Negativity aside and out of the way, Valencia have a great chance to extend their positive start today. Under Baraja, we're 5-3-1 at Mestalla and today's opponents Osasuna are one of only 2 teams (Celta is the other) who we got all 6 points against last season.
Osasuna started well, winning at Celta 2-0 with our former youth player Ruben Garcia netting. In the follow-up, they came unstuck at home, losing to Bilbao 2-0 with some poor defending gifting the goals. They look a solid team without any standout players, just a good range of La Liga experience with guys like Moi Gomez, Ruben Pena etc. What will benefit us is that Chimy Avila, their top scorer last season, got sent off last game and is suspended for today. I'll post the line-up when available, but I'd expect more or less the same as last game with the only question being whether Javi Guerra will start. Canos is of course available but I'd be very surprised to see him feature for more than a few minutes as a late sub as he hasn't trained much with the team.
Guerra, as predicted is the only change. 23 minutes in and Valencia are 1-0 down. Thierry mistimed the tackle and they scored from the penalty.
FULL-TIME
We lost 2-1. A disappointing result in a game that we deserved at least a draw from. I didn't think we played badly but the issue is the obvious one that everyone that apparently Meriton can see. We needed a striker BEFORE the season started given the clear issues up front in the 2nd half of last season. Good to see Duro score but he struggles as lone forward (I think he could have uses as a supporting forward.)
Did you all see the joke at the end where they gave him man of the match?