Athletic have recently been having problems in several positions on the field due to the loss of key players in Ernesto Valverde’s eleven. At the back, Yeray’s new injury shows a position that needs reinforcements. The solution may be in the quarry, however, everyone knows the coach’s unwillingness to release players from the reserve team.
In such a situation, replacements have to be found within the squad itself although, in my view, there is no perfect fit in the centre-back position. Yuri Berchiche, Peru Nolaskoain or Beñat Prados are some of the most popular names as a possible temporary patch. In the long term, the ideal is to tap into the market or take advantage of the club’s powerful youth academy and give youngsters a chance to find the centre-backs of the future.
This position is the most needed right now, there are other positions where the youngest is trying to find a place without success. Yuri’s injury against Barça could be the perfect moment to bring in Imanol García de Albéniz, who has barely featured for Valverde this season and has nevertheless shown quality. In his place came Iñigo Lekue without a pure left back, again making the coach’s wishes clear.
In the midfield, Beñat Prados and Unai Gómez have also not featured much due to a lack of opportunities, although the latter has renewed until 2028 without playing almost any minutes.
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Although these steps will have their reason and it is assumed that Valverde makes the decisions that best suit the team to achieve the best performance, it seems that the coach is wasting one of the biggest assets of the club: the quarry. True to his style and a core of players who build confidence and perform normally on the field, the coach must look further and bet on young talent. Currently, one of the clearest success stories in this sense is that of Nico Williams, who since his debut in the first team, made a place for himself in the eleven until he became no questionable in this case for the coach himself.
A clear example of the quality of the Lezama quarry and the need to bet on it. For all these reasons, what better opportunity than this – a time with a big loss in the team – to test the players with the aim of finding replacements for the future.
Will there be surprises against Valencia? We will see.
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
