Espanyol has a hole

It points the forcefulness as the main defect of Espanyol. And it is true. But not in both areas. Although Tuesday’s 2-2 against Cádiz left that bad taste in my mouth of countless missed opportunities, the team is more and more tuned in attack. However, what in defence Before it was a sample of solidity, today it has become A hole. In the headache of a parakeet group that chains a whopping ten games in a row conceding goals.

La Liga Santander

*Data updated as of January 19, 2022

Curiously, it was the clash in Cornellà against a Real Sociedad that aspired to the leadership (1-0) the last match with a clean sheet, and the Copa del Rey confrontation against a Club Deportivo Solares de la Tercera RFEF (3-2 ) the start of this worrying streak. Ins 15 first games of the season, all from Primera, materialized Espanyol 15 goals (one per game) in 178 shots total (11.8 on average) and 53 on target (3’5). Received 13 points (0’8) in 215 shots (14’3), of which 70 between the three suits (4’6). In the next ten, until today, has 17 goals for (1.7 per game), has shot 147 times (14’7), 54 on goal (5’4). and has received 18 goals (1’8 on average) in 96 chuts (9’6), 33 the goal (3’3).

The sea of ​​figures provides a clear conclusion. In his last ten games, Vicente Moreno’s team scores 60 percent more goals than before and, although it shoots more, it takes much less to dial. However, and here is the problem, and despite the fact that take five fewer shots by meeting, to Espanyol they are putting 65 percent more targets on him than in the first 15 appointments of the season, and that in this stretch they have been measured with opponents of a lower category, not only First.

The fragility is evident in the ability of the rival to overcome the goal of Diego López and Joan García, who they have gone from receiving one in every 16.5 shots –six of those first 15 games ended with a clean sheet– let’s see how the rivals convert one of every 5.3 shots into a goal. Demolition Man. If it is that even Rayo Vallecano, who did not get to shoot him, defeated him.

In football terms, which is what is trained after all, what is mainly destroying Espanyol’s solidity are the lateral centers. It happened against Elche, it was revealed again against Cádiz and it has been a constant during the journey in the King’s Cup, in which –alarming data– tAll goals against came from set pieces.

The repetition of mistakes, the unbeaten goal as a mere memory of the past and, above all, the calendar that is coming to Espanyol they do not portend the best of luck to the parakeets in a defensive system that, to make matters worse, and although will recover Adrià Pedrosa, To who lose by penalty for this Friday’s commitment against Betis is Leandro Cabrera. The only player in the squad who had played every minute of LaLiga. To cover that hole it will take more than reinforced cement.