Guler aside: Real Madrid players accused of falling short and failing to run

Radio phone-ins are singing from the same hymn sheet on Real Madrid this season: the players aren't running or putting in the effort, and the 2-1 derby defeat to Atletico has only sharpened the criticism.

Seven rounds into La Liga, the Royal club head into the international break sitting fourth, six points adrift of a flying Barcelona.

Mundo Deportivo reported that every voice on Cope's "El Partidazo" programme landed on the same verdict, pinning the blame squarely on the Real players.

Spanish broadcaster Manolo Lama said: "Not with Carlo Ancelotti, not with Xabi Alonso, not with Alvaro Arbeloa. The players continue not to put in the effort and not to show solidarity among themselves."

He added: "If Atletico Madrid start passing the ball around, specifically between the two centre-backs and the goalkeeper, Real Madrid would not push forward to press them."

Lama put it plainly: "They would wait, and they did not even want to move forward to confront them."

Journalist Paco Gonzalez picked up the thread: "This current Real Madrid does not have the players needed to play, with the exception of Guler. Who is able to carry out an organised collective attack at Real with this current line-up? Tchouameni, Bellingham, but the rest, all they offer are individual movements."

He stressed: "Real Madrid get a 10 physically when you watch them, so physically they can beat anyone, but in order to play football, there is only Guler."

He added: "Konate and Dumfries do not have a good ability to bring the ball out from the back. It is a huge problem relating to the style of play and the players."