In football, not everything comes down to the tactical play of the teams. Many more factors influence each match than strategy, and in many cases, other issues, such as attitude or intensity, end up setting the course of a match and even conditioning it. In the specific case of Athletic, attitude and intensity are certainly two of the factors that most influence the game of the lions and that in many situations contributed to Valverde’s team losing or winning a match.
That winning mentality, added to the current quality of the red and white squad, results in an attractive Athletic who are currently fighting to reach the final of the Copa del Rey and a place in the Champions League next season. A positive attitude that favors you even in the worst situations, and leaves nights as magical as the one a few weeks ago against Barça at San Mamés or the victory at the Metropolitano. However, since attitude is a definite issue for the red and white, it is also noticeable (too much) when there is a lack of intensity and the game is played without desire.
If the victory against the Catalan team in the KO tournament is a clear example of a good attitude, the draw against Almería is a reflection of the complete opposite. Athletic came out of the game without enthusiasm, without the fighting attitude that characterizes them so much, certainly coming from the unconscious relaxation due to the category of the rival. Being tactically superior to the locals, the lions hardly created any chances in front of the local goal and let two points slip away which they could have easily achieved with a different attitude.
Important conflict
Seeing the high level of influence of these issues on the game of Valverde’s team, it is something to keep. Nor should we throw our hands over our heads, however, for playing a bad game. This season, fortunately, there have been many good matches for Athletic and it makes sense for the team to slow down from time to time. More than that, the lack of attitude should not be a common trend for the rojiblancos, especially considering the important rivalries that await the team in the coming weeks.
For now, they will host Girona this coming Monday and then they will visit Benito Villamarín where a win would also be a good idea. Finally, Athletic will close the month of February with the second leg of the semifinals against Atlético de Madrid. Complex encounters where attitude and intensity will be key to achieving goals.
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.
