Two consecutive victories after a path of three draws that capsized like quicksand. Seven goals for in 180 minutes for only one against, and the result of a more than rigorous penalty. Against Logroñés and Castellón, Espanyol found their way forward to achieve direct promotion in 11 days. And he did reformulating itself, enhancing some of the virtues of the staff who seemed to sleep the sleep of the righteous, and surpassing even famous casualties.
LaLiga SmartBank
* Data updated as of March 29, 2021
The Espanyol of these last two days takes the initiative, proposes, does not wait, even when he has already taken the lead on the scoreboard. And although it is true that both Logroñés and Castellón make up the lower part of the classification, until now the parakeet team had speculated practically the same against the third as against the twenty-second. Translated into data, Vicente Moreno's team has gone from giving a scandalous 61.8 percent more good passes –from 322.2 per game to 521.5– than in the previous five games., in front of Mirandés, Oviedo, Sporting, Sabadell and Mallorca. Precision to power. In just passes it has also grown by 50.6%, from 397 to 598 on average.
Consequently, possession has also dramatically improved, from 70.3% in these two days victorious compared to 49.2% of the previous five, or what is the same, 42.7% more. And one could fall into the argument of attributing that figure in the case of Castalia to the prompt expulsion of the albinegro (and experienced) Iago Indias, but it is precisely that Espanyol had monopolized the ball much more before that red-reaching 80 % – that later, playing already in numerical superiority.
David López and Darder embrace, in Castalia.
ANGEL SANCHEZ (DAILY AS)
Among the great headlines of this new Espanyol the names of Sergi Darder inevitably emerge, author of two goals last Friday, of Oscar Melendo, present in almost all actions that end up at the bottom of the meshes, and Javi Puado and Nico Melamed, one against Logroñés and the other, against Castellón. And also the substitution of Raúl de Tomás, who has only participated in 45 of those 180 minutes.
But they also stand out Adrián Embarba's scalpel –In Castalia, he made 32 passes out of 33 attempts– or the participation in the associative game of David López, Leandro Cabrera –Despite his mistake in the 1-0 on Friday, he gave 73 good passes–, Dídac Vilà or Fernando Calero, more in rival field than in the own one. In short, what has stood out in this reformulation is the collective. And so Espanyol will try to follow this Thursday, at the RCDE Stadium, against Fuenlabrada.