In September and October, that Oviedo was competent in defense, strong in the duel and had Bastón, privateer of the area, as an element to make a difference. The feeling was that as soon as the team evolved, improved in handling the ball or managed to get the Pombos or Montiel into dynamics, Oviedo would become a candidate for promotion. Montilivi, as a summary of the last few weeks, is the best example that improvement is still pending, that the team retains its virtues but has been unable to iron out its flaws. With 12 days to go, the feeling remains that Oviedo has the same problems as back in September.
Being in the play-offs, of course, requires something more. A step that Oviedo has been unable to complete to date. The team continues to show good things. Bastón is the greatest dominator of the area that has been seen in several years. The centrals, finally, form a couple of guarantees. The base of the house gives that necessary plus, with Borja, in the afternoons inspired by him, and in those that are not flashy, it makes a difference. Brugman has been erected as a bulwark in the center.
But the defects have not been alleviated during the course: the team suffers in the construction, there are few attackers who contribute goals and the second unit, the Pombo, Montiel and company, have remained in the background all year, blame here shared between the footballers, they can always do more than their part, and the coach, who has not been able to grant them their space to be able to add.
And that Oviedo has had unique opportunities to take that step. It happened against Huesca at the Tartiere, also against Real B, clashes with very different scripts but with a similar feeling: if Oviedo wants to be in the play-offs, they cannot miss out on occasions of such magnitude. Against the Huesca, after a 3-0 in favor in the most perfect half hour of the course, the team broke down in a faint that is difficult to explain. Against Sanse, the day a victory would have put them in sixth place, with all that that means from an emotional point of view, Ziganda’s men showed their weakness against rivals who gave them the leading role.
Girona was different. Because, and Ziganda is right about that, the general calculation of the clash shows an equal balance, a match with moments in which the Blues had options to come out with something to celebrate. But everything is conditioned by a staging to forget.
Asked at the end of the clash about the reasons for the bad start, Cuco acknowledged that it was a problem of “planning” and also of “execution”. In his head, Oviedo would bother the Catalans’ ball exit with a midfield mine. In reality, Girona roamed freely turning the cracks in the blue defensive system into highways bound for Femenías. Ziganda’s approach, which he rectified after 30 minutes by introducing Luismi as the third centre-back, was shipwrecked by the millimeter passing game of Míchel’s men, who were able to come out of that initial impulse with a greater advantage on the scoreboard.
Afterwards the team improved, yes, and they competed, that’s also true, but the play-off finals require more than that. A mature Oviedo was expected in Montilivi and only a perfect summary of his career in the championship was seen: a team with several powerful weapons, with good intentions, which however is not capable of polishing its flaws.
What should have been a virtue, the tactical variants, now seems to plunge the team into confusion, as seen in Montilivi’s departure
To the combination of factors, strengths less weaknesses, Ziganda’s attempt to give the team more tactical records is added in recent times, a chameleon-like Oviedo that changes from three central defenders to 4-4-2 and is suddenly armed with 3 pure midfielders. What should have been a virtue now seems to plunge the team into bewilderment, as seen in Montilivi’s departure, a tactical inferiority so evident that the 1-0 in the first 20 minutes was a lesser evil for the Blues.
The team seems touched, although the competition, even more so the unpredictable Second Division, always offers second chances. And the league situation is not definitive at all. But, in light of recent experiences, it is hard to believe in a blue reaction. To sneak into the top six, the goal that everyone in the club yearns for, Oviedo will have to make a scoring effort not seen until now.
In September and October, that Oviedo was competent in defense, strong in the duel and had Bastón, privateer of the area, as an element to make a difference. The feeling was that as soon as the team evolved, improved in handling the ball or managed to get the Pombo or Montiel into dynamics, it would become a candidate for promotion. Montilivi, as a summary of recent weeks, is the best example that improvement is still pending, that the team retains its virtues, but has been unable to iron out its flaws. Twelve days from the end there is the feeling that Oviedo has the same problems as back in September.
Being in the play-offs, of course, requires something more. A step that Oviedo has been unable to complete to date. The team continues to show good things. Bastón is the greatest dominator of the area that has been seen in several years. The centrals, finally, form a couple of guarantees. The base of the house gives that necessary plus, with Borja, in his inspired afternoons, and in those that are not sparkling, making a difference. Brugman has been erected as a bulwark in the center.
But the defects have not been alleviated during the course: the team suffers in the construction, there are few attackers, apart from Bastón, who contribute goals and the second unit, the Pombos, Montiel and company, have remained in the shade all year , blame here shared between the players, they can always do more than their share, and the coach, who has not been able to grant them their space to be able to add.
And that Oviedo has had unique opportunities to take that step. It happened against Huesca at the Tartiere, also against Real B, clashes with very different scripts, but with a similar feeling: if Oviedo wants to be in the play-offs, they cannot miss out on occasions of such magnitude. Against the Huesca, after a 3-0 in favor in the most perfect half hour of the course, the team broke down in a faint that is difficult to explain. Against Sanse, the day a victory would have put them in sixth place, with all that that means from an emotional point of view, Ziganda’s men showed their weakness against rivals who gave them the leading role.
Girona was different. Because, and Ziganda is right about that, the general calculation of the clash shows an equal balance, a match with moments in which the Blues had options to come out with something to celebrate. But everything is conditioned by a staging to forget.
Asked at the end of the clash about the reasons for the bad start, Cuco acknowledged that it was a problem of “planning” and also of “execution”
Asked at the end of the clash about the reasons for the bad start, Cuco acknowledged that it was a problem of “planning” and also of “execution”. In his head, Oviedo would bother the Catalans’ ball exit with a midfield mine. In reality, Girona roamed freely turning the cracks in the blue defensive system into highways bound for Femenías. Ziganda’s approach, which he rectified after 30 minutes by introducing Luismi as the third centre-back, was shipwrecked by the millimeter passing game of Míchel’s men, who were able to come out of that initial impulse with a greater advantage on the scoreboard.
Afterwards the team improved, yes, and they competed, that’s also true, but the play-off finals require more than that. A mature Oviedo was expected in Montilivi and only a perfect summary of his career in the championship was seen: a team with several powerful weapons, with good intentions, which, however, is not enough for such an ambitious undertaking.
To the combination of factors, strengths less weaknesses, Ziganda’s attempt to give the team more tactical records is added in recent times, a chameleon-like Oviedo that changes from three central defenders to 4-4-2 and is suddenly armed with three pure midfielders. What should have been a virtue now seems to plunge the team into bewilderment, as seen in Montilivi’s departure, a tactical inferiority so evident that the 1-0 in the first 20 minutes was a lesser evil for the Blues.
The team seems touched, although the competition, even more so the unpredictable Second Division, always offers second chances. And the league situation is not definitive at all. But, in light of recent experiences, it is hard to believe in a blue reaction. To sneak into the top six, the goal that everyone in the club yearns for, Oviedo will have to make a scoring effort not seen until now.
