The boo-boys should shut up: Benitez deserves credit for Madrid's strong start

It is impossible to keep everyone happy at Real Madrid. Rafa Benitez was an unpopular choice among many fans to take over from the popular Carlo Ancelotti in the summer and he has already been targeted by the boo-boys at the Santiago Bernabeu. So far, however, he deserves credit for the club's strong start.

Madrid were held to a goalless draw at Sporting Gijon in their opening Liga game of the season, but have gone on to win their next three in the Primera Division and are just two points behind champions Barcelona after four rounds of matches.

Saturday's narrow 1-0 win over Granada brought whistles and jeers from some supporters at the Bernabeu, but Benitez has started just as well - or even better - than most of his predecessors in the last 15 years.

Jose Mourinho also kicked off with a goalless draw in 2010-11 and went on to claim 10 points from a possible 12, as did Ancelotti in his debut campaign (2013-14). Those numbers are also matched by Carlos Queiroz in 2003-04 and Bernd Schuster in 2007-08.

But Benitez's side have scored an impressive 12 goals in that time and conceded none - something no other coach has managed at the outset of any Liga campaign in the past 15 years.

His Liga start is bettered only by Manuel Pellegrini, who led Madrid to four straight wins at the beginning of his sole season in 2009-10. The Chilean coach saw his side concede two in that time - both in a 3-2 win over Deportivo La Coruna on his - and Cristiano Ronaldo's - Real debut.

Benitez has done well. Faced with a playing squad that had hoped to continue working with Ancelotti (and said so publicly in the case of Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos), the Spanish coach has all of the influential players, including the aforementioned pair, on board after a tricky summer.

Ramos came close to leaving after president Florentino Perez went back on his promise regarding a new contract, a situation that was eventually settled amicably with a fresh deal for the club captain. Now, he is the undisputed leader of a world-class defensive unit that should grow stronger.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo is back firing again, despite some initial tensions, and the Spaniard has rectified his recent comments that the Portuguese is "not necessarily the best I have coached" by saying that he is "the best in the world" and "the only indisputable player" in this team.

A question about leaving James Rodriguez on the bench was also handled well with a funny fable about an old man, a boy and a donkey, and the Colombian was duly restored to the starting XI in the next match, scoring two stunning goals in the 5-0 win over Betis before picking up an injury on international duty.

Also in attack, Gareth Bale has looked better than at any time since moving to Madrid in 2013. Playing centrally in a No.10 role, the Welshman (also sidelined at the moment) has shown signs that he will go from strength to strength under the 55-year-old coach.

At the back, Benitez has restored order and in four games (plus one in the Champions League), Madrid still have not conceded this term, with goalkeeper Keylos Navas (who stayed after a move for David De Gea fell through on transfer deadline day) in line to break a club record in La Liga if he can remain unbeaten for 72 minutes at Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday night.

"The boss likes a lot of tactical work and we are still getting used to his way of working," Pepe said on Monday. "We want to create a solid and strong team, so we have to understand our coach's mentality."

So far, so good. It is early days of course and Madrid face perhaps their biggest challenge of the season to date as they travel to San Mames on Wednesday, having lost 2-0 to Athletic in Bilbao last season.

"I wouldn't say it's an acid test," Benitez told reporters on Tuesday. "But it's a difficult game. Real Madrid lost there last season. We will have to be focused and play with as much intensity as they do."

And he later added: "No match scares me - and less so now that I'm coaching Real Madrid!"

It is the right mentality at a club where Benitez began his playing career and later cut his teeth as a youth coach before enjoying success elsewhere.

Only time - and silverware, naturally - will tell whether he has been successful or not at the Bernabeu, but boos at this stage are unfair because the club's start under Rafa and the way he has handled some of the problems since the summer suggest he is on the right track.

"We have built the house; now we have to decorate it," Ancelotti said late in his first season ahead of Madrid's Champions League and Copa crowns in 2014.

Benitez is still building his, but it looks to be based on strong foundations. The finishing touches can come later.