Athletic’s debut in the preseason was not a game from which many conclusions can be drawn. The Swiss of the St. Gallen they arrived much more rolled and the lions accused the great physical demand to which they have been subjected in these first weeks. Even so, defeat left several green shoots that could re-engage the Bilbao fans. Nico Serrano and Nico Williams they acted as headlines and were the team’s main offensive arguments. His good work was joined by that of Beñat Prados in the second half, leaving glimpses of what it can offer.
Serrano disturbed the rival defense on several occasions. Starting from the left wing, he challenged his marker frequently and only his lower physical capacity prevented him from overflowing more assiduously. Something that already happened to him in the preseason last summer, in which He also noticed his lack of physical development. This will come in time, as explained Joseba Etxeberria in an interview on MARCA. “He is a late development player. He is not yet defined.He will continue to develop physically and when he does, I think he is a player called to make a difference “.
Mobility and cheek
Nico Williams was one step above. Thanks to his mobility and impudence, a large part of Athletic’s dangerous actions came, including the local’s own goal. He got on really well with his brother and Raúl García, swapping positions to surprise the defenders. Those movements allowed him run into space with a head start and helped their team stretch to shake off rival dominance. In addition, he looked fresher in the legs than the rest of his teammates.
In the case of Beñat Prados, the midfielder was able to demonstrate several of the details for which he is considered a great promise for Lezama. It provided a more fluid point in the circulation of the ball and left several conductions in rival field that generated advantages for the rojiblancos. In the physical aspect he was seen something soft in disputes and with the feeling of having work ahead of him to adapt to the rhythm required to play with the elders.
Beyond these individual performances, Athletic’s loss to St. Gallen showed that there is still work to be done for the lions. The following friendlies will raise the level and the demand will be greater and greater. The normal thing is that the heaviness of the legs is remitting and a better version of the team is seen. Like the rest of his peers,these young people still have a long way to go. However, his presentation in the first friendly was not bad at all and adds a point of hope for the people of Bilbao.
