Sitting in a lofty fourth place, Villarreal are having an outstanding season.
But a defeat in the Copa Del Rey and a bore draw in their last home match has shown the side’s vulnerabilities. The January transfer window is still open for another week and a half and now is the time to ask this question: should Villarreal stick with the team they have or switch it up and bring in new players?
Speaking after the team’s 2-0 win over Sporting in Jornada 19, which left the side on 39 points from the first half of the season, coach Marcelino said that although his team won the match, it was via “two brilliant actions” rather than being the dominant side. Further, he added that if his side continued to play at that level they would “lose positions in the table.”
Following that result, Villarreal were knocked out of the cup by Athletic Bilbao and were held scoreless at home by Real Betis, a side sitting more than 10 places below them on the ladder.
The manager’s prediction seems to have come true as the Yellow Submarine have begun to struggle. The way in which the team was held by Betis comes as a big concern. The away side defended admirably, but to say it was ever in danger of conceding, outside of Roberto Soldado hitting the post, would be a mass overstatement.
What is worrying in this Villarreal side is the team’s lack of creativity. Denis Suarez has been the spark that has led the Yellow Submarine forward but his future is in doubt. Against Betis, the man who is reportedly in talks to return to Barcelona was anonymous and his team mates laboured to conjure up any sort of attacking threat.
Creativity and having the ability to see what other players cannot need to be two of the attributes Marcelino must look for if Villarreal are to sign a player this transfer window.
The problem with going out and purchasing someone is whether it will have a positive or a negative effect on the players already at El Madrigal that have performed with heart and desire to get their team into a Champions League position.
What Marcelino has done with his side should not be scoffed at. In three years he has taken a middling Segunda team into fourth in La Liga and that has been done on the back of immensely hard work by all involved.
Therefore, will the manager believe that his side can solidify their place in the European positions with the squad that he has?
Signs seemingly point to yes, and should they repeat their success in the league’s first vuelta in the second, their 78 points will likely be enough to secure Champions League football, as it would have been in each of the previous five seasons.
Sticking with the side currently at hand would show great faith in his charges but Marcelino must also look around and assess if bringing in more players would push his team further forward.
So much of this window hinges on the future of Suarez. If he stays, Villarreal may not feel the need to bring anyone in. If he leaves, they must.
As evidenced against Betis, this team without Suarez is not the same, but even with the Spanish youth international in the side, Villarreal struggle to find that killer instinct. El Submarino Amarillo statistically have the least shots of any team in La Primera per game, averaging only 8.6.
A striking statistic when a team sitting fourth is creating less scoring opportunities than relegation threatened sides like Levante and Sporting. Just as shocking is to see Villarreal at the bottom of the ‘key passes’ table, having only averaged 6.6 over their 20 Liga matches.
This comes as cause for concern in any situation, Suarez or no Suarez, as Marcelino’s men are simply not creating enough opportunities.
It shows the ruthlessness of Cedric Bakambu as the forward has managed to score eight goals despite his team’s seemingly best efforts not to get the ball into key areas. But outside of the Congolese forward, it is a worrying sign.
With that in mind, the obvious choice for the manager would be to get out on the transfer market to find a player who could fix his team’s lack of creativity.
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The coach has two or three positions that could be improved upon with a more direct attacking player.
The first is central-midfield and employing someone suited to being a traditional number 10. So far this season, Manu Trigueros has been the spark in the middle of the park, playing alongside the more defensive Bruno. But the 24-year-old is yet to show much that says he is the creative genius to push the team forward.
The second would be to replace Soldado with someone who can play up front but work better off Bakambu. This would be a bit harsh as, despite scoring only three goals, Soldado has provided seven assists, joint third in the league.
The final position would be one of the wide midfield roles and truly dependent on the future of Suarez. Marcelino prefers to employ one winger who likes to attack and one who is more defensive, as demonstrated by Suarez and Jonathon Dos Santos.
Delving into the January transfer window has always been hit and miss. For every Luis Suarez to Liverpool there is a Fernando Torres to Chelsea and most managers would prefer to not need the window.
At this point in time, Suarez is still an Amarillo and the pressure to sign players is not that high for Marcelino. If he is on the move to Barcelona, then the manager must act.
With only a little over a week left in January it will not be long until all questions are answered but at this junction, and despite what statistics might say, the question of should Villarreal stick with who they have or bring in new players is one that is still open for debate.
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