and a long-standing success, but the level of form he has shown over the past 12 months is well below the required standard.

Real Sociedad, with a weak attack, couldn't take advantage of his errors, but other sides will if he doesn't rectify and eradicate them.

Ramos doesn't need to look far for how a centre-back's form can quickly be turned around after a particularly big nosedive. His international team-mate and club-level rival, Gerard Pique, was out of the team at Barcelona when Luis Enrique took over in '14/15, missing five of the first 11 games in that Liga season, yet turned his game around and ended the season as one of the league's best defenders.

Real Madrid have shown individual and tactical improvements under Zidane, but turning Ramos' run around might be the biggest key of all in a new-look, functional and intelligent defensive arrangement.