Every match is an ordeal for Manchester United right now. Rúben Amorim’s side are currently at a lower ebb than any other United team in modern history, meaning Real Sociedad have a genuine shot at knocking out the Red Devils when they meet in the Europa League. La Real, however, have some troubles of their own.
In fact, there is overlap between the issues being experienced by Manchester United and those that have dragged down Real Sociedad this season. Most notably, both teams are struggling badly for attacking firepower. This is something that could make Thursday’s clash at the Anoeta a cagey one between two teams lacking in confidence.
La Real come into the match on the back of a 4-0 defeat too Barcelona. Of course, a loss to the team leading LaLiga isn’t exactly something to be ashamed of, and Aritz Elustondo’s early red card also tilted the game towards the Catalans, but the toothlessness of the visitors to Montjuïc was reflective of their season as a whole.
Only Getafe and Real Valladolid have scored fewer goals in the Spanish top flight this season than Real Sociedad. La Real are underperforming their Expected Goals (xG) of 29.1 having scored just 23, but not by enough that it would make a meaningful difference to their league position had their attackers been sharper in front of goal.
It should be noted that Real Sociedad have never been known for their attacking exploits with Imanol Alguacil at the helm. Even when Alexander Isak was at the club, La Real were known for being among the best at winning duels and competing all over the pitch, not for putting the ball in the back of the net.
Even still, La Real have been criticised for being too predictable in their attacking play this season. In Take Kubo and Mikel Oyarzabal, they boast two players who, on their day, are among the best natural creators in La Liga, but Real Sociedad have become one-dimensional in their possession play into the final third.
Real Sociedad are one of just six teams in LaLiga not to have scored a goal from a passing sequence of more than 10 passes this season. They have drawn a blank in three of their last five matches in all competitions and could struggle to find the back of the net against Manchester United on Thursday.
Manchester United have toiled in a similar way. Against low defensive blocks, Amorim has been unable to find a possession structure capable of opening up space in the attacking third. Alguacil has encountered the same issue despite boasting Martin Zubimendi, one of the best midfield pace-setters in Spain.
These issues have been even more acute in the periods when Kubo has been injured. Oyarzabal has also suffered injury troubles over the course of the campaign, playing 1,400 minutes in the league when Real Sociedad would ideally be able to call on the Euro 2024 winner in every match possible.
Last summer, Real Sociedad lost two key players in the shape of Mikel Merino and Robin Le Normand. Alguacil publicly pushed for the club to sign replacements who could deliver immediately in their place, but instead La Real focused on the future, spending the best part of €50m on players under the age of 23.
Luka Sučić, Javi López, Sergio Gómez, and Orri Óskarsson all arrived at the Anoeta and while all four have received regular game time this season, there is a sense that Real Sociedad are looking to the future rather than competing in the present. This has been frustrating for Alguacil whose physical approach requires experienced players to function at its best.
In past seasons, Real Sociedad have positioned themselves high up the pitch to win the ball and create opportunities from those situations. Now, though, their pressing structure isn’t coherent enough to do this with opponents regularly forcing them to play long. La Real have struggled against man-to-man marking systems.
After seven largely successful years with Alguacil in charge, Real Sociedad have reached a crossroads. Currently sitting ninth in the table, they are a long way from where they want to be and are being shown up by their Basque rivals Athletic Club who are on course for a place in the top four. As things stand, they will be in the Champions League next season.
La Real’s transfer model has sustained them at the top level of Spanish football for a long time, but with Zubimendi believed to be next on his way out of the Anoeta the San Sebastian club has put a lot of pressure on itself to self-renew once again. Manchester United are at the start of a rebuild and they’re aren’t the only ones.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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