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REAL MADRID 1-1 VALLADOLID

Real Madrid: 22 attempts, 5 on target for just one goal

Real Madrid were made to pay for their lack of accuracy in front of goal against Valladolid. Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema had the most chances for Madrid.

Update:
Real Madrid: 22 attempts, 5 on target for just one goal
Oscar J. Barroso / AFP7 / Europa

In other seasons, after a first-half performance like Saturday's, the Bernabéu faithful would have unwrapped their half-time sandwiches safe in the knowledge that a goal-fest would be just around the corner. In their six most recent home meetings with Valladolid during the past decade, Madrid had fired 23 goals past the Pucelanos - that's an average of almost four goals per game. But that wasn't the case this time, Madrid ended the game with 22 attempts on goal - only five of which were on target and just one goal. Not that visitors Valladolid will be complaining - the last time they had taken a point from the Bernabéu was in January 2005.

Bale keeps plugging away

For all their efforts, Madrid's accuracy in front of goal let them down time and again on Saturday. Out of their 22 attempts, 17 were off target. Gareth Bale was Madrid's most persistent with 6 attempts - two of which were on target. He was followed by Benzema, who had five shots - two on goal and one which entered. After him James, had four attempts - all wide. And with similar luck were Casemiro (2), Marcelo (1), Ramos (1) and Carvajal (1). It was also an afternoon to forget for Jovic, who watched as his header bounced off the top of the bar.

Gareth Bale has a pop against Valladolid
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Gareth Bale has a pop against ValladolidOscar J. Barroso / AFP7 / Europa

Disturbing trend

It's a worrying statistic for Madrid, whose league goals have been on a downward trend for the past five seasons - from 118 in 2014/15, down to 110 the following season, then 106, 94, to the 63 goals scored last season, just over half of them (32) at home. During the last 10 years, Madrid have usually reached the 50-goal mark at the Bernabéu - but that was when Cristiano Ronaldo was still at the club. Yesterday's game against Valladolid game also was a painful reminder that problems in defence haven't gone away - Madrid have conceded in both of the first two games of the new campaign...