Spanish Debate: Valencia's Goalscoring Woes

Sure, they put two past Betis last night. But Valencia are not scoring goals as a matter of course. Worrying stuff for an underachieving side still intent on making it into Europe...

Of all the teams seriously challenging for a European place, Valencia have scored the fewest Liga goals - 22 - and conceded the most with 29.

Both defensively and offensively, then, things could be much better. But it's up front that's causing the real surprises.

True, last season Valencia had hit 27 by this time, which isn't a massively higher total. However, higher it was, and they'd also kept it tighter at the back.

This time around, the defence isn't what it used to be, but the attack largely is. David Villa and Fernando Morientes remain, Joaquin and Silva still strut their stuff, and to add some new spice, there have been new additions to the side in summer. But these constancies and changes have resulted only in a downturn in form.

Of course, external factors - injuries, managerial changes and so forth - play their part. But for the guys on the pitch, attacking just isn't coming naturally anymore. Why is this?

Some of the blame may fall to David Villa. One of the most sought-after strikers in the world, it's hard to believe that the little Asturian has scored just four Liga goals this season - none of which have come against the big boys.



But, when faced with goal, he still looks dangerous. The problem is that all too often he's been left to do so alone.

Last season, a supporting cast of Morientes, Silva and Joaquin cut in from behind and the flanks (respectively) to support the Spanish international, leaving defences overexposed and unable to deal with the threat. Now, Valencia appear to play a somewhat more spacious, wide game, and one that's playing into the hands of opposing centre-backs, who can now double up on Villa with inpunity.

That's because the consistency in the lineup has been broken. As mentioned above, this is partially down to injury. But it's also down to the summer signings, and new coach Koeman's inability to select a working lineup.

Sporting director Miguel Angel Ruiz was hired this summer to muted fanfare, and set about making a name for himself by signing the prolific Nikola Zigic from Racing and Javier Arizmendi from Deportivo (via parent club Atletico) to strengthen the attack.



Zigic, of course, is an out-and-out centre forward, standing fully one foot higher than Villa and thus built to get on the end of high balls. Arizmendi, another tall one, is seen as more of a buildup player - more on that later.

Then-coach Quique Flores smiled through clenched teeth back in summer that the arrival of Zigic would add a whole new dimension, and different approach, to his side's play. What he might have otherwise said was that Zigic was a misfit from the get-go, and a costly one at that.

Through little fault of his own, the Serb has found it hard to adapt to life at the Mestalla. He thrived on through balls and chips from partner Pedro Munitis last season, as well as bye-line crosses from the wingers. Valencia did not rely on this style prior to Zigic's arrival, but now they must accomodate it, while also bearing in mind Villa's strengths. Thus the wide players are left trying to master two approaches to the game while mastering none.

On the increasingly rarer occasions that Fernando Morientes starts, meanwhile, it is not with his old partner in crime. The duo have linked up on just a handful of occasions in the Liga this season - curiously, on the three occasions that they've started together this season, Villa scored in two of them, grabbing three-quarters of his seasonal haul in total.



Morientes, for his part, has scored six so far, showing that he can still put the ball in the net. Arguably, he offers slightly more versatility than Villa in this regard, but nobody would suggest that this renders Villa in any way his inferior. Instead, the ex-Liverpool man is merely labouring to a slightly lesser extent under a directionless side.

Of the others, Angulo won't play under Koeman again, and Arizmendi's function isn't yet clear. The Spanish footballing fraternity sees something in this player, hence his full international recogntion, 2006 transfer to Deportivo, and six-year deal at the Mestalla. But precious little end product has been shown by the 23-year-old so far, and some fans are losing patience.

The midfield, too, brings its own problems. Joaquin and Silva have each struggled in certain games this season - while there is no denying their class, having to adapt to a team in flux has taken its toll. But greater problems still come from the centre.



Manuel Fernandes was brought in at massive expense in summer, and to little avail. The midfielder failed to recapture the form that had seen him impress at times during his spell with Everton; the arrival of former arch-nemesis Koeman in the hotseat made his eventual exit a formality.



Edu, meanwhile, finally returned from injury only to show that, well, he hadn't really. With no ill will towards him, it is clear that he is some way short of being fit enough to compete at the top level. Ruben Baraja, meanwhile, struggled with his own fitness woes, and despite his class it is clear that these are taking their toll.

Last season, Albelda and Baraja could link up well enough in the middle, or cut out wide to assist the wingers, or - above all - provide through balls. This season, the central influence is deteriorating, and that is costing the Che as much as the jack-of-all-trades nature of the flanks.

To the club's credit, though, solutions could be on the way. Stephen 'Sunny' Sunday is proving to be a revelation after arriving in a low-profile move from Poli Ejido, while Ever Banega has just signed on from Boca Juniors.

To put one alongside Carlos Marchena may balance invention with defence enough to give the team both stability and creativity, but caution is a must. The combined age of Sunny and Banega is just 38 - the pair cannot be rushed. But with so much expectation from the famously-demanding Mestalla support, time is a luxury that they may not have.



In any case, the Valencia goalscoring charts still look grim. None of the forwards are anywhere near challenging for the Pichichi trophy, while top scorer Morientes languishes on the bench or on the treatment table.

Coach Koeman has tried plenty to turn it around. Perhaps looking backwards instead of forwards could be a solution. How long until Morientes and Villa team up once more?

source
Ewan Macdonald, Goal.com