Spanish League Preview: Mallorca In the 2010-11 La Liga Season
Mallorca was the surprise package in the last season of La Liga. The club finished the season in fifth place, below Sevilla and ahead of Getafe. This means that they have earned their spot in the Europa League, which is a great achievement for the team. It was a significant improvement for the club from their previous season’s ninth place finish.
At one point, the team looked ready to finish in the top four; however, a loss against Deportivo in their second-last fixture cost them a Champions League spot. In the end, they finished only one point below Sevilla.
The incredible success of the club owed much to their form in home fixtures. Mallorca won 15 of their home matches, losing only three matches and drawing one. This form was even better than Sevilla or Valencia, who finished ahead of Mallorca in fourth and third place, respectively. However, their away form let them down, as they managed to win only 3 games out of 19. Also, their goal scoring remained a problem in away matches, as they scored only 17 goals in their away fixtures.
During the whole season, Mallorca had some incredible statistics as compared to other La Liga teams. The club managed to get 12 clean-sheets, and they only failed to score in seven matches. However, the club did not have a good goal-scoring record, as they managed to get only 59 goals. On the other hand, their defence had a better season, which ultimately resulted in a better position for the club.
This season seems bleaker in terms of goal-scoring, as their top scorer, Aritz Aduriz, has left the club for Valencia. The squad looks average in terms of goal scoring; however, a few new players have joined the club this summer, including Ruiz Rafa Jorda and Emilio Nsue. Apart from these youngsters, the Cameroonian international (striker) Pierre Webo is also in the squad.
The club faces the same problems in their midfield. Their best player, Borja Valero, has left the club for Villarreal. Last year, he joined Mallorca from West Bromwich Albion. During the season, he had a healthy eight assists and five goals for his club. Apart from him, Gonzalo Castro is another mentionable figure in the team. Last season, he braced Mallorca with eight assists and six goals, all the while showing tremendous fitness, starring in 35 league matches. This year, a lot will depend on him, but he will miss the successful partnership with Valero in the midfield.
Apart from these players, other notable players would be Jose Luis Marti and Victor Casadesus. The 35-year old Jose Luis Marti still has a lot left in him, as he played in 36 league matches last year. He is known for his superior awareness as he controls the game well in the midfield. On the other hand, Victor Casadesus is a youngster who has the potential to be a great player in future. Casadesus scored some goals and made some assists last season, and given his emerging form, a lot more is expected of him in the current season.
The success story of Mallorca is their defence, as their defenders had a greater role to play in their team’s success last season. The main defenders in their squad include Ayoze, Nunes, Josemi, Ruben Gonzalez and Enrique Corrales. These players had an incredible season, as they managed to defend their goal very well. However, there were some injury concerns as Enrique missed a lot of action last season. Apart from their defensive capabilities, some of these players have proved to be valuable in attacking. Gonzalez scored three goals last season; however, he has greater potential than that.
Mallorca looks set for the current season; however, their squad seems to have weakened a little bit. This time around, they have to participate in the Europa League as well, and their squad does not seem strong enough for that challenge. However, it is likely that they will still be able to hold on to their current position for the next season. However, in order to achieve success, they will have to rely on their defence once again.
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