Tuesday 21 November 2017 17:57, UK
Alvaro Morata is the "elephant in the room" and solution to Real Madrid's continual struggles in front of goal this season, according to Sky Sports' La Liga expert Terry Gibson.
Zinedine Zidane's side drew a blank in the Madrid derby against Atletico at the Wanda Metropolitano on Saturday night to slip 10 points behind leaders Barcelona.
Meanwhile, Morata's goal and assist for Chelsea in the 4-0 win over West Brom means that he has been involved in 12 goals in his first 11 Premier League games - a record by any Chelsea player in the competition's history.
"Morata is the elephant in the room for Real Madrid," Gibson said on the La Liga Weekly podcast. "He's five years younger than (Karim) Benzema, was in better form last season and should've got more games.
"(Cristiano) Ronaldo is 32, so they'll have to be in the market soon for another centre forward. There's a lack of movement from the front pair, and most of Ronaldo's goals in the last couple of season have been one-touch finishes.
"At the moment it doesn't seem to be suiting him with his back to goal. All the goals he scored, he was the final piece of the jigsaw, supplied service by a fantastic pass.
"His finishing is very direct and reliant on power as the last part of the puzzle. I just wonder now if he's not entirely comfortable with his back to goal, and whether it might be an idea to put him back onto the left and change the system slightly.
"He's not getting those opportunities at the moment, so there needs to be a change of style from Real Madrid. Whether Zidane will change it or not, I don't think so.
The defending champions will turn their attention to seeking a morale-boosting performance and result in the Champions League against Apoel Nicosia on Tuesday night.
The return of Gareth Bale will provide a timely boost for Madrid, with the club adamant that the forward will remain at the Santiago Bernabeu next summer amid speculation of a return to the Premier League.
Spanish Football Expert Guillem Balague played down suggestions that Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski would be targeted last month, but the recent blip in form could lead to a change in stance among the club hierarchy.
When asked if Madrid need to sign a world class striker, he said: "The plan is to wait. On Bale, he doesn't want to leave, thinks he'll be better when he comes back, and he's been told by the club there's no intention to sell him next summer.
"Ronaldo said before the international break, 'I want to leave, let me go', but Florentino Perez said to him, 'no offer came for you last summer, and you have a £1billion buy-out clause', so he won't be leaving.
"It'll have to be Benzema (who is sold). But there's not a number nine that suits Ronaldo. Harry Kane says he wants to stay at Spurs. Another player they are looking at is (Eden) Hazard, but that could affect Isco. So they should get Morata back."
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