Deportivo Alavés Faces Consecutive Defeats and Goal-Scoring Challenges

For the first time this season, Deportivo Alavés has suffered two consecutive defeats just one week before their visit to Camp Nou, bringing significant concerns for the team. Beyond the unfavorable outcomes against Girona and Celta, the most alarming aspect is their inability to score in both matches, a trend that has emerged in four of their last five games.

Aside from their victory against Espanyol, where Denis Suárez and Lucas Boyé found the net, Eduardo Coudet’s squad has struggled to score against Valencia, Rayo Vallecano, Girona, and Celta. Prior to this string of matches, there were already indications of worry regarding their lack of finishing ability, but the past month has exacerbated Alavés’ issues in finding the back of the net.

The defeat against Celta introduced a factor absent in their previous three matches. While against Valencia, Rayo Vallecano, and Girona, the problem was their inability to convert the numerous goal-scoring opportunities created, on Saturday, the issue stemmed from a lack of creative play. Alavés produced very few dangerous situations, a stark contrast to their earlier performances.

The Vitorians appeared overly predictable with the ball, lacking the necessary speed in their ball circulation and often resorting to horizontal passing. Progressive passes and dribbles to break through defenses were notably absent, leading to the team recording their lowest offensive output of the season in terms of completed shots and expected goals (xG).

Coudet has no choice but to invest additional time with the squad to address these scoring challenges. Alavés is currently the third-lowest scoring team in La Liga, and at this stage last season, they had three more goals despite accumulating two fewer points than they currently hold.