Cristiano Ronaldo's goals, Isco's evolution, James Rodriguez's adaptation, Karim Benzema's selflessness and the partnership between Luka Modric and Toni Kroos... It's tough to find a Real Madrid player to be critical of at the moment.
Saturday's 4-0 win over Granada was their 11th consecutive victory in all competitions, and this hasn't been a lucky run—teams have been consistently well beaten.
Eight were put past Deportivo la Coruna, five scored on multiple occasions and even the likes of Liverpool and Barcelona have been left grasping for answers recently.
In total, Madrid have scored 46 goals at an average of more than four a game in those 11 wins.
And while it may be difficult to be pinpoint one player on the pitch for Los Blancos' turnaround in form after back-to-back defeats to Real Sociedad and Atletico Madrid, it's easier to point a finger at the man stood just off it: Carlo Ancelotti.
The winning streak is his best since he took charge in the Spanish capital, bettering his previous effort of 10, and the club record of 15 straight wins is creeping into sight.
"We're doing everything right. We're playing well and we're picking up the points," the Italian coach said after beating Granada, per Marca , modestly failing to acknowledge his role in the impressive run.
"The team is playing quality football, with concentration, effort and sacrifice. When the team is fighting, at the end the quality comes through."
It is not just the quality, concentration and effort which Ancelotti is getting out of his players, but he's also got his men producing unprecedented levels of teamwork for a group of players who have often been tarnished with the selfishness of Ronaldo.
At Los Carmenes, the Portuguese international scored inside the opening three minutes and then proceeded to set up chances for his team-mates—including a sensational back-heeled assist for Benzema's goal—dispelling the myth that bolstering his goal tally is his only objective.
Ancelotti must also receive the plaudits for the harmony running through his side.
Things threatened to spiral out of control when Xabi Alonso and Angel Di Maria's sales were followed by a disappointing start to the season in the Spanish Super Cup and La Liga.
However, as he had done when he inherited Jose Mourinho's team, he soon regained control, restored the balance and calm befell the Bernabeu once again.
Even in the face of some heavy and persistent questioning from journalists, Ancelotti has prevented the goalkeeping situation from becoming a circus, and there don't seem to be any complaints from any of his players about his selection decisions.
It also helps that he's got Madrid playing some fantastic football.
While they're still capable of the ruthless counters which defined them in the Mourinho era, they're now also capable of dominating matches; smothering the opposition into submission.
Thanks to the Modric-Kroos partnership, they rarely let the ball put of their sight against Granada, as Ruben Jimenez pointed out in Marca :
Real Madrid made a total of 662 passes on the Los Carmenes turf, and 582 of these were spot on, only 80 going astray.
That is an accuracy of 88%, and not just for one player, the whole team. Because in this touch-play of Real Madrid everyone takes part, a group performance involving midfielders more, but which still requires the forwards and the backs to bring make it all work.
That everything has come together for Madrid is no coincidence.
More challenges lay ahead, and there will, at some point you presume, be some downs, but with Ancelotti's tranquillity, you'd back them to be followed by ups.
//from Bleacher Report http://ift.tt/1uchPxb
via IFTTT November 02, 2014 at 03:56AM
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