Back in May Real Madrid finished its season with the 2013-14 Champions League title.

All seemed right in the world. The offense was tremendous thanks to the noted BBC (Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo) and the midfield was a balanced marvel thanks to the trio of Luka Modric, Xabi Alonso and Angel Di Maria.

Many expected the summer transfer window to feature some astute moves to bolster the team's depth and improve it. But what has happened is nothing short of a calamity. Real Madrid is not only worse off than prior to the summer, but the team looks like it could be ready to suffer its worst season in years.

The transfer window got off to a terrific start. Toni Kroos was the first major addition to the club. The move was lauded because Kroos was not only coming off a terrific World Cup, but had also been the engine of Bayern Munich's passing system in 2013-14. Coach Carlo Ancelotti had always seemed interested in making Madrid more of a possession side and this move certainly helped that desire.

But then came the rumblings of James Rodriguez and Keylor Navas joining the pack. They eventually came to fruition. The former was met with tremendous hesitation. Why would Real Madrid need the Colombian? He had performed admirably during the World Cup, but nothing in his resume or even Madrid's makeup screamed a need for the superstar. With the current 4-3-3 setup, Rodriguez would be relegated to the bench or forced to replace one of the midfield trio. Surely Ancelotti would not dismantle his balanced side?

Or would he?

Rodriguez was signed for a hefty price and there was no way that a $70 million man was set to sit on the bench. So someone had to be sacrificed. And then the butchering of the lineups depth got underway. Di Maria was the sacrificial lamb despite being the man to create the team's most dangerous attacks during its 2013-2014 campaign. His departure would eventually come despite the team's claims that he was offered a contract. It was a disastrous episode that ended with discontent and some truly embarrassing moments from both sides.

Meanwhile, Rodriguez and Kroos have been a mixed bag. The former looks lost when playing out of his natural position as a central attacking midfielder. Unfortunately for him, that position does not play a part in Ancelotti's 4-3-3. Kroos has been terrific in possession, but less so without the ball.

Meanwhile, Navas' arrival created yet more controversy. Iker Casillas, the club's captain and icon, was seemingly having a bad relationship with Diego Lopez, the man who had taken over as the team's top man in 2013-14. With Navas arriving, there were simply too many cooks in the kitchen. Would Lopez, the consistent performer, or the struggling Casillas get the axe? Casillas wound up staying while Lopez was shipped off to Italy.

But the story would not end there. Despite Navas being in better form, the new addition was left on the pine as Casillas was handed the starting spot yet again. And it has been disastrous. The skipper can still make stops, but he no longer has the same reaction time he once had and thus gives up goals he would have stopped earlier in his career. But his biggest problem is on set pieces. Casillas has never been great on set pieces, but he has only gotten worse this year. He remains rooted to his line and thus forces his defenders to make up for his lack of proactivity. It has often created pandemonium inside the penalty area and eventually a goal against.

But the worst was yet to come. Last week, Xabi Alonso decided that it was time for him to leave. And the team, which once boasted a midfield consisting of Kroos, Modric, Isco, Asier Illarramendi, Alonso, Di Maria, Sami Khedira and James Rodriguez, was now missing the two most important pieces. Alonso provided defensive stability to the team's midfield and allowed for some connection between the back four and the front five.

So what do Ancelotti and President Florentino Perez do to make up for the team's new woes? Sign Javier Hernandez. The Mexican can certainly sell Madrid shirts, but he does not help the team in a remarkable way. With Karim Benzema off to a terrible start in 2014-15, many were expecting the team to bringing in a striker of the caliber of Falcao to stimulate competition. But instead, Hernandez was brought in to sit on the bench and provide "backup." The Mexican has not looked like the fearsome striker of past years and is far from an upgrade on the ever inconsistent Benzema.

So what does Madrid have after its rather active summer? A few popular players, but hardly any sense of the balance that helped it conquer Europe in 2013-14. The attack should be frightening for opposing defenses, but one cannot help but feel that the new style will stymie the counterattacking style that made the team so dominant last year. The lack of Alonso also means that there is no true holding midfielder than can help recover the ball and stop opposing counters. This makes playing possession soccer almost impossible at the highest level.

It does not help that the team failed to make any major additions on the backline and is still relying on the ever inconsistent pairing of Pepe and Sergio Ramos (the former is already past his prime) as well as the unreliable Marcelo as a fullback. Dani Carvajal is a solid attacking rightback but his defense can be suspect and the lack of a reliable backup (even the woeful Alvaro Arbeloa is on his way out) means that the team will always be exposed on its right side.

The goaltending situation could be improved with Navas starting over Casillas, but that is hardly going to make up for what has becoming a heavily unbalanced side. Madrid seems to be all about attacking, but lacks the defense to sustain it.

This transfer window might have given the team more names, but the overall team is worse for it. Those dreaming of an 11th European championship might have to wait a few years.

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