Celta can’t find solutions | Athletic

The Celta coach despairs during the match against Mallorca. / EFE

Carvalhal, who replaced Coudet on the bench, is still looking for the formula to get the team out of the low zone

Carlos Carvalhal took over the reins of Celta after the dismissal of Eduardo Coudet before the World Cup. After losing at home against Osasuna and drawing against Rayo, the break gave the Portuguese valuable time to implement his ideas. However, the results have not yet arrived and the sky-blue team suffers from the same problems that led to the dismissal of the Argentine coach. If we go back in time, we can appreciate that these failures have haunted Celta since the departure of Eduardo Berizzo in 2017. The diagnosis is clear. In defense, the people from Vigo are a very unreliable team and for the goal they depend too much on Iago Aspas. The Galician retains his quality and nose, but at 35 he has lost the explosiveness that allowed him to decide games without the help of his teammates. The sensations, yes, are better with Carvalhal than with his predecessor. They were superior to Villarreal and Mallorca in various phases of their matches, but the lack of forcefulness deprived them of victory.

System and game model

Carvalhal has banished the rhombus that characterized Coudet, a system that allowed Celta to shine in attack while leaving them very exposed in defensive transitions. The coach from Braga has opted for a system of three central defenders, two long wingers, a midfielder, two insiders and a double striker. This scheme allows Celta to vary to a 4-4-2 in the defensive phase, with the outside central defender acting as a right back and one of the insiders moving to one side. With the ball, the people from Vigo want to propose and it is appreciated that the offensive automatisms implemented by Coudet are still in force. The wingers are deep, the interiors move well and the presence of a corpulent striker like Larsen or Paciencia next to Aspas allow the light-blues to play directly when the situation requires it. Without the ball, Celta wants to press high and it favors them that the rival team tries to play from behind, as was seen against Villarreal, when Carvalhal’s men managed several recoveries in the opposite field. Before a direct game they suffer more and mistakes and defensive oversights are repeated regularly, as in the match against Mallorca, where a mistake by Hugo Mallo in marking caused the Balearic team to score.

line of three

The Argentine Marchesín (1) is the owner of the light blue goal and his performances have saved matches for the team from Vigo. The line of three central defenders, formed by Mingueza (3), Aidoo (15) and Núñez (4), has been immovable for Carvalhal. The lanes are also fixed, Mallo (2) on the right and Galán (17) on the left, two offensive players.

Veiga’s Appearance

Beltrán (8) is the starting pivot while Tapia (14) has lost its importance. Inside, the great appearance of the season has been that of the youth player Gabri Veiga (24). His companion is usually Cervi, a player who gives the team the versatility he needs inside. Óscar Rodríguez (5) has also lost prominence and the new winter signing, Luca de la Torre (23), was part of the last match and left a good feeling.

The pair of blades

Iago Aspas (10) continues to be the great reference in attack and the question arises as to who should be his companion. The position is disputed between two strikers with a similar profile, corpulent and physically powerful: the Norwegian Larsen (18) and the Portuguese Paciencia (9). Former Barcelona squad player Carles Pérez has also arrived this summer and, although he started the first two meetings with Carvalhal, he has not been in the game again.