For Whom The Bell Tolls: Benz To Bid Ad(i)e(u)?

Looking at a forlorn figure in the Bernabeu dugout, one might have felt that the final whistle in Madrid’s match against Real Sociedad might have been the sound of the bell tolling on his stay at the hallowed Bernabeu coliseum.

Adebayor had just scored a goal with a calm, almost nonchalant attitude – the kind of confidence that most players would kill for; at least the current Benzema would. Amidst all the celebrations that had broken out, one could not help feeling sorry for Benzema, as he stood by the sidelines, his eyes betraying the true emotions his smile was trying to hide.

Baptism by fire

The Bernabeu faithful are used to excellence. They have been raised on a regular diet of brilliant football, full of attacking verve and paraded by the very best of the artists in the world.  Success, along with artistry, is not just wished, but expected and demanded. Heads roll at the slightest sign of weakness, and no one is indispensable. The time given to adjust is a luxury afforded to very few. Here, even the media savvy and regular headline grabbers Mourinho and Ronaldo find the media scrutiny asphyxiating and the criticism scathing.

It was in this cauldron that a 21-year-old Benzema had just stepped in. Signed ahead of seasoned veterans like David Villa and Drogba, he was supposed to lead the fabled ‘Los blancos’ frontline. In the light of such lofty expectations, Benzema was always going to struggle to make the mark.

Travails, obstacles and setbacks: The story of Benzema

Benzema’s first year in the white shirt was nothing but eventful, if off the pitch concerns are taken into account. A car accident in which he had a close shave, a scandal with an under age prostitute, being thrown out of France’s squad and left out of the World Cup squad for criticizing their crazy coach Domenech were all the events in a single year where he was involved.

In between all this, he had to adjust to the totally different environment in the Bernabeu and prove his hefty €35mil tag. It is easy to forget that Benzema,  who was just 22 years old at that time, was going through a phase of life which can prove difficult for even the most seasoned of veterans.

One of the positives to emerge from all this chaos was that Benzema never complained about the lack of playing time. He always looked to fight for his place, though his demeanor on the pitch was clearly reflective of the troubles he was facing off it.

A much need “Ade”ition

Traditionally, title challenges of teams are always built around a target man who, with his intelligent off the movements rather than the dribbling skills, specializes in scoring goals. While players with skills on the ball make for a good watch, it is men like Drogba, Berbatov, Pippo, Raul and Milito who give that extra dimension when teams run into brick-wall defensive tactics. Real Madrid have some players who are very good with the ball at their feet. However, they lack a target man in mould of ‘Van Gol’ – a player who is good in the air, is a prolific finisher and one who can cause mayhem in the box due to his sheer physicality.

Adebayor is a player fulfilling exactly these criteria. He can hold up the ball, can get to the end of crosses, and his off the ball movements combined with his extreme physicality give Real Madrid their much needed number ‘9’. Adding to that, his wonderful, sublime volley against Sevilla served a notice to Benzema and Bernabeu  that he will do everything to stay here.

“Confidence is contagious; so is lack of confidence”

A big ego and a high opinion of oneself can be sometimes a good thing. Adebayor didn’t have the best of times at City, where he has barely featured this season. Yet, to his credit, he didn’t let up in his training, and was labeled a “physical marvel” by the Real Madrid fitness team when he arrived.

An obvious lack of match practice didn’t hinder him from scoring two wonderful goals in three matches either.  Adebayor, to his credit, has hit the ground running, and if he continues in this vein, he can prove to be another shrewd signing by the “Special One”.

Benzema on the other hand, had an extended run in the team following Higuain’s injury. It is fair to say that he didn’t exactly set the trail on fire,  although his improved work rate and scoring ability have not gone unnoticed by Jose, who seems to be pleased with his ward’s response to criticism.

A better player than he is considered to be?

Benzema is criticized for not being good enough or not scoring enough goals; he is considered a tad too expensive and overrated. However, a quick comparison with three of the greatest young players to emerge in the last five years reveals a very different picture. The table below shows the scoring records of these players in their first two seasons at their respective big clubs.

*for Messi, his first and second seasons have been combined as he played only 9 matches in his first season

As one can see, Benzema’s goals/game ratio is not only comparable to the other three, but better than them in some cases. Also, the other three had the complete backing of their national and club team managers during this time. They were given extended runs in the teams, started most of the matches and never faced the media scrutiny that Benzema faced. In most of the matches counted above, Benzema did not start these games.

All this while, Benzema had to face Domenech and defend Pellegrini, who was already a “dead man walking”.

Gazing the crystal ball

Right now, the future is seemingly murky for Benzema. His quality is undoubted, as one see from the goal here. But he will have the following factors to consider, which can make or break his stay at “Casa Blanca”

Morata:

Morata is a traditional centre forward, and at a height of 1.87m his physical presence is also formidable. Good in the air and at holding up the ball, with clinical finishing ability and excellent movement, Morata has been compared to the legendary Spaniard and former Real Madrid talisman Fernando Morientes, due to his style. He is already making waves, and on Mourinho’s insistence, Real Madrid’s top brass reportedly rejected eight offers for Morata. Even the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson is watching Morata, and had made tentative inquiries about him.

Mourinho too, is clearly impressed by Alvaro Morata; it is easy to see why, as this video so clearly shows. He has already told the top brass that he will look upon the striker as a first team member next season.

Higuain:

“El Pipa” is one of the Bernabeu favorites, and his untiring work ethics make him one of “the untouchables”. His style of play is similar to that of Benzema’s, and his better aerial ability make him the biggest threat to Benzema. When Higuain returns, it difficult to see Benzema displacing him in the current setup, as the former has already settled in Real Madrid.

Mourinho:

Overall, everything depends on the man who is currently calling the shots: Jose Mourinho. He got Valdano to back off, made the top brass sign Adebayor, and prevented the farming out of Morata. When one considers the megalomaniac Perez, who likes doing things his own way, the feat becomes even more impressive.

Mourinho has been sending out mixed signals regarding Benzema. On one hand, he says that he believes in the Frenchman and shouts at him to motivate him. On the other hand, conflicting rumours of Benzema being held back only because of lack of cover refuse to die.

Mourinho has a well known tendency to have two players for each position; it is this tendency of Mourinho that might save Benzema’s goose. With Adebayor and Morata acting as number 9’s, and Higuain and Benzema acting as the strikers who want the ball at their feet, Benzema just might stay.

All in all, one can see that even Adebayor’s arrival hasn’t changed the scene much for Benzema. Real Madrid have Morata in as a substitute for Ade. So, there will be no Ad(i)e(u) for Benzema yet. However, one can’t say the same about his future. It would be a tragedy if Real Madrid are forced to let go of one of the brightest stars in the making. He would do well to remember Vince Lombardi’s famous words:

“It’s easy to have faith in yourself and have discipline when you’re a winner, when you’re number one. What you got to have is faith and discipline when you’re not a winner.”