Hidalgo sounds alarm as Deportivo's cushion 'dissolves' in relegation battle
Deportivo de La Coruña boss Antonio Hidalgo admits his side's poor form is erasing their advantage over relegation rivals as they prepare for crucial Almería clash.
Deportivo manager Antonio Hidalgo isn’t mincing his words as his side’s buffer above the drop zone continues to shrink after a worrying run of form.
Points drought becoming a proper headache
The Galician outfit are going through a right mare in the league, with a measly two points collected from their last 15 available. That’s relegation form, make no mistake. While they managed a decent showing in the Copa and pinched a point at Las Palmas, the gaffer’s clearly getting twitchy about their league position.
“The cushion we had over seventh place has been dissolving bit by bit,” Hidalgo admitted with characteristic bluntness ahead of their trip to Almería. The boss is desperate to arrest this slide before they find themselves in proper trouble.
Urgency in the air
What’s crystal clear from Hidalgo’s comments is that Deportivo are feeling the heat. While not losing to direct rivals is important in a dogfight, the manager knows that won’t be enough to keep them safe.
“We urgently need to win,” was his straightforward assessment. No beating around the bush there – the man’s talking pure sense.
Copa intensity could provide template
Hidalgo believes the energy shown in their recent cup performance could be the blueprint for turning things around:
- Maintaining high-intensity pressing
- Staying compact and solid defensively
- Remaining focused for the full 90 minutes
The boss emphasized how crucial concentration will be against Almería: “In any small detail, the game can slip away from you.”
Squad boost
On the team news front, there’s at least one bit of good news with Escudero declared fit and available for the weekend clash. Every little helps when you’re scrapping for survival.
Deportivo will need to channel that cup performance energy if they’re to stop their advantage over the relegation spots from disappearing completely. As we say in London, it’s time to get their skates on.