Valverde ’s Athletic Club started in the worst possible way: a defeat at home leaving one of their worst images in years. Against the diamond-shaped Madrid, they were outplayed, defenceless and, most worryingly, inert in attack with a desperate Nico Williams and an overmatched Iñaki up front.
After a great start last season, the team fell apart for Valverde and once again, they missed out on a Europe they haven’t been in for five seasons.
Doubts began to appear in the Basque environment, but Valverde found a twist that did nothing more than a simplify everything: how to solve the problem of Iñaki not being able to perform up front and take advantage of his speed? By putting him on the right flank, so that he can enter the box from the second line and haven’t to fight against the two centre-backs. How to make the most of Nico? Put him on the opposite flank, where he shows his best version and has an outlet on both sides.
This meant that Guruzeta would take on a more important role and become a starter. And the player of Guipúzcoa didn’t disappoint. He is a more fixed striker in the penalty area and without great quality in playmaking, but he is the joker that allows you to put everyone in their place.
Guruzeta is that partner in a group work who lets you choose the theme so that you can shine, and he simply does his job. He doesn’t stand out, but he delivers.
As there is a striker, Sancet can demostrate his level and show his differential talent. Arriving from the second line, something in which he shone last season scoring 10 goals. Ruiz de Galarreta has been key in giving a leap in quality to the playmaking in midfield and freeing up Oihan to be the prime example of an all-rounder.
At the back, Vivian and Paredes are stablishing themselves as a solid centre-back pairing, despite the departure of Íñigo Martínez to Barcelona. In addition, the recovery of Yuri brings a leap in quality on the left flank compared to Lekue’s start to the season.
Athletic Club have now taken 13 points from their last 15 and are in the Champions League places. The leap in quality for ‘the lions’ will depnd, due to their classic philosophy, on bringing in a centre forward from the youth academy like those of the past (Aduiz, Urzaiz, Llorente or Salinas), who will surpass the double digits and excite the fans. In the maintime, Guruzeta will be that wild card who acts as a facilitator and whose role is to allow the others to shine.
Translated by Marcos Rodríguez.
Main image: @AthleticClub.
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