In: Gonzalo Escalante (Lazio), Sergi Guardiola (Real Valladolid), Roger Marti (Elche), Darwin Machis (loan, Real Valladolid), Lucas Pires (loan, Santos), Javi Hernandez (loan, Leganes), Jorge Mere (America, loan)
Loan returns: Tomas Alarcon (Real Zaragoza), Milutin Osmajic (Vizela), Martin Calderon (Celta B), Awer Mabil (Sparta Prague)
Out: ‘Choco’ Lozano (free, Getafe), Jon Ander Garrido (retired), Pacha Espino (free, Rayo Vallecano), Theo Bongonda (Spartak Moscow), Alvaro Jimenez (Tractor), Santiago Arzamendia (loan, Cerro Porteno)
Summary so far: Gonzalo Escalante proved his worth during a six month loan from Lazio, and securing him on a permanent deal means retaining one of the key difference-makers in their survival last season. He started 14 of the 15 games he was available for, and his five goal contributions ended up being worth 7 points to Los Gaditanos. Roger and Guardiola are slightly less inspiring signings, their loans now permanent, but they are experienced options in the division, with Choco Lozano leaving. Darwin Machis can be inconsistent, but feels like a major deal for Sergio Gonzalez’s side. They took a major leap forward last campaign with the improvement of Theo Bongonda, a player who was aggressive with the ball, quick and capable of beating his man. Cadiz often have space to play with on the break, and all of those attributes match with Machis. Together with Bryan Ocampo, their wide areas look rather promising.
That said, there’s an argument to say that the losses still outweigh the gains so far. Lozano’s pace was often used wide, but the reality is they do not currently have another striker with his movement or quickness. Maybe Chris Ramos can emulate his movement in behind, but as of yet, he has shown flashes rather than proof. At least Machis can replace some of the pace, but with Roger, Guardiola, Negredo and Ramos, it seems unlikely they will bring in anyone else.
Machis is an excellent signing, but given some of the form last season shown by Bongonda, the Belgian could well claim he had more to offer, coming up with some crucial interventions.
The big departure is Pacha Espino. Fiery, tireless, and with a gladiatorial approach to the game, Espino was the life force behind Cadiz at times, and one of the highlights when watching them for the past four years. Quite apart from defending with that attitude, his gallops forward often made the difference. Replacing him seems impossible, so Cadiz must get better elsewhere to help palliate the effects.
In their defence, pardon the pun, Javi Hernandez showed on loan at Girona that he can cut it in La Liga, and they could scarcely have done better. Lucas Pires is an unknown quantity, but they have at least covered their losses with Arzamendia, who wasn’t trusted by Sergio anyway, out on loan.
Key Need: When Cadiz returned to La Liga, Alex Fernandez was one of their most crucial players, scoring 13 and assisting 6 from midfield in Segunda, but his impact has been diminishing since. In Ruben Alcaraz, Escalante, Fede San Emeterio and Ruben Sobrino they possess one of the better midfields they have had since returning to La Liga, but perhaps they might be missing someone who can play the final pass. Cadiz rely so much on hustle and wing play, that someone else who is comfortable in tighter spaces, in the final third, could perhaps open up new possibilities for them. Between Fernandez and the ageing Alvaro Negredo, those get into the right positions, but cannot be relied upon to make ‘it’ happen. Finding a player that could knit things together in the not uncommon event that they are chasing a goal wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Beneath the Surface: This originally was dedicated to the left-back position, but having brought in Hernandez, they might take a look at the forward position. The question is whether they would be able to upgrade enough to justify doing so. Currently they have six forwards on their books, most of them journeymen, and few of them with a consistent goal record in recent seasons. What Cadiz have done in recent years without Alvaro Negredo at the peak of his powers is mightily impressive, but they do give themselves little margin for error.
