Villarreal took matters into their own hands when they, or more accurately President Fernando Roig, saw that things were not going to plan under Quique Setien. After just four games, three of them losses, he became the first manager to meet the sack this season.
The Yellow Submarine would have been amongst the favourites to make the top four at Casino Alpha NZ at the start of the season, with the likes of Real Sociedad and Real Betis familiar challengers. Villarreal lost a number of key players in Samu Chukwueze, Nico Jackson and Pau Torres over the summer, bringing in several veterans on a free, but placing their hopes in young prospects to take the place of the departed quality.
And now they have put their trust in Pacheta. There is little doubt that it is a leap of faith for Roig, with the former Real Valladolid yet to manage a full season in La Liga. The logic was clear, Pacheta is a people person, and a manager that simplifies things for his players on the pitch. In other words, the opposite of Setien.
Like Setien himself, this appears to be a move in a different direction from the previous manager in order to freshen things up. There is no reason to suggest Pacheta can’t be successful, but comparing the track record of Pacheta to Unai Emery, departed less than 12 months ago, is barely any comparison at all.
Equally, comparing the resources at his and Setien’s disposal, there too, the Yellow Submarine appear to be far weaker than they were this time last season.
In his opening three games, Pacheta has registered a narrow 2-1 victory over Almeria at home, a disappointing 2-0 defeat away to Panathaniakos in the Europa League and a furstrating 1-1 draw with Rayo Vallecano.
There have been several notable changes, but little suggestion in terms of a leap in performance or results. More crosses are going into the box to make use of Alexander Sorloth, the ball is being moved forward quicker, rather than maintaining control in the middle before moving forward, and the return of the old guard.
Raul Albiol, Etienne Capoue and Dani Parejo are all back in the side, while star forward Gerard Moreno bore a wide grin when noting that his position under Pacheta suited him much better than under Setien. Albiol had laughed off the suggestion that the dressing room might have had something to do with Setien’s departure, but certainly there was little love lost for the Cantabrian.
The problem is that while the atmosphere has improved, the results so far have not. Naturally, Pacheta must be given time to resolve issues and imprint his own style on the side, but if the main issue was to do with the working environment rather than the tactical plans Setien had, then it is perhaps surprising just how similar this Villarreal look.
Roig was convinced by Pacheta that he was the right man for the job in an interview, or chat, that last several hours. However the new Villarreal manager looks like he has more to do than just be a likeable boss to get this side, which was performing better with Jackson, Chukwueze and young midfielder Ramon Terrats at the heart of matters, moving in the right direction again.
