Nothing better to keep away from the decline than to look up. The Gironaone of the teams called, by history, budget and potential squad, to fight to avoid relegation, is one of the pleasant surprises in the season of their return to the First Division. What Míchel’s team is achieving is not easy. With the clear premise of being the protagonist thanks to the fact of taking care of the ball, regardless of the opponent in front of them, the dressing room has been planted, with ten days left to finish the League, with a margin of almost three games compared to the red zone Right now he has an eight point lead with thirty to play.
Because instead of panicking when they suffered a bad dynamic, like the one that put them in a bad position in mid-October, when they had only won one game out of ten possible, Girona knew how to react without turning crazy Míchel has not only shown that embodying his idea in a small and humble team like Girona is possible, Míchel has also shown the ability to respond when problems have arisen. Míchel has not only adapted to the philosophy of a very specific environment, worrying about understanding the language and mastering the language to feel like one more, Míchel is an interventionist technician who provides solutions. They also play, the coaches. And Míchel plays well.
Tactical alternatives
This has made their work the fifth best team in the second round. Betting on a recognizable system, with nuances and tactical alternatives such as the advancement of Arnau Martínez in the middle of the field in offensive tasks, or a change of goal when necessary. Míchel detected deficiencies at the beginning of the school year. The arrival of Oriol Romeu closed a few of them at once; like the presence of David López in the defensive axis. The first has allowed the most creative midfielders, such as Aleix Garcia, Iván Martín, Borja or Riquelme, they can afford to take risks and, therefore, make mistakes. The second has given stability to the more fragile line: only two goals have been left to zero throughout the course.
In the team’s third season in Primera, you can clearly see an evolution, the product of tactical wealth. Míchel has abandoned the idea of playing with two tips, as he had tried, but from time to time he pulls out a double band. He can both play inside, combining with ease and generating superiority in various areas of the field due to the mobility of his pieces, as well as opening up space in the last piece of attack, especially since the arrival of Tsygankov. And he quickly recovers the ball, another of the maxims, thanks to efficient pressure from all his players, starting with Taty Castellanos, who is therefore the starter and Stuani is not. It’s not all goals in the fourth highest scoring team in the championship and Míchel highly values working without the ball.
The team conveys the image of a more finished project than it really is, because of how long it has been together. Another success, this one, because it has the possibility for rivals to play influenced by the alternatives it presents. Almeria, a team in their League, lost six. He also won a san mames i l’Espanyol he has not been able to defeat him in either of the two direct duels. Only Girona has scored in the Bernabeu i a l’Spotify Camp Nou. It’s not a small thing.
14 points out of 27 possible
The nine matches we have taken from the second period of the League have a record of four wins, two draws and three defeats. This means having scored 14 of the possible 27 points. Only Atlético de Madrid, with 23 points; Barça, with 22, and Celta and the Real Village, with 16 each, improve it. Girona equals the score with Real Madrid, Athletic and Betis.
The four triumphs have come against him Valencia (1-0), l’Almeria (6-2), l’Athletic (2-3) and Espanyol (2-1); the two draws, with Rayo Vallecano (2-2) and Barça (0-0); and the three defeats, against Cadiz (2-0), Getafe (3-2) and Atlético de Madrid (0-1).
10 games to go
In ten days the First Division will come to an end. The rivals that Girona will have to face are: theElxValladolid, Real Madrid, Sevilla, Mallorca, the Royal Societythe Vila-real, the Celtahe Betis and Osasuna. Permanence is not done, of course, but every day it is closer.