Espanyol closes a season for reflection

Certified the permanence of the Espanyol and despite the fact that there are two games left to play, the time to spend balance has begun. And despite the fact that the course has been closed with the minimum objective achieved (the permanence), the data from Vicente Moreno’s team give rise to serious reflection. And obligatorily.

The conclusion is clear: the team needs a deep face wash for the next exercise. And it is convenient to begin as soon as possible to undertake this work, beginning by dispelling any doubts about the sports directionfollowing by making a decision about the future of Vincent Moreno and ending with the decisions to be made about Appetizer y Departures of the campus. These are some of the numbers that force parakeets to act forcefully.

1

BRAKE

The second worst visitor

Eight are the points that Espanyol has achieved away from home, in the absence of a game as a visitor, the one that will play in Granada on the last day. It is the second worst team in the category far from its fiefdom, only above Alavés (6).

2

HISTORIC

The worst record from the three points

The current parakeet record is the worst as a visitor since the three-point system was established in the 95-96 season (27 years ago). Only the 9 points of the 2001-02 support some comparison.

3

PRECEDENTS

The last three descents, better

Not even in the last three descents had worse numbers been signed away from home. In 2019-20, when the club’s worst score in First Division history was recorded, the team collected 12 points as a visitor. And in the two previous relegations, even with the two-point-for-victory system, the current bar was exceeded: 12 points in 1988-89 and 10 in 1992-93.

4

14 POINTS

Second round of descent

Without taking into account Rayo-Villarreal this Thursday, Espanyol occupies 18th place in a classification made with the matches of the second round. Drop position. With 14 points, only Mallorca (13) and Rayo (12 before receiving Villarreal) are below.

5

DOWNHILL

No goal and no defense

In this second round, the team has lost the defensive solidity of the first, when they conceded 22 goals in 19 games (average of 1.16). Since then, in 17 matches, he has conceded 30 (1.76). And he has also lost a goal: the 22 (1.16) scored in the first half of the course exceed the 17 in the second half (1). If the first leg of the League ended with a goal difference of 0 (22 scored, 22 conceded), in the second it is, for now, -13 (17-30).

6

RELAXATION

1 point out of 15

Since the team beat Celta on matchday 31 and the permanence was considered conquered without being so, they have added just one point in the next five against Atlético (2-1), Rayo (0-1), R. Madrid (4 -0), Osasuna (1-1) and Alavés (2-1). An obvious relaxation that has led the team to unfortunately squander its options (few, but there were some) to fight to get closer to Europe and above all, to improve the classification, with the economic effects that this entails: seventh place carries an income of about 6 million and being 13th, the position now occupied by Espanyol, 2.5, less than half.

7

VINCENT MORENO

2 wins in First

They are the ones that Vicente Moreno has achieved as a visitor in his two campaigns in the First Division, one with Mallorca (2019-20) and the current one. In total, 37 away games resulted in two wins, eight draws and 27 losses, 30 goals for and 76 against.

8

WITHOUT AUCTION

The sinking of Victoria

Against Alavés, and despite playing Yangel Herrera with one less in the second half for the red, the statistics are conclusive: 27 times the local side finished off, Espanyol by just five. And the 12 corner kicks from the Vitoria team, a bottom player whose life was going in the game, multiplied by four the 3 that Vicente Moreno’s forced.

9

RAUL DE THOMAS

The scorer’s drought

The crack of the team has scored three goals in the last 11 games in which he has participated. And the last two, from set pieces: one from a direct foul at the Wanda and another from a penalty, this Wednesday at Mendizorroza. A drought reminiscent of that of RDT in the second leg of the 2019-20 campaign, which ended with the last decline: after the break due to the pandemic, the striker did not see the door in the eight games he played.