Granada can’t afford slow start after international break

In June, Granada’s official website posted a long list of inspirational phrases that showed why the club’s fanbase should buy into their new boss Paco Jemez and his cult of personality.  

“I am an optimistic person and I believe in work, I get excited for everything that I do, because I put all of my heart into it,” they quoted. “Problems are circumstances to be resolved, they all have a solution.” 

Four months later, Granada waved goodbye to Jemez, as their project believed that his type of work did not, in fact, work. Though he may have put all of his soul into trying to make his new club a success, the heart which he wore on his sleeve was a hindrance, with the fiery tactician seen as yet another in a catalogue of problems, rather than the man with the solution. 

When Europe’s top domestic squads were once again put at ease due to the international break, it was a welcome period of respite at Los Carmenes. In October, Granada find themselves bottom of the table, winless, and utterly hopeless. The fact that attacker Mehdi Carcela finds himself as Granada’s joint-second most combative tackler (2.4 tackles per game) highlights the lack of defensive tenacity and stability that had been present under Jemez.  

While his approach to the game ensured that his players could play on the front foot, with Uche and Ruben Vezo managing an average of 3.8 and 4.5 interceptions per match respectively from centre-back, the space left in behind a high line would repeatedly punish them. 

One mistake would likely result in a goal, with a catastrophic 3-1 away defeat to Alaves last month showing that Jemez’s style was unforgiving, leaving his players with absolutely nowhere to hide should they make a mistake inside their own half, with or without the ball. Gaston Silva, Uche and Ruben Vezo all saw errors turn into goals for the newly promoted Basque club, with the latter centre-back also managing to pick up a red card already this term too. 

While Granada’s system may have given the likes of Mehdi Carcela and Andreas Pereira the license to have freedom when getting forward, it was emphatically punishing on their back four. Jemez’s insistence on the same formation, style and philosophy was unwavering, but Granada’s patience was not. 

The narrative on the club’s official website is different now. Lucas Alcaraz was drafted in to replace Paco, and has been branded a miracle man capable of dragging Granada out of their current relegation mire. His promotion with Recreativo Huelva in 2000 has been hailed as a huge success, as well as saving Racing Santander from relegation in 2004, with his final ‘miracle’ saving Levante from the drop as recently as 2014. 

“I prefer to potentially put a relegation on my CV, rather than ignore the call from my club. If we are together, we will achieve it (safety),” Alcaraz has explained. While Granada do need to pull together, any success that they intend on having will be heavily reliant on the aforementioned talents of Pereira and Carcela, as their front four must compensate for a weak defensive outfield six. 

The former, on loan from Manchester United, has been occasionally the only bright spark in a desolate landscape. Able to make an average of 2.2 dribbles per La Liga game, muster up 2.7 shots per match and play 1.8 key passes each contest into dangerous areas, the ex-Brazil U20 international has been a revelation. 

Armed with vision, creativity and unbridled by his inexperience, Pereira has been playing with confidence and natural ability that has been tough to find from any of his teammates. The 20-year-old may only have a solitary assist to his name in the Spanish top-flight, and is yet to find the back of the net, but his exciting performances have brought light to a very dark place. 

Carcela, on the opposite flank, has already scored twice for Granada since joining the club in the summer, with the Moroccan having the ability to cut in from wide areas and let fly with punishing accuracy. Making 3.4 dribbles per game across five La Liga appearances, it has been the responsibility of Jemez’s wide options to drag their team-mates upfield on the break. 

Artem Kravets, given an opportunity up top in light of blunt showings from striking competitors David Barral and Ezequiel Ponce, has also profited from playing alongside the two capable wingers, with Alberto Bueno having netted once and provided an assist from a shadow-striker role. The Ukrainian forward has two goals in 140 league minutes, and found the back of the net for his country against Turkey recently, as well as seeing an attempt go down eventually as an own goal against Kosovo. 

For Lucas Alcaraz, these four names have to be on the team sheet come his opening match against Atletico Madrid at the weekend, with an immediate impact needed not only for Granada’s meagre points tally, but also to make a psychological impact. 

As Alaves’ third goal went in at the end of September, the anguish was written across every face of Granada’s back four. Three errors at this level, it had become painfully obvious, would be punished by three goals. Alcaraz cannot afford to let his players slip back into their routine of haphazard defending. Failure to do so will mean that the homecoming coach will need every inch of his miracle-working powers to prevent a whimpering descent to the second tier.

Can Alcarez guide Granada away from the relegation zone? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below