This was a scrappy game between two teams whose defences were well on top in the first half and who produced passages of incoherent play which was perpetually interrupted by a referee who didn’t let the game flow and blew up for just about every coming together. Neither side created a lot but Osasuna probably shaded it, but a draw would have been a fairer outcome.
Our midfield were ineffective and we surrendered control and possession far too easily and were toothless in the final third. The loss of the injured Galarreta was excessively noted. He’s the one who turns the lights on in the engine room. His replacement, Clement Grenier, just can’t hack football at this level any more and he simply is not at the level required to play in Spain’s La Primera.
Alongside him, Dani Rodriguez put in another insipid performance and is now no longer the player he was a couple of years ago. Without Galarreta, Kang In Lee tried to pull the strings in midfield but he also had a poor game. His yellow card for back-chat to the referee sees him miss Friday’s game against Celta Vigo.
After a poor first half when Costa came close for Mallorca, the second period couldn’t have started any worse. The half was only two minutes old when academy player Aimar Oroz waltzed through a static Mallorca defence to break the deadlock, 1-0. Mallorca did have a response but Baba’s effort shaved the post.
The introduction of Amath gave our attack a smidgeon of improvement and his cross to Muriqi should have been finished off better but our Kosovan talisman again looked a lonely figure in attack.
Again not a lot changes in the La Liga classification. Mallorca remain in mid-table but really have to play a lot better if they want to stay there.
On Tuesday night we play a rampant Real Sociedad in San Sebastian in the last 16 of the Copa del Rey. They’re cock-a-hoop after winning the big Basque derby against Atletic Club Bilbao 3-1 and I’m not expecting a favourable result. Then on Friday night at 9pm Celta Vigo are the visitors in the Son Moix.
On Saturday night against Osasuna, Mallorca were caught offside nine times to Osasuna’s none. We also lost the foul count 19-15. Lots of room for improvement.