The messages that come from within have an inescapable meaning. Racing is facing an extreme situation. And the four games he has ahead of him will be decisive for Gustavo Costas. It is true that he is an emblem of the club, a man who lived the glory of the ’88 Super Cup and the hell of relegation. Also, that he faced bankruptcy. But the coach himself is clear about it and it is what he asked for when he took over: he wants them to demand his work and have no regard for his feeling of belonging.
In that sense, the duels against Defensa y Justicia, on Saturday in Avellaneda, will be vital; Central Córdoba in Santiago del Estero; Lanús in Cilindro and Belgrano in Córdoba. The classification of the Academia to the quarterfinals of the League Cup, regardless of the duel they will have to play on March 21 against San Martín de Burzaco on the Gimnasia field, for the Argentine Cup.
And Costas is clear that a large part of his future will be defined in the next three weeks. For this reason, he is already analyzing the mistakes and weighing the virtues ahead of the clash with Florencio Varela’s team in which he will have to end an incredible streak: until Sunday, when he lost to Boca as a visitor, he had lost three games in his house: Unión, Godoy Cruz and Sarmiento, no less.
Costas asks the virgin: the next games can define his future in Racing. Photo: Marcelo Carroll
“They didn’t reach us for almost 25 or 30 minutes. It was all ours, but hey, it’s football. You have to score the goals. When we went 2-1, we needed to define the game. We gave life to Boca. When the rival is half dead, you have to kill him. If not, you can give it life. And we gave it life. And he cost us dearly. “It’s a tough loss,” the coach said at the press conference.
And we will have to review the statistics: of a total of 14 attempts at Javier García’s goal, he was only successful three times and two ended in a goal. The problem not only has to do with the four that Gabriel Arias received; also, with a situation that leads to drag.
Racing is the second team with the most possession (59.7% behind River), but it is also ineffective. With Sarmiento he generated 27 situations, only 9 between the three sticks and he could not convert. Overall, taking into account the ten dates, he finished 142 times and only 50 (35%) were – according to the Spaniards – shots on goal. The percentage is lower according to the goals scored. He screamed 14 times, barely 20%.
Of course, not everything has to do with an Excel spreadsheet, but that amount of wasted possibilities marks a great lack of aim in the final meters of the field. There is a good circuit of passes with Juan Fernando Quintero as a banner and its front ones up, Maxi Salas and Maravilla Martínez, they are spicy. But defensively, advantages are generated. “We were very passive in the goals, in the marking,” analyzed Costas.
Is it time to archive the three-man line? Will Facundo Mura return to the side? Will Leonardo Sigali, the captain who was torn on the first date, return and will Santiago Sosa join the midfield? Answers that the technician must give urgently.
2024-03-12 06:17:31
#happen #Costas #qualify #League #Cup
