Five seasons in a row without a European passport. An entire five years detecting where the individual and collective problems are located. Half a decade without finding the exact formula and with several mantras that fly over the sky of San Mames. The main one is that the Athletic too many points are left against the teams in the lower part of the classification, something that with Valverde on the bench it did not happen. Myth or Reality? The numbers confirm that feeling and here are the tests.
Between 2013 and 2017, the lions were considerably more reliable against the ten teams that finished in the second half of the table than in the five years since. It would be unfair not to introduce the factor Aduriz in the equation because they were the best moments in the San Sebastian’s career. The Athletic never dropped below the seventh rung of the rankings during this period and always went to Europa adding a great point base against teams that were fighting for salvation.
Athletic’s points baggage against the bottom 10 of the table in recent seasons
Now those notches escape and end up missing in May. Due to the absence of a goal, due to lack of fluidity, football, specific errors or whatever. The thing is that the rojiblancos slip points from their hands in very inopportune circumstances. This campaign they have achieved a total of 55 units, of which 31 have been against the rivals of the second qualifying sheet (56.4% of the global amount). The bloody thing is that the troops of Marcelino he did not make a full six against any of them. Serve as an example the only point harvested before the Granada and what ended up weighing down the defeat in Nasrid lands on matchday 36.
The Athletic it moved in similar percentage figures in the 20-21 campaign, although lower in absolute values. 26 notches was the baggage against the teams of the committed party and the total rose to 46 (56.5%). Nor did he sign a double win against anyone. To find the last ‘full six’ of the people of Bilbao in this section, you have to go to 19-20 in front of the Levante. And in total there were 28 points obtained in the meetings against the teams that finished the Liga from 11th to 20th place.
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The 18-19 season has been the one in which he was closest to Europa was the Athletic. The one on the crossbar Inigo Martinez in the Pizjuan. In fact, it was the most reliable version of the lions against the clubs below. He achieved 37 points out of a total of 53 at the end of the course. 69.8%, the highest percentage since 2013. On the other side of the scale is 17-18. The Bilbao team only took 17 units to their locker compared to the last ten and, as a consequence, closed the Liga being fifth from the tail. Fortunately there were three off the hook who did not reach 30: Sports, Las Palmas and Malaga. In contrast, those of Ziganda They added up a lot against the members of the noble zone.
Con ValverdeOn the other hand, the panorama was very different. The Athletic it exhibited a reliability that was frightening, it even seemed simple in the eyes of many. He put on a cruising speed, did his homework when he played and scratched off the occasional extra prize against the royalty of the Liga. At a minimum, 60% of his total points in each of his four campaigns were earned against the underdogs.
Athletic from 13-14 that qualified for the Champions added a total of 45 points against the ten teams that closed the League
Significant was the 13-14 in which the rojiblancos were fourth and got a ticket for the Champions League. They made full against six squads: Malaga, Rayo Vallecano, Getafe and before the three descended (Osasuna, Valladolid and Betis). A loot of 45 points against the rivals in the second part of the table and 70 final notches (64.3%). In 15-16, the Athletic reached a total of 62, of which 41 occurred against the teams with the least potential (66.1%). A season in which he combined the Liga with the Europa League until he fell in the quarterfinals in the remembered and painful penalty shootout of Sevilla.
The 16-17, the last of Txingurri in Bilbao, were 39 points against the bottom ten for a total of 63 (61.9%). The lions finished seventh and had to wait for the defeat of the Alaves at the end of Copa against him Barcelona to stamp your continental passport. 14-15 was the worst with Valverde analyzing this type of data. Of course, of the following five it is only improved by 17-18. Something that says enough. To the Athletic his contest weighed on him Champions and stayed at 35 points against the ten clubs that closed the Liga. All in all, the total was 55 notches (63.6%) that were worth to classify for the Europa League.