DOUBLE DOMESTIC DEFEATS FOR ELCHE

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Elche 0 Villarreal 1 (Tuesday 17 Dec, Copa del Rey))

Elche 0 Malaga 1 (Friday 20 Dec, La Liga)

In the space of four days Elche sadly lost two home games, the first booted out of the Copy del Rey, Spain’s equivalent of the FA Cup, the second more worryingly in La Liga where Elche’s reasonable start to the their first season back in the big league is beginning to trail off, the Franjiverdes third defeat in a row.

In the largely unimportant Copa del Rey Elche took the opportunity to give some of their reserves a run out: goalkeeper Tono in place of ever-present last year Manu Herrrera, Romanian full back Christian Sapuranu for Damian Suarez and Cisma for Albacar at left back. Last year’s club captain David Generelo had his first outing alongside another ex-regular Rivera, chance with Aaron and new boy Christian up front.

In truth, the less said about the actual game is best: Elche were awful for most of the game, with very few chances created. Villarreal scored easily in the 65th minute and Elche never looked capable of replying, despite bringing on Coro, Carles Gil and Boakye up front, but it made little difference by the end.

Four days later, and last year’s Champions League semi-finalists Malaga came to the mighty Martinez Valero, the match important as both teams were locked in mid table of 17 points. Elche fielded arguably their best team, and warm applause was given to returning goalkeeper Willy Caballero of Malaga who has become the Andalucian club’s stalwart now for four years after seven excellent years with Elche. 19,750 enthusiastic local loyal fans attended on a damp evening, hopefully to see Elche get back to much-needed winning ways.

Malaga were ahead after only six minutes, a long free kick finding Camacho who glanced his header just inside the post giving Tono no chance. Elche now have a strange new ploy, where after 10 minutes a video replay of their recent goals are flashed up on the giant screens, usually having the desired effect of stirring the crowd uo to applaud warmly.

The problem is when they are not playing well, like at the moment this can be extremely irritating and distracting, as are the endless plays across the back four resulting in full backs Suarez and Albacar suddenly seemingly responsible for attacking initiatives down the flanks that the midfield of Ruben Perez, Carlos Sanchez and Carles Gil appear incapable of providing.

Bookings abounded from both sides, with the home team looking inept in the first half, but at least showing more purpose early in the second, and not before time. However, on the hour the Franjiverdes best player, right back Damian Suarez was sent off for a second foul, and with him seemingly all chance of getting back into the game went too. A defensive substitution to cover for the departed Argentinian made matters worse, and in the end the dejected crowd departed home with muttered worries for the future. Yes, Elche are still fourteenth, but alarmingly only two points above Osasuna third from bottom.

The traditional Christmas and New Year break will give Elche time to think and regroup, but as their first game in 2014 is away to Barcelona where little could be expected, it is winnable games lost like Malaga and last time out away to Levante which are most of concern if Elche are to stay up in this very competitive league. Can the Franjiverdes do it? Yes, they’ve shown they can earlier this season, so let’s hope it’s a Happy New Year in the City of Palms!

Mucho Elche!

Image: www.elchecf.es

Filed under: http://www.theleader.info/article/41995/

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