I swear, this website is pissing me off.
http://www.espnfc.com/spanish-primera-divisi%C3%B3n/15/blog/post/2050897/real-madrid-should-stick-with-karim-benzema-up-front
There is currently a "What good is Karim Benzema?" sentiment circulating among sections of the Bernabeu crowd and the partisan Madrid media. Jeering from the paying punter, scorn from the fans with typewriters.

To reduce the sentiment to a phrase, it is simple: "He doesn't score enough for a centre-forward." Even though there are traditional things that Benzema perhaps doesn't do, I'd argue that it's a piece of "Cyclopic" nonsense to look at the Frenchman this way -- a blatant ignoring of the changing landscape at Real Madrid.

Since Los Blancos began putting Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo in the same team, the yield has been 80-plus goals in just over a season. It's the kind of total that you'd once expect two top-class strikers to take a couple of seasons to notch.Some decent sides struggle to score that many across their entire squad over the same amount of time. It's also a total that has brought three trophies in just more than 12 months and will surely make Madrid world club champions before the turn of the year.

Now just because the two "superstar" players combine to score quite outrageous quantities of goals doesn't mean that you don't want more from your No. 9. But, to begin with, what seems to be ignored is that for four of the five seasons the Frenchman has been at the Bernabeu, he's scored 20 times or more -- indeed his average over that span is 25.5 goals.

If you were buying a striker, pushing the boat out price-wise because your fairy godmother gave you three wishes and you were suddenly in charge at the club you love instead of saving up for your season ticket, wouldn't you be persuaded by a striker who carried a "25 goals per season" guarantee?

Thierry Henry -- a class above Benzema, no question -- had an average of 28 per season during his time at Arsenal, which, if nothing else, indicates that the Madrid man isn't ticking along too badly.

But, I think, more important than stats is the concept of what Benzema is currently for.

The first thing to say is that the 26-year-old -- yes, he's still only 26, can you believe it? -- fits into that category of "protected species" at Madrid. Ronaldo adores him, both as a playing partner and as a person -- Karim's definitely in with the "in-crowd."

Now, this ain't a "teflon Don" guarantee. Angel Di Maria confirmed a couple of weeks ago that he'd only managed to stay at Madrid for the last 12 months [during which he was patently their second-most influential player] thanks to Ronaldo's political influence. But, eventually, he was still sold.

Thus it's not just because he's BFF with CR7 that Benzema's been given a new five-year deal with the European champions. Political clout only goes so far. No; Benzema's a fine footballer -- that's the long and short of it.

But, here's the rub. It's a better-than-even bet that he'd be scoring more than last season's 24 goals if he didn't second himself and his movements to being the creative fulcrum for Madrid's twin-pronged Ronaldo-Bale attack force.

In short, Benzema is underappreciated.

I'm not advocating the general adoption of a new phrase to apply to him, but I'm going to use the one I think sums up the situation. If Leo Messi, when Pep Guardiola redesigned his role, his position and his duties, became a "False 9," then if you apply the same criteria, Benzema has become a "Hidden 10."

There's no need to be precious about the phrase: It's just a hook upon which to hang an accurate description of his repertoire. Messi was called a "False 9" because he nominally played in the outright striker position but instead of tying up centre-halves, playing with his back to goal or looking for crosses from the wingers/wing-backs, he'd drift back into space normally occupied by an attacking midfielder. A No. 10. From there he'd pick up the ball, run at defences, confuse defensive midfielders, play convoluted wall-passes with available teammates -- basically wreak havoc.

Benzema's positional work is different, but there's a thematic link. He wears 9 on his back. He's listed as the centre-forward in a three-man attack. He'll occasionally be the player asked to get on the end of a cross. But from the moment that his partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo began to flourish, the Frenchman was, effectively, playing like a 10.

As far as I'm concerned, the No. 10 -- brilliantly named the Fantasista orTrequartista in Mediterranean football, the "fantasy" player, or the guy who does his work three-quarters of the way up the pitch -- has a role to associate with other creative-scoring teammates. He facilitates others with invention, wit, imagination and innate positional brilliance.

You know the story. He's the creative fulcrum.

I'd argue that Benzema does this. Some of his interplay with Ronaldo is dazzling -- they appear to be the yin and yang of the Madrid attack. Like-minded, equally visionary on the pitch, patently enjoying their "Butch and Sundance" partnership. It works.

Okay, if Madrid were offered a player -- let's say Luis Suarez -- who was just as diligent, associative, intelligent, technically able and supportive as Benzema is, but who averaged 28 or 30 per season, would they turn him down in order to keep Benzema?

I'm not constructing a case that Benzema is, secretly, the best player on the planet. What I'm arguing is that Benzema has a worth and an impact far, far above the perception that currently seems to be hanging around him like a bad smell. He's effective, intelligent, self-sacrificing, hard-working in his association play ... and frustrating, not clinical and occasionally lackadaisical in terms of his outright finishing.

That's not to overlook his decent share of Clasico goals, his Cup final assist last season or his winner against Bayern in the Champions League semifinal, either. It's just that if (or when) Cristiano and Bale dry up that the "B" in the infamous "BBC" gets examined -- and when he is required to pony up with goals ahead of subtle invention.

It's probably for this last part that the Bernabeu crowd is unnecessarily harsh -- they worry that if their totemic players go missing, they may be left with a shaman who's actually a sham.

I personally think they worry too much. If, for example, Madrid's back four were as assiduous, productive and effective as Benzema the brave, then Los Blancos wouldn't be shipping so many unnecessary goals.

An acquired taste he may well be. But what a tasty footballer -- the prototype of the "Hidden 10." That's Karim Benzema.

Benzema is doing exceptional, for an attack with superstars like Bale and Ronaldo. He should be appreciated.

"Some of his interplay with Ronaldo is dazzling -- they appear to be the yin and yang of the Madrid attack"

^ I couldn't agree more. The passes, touches and flicks between them is exceptional.

My only wish is that Chicarito gets a decent amount of playing time. He's a hidden gem.

@Dyn: Post edited as you requested.

Btw, I agree with your analysis. Sometimes obviously he was not clinical enough, but he does way more than just scoring. He attracts defenders, provide spaces and distract concentration from the defenders. That enables a lot of spaces for Ronaldo or Bale.

Benz is quite consistent to me, including in big games. He doesn't spark like crazy but he does what the team needed most (most of the time).

Look at Messi, when there are no other sufficient strike force, defenders have way way more time to pay attention to him, block him or prevent him to do his magic. But if there is ONE sufficient one, Messi will destroy you.

That's what Benz does for Madrid, this article is completely off.

Good post, the fact is that Madrid style of playing is changing because of the new commers, and Karim will be probably the biggest looser.
He was a key player with Di Maria in fast counter- attaking actions, he will be just decent with the new applied style.

From Marca : Real Madrid score more goals without Karim Benzema than with him on the pitch. It sounds strange, but the statistics do not lie. Without their No.9 on the pitch, Madrid have managed 10 goals in the last 122 minutes (Ancelotti replaced him with 32 minutes still to play against Depor and he did not play against Elche). Without Karim, Madrid score a goal every 12 minutes. The statistics do not save the Frenchman is we analyse the season so far. When he is on the pitch, Madrid score a goal every 45.5 minutes. Without him, a goal comes every 16.8 minutes...almost half an hour apart.......

....Ancelotti trusts him blindly but between his changes and rotations he has found crucial balance (after losing Xabi Alonso and Angel Di Maria) against Deportivo and Elche, with Karim on the bench and Madrid playing 4-4-2. Without him and with Illarramendi or Isco on the field, the midfield is strengthened and it leaves Cristiano and Bale with less defensive work and more speed for the counter-attack. If Benzema becomes a starter then Isco or Illarra will be dropped and there will be a return to 4-3-3, which means Bale has to be used more defensively.

Karim will be sacrified for the good of the team, if benching him could bring balance to Madrid, i think Carlo will be obliged to bench him.
I would love to see Benz in PSG or City, he can fit there and become a starter instantly.

@Tiki

I'm not sure about City, but seeing Benzema at PSG would be nice. However, I prefer he remains at Madrid. He is an exceptional footballer.

@Tuan

Thanks, but I didn't write the article lol. I posted the link above.

Dont miss understand me, i rate him very high like Isco, the fact is that the style of last year was suiting Di Maria and Benz, this year Isco seems to fit more.
I want Benz to get the credit he deserves, few madrid fans including you knows his worth, in a team where he can shoot PK/FK and be the main attraction, he could score 35 goals a year no doubt.

Liverpool gonna bid 50€million for Karim! Says Goal.com

Speaking of which, he was excellent in his contribution to Ronaldo's goal tonight.