Low Effort, Low Reward: Why It Happens

Although the gunsmiths even bordered on the epic in a last raid in which Javi Martínez headed wide a measured ball thrown by Toni Villa, the truth is that the gunsmiths can feel a sense of joy for having managed to avoid what would have been their first defeat of the season at home.

After the painful defeat suffered in Ceuta last weekend, Beñat San José’s team returned to their lair hoping to celebrate a victory that has eluded them since the one they scored in the derby against Real Sociedad on September 21. However, the limited income obtained did not compensate as expected for the supreme effort demanded by a rival full of offensive resources that Jonmi had to counteract with another performance to frame the Zornotzarra.

And, since the ball started rolling, the Valencian squad made its way towards the Barça goal, attacking the flanks occupied by Cubero and Álvaro Rodríguez.

Both the man from Bilbao, who late in the second half had to be taken off on a stretcher after suffering a severe blow to the head in a train crash with Alcázar, and the man from Madrid, chosen to fill the vacancy of the suspended Buta ahead of the youth squad Hodei Arrillaga, needed the help of their teammates to act as a shield against the constant arrows that crossed their field.

And the game began with a splendid chance from Bautista who, after seeing how Mellot took his shot almost out of the woodwork on the turn, was also unable to reach two of the numerous passes that Magunazelaia managed to sneak in from the two wings in which he alternated.

But if something was missed in the Gunsmith stadium, it was the trademark suffocating pressure. And without being able to stop the ball from being released from above by the team led by the remembered former Valencia player Pablo Hernández, Eibar exposed itself to receiving countless blows that were on the verge of knocking them out on several occasions.

Angry at such audacity, the Barça squad revolted and shortly before half-time launched a direct shot through Magunazelai that could have changed the fate of the match, but Alcázar was quick and attentive to put the tip of his boot in and prevent Xeber from pushing the Eibar’s center.

Visitor goal disallowed

But Castellón was always one step ahead of the gunsmiths, and even scored a goal shortly after the restart that was disallowed due to an offside by Alberto Jiménez before finishing off a dangerous foul.

After the scare caused by the clash of heads between Cubero and Alcázar, the street runner decreased in intensity, but only for a while, since after the two technicians burned all their cartridges, both teams rushed in search of the winner’s belt. But Cala did not achieve the Olympic goal he attempted, nor could Javi Martínez take advantage of Toni Villa’s great final service.