With the problem of the punch almost solved, Marcelino must focus on recovering the rockier version of the team
ANDhe draw against Osasuna further reduces Athletic’s chances of entering Europe. A match that complies with the script that has marked a large part of the Bilbao team’s campaign. The mistakes in their own area, now become a tradition, reappeared to ruin the good work done during the crash. This lack of solidity in defense collides head-on with what was seen in the last two seasons, in which they made good defensive work one of their main virtues.
With only three days remaining for the end of the championship, they have only managed to leave a clean sheet nine times. Four of them were with Garitano on the bench (Levante, Betis, Huesca and Elche), while the other five arrived with Marcelino (Cádiz, Celta, Alavés, Betis and Seville). Too low a figure for one of LaLiga’s best defenders in the last two seasons. The most curious thing is that the defensive level is good, beyond the specific errors. It is the 8th team with the fewest finishes (8.52 shots per game) and the 6th with the least conceded (38 goals). Only those failures have kept Athletic away from Europe.
Ups and downs in performance
The main reason for this is the irregularity displayed during the season. Both the goalkeeper and the rest of the defense have shown to have a fairly high level, among the best in the tournament. However, in this course he is having a hard time maintaining it over time. Marcelino has influenced several times in this regard, ensuring that what they lack is “to maintain the moments in which we are a very good team”. This begins with Unai Simón, who has alternated great saves with mistakes that have cost goals, and continues with the centrals, Iñigo Martínez being the only one who has maintained a regular line.
They mark us with extreme ease
“If you don’t defend the area well, you don’t win games and the area must be defended well for 90 minutes. The problem is not that we do not score goals, is that they mark us with extreme ease “launched the Asturian coach after yesterday’s draw.
Osasuna managed to score two goals, generating very few quality chances (His expected goals were 0.85). “It has happened to us several times. I am the most responsible because I am the coach and you have to do self-criticism to avoid this type of mistakes that are penalizing us so much. We have to look for solutions and we know what they are. And, therefore, you have to develop them in the game and not give away points as we are doing. In LaLiga we have given too much and that prevents us from fighting for Europe, which I think this squad deserves. “He added. The moment Marcelino makes these solutions work, Athletic will become a bloc capable of taking that leap that is lacking to enter Europe.
