KROOS NEEDS TO IMPROVE OR BE DROPPED
Former Madrid star Bernd Schuster had last week labelled German ace Toni Kroos as moving like a diesel tractor. This was seen by many as a slight on the midfield dynamo but his performance in the League El Clasico suggests that Schuster may be right
However, the midfield trio have shown since last season that it is not capable of producing weekly in the League. It should not be forgotten that Barcelona won the league 17 points ahead of Real Madrid so it is not just the exit of Cristiano Ronaldo that is affecting the team.
Kroos at his best is a midfield general that controls the tempo of matches with his precise passing and serves as a perfect foil for the adventurous Modric. However this season Madrid have suffered from poor performances from the forward players. Gareth Bale’s injury problems are well documented why Asensio has not developed to the world beater expected.
This has put more emphasis on the likes of Kroos and Modric to input from the midfield however both players are not naturally good scorers. Kroos has scored just 11 goals during his time at the club and the extra expectations appear to have affected his performances this season.
He was substituted early in the League clash on Saturday and it appears likely that Solari is considering dropping the player for youngster Federico Valverde. The Uruguay prodigy was one of the best players after coming on bringing urgency to the attack.
However, the popular saying that form is temporary and class is permanent must apply to the situation of Kroos. The German has proven over the years that he is capable of producing his best performances on the biggest stages and the tie at home to Ajax on Tuesday is the perfect platform for the 29-year-old.