Point for Elche’s hope (2-2)
Elche faces a season where the squad’s balance and motive have been under intense scrutiny. Several players have shone at moments, while others have struggled to translate potential into consistent performances. This is a squad that, after a promising run of chances, has yet to secure victories in a stretch of games that extended beyond early optimism. The question remains why a team that looked capable of competing on equal terms with its peers failed to win any of the eleven matches it played recently, ultimately affecting the momentum of the coaching staff.
The simplest explanation lies in a timeless principle of sport: adapt or fade. In football, stubborn loyalty to a single method or group of players can backfire when the landscape shifts. What once worked brilliantly can become a constraint if plans aren’t updated to reflect opponents, injuries, and evolving tactical trends.
new girl in class
The most visible sign of the season’s unsettled light is the limited impact from new signings, with one exception standing out. Alex Collado arrived with a buzz of creativity but has yet to lock down a consistent role within a solid system. His early cameo produced a quick wave of applause from the Valero crowd, underscoring the need for a place where his talent can flourish. Depth and identity across a team are earned when new pieces fit into a long-term plan, not when they only spark sporadic moments of brilliance.
A few weeks into the campaign, Collado is still navigating his path and the club continues to weigh how best to harness his qualities. The coaching staff has started two competitive opportunities for him, yet the outcomes so far have been modest. The season, with its centennial backdrop for the club, carries a sense of history and the pressure to convert potential into tangible progress. The manager, who has already rotated players to reveal a different face on the pitch, is now tasked with translating two partial shows into a reliable contribution across matches. The current phase runs through August, a period that can redefine a season if the pieces finally click.
Play nice and green shoots
Momentum after a tough loss at Mestalla suggested a broader issue: Elche’s style and execution needed refinement. In the following fixtures, the team has collected only a sliver of points, underscoring that the road to improvement is not linear. The search for “green shoots” — signs of growing confidence and clear tactical intent — continues. These are the markers that signal a club on the verge of a positive upturn rather than a temporary lull.
Within the squad, there is a push to stabilize the defense while preserving enough attacking intent to threaten opponents. The balance between discipline at the back and the creativity required to unlock stubborn defenses remains the central challenge. The coaching staff emphasizes order, work rate, and improved positional understanding as foundations for progress, rather than chasing a single trick or a star turn.
Elche’s identity is evolving away from mere possession to a more complete approach: defend with intent, then transition quickly to counterpressure and purposeful attacks. The aim is to stop conceding soft goals while creating chances through patient buildup and well-timed runs. It is a process of learning where to press, when to drop, and how to sustain effort across the full 90 minutes. The evolution is ongoing, reflecting a club striving not to stagnate but to grow through calculated changes.
Unjust and unfair
Progress is uneven. The team has shown flashes of a coherent plan under the guidance of the manager, who has sought to reintroduce a sharper attacking identity even as the defense remains vulnerable. The showdown with top-level opponents exposed areas that require reinforcement, yet it is not all doom and gloom. The struggle is less about a lack of talent and more about translating that talent into a durable, repeatable performance every matchweek.
The defensive backbone has been a recurring concern. There is a sense that the squad needs greater balance and a steadier approach in central areas. Simply adding bodies does not guarantee improvement; the focus must be on organization, collective responsibility, and disciplined shape. When a team tries to compensate for weak points with more forwards, the risk is creating more gaps at the back. The opposite approach — strengthening the spine, reducing unnecessary risks, and building from a solid defensive base — remains the prudent path forward.
Elche’s game plan, under current management, aims to blend a controlled possession habit with decisive transitions. The idea is to use ball retention to pin opponents and then exploit gaps through quick, well-timed moves. It is a balancing act that requires precision and patience, along with courage to press higher when the moment is right. The challenge is not just to survive pressure but to convert it into a sustainable offensive flow that keeps the team out of danger and gives supporters reason to believe in a steady climb rather than a temporary setback. The evolution the coach seeks is not about chasing a miracle; it’s about building a resilient, coherent system that endures through the season and beyond.