Team Focus: No-Nonsense Osasuna Need to Make Changes

Could this finally be the season we say goodbye to Osasuna? It’s ludicrous to write off a team with just four games played, but early signs in Pamplona are pointing towards this being the season their 13-year spell in La Liga comes to an end. 

Osasuna are a team renowned in Spain for the style with which they play, one that is quite frankly the polar opposite of what we’ve come to know from the Spanish. Imagine then, that this, their one asset, has suddenly been spun on its head and turned into a burden. A defeat at Getafe last weekend saw Osasuna lose their fourth straight game, the first time in their entire history in any division they’ve achieved such an unwanted feat. Four games, four defeats with nine goals conceded and just the two scored.

That style of theirs; in your face, aggressive, dominant aerially and competent in wide areas suddenly doesn’t look sufficient anymore. 2013 has brought just 9 wins in 25 league games, something that new coach Javi Gracia will need to improve rapidly before Osasuna are cut adrift. His replacing of Mendilibar has come early enough to make amends as opposed to being too late a change, so that may well be a positive. What he does with that familiar style though, whether he powers on or rips it up, will be interesting to see. 

A cornerstone of Osasuna’s style over the years has been their defence, brought together by principles of organisation and sheer determination. Last season they conceded just 50 goals - even better when you keep in mind only four clubs fared better (Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid and Real Sociedad – the clubs that made up the top four). In terms of goals conceded, at least, Osasuna last season essentially had a Champions League defence. 

They conceded just 11.9 shots per game last season (6th best in La Liga), made 22.9 tackles per game (4th) and intercepted a pass on 18.4 occasions per game (2nd). Unsurprisingly they topped the aerial duels won chart, with an astonishing 25.6 successes per game – Mallorca were next with just 19.8. Those statistics tell a story in itself, as Osasuna play to strengths that no one else has. All impressive too, and if they are to get out of trouble this season, they will need to be replicated. 

Andrés Fernández has been a fantastic presence in goal, but this season even he seems to be feeling the pressure, having only made 7 saves so far - the fewest of all keepers to start all 4 matches, while only Almeria’s Esteban has conceded more goals. In Alejandro Arribas and Miguel Flano they have two imposing centre-backs who racked up 9.2 and 8.9 clearances, respectively, last season, thereby incorporating the no-nonsense, clear-your-lines approach. However, Flano has been out for 5 weeks and his return could be a potential game changer for Osasuna in terms of getting back to what they know best.

One of the key features Osasuna lacked last season was a creative force, someone natural on the ball who harnesses the ability to beat a man. Mendillibar asked for such a player but was told the club couldn’t afford one, and had to make do. When he did eventually get one, Miguel de las Cuevas, it didn’t really work out. He managed 1.6 key passes per game mustered only a solitary assist. This time around, old stager Puñal is leading the way with 2 key passes per game but is a more defensively minded player overall. The other player with 2 key passes per game is an interesting character in Roberto Torres. 

He remains, along with Álvaro Cejudo, the most technically gifted and dynamic player in Osasuna’s squad. His first starting appearance of the season coincided with a goal, and it’s no surprise Osasuna fans have been calling for him to start. Torres had completed 1.3 dribbles per game this season, even though 2 of his appearances have come from the bench, and he offers that slight bit of variation and unpredictability to a usually direct, aerially focused attack.

Being Osasuna you’re always going to lose a key player, such are the limitations at the club. Kike Sola was the latest and though his 11 goals don’t sound much, they were positively clinical given Osasuna’s record in front of goal over the years - the last player that scored over 11 goals for them was Ivan Rosado all the way back in 1999/2000. 

33 was the number in the goals for column last season, unsurprisingly the worst in La Liga. Oriol Riera is the man tasked with replacing Sola; he’s managed 3.5 shots per game but has yet to find the net and has thus taken the most shots without scoring. Only 7 teams have had more shots on target this season than Osasuna, and their return of 2 goals has been poor. With that in mind they have the worst conversion rate in the league (3.8%) and have scored with just 10.5% of their shots on target, again the worst in the league. Worryingly, you look past Riera and there isn’t much else there in terms of strike power so, like two seasons ago, goals will need to come from midfield. The likes of Torres, Armenteros and Cejudo need to weigh in with their fair share, especially the latter pair who managed just 3 goals apiece last season.

Osasuna’s style is unique in Spain and for better or worse; it should be kept intact, to a degree at least. What the club has overlooked in recent years is progression, a different dimension, and now is the time to incorporate new facets into their play. It is something that they must address, or they risk losing their La Liga status.

Do you think Osasuna can beat the drop this season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below