Athletic Bilbao captain Carlos Gurpegui has reflected on the team’s inconsistent form, suggesting that Ernesto Valverde is ‘right to be angry’.
The Coach described himself as speechless after Monday night’s 2-0 defeat at Granada confirmed the team’s third consecutive loss on the road, after reverses at Real Madrid and Espanyol before.
“We are aware that we did not do things well, we were not a competitive team, we did not compete as the game with Granada merited,” mused Gurpegui this week.
“You have to be very self-critical, realise why against Betis we played one way and against Granada we did otherwise.
“It is normal that the Coach is angry, he has every reason in the world. We were not able to do what he had asked. The defeat was deserved and the mistakes were ours.
“It is clear that on the day, against Espanyol and Granada, we have not known how to compete away from home – when something bad happened, we did not know how to overcome it.
“We knew how the opponents would play, but we were unable to do well. I have a feeling that the early period in the second half of both games has been similar. At Cornella, we went 2-1 down and threw that match 3-1.
“Away from home we have lacked initiative, we have not kept things as clear as in San Mames. We can go wrong in many ways, in passing, in many ways. The attitude, though, should always be at the maximum.
“I have a feeling that we have conceded a goal, then the team has let go for 10 minutes, by which time the game was away from us.”
Athletic can look to bounce back this Sunday evening at home to Valencia.
“To not score points away from home forces you to again win at home. We have won three straight at San Mames.”
