Assumable frustration at the premiere of Athletic – Deia

It would not be an exaggeration at all to say that Ernesto Valverde’s Athletic starts the competition with less than two points. Those who did not manage to tie the score against a Mallorca that withdrew delighted from San Mamés. The total absence of goals is a vague reflection of a match that was played with the ground permanently tilted towards Rajkovic’s goal, one of the stars of the afternoon, perhaps the brightest of all, because without his particular contribution the local team would not It would have ended with the bitter feeling that, by the way, is not unknown to him. And it is that what was witnessed this Monday is quite similar to a few experiences lived throughout the previous campaign. Athletic tried it in every possible way and fortune eluded them, although substantial differences were observed with respect to Marcelino García’s proposal. However, certain shortcomings and various vices continue to weigh heavily, for which a very high, disproportionate price is paid. Without going any further, this 0-0 to some extent responds to very common mistakes among the rojiblancos, especially in actions that require greater precision and instinct. Here is another of the arguments that explain the disappointment suffered. The waste of favorable situations, sometimes in advantage, in the area where the opportunities are created emerges as one of the issues to be analyzed and corrected. Poor centers, haste, wrong choices or underuse of strategy were aspects that had an influence on the development of the game and the result, of course. But above all this, one cannot but admit that Athletic widely deserved a more generous outcome for their interests, just as Mallorca earned the defeat. Only the number of recorded auctions would be enough to understand what type of duel was held. The chapter on possession or territorial dominance, at times overwhelming, exercised by the rojiblancos, whose attitude is impossible to reproach, is not a joke either. In reality, Athletic made it clear that he was perfectly psyched up for what awaited him. The script was nailed to the one that was presumed the day before. For Javier Aguirre, each day is a battle of attrition, constant friction and rigorous tactical order. With these values, it was planted on its own land and with unequal strength it withstood the local push. He was not averse to an exaggerated retreat in the moments in which Athletic was most inspired, the thing was to reduce spaces and repel without hesitation any set that would endanger the point that he finally won. He even had the favor of the wood, on two occasions, in the second before Rajkovic’s deflection to the limit after a whiplash from Yuri. At the start of both periods, Athletic clearly conveyed what its idea was. He also went through bland phases, because with the passing of the minutes it is unfeasible to sustain such a high pace projecting himself in attack, but he had the nerve to persevere and invest maximum effort in the last stretch. In short, the team had the virtue of ensuring that the trickle of shots never stopped and it is commendable because in front of it they found a shamelessly conservative structure, plagued by tall and strong or leathery types. Mallorca did not walk with dissimulation and in general assumed its inferiority with the classic approach of the vocational survivor. Valverde thought that such a panorama required the meeting of Sancet and Muniain ahead of Vesga. In addition, he chose Villalibre to start, presumably due to the more precarious physical condition of Raúl García. The rest of the eleven stuck to plan, with Iñaki Williams, on the wing, far from the radar of the trio of central defenders that Aguirre lines up. And with these wickers, Athletic legitimately aspired to take advantage very soon. The frustrating impression that he never stopped deserving to take the lead grew as the clock ticked down. However, hope was not lost and this was influenced, apart from the commitment of the players, that the coach was not satisfied and was refreshing ranks to transform the group’s offensive package. That is to say, he exhausted all the alternatives offered by the list of summoned, with unequal returns, it is true, but of course Valverde always shied away from nonconformity. Good news that would be in tune with the criteria that he has shown in the preseason. At times it seemed that so much removing pieces would decant the match, despite the fact that the isolation of the men in the area persisted. Villalibre was the one who finished off the most, without having comfortable services, perhaps trying to do so was utopian in the face of the three towers that protected the Serbian goalkeeper, ultimately in charge of getting three or four saving hands. In the final charge, with Raúl García and Guruzeta at his side, there was still a shortage of supply, but these are details that need improvement. It cannot be demanded in the first official commitment that the machine is completely tuned. It is a day to gauge the predisposition, the eagerness of the group, their confidence and, why not, their desire to please a crowd that was in their place, transmitting encouragement and faith in the team’s possibilities. The conclusion must be positive, the score does not match what happened, but it is obvious that Valverde has embarked on a path that allows him to appeal to an optimism that only the damn 0-0 insists on questioning. He has work ahead of him, but he has already laid the groundwork for what he wants: aggressive play and courage in managing each appointment.