Espanyol's wall has gone from being concrete to couché paper in just three days, in which one of the virtues that has led Vicente Moreno's men to be leaders for more than half of the championship and to continue in the ascent zone. In numbers, it translates into more than significant data: Espanyol from the first round received 11 goals in 21 games, which is 0.52 per game; while the team of these three days of the second round has four, which is equivalent to 1.3.
Beyond, sometimes, the cheating data, it is true that the Blue and White team has experienced improper moments of fragility in previous days, and the squad have become aware of looking for a plaster that covers a hemorrhage that, if not remedied, could become in serious trouble that puts promotion at stake. “We have to take care of the details again,” the players insist. There is a key aspect at the tactical level and another individual, which affects the poor performance compared to the beginning of the season.
Although against Girona the goal comes in a counterattack and in Lugo in a set piece action, the big problem perico throughout the course, increased against Rayo Vallecano, is organized defense. The team tends to take a step back when it takes the lead on the scoreboard, and concentration and collaboration between the lines has been lost in that aspect.. The rivals also find depth on the right side (against Girona and Rayo goals came from there) and the centrals do not offer the same guarantees.
The difference with respect to the first round leads to that second aspect, before there were fewer individual errors than now, such as Diego López in Lugo in the corner kick or the lack of concentration of the right sector in the 2-3 of Rayo Vallecano . The two center-backs who started the course as a shot forming the pair, Fernando Calero and Leandro Cabrera, have lost their effectiveness. The Valladolid player returned to the team against Rayo but was just as vulnerable as Cabrera, which condemned him again to the bench to the detriment of a David López who could not improve that facet at Anxo Carro either.
Espanyol needs the best version of their players and polish their defense in set-pieces and retreat situations so that little by little they can once again be an insurmountable team, an essential condition for promotion.