What is Real Madrid's ideal XI under Rafa Benitez?

After a severe a drubbing at the hands of eternal rivals, Barcelona, and that too at the Bernabeu, Real Madrid’s fanbase seems like a highly divided one. Some want Rafa Benitez’s head while others blame Florentino Perez for the club’s misfortunes. The debates are endless, but one what thing remains static: it is time for the Spanish manager to rethink his strategy, to find out his ideal XI.With a number of players at his disposal and some returning after being sidelined with injuries, here is a XI that will help Benitez and his side reclaim their top spot in the Liga table.

#1 Goalkeeper

Keylor Navas saves Antoine Griezmann’s penalty against Atletico Madrid

There is no space for argument here. Keylor Navas is, by a landslide, Real Madrid’s best goalkeeper. While Kiko Casilla himself is a good goalkeeper, he doesn’t give the same assurance the Costa Rican does.

Apart from the nightmare against Barcelona, that added 4 goals to his ‘goals conceded’ tally, he has been spectacular for the club. Keeping six clean sheets in 10 games, his performance in some games for Madrid single-handedly bailed them out without having to suffer the pain of defeat.

In fact, his turnout with the Whites has been so good this season that many now believe him to be a better shot-stopper than David De Gea, the man they earmarked to replace Iker Casillas. They almost did had it not been for a delay that caused the transfer to fall through.

However, as they say, none can reverse the tide of fate and Keylor Navas now finds himself guarding the sticks of the Galacticos, and in an assured manner.

#2 Defence

For the first dozen games, Real Madrid’s defence looked unbreakable (although it could be an overstatement given the number of times Keylor Navas bailed them out with some miraculous saves). Conceding only 3 goals in that period, it seemed as though Benitez had found a solution to tighten up the defence.

However, in the last two games, Los Blancos conceded 7 goals – flashing alight the bygone days. At right-back, Dani Carvajal remains the best option and Danilo’s performance in the Clasico further fuels that fire.

The Brazilian full-back was bought as a defensively better option than the Spaniard. In the first few games, he showed that he is indeed a defensive upgrade to the academy player. However, he seems to have forgotten how to keep up with the pace of a game, especially high-intensity ones. While Carvajal is prone to his errors, he is a better overall option for the Merengues. In the attack, he contributes more than Danilo and his intensity keeps the pressure intact on the right.

The center-half pairing is obvious. With Pepe in somewhat of a downward spiral and Nacho’s proneness to look out of depth, Raphael Varane and Sergio Ramos remain the club’s best options.

Ramos latter may have had a torrid time against Barca in a performance that bordered on embarrassing, but he still remains a better choice than Nacho and Pepe. Also, the fact that he is the captain makes him rather untouchable.

And what needs be said of Raphael Varane? He may not be as immovable as he was prior to a knee-injury, yet he has held his place among elite defenders. At times, it feels like Los Blancos are playing with a one-man defence in the form of the young Frenchman.

But as Real are going through a bad patch even in the fortune department, both Varane and Ramos are injured at the moment.

For the left-back spot, Marcelo or Arbeloa? The question in itself is self-answerable. However, both of them are out injured as well and it seems like both Danilo and Carvajal have to play together. But when all are fit, Marcelo gets the nod.

#3 Midfield

Real Madrid badly need Casemiro’s presence at the base of midfield

As we have seen in the big games, the midfield pivot of Luka Modric and Toni Kroos is too weak against physically imposing teams and James Rodriguez doesn’t track back enough to provide additional cover. Hence, a 3-man midfield of Casemiro, Modric and Kroos seems like the club’s best option.

Casemiro provides sufficient cover in front of the defence and works as connecting pivot between the two. With the Brazilian’s presence, both these fluid midfielders can express themselves better and have a bigger influence on the game.

As we saw against Barcelona, the midfield trio of James/Isco, Modric and Kroos is easily breakable. The problem with such a midfield is that these players are extremely good with the ball at their feet, but not so much without it.

Luka Modric and Toni Kroos should play with Casemiro behind them

As Ian Holloway once famously quipped, after being criticized for using defensive players in midfield, “It is all very well to have great piano players on the stage, but it is no good if there isn’t anyone to bring the piano on the stage. Otherwise, the pianist will be standing there without any bloody piano to play.”

Casemiro is that guy, the one who brings the piano on the stage for the pianists – Kroos and Modric. He came to Spain as a boy, he returned from Portugal as a man and his presence in front of the defence, at most of the times, chokes the opponent attackers for space.

#4 Attack

BBC doesn’t loke like the best option for Real Madrid. Cristiano Ronaldo’s form has been going through on-and-off patches here and there and Gareth Bale isn’t the same player on the right-wing. But Ronaldo remains Real Madrid’s best goalscorer by a long margin.

Inside the box, there isn’t another player who rivals him and he is perhaps the greatest box-player after the Ferenc Puskas era. However, outside the box he has declined drastically. These days, he can’t make even one successful dribble or a dangerous pass – the latter might never have been his forte, but the regression in the former reveals a sign of distress.

But this is Cristiano Ronaldo and you can’t leave the club’s all-time top scorer and this season’s best goalscorer warming the bench.

And then there is Gareth Bale. The Welshman is one of the quickest players in the world and is always an asset to the team. He can win you games single-handed, his performances with Wales being a testament, but he isn’t nearly as effective on the right-wing. James Rodriguez, on the other hand, has what it takes to succeed as a right-forward.

His close control and quick dribbling gets him out of tight spaces. Also, he has played in that role for Porto in quite a few games and his skillset makes sure that he is the best-suited player at Real Madrid for the role.

Karim Benzema might not be in the right frame of mind given his ongoing scandal-saga with Mathieu Valbuena, but that doesn’t change the fact that he is their most intelligent player in the final third. The way he links the attack and brings his teammates to the fray makes him an irreplaceable asset in Real Madrid’s winger-forward-focused system.

Gareth Bale’s frightening pace can actually make him a better option as a super-sub. Imagine what he could do against tired legs and in the last 15-20 minutes of the game.

All in all, Rafa Benitez has a tricky decision to make when it comes to accommodating Casemiro. Looking at the way Real Madrid have played so far, incorporating the Brazilian midfielder seems like a necessity, especially against the physically stronger teams. And Benitez must work out on which of his star players he must bench in order to do so. And Gareth Bale seems like the logical choice.