It marked Elche CF’s first major move in the transfer market. On June 1, a week after the previous season closed, Bragarnik discussed the purchase option with Moscow Spartak to secure it. Francisco, both actively and passively, made clear that he is a footballer the club would like to have this season. At the Ilicitano club, his importance to both the present and the future was acknowledged. Consequently, the owner of the Verde asset paid four million and signed for four years.
Many observers are asking what the poor start to La Liga means for Ezequiel Ponce. The Argentine striker, a key figure in the team’s attacking setup, barely featured in the first four games and his early performance raised concerns.
He had preseason problems that prevented him from finishing his preparations due to injuries. In the last friendly match, at La Nucia, just one week before the league began, he scored two goals, recovered his form, and started as the primary offensive reference in Boyé’s absence.
Surprisingly, in the opening match against Betis he started as a substitute. Francisco chose Roger Marchí as another crucial forward signing, with Pere Milla in attack as well. In the 65th minute, Ponce was substituted for the former Levante player after a 3-0 deficit and was rarely seen on the field thereafter.
From there, he started the next three games, but his presence on the pitch did little to help the attack while contributing to the defense. All three games ended with changes in the forward line: against Almería, Lucas Boyé entered in the 67th minute; against Real Sociedad, another change in the 61st minute involved a compatriot; and against Villarreal, Boyé and Ponce formed the attacking duo before the 57th minute substitution to Pere Milla and Roger. The pattern repeated itself in the following matchups, with alternations behind the striker line and no noticeable improvement in the offensive output.
Ezequiel Ponce has been virtually absent from the team’s play. The overall buildup did not favor him, and there were almost no chances created he could convert. His shot on goal remains a distant memory, which remains a worrying sign for a forward who has historically found goals to be a constant in his career. In the current stretch, the lack of opportunities has stalled his goal-scoring instincts.
Ponce’s recovery is seen as pivotal to the team’s development. He is a forward who has often contributed goals throughout his career, and his timely return to form is viewed as essential for unlocking Elche’s attacking potential. His work rate and willingness to press defensively are always noted, but his forwards peers can not rely on him alone to deliver results.
Defensive effort and team spirit are commendable, yet the forwards are expected to deliver more—an area that requires immediate improvement. Ponce is not the only issue for Elche’s attack; the rest of the forward line has not produced consistently either. The team managed just a single goal in the first four games, courtesy of midfielder Álex Collado, and Betis managed little in other recent losses against Real Sociedad and Villarreal.
Francisco has had to rotate the forward lineup in every game. Benito Villamarín replaced Roger and Josan Pere Milla for Ponce in one match, with Boyé and Milla coming on for Ponce and Roger in another. Against Almería, Boyé and Milla were paired with Ponce and Roger; against Real Sociedad, the same pattern occurred; and against Villarreal, the coach tried Lucas Boyé alongside Ponce. Yet both were replaced again with Roger and Pere Milla. Across many permutations, the result remained the same: Elche struggled to threaten the opposition’s defense and goalkeeper, making it difficult to change the current dynamic. It is clear that Ponce, Boyé, Roger, and Pere Milla need to find their rhythm and start contributing more consistently.
It should be noted that this analysis reflects the season’s early phase, with the same issues regressing in repeated fixtures. The transfer move was intended to inject experience and attacking firepower, but the immediate results did not meet expectations. The coaching staff remains hopeful that a re-organized forward line and improved link-up play will unlock Elche’s potential and convert chances into goals. The emphasis remains on collective improvement and clinical finishing as the season progresses. [Source: Team reports and match analyses attributed to club observers].
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