Real Madrid News, Schedule & Rumors: How Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo Can Fix Bad Start to 2014-15 Season

By David Salazar First Posted: Sep 15, 2014 05:09 PM EDT

Real Madrid suffered yet another embarrassing defeat, this time at home against its crosstown rival Atletico Madrid.

The game made it clear that there is clearly something wrong with this team.

More importantly, this has been coming for a long time. Real Madrid struggled through the preseason and has only earned a grand total of two wins in six competitive matches. More importantly, the team has only won one of its last five games.

Fortunately, it is still early in the season and the reigning European champs will get a chance to rectify things as soon as Tuesday, when they begin their Champions League title defense against FC Basel.

Here are some things that Madrid needs to do to fix things:

Keylor Navas Time?

Iker Casillas was booed and jeered in Saturday's loss. Maybe even unfairly. He has not really been at fault for his team's poor start and has even had some solid moments in the UEFA Super Cup and the second leg of the Spanish Super Cup.

He was definitely not to blame for the two goals conceded against Atletico, but something needs to change and someone needs to be held accountable. He is not helping himself with his continual lack of confidence on setpieces and aerial crosses. He constantly remains rooted to his line instead of coming out and battling for the ball. And when he does commit, he tries to punch the ball away instead of trying to catch it and kill any more attacking threats.

It would be a tough message to sit Casillas in favor of Keylor Navas, but he is the captain and putting him on the bench would send the message that no one is free from blame, and that any player can be benched if the team continues to fail.

Illarramendi Needs a Chance

The departure of Xabi Alonso has left the team completely unbalanced. The Basque star was not only a terrific passer for Los Blancos, but he was also highly responsible defensively. In many cases, he would function as a fifth defender at the back and would bail out the rest of the backline. If Alonso had been around, the Arda Turan goal on Saturday probably would not have happened as he would have known to cover the empty space left right inside the box.

The team only has one man with the tools to fill that void and his name is Asier Illarramendi. However, for some reason coach Carlo Ancelotti refuses to give him a chance and allow him to help the team. Illarramendi is young and inexperienced, but he is never going to grow into the role of defensive midfielder if he is not given that chance. It will take time and it is likely better to risk him early in the season when there is still time to play catchup, than to experiment later in the season when the stakes are at their highest and time is running out.

Change the Formation

Ancelotti insists on his 4-3-3 which brought him so much success in 2013-14. But he does not have the tools to play that. Or, as is the case with Illarramendi, he refuses to use them.

James Rodriguez is a fixture in this squad and it seems silly to believe otherwise. But if he is to be used properly, Ancelotti needs to employ a 4-2-3-1 that has allowed the Colombian to flourish internationally. That obviously puts Toni Kroos and Luka Modric in a situation where they have to defend more than attack, but it gives the Italian the balance he needs to make this team work.

Another formation he could try is a 4-3-3 with Benzema on the bench and one of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale or James Rodriguez leading the line. None of them are best at this position, but it would enable Ancelotti to put Illarramendi on the pitch and still keep his expensive attackers on the pitch.

What do you think Madrid needs to do to improve? Let us know in your comments below.