Two points behind Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo injured - Real Madrid's start to the season could have been better.

Jose Mourinho's side were held to a 0-0 draw on the opening day of the season by a determined Mallorca outfit, well-drilled by new boss Michael Laudrup.

Terry Gibson analysed Real's stuttering start on Revista de La Liga and suggested there was a distinct lack of dynamism in the play.

"It was an apprehensive performance," he reflected. "To me they looked like a team under instruction from their coach; they weren't playing instinctively.

"It wasn't until the end of the game when they took off the shackles in near-desperation to get the result that they most looked like they were going to score.

"It was a disappointing performance; the passing was too slow and there was a lethargy about the performance as well."

Attack

With the benefit of hindsight, Gibson said Mourinho probably went with the wrong starting formation, particularly in the forward areas.

"There was a solidity about the team - I think he is looking to build from the back. Ricardo Carvalho is a really important signing, particularly with the injuries to the other defenders.

"The difference between last year and this is the attack is slightly wider. Ronaldo started wider on the left, Angel Di Maria on the right.

"Gonzalo Higuain and Ronaldo were the success of the team last year, for me, with over 50 league goals between them.

"That's a lot of goals to make up if Ronaldo is not going to get in central areas to join up with Higuain.

"Mourinho didn't get the player he wanted up front - a Didier Drogba, a Digeo Milito - that he's had in the past. I actually preferred them in the last 10 to 15 minutes when Mallorca were on their last legs. Mesut Ozil was getting forward, Karim Benzema was linking up with Higuain and it looked like they were going to nick that goal."

Disastrous

Fellow Revista expert Graham Hunter agreed that Mourinho has plenty of work to do to mould Real into a potent all-round outfit, particularly now the injury list is lengthening.

"I'm reminded of the old saying that football is an easy game that we complicate," he said. "Both managers were generous enough to share the script with us beforehand.

"Laudrup said that if there was a time to catch Mourinho's Madrid it is now; we are fitter, we are ready, we are a team. Mourinho said I haven't had long enough, we aren't fit and some of the lads don't even speak the same language.

"It (Ronaldo's injury) is a very bad piece of news because clearly he's a leader and even though the team wasn't functioning well he gave everything.

"The ankle is swollen and bruised, and he will probably miss three weeks. For sure he will miss the home game against Osasuna - he may be back for the Ajax game.

"Let's put this in context and say that's now eight pretty bad injuries to start the season; Ronaldo is bad news, but eight injuries is disastrous!"