Analysis from San Mames: Athletic Club are missing more than just Nico Williams ahead of Arsenal clash

From San Mames.

While no Basque derby comes without battle, and no point comes without performance, coming off three wins in their opening three games, Athletic Club were heavy favourites against Alaves. Los Babazorros “shackled their opponent with order and harmony,” Jose L. Artetxe wrote in Deia, “managing to bring to the surface the desperation of an Athletic short on inspiration from start to finish.” Chacho Coudet’s Alaves partied out of town with their fans – some of which ended up taking the early bus rather than the late one – with a 1-0 victory at San Mames.

Thier first in Bilbao for 20 years, after nine attempts, and one that ended up being deserved, not due to any craft they exhibited in the final third, but the convincing nature of that shackling. By the end of the game, the fans had little occasion to roar Los Leones on, exasperated by the fact their forwards were limp in their restraints by the end.

The one sole chink in the Vitorian armour found Inaki Williams flying through the air for a diving header, which could scarcely have been better defended by the Ghanaian international. Characteristic of a team that did lack spark as Ernesto Valverde put it, but also found themselves over-reliant on Nico Williams’ endowment in that department, in this case, absent through injury.

Image via Athletic Club

“We’re a team that tends to be very inaccurate, but we play at a high pace. It’s clear we need to lower our turnover rate. We haven’t been sharp in the final third to be able to finish. That’s why we haven’t been able to create more scoring chances.”

However the seeds of this mauve omen were sewn last season, when Athletic gradually began to find that rhythm tricky to maintain. The junior Williams has started off this year in scintillating form, with a goal and two assists accounting directly for 50% of Athletic’s goals. Every side relies on their stars, but few are capable of carrying the burden without help.

Unless both Oihan Sancet and Nico Williams are on the pitch, stretching the defensive blanket as the theory goes, becomes a hot and sticky task of toil. Opposition managers are familiar with pulling that blanket towards Nico, but with Sancet on the pitch, that blanket is at least taught. Just as Sancet provides a reference point for Williams to play with, and a threat the defence must keep in their peripheral vision, without the Spain winger, those spaces he so expertly finishes from are less often available.

Although Alex Berenguer remains a lively and thorny winger to defend, the other attacking options are being sidelined all too easily. Two seasons ago, as Athletic romped to the Copa del Rey, Gorka Guruzeta registered 21 goal contributions, and trademarked ‘Benzema’ as his somewhat tongue in cheek nickname, but one that made sense. Maroan Sannadi was brought in as a more orthodox target man last January, but between Guruzeta’s brains, and Sannadi’s brawn, that number was down to 18 last season, and just six after January.

Valverde’s offence has been applying strain on the backline for too long already. The pursuit of a high tempo game relies on his side covering and utilising open space better. While that has worked defensively for the most part, going forward, those inaccuracies are a chronic problem.

Over the final three months of last season, Athletic played 19 games and kept 10 clean sheets,  winning eight. While a drop is of course natural to an extent, in the games they did concede, their win rate fell from 60% to 22% – opponents know a clean sheet gives them a four in five chance of points – Alaves proving the rule again.

Image via EFE / Marca

Over the same period, the elder Williams managed just one goal and one assist. For while Jesus Areso, Athletic’s new right-back signing, has marauded with the sort of endeavour Valverde’s game plan seeks, his domination of the right flank has forced Inaki Williams inside. The 31-year-old played his best football as a more traditional winger over the last three years, but appears again denatured by the move inside. Crowded out, out of sorts, at times one of Athletic’s most experienced and smartest footballers even looks a little lost. Growing more and more wan, Inaki Williams lack of impact is most notable.

Ahead of Athletic’s Champions League debut against Arsenal, Valverde spoke of the importance of players that can win their individual battles, that permit the attacking side to short-circuit a press. The Gunners will present a different shape of puzzle, and Nico Williams will provide answers when he returns – Valverde will expect a few more from a sharp Sancet too. Famed for his touchline crouch, a mix of disgruntlement and pensiveness, the evidence is that El Txingurri is more names short of filling in his attacking crossword than just those two.

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