Opinion A return to 4-3-3 could be vital

It is becoming clear that Real Madrid not only need to take a positive result from Wembley Stadium on Wednesday to guarantee top spot in Group H, but also to revitalise their season after a nightmare trip to Girona.

However Zinedine Zidane will know as well as any other onlooker of Sunday's game that Los Blancos need more than a quick one-size-fits-all fix, rather there are a number of areas that need a shake-up.

Here we run over a few areas that the coach can play around with as he seeks an instant reaction away to Tottenham Hotspur.

Return to 4-3-3

The diamond has run its course. While it was undeniable that Isco had a good game against Girona, it was also blatant that Real suffered greatly from a lack of width chiefly because the full-backs were isolated in their forward movements.

Getting Cristiano Ronaldo back onto the wing and bulking up the right flank with the workman Lucas Vazquez would draw the game out across Wembley's wide pitch and leave space for the visitors' attackers to work their magic.

Ronaldo himself was even floating out wide in the latter stages at Estadio Montilivi as he clearly yearned for the simplicity of his former position, with his spell as a No. 9 needing to be shelved, for now. Speaking of which...

Stick it out with Benzema

If Ronaldo needs to get back in his comfort zone to 'reset' his form, Karim Benzema should be given the same treatment and not dropped for the game in North-West London.

Benzema certainly did nothing to be proud of in the first game against Spurs and perhaps he has been suffering from the increased defensive pressure created by having Ronaldo alongside him, therefore he would also benefit from a move back to 4-3-3.

Not only are there a serious lack of alternatives, given his teammates' aforementioned shortcomings, but the Frenchman is also a serious big game player. His performances away from home in last season's Champions League are evidence that, when he plays in the right role, he can produce the magic.

Midfield gamble

There is something off about the trio of Casemiro-Modric-Kroos and Zidane must pick which he is to drop. Not least because Isco simply has to play and a central midfield berth where he has license to roam is currently his best position.

So which one should go? Casemiro may be the obvious solution when considering his average recent form, even if that is tactically naive against a Spurs side who attack fiercely through the middle.

That leaves one of Luka Modric or Toni Kroos for the chop, and neither can claim to be undroppable on current showings. It would be a gamble for Zidane: exactly the sort of gamble this situation requires.

Learn to take the sting out of the game

One thing that Madrid did not benefit from in Girona was the sheer breathlessness of the game. From end to end, Los Blancos were desperate to attack and this showed them up as nervous and only opened up further gaps at the back.

Instead, the LaLiga champions need to take more opportunities to sit on the ball and keep possession. This is increasingly prevalent in a sold-out Wembley Stadium where shutting up the crowd may be vital to quashing any Spurs momentum.

There is no reason Real can not do this. If they truly seek to win another Champions League title they have to show that they can go to these sort of games and dominate, restrict their opponents' time on the ball, and make their superiority evident for all to see.

Back to basics in defence

Achraf Hakimi is a fine athlete and promising right-back but it is time for him to exit the first XI and take stock of what he has learned thus far. However, Dani Carvajal is still missing and his absence is being keenly felt.

Replacing the young Moroccan with Nacho Fernandez for Wednesday's game is dependant on Raphael Varane's fitness and should be a no-brainer if the Frenchman is available. If not, Achraf needs to be given a far more limited, disciplined mandate.

Maintaining a solid block of four defenders has not been attainable for Zidane for some reason, and for some time. This simply must end as Real's misfiring attack used to be enough to cover their defensive errors and, if it cannot, the backline has to get the basics right and leave the wandering forward solely up to Marcelo.