An SD Huesca in progress
SD Huesca is already looking at the start of the league at the Ciudad de Valencia against Levante, an event for which there are six days left. The azulgrana team, which is resting this weekend, completes its last friendly match prior to the official competition on Friday, adding against Andorra with a 3-1 its second victory in the six summer tests that it has played and whose balance is summarized in other two draws and as many losses. Gone is a month of preseason in which the players have been turning pages and studying the style book advocated by their coach, Cuco Ziganda, in a satisfactory manner in general terms and in which the need to have reinforcements so that the block finishes taking a necessary leap in quality. In this regard, Of the seven signings already closed, Hashimoto could only be seen briefly in the second half with the Andorrans and Villar and Sielva will train with the group for the first time on Monday.
Before the triumph with Andorra, a recently promoted Second Division team, the azulgranas had signed, in chronological order, a 1-1 win with Osasuna Promesas (1st RFEF), a 4-3 stumble against Osasuna (First Division), a 0 -1 in the visit to Calahorra (1st RFEF), a 1-3 against Eibar (Second Division) and a 2-2 against Nàstic de Tarragona (1st RFEF). In the series of encounters, Cuco Ziganda has always opted for the 4-4-2, his main drawing, and for a compact block that seeks to press high, steal early, make quick transitions and exploit speed on the wings.
Several of the eleven goals scored have in fact come with balls served from the ends – a facet in which Mateu points out that he will be important again – and in set pieces. In this regard, Escriche has been able to interpret well the type of game advocated by the Navarrese coach. Beyond his three goals, which make him the top scorer of the summer tied with Joaquín, the one from Burriana has become the beacon in the Huesca attack. Soccer players have also shone, initially from the subsidiary, such as Tomeo, Anglada and David García.
On the negative side, there are defensive gaps that cannot be resolved by the expected pair of central defenders and injuries. Salvador suffered a bruise to his right clavicle against Eibar, Lombardo has remained unprecedented due to the problems he has in his left anterior rectum and Kevin Carlos continues to be haunted by the ankle ailment that prevented him from finishing last season. The three of them find it difficult to be available against Levante, a rival against whom Ziganda predictably presents a line-up similar to that of Andorra and which he has been shaping in recent weeks using up to thirty players. Among them, Álvaro Fernández who had 45 minutes with Osasuna and whose departure, like Sandro’s, is still on the table. Twelve homegrown players have also dressed in shorts.
Thus, Andrés would be placed under the sticks, the right back would be for Ratiu and the left for Florian Miguel, while Soko and Mateu would take care of the wingers. Doubts arise with the companions of Pulido, Timor and Escriche. For the rear axis, if a new face does not arrive on time, Anglada has many options and for the engine room Hashimoto and Sielva are the alternatives. Above, Villar’s condition will have to be checked after Kante’s is not optimal.