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Stuttering Real Madrid laboured their way to an unconvincing 2-0 win on matchday 13, as a Gareth Bale header and a penalty from Cristiano Ronaldo got the visitors back to winning ways after two back-to-back defeats in the league.Having survived an almighty scare against Shakhtar who scored thrice against Los Blancos in the final 15 minutes of the Champions League tie midweek, Real’s defensive cohesion was put through the paces again against an Eibar side that had lost only to Barcelona and Atletico Madrid this term.The home side threatened to go ahead on a few occasions when the visitor’s defence was in sixes and sevens, but the men in white eventually showed their might by opening the scoring just two minutes before the interval, as Bale latched on to Modric’s cross before Ronaldo sealed the win from 12 yards after missing a host of chances.The victory brings a sigh of relief for the under-fire boss Rafael Benitez, but his troops were far from convincing. Here are the talking points from Ipurua.
#1 Real Madrid run out of attacking verve
After netting four times in their trip to Ukraine in their midweek Champions League exertions, it seemed Los Blancos had started to fire again. Although their defence did collapse in the end, there were plenty of positives to take from the offensive front. However, none from the game against Eibar.
The visitors lacked any kind of killer instinct to take the Basque outfit apart and barely tested the home side’s defence. With Luka Modric, James Rodriguez, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo in Real Madrid’s attacking arsenal, one would expect them to blast the Armeros without breaking a sweat. However, the star-studded strike force hardly had any impact in the final third.
Both the goals scored on the evening came through set-pieces. The first one came through a wonderfully whipped cross from Modric which Bale rose highest to head home, and the second was a dubious penalty that Ronaldo gleefully tucked home to cover his misery in front of goal from open play. Even the introduction of Benzema failed to spark life into this exanimate attack.
While the defence appeared assured, problems are now arising at the other end for Merengues.
#2 Ronaldo continues his slump into mediocrity
After an unprecedented 61 goals in 49 appearances last season, Real Madrid ace Cristiano Ronaldo is struggling to find his footing this time around. The Portuguese whacking great has had a hard time in finding the net in the league, despite starting every game.
Although 9 strikes in 13 appearances looks good, but take out the 5 he scored against Espanyol, and he’s drawn a blank in 7 of the remaining games, his worst start to a league season since his move to the Spanish capital in 2009.
The struggles were on the fore against Eibar too, with Ronaldo misfiring every chance landing at his feet. While he should have scored after going one on one with Asier Riesgo, Ronaldo instead blasted his shot wide off the post. He then squandered another brilliant chance after going clear on goal after a break but failed to hit the target yet again.
Although he did manage to soothe his frayed nerves with a penalty that moreover was controversial, that is still not enough to conceal his poor form in front of goal.
#3 Bale gets back to scoring ways. Finally!
Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale ended his 3-month long goal drought with a neatly-taken header that put the visiting side ahead. Following a sizzling show in the 5-0 drubbing of Real Betis on matchday two that saw the strapping Welshman bag two, few would have anticipated that it would take him 11 matchdays more to register his name on the scoresheet again.
Although injuries kept him out of action on four league occasions, his performances wasn’t so inspiring otherwise. However, the last two games has seen the former Tottenham Hotspur star’s involvement in a total of three goals – two assists and one strike, thereby making a marked improvement in his attacking instincts.
Bale was once again deployed on his favoured left flank, and although his showings weren’t worthy of showering bouquets, he was by far the most threatening player in white. He not only scored the opener, but also stemmed some of his side’s vital opportunities. Bale was often seen drifting to the middle, an area where Ronaldo was struggling to make an impact from, and there were sparks of his creative touch.
With Barcelona and Atletico Madrid stealing a march over Blancos in the title race, the Welshman needs to up his game further to help his side get back into the driving seat.
#4 Asier Riesgo makes his mark
Eibar shot-stopper Asier Riesgo put in a fine performance that kept his side in the match for a greater spell. The Spaniard was one of the main reasons why the Armeros lost by just 2 goals, and deserves most of the plaudits for frustrating the visitors.
While Real Madrid were underwhelming themselves, the smatterings of opportunities they managed to conjure was thwarted by the former Osasuna man who was quick off his line, vigilant about opposing player’s movements and made some crucial saves to deny the mighty Merengues.
His biggest moments were when he smothered Ronaldo’s effort after going one-on-one with the Portuguese and after going one-nil down, made a beautiful save off Bale’s searing long-range effort.
A fine evening for the 26-year old although he could do nothing about the two goals he let in.
#5 Real Madrid still have plenty of work to do
Another victory and another three points in the bag. Makes for a good reading, isn’t it? Wrong! Los Blancos were anything but convincing, and the performance shows there are several screws that Benitez is yet to tighten.
While a clean-sheet was registered, the defence was still ropey and if it weren’t for the dexterity of Keylor Navas, the visitors would have certainly conceded another goal or two here as well. The robustness that Benitez brought into the rearguard upon his arrival has gone missing in the past few games and needs to reinstate that quality again if his side are to hold out oppositions.
In the midfield, Toni Kroos remains a pale shadow of himself whereas Mateo Kovacic is looking lost these days. Luka Modric has been quite since the last few outings and the less we talk about Ronaldo, the better.
The Spanish gaffer must come up with a plan soon to get the best out of his troops, as crosstown rivals and the ones from Catalonia, are firing with all cylinders and have already left his side behind in the race.
