Five reasons for optimism with Solari's Real Madrid

Seven wins out of eight with the Argentine

Posted Sunday, December 09, 2018 by Marca.com

Santiago Solari has had a remarkable start in his first month as coach of Real Madrid.

Apart from having won every game except the disaster of Eibar, there is reason to believe that his team have improved in terms of performances in comparison to the beginning of the season.

These are five reasons for the current optimism.

1. Marcos Llorente

The academy player has emerged as the outsider of the year.

He had no minutes with Julen Lopetegui, but has played more under Solari.

With Casemiro's injury, Dani Ceballos tried to fill in for the Brazilian in Eibar and the result was a 3-0 loss.

Since then, Llorente has become essential for the team.

Five reasons for optimism with Solari's Real Madrid

He has had great performances against strong teams like Roma and Valencia, and also completed a great match in the Copa del Rey against Melilla.

Moreover, Real Madrid have less defensive difficulty with him on the pitch, as they have only conceded one goal and it was a penalty.

Nobody is missing Casemiro with Llorente on the pitch, which is impressive as the Brazilian was a player who nobody before had found a replacement for.

2. The rise of the backups

Since Solari arrived, he has given more opportunities to second-tier players, if they call still be called that.

As well as Llorente, Lucas Vazquez has started almost every game, Javi Sanchez has shown that he perfectly fits in the first-team squad, Sergio Reguilon has proven that he is a perfect replacement for Marcelo and Dani Ceballos is enjoying more minutes than ever.

This has had an immediate effect on the team, as there is internal competition.

If usual starting players see that their place is not secure, they give a little more.

In the same way, if substitutes see they have a chance to perform if they play well then they also give a little more.

The result is that the team improves overall.

3. Goodbye to the goal drought

Since Solari arrived, goals are flooding past Real Madrid's rivals.

They scored four against Melilla away from home and four at Celta, five against Viktoria Plzen and six against Melilla at home.

It adds up to 25 in those eight games, more than three a game.

What is even better is that they are well delivered.

They have been scored by 13 different players.

Real Madrid don't depend just on one man to make them strong.

4. Defensive improvement

In Solari's eight games, Los Blancos have had clean sheets on five occasions (against Melilla, Valladolid, Viktoria Plzen, Roma and Valencia) and in another they only conceed a penalty goal.

The recovery of Dani Carvajal, the arrival into the line-ups of Llorente, Reguilon and Sanchez and the good state of form of Thibaut Courtois are some of the reasons for the improvement in the goals conceded column.

5. Real Madrid are still alive

In the three major competitions they are playing this year, Real Madrid have options to win.

They are in Copa del Rey last 16, they qualified into the last 16 of the Champions League by winning their group and, despite the bad start in LaLiga Santander, they are just five points back from leaders Barcelona, who still have to play agaist Los Blancos at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

We cannot forget that at this stage of the season last year, the scene was similar and they won their 13th European Cup.

For all these reasons, Solari's Real Madrid can be still optimistic.