Coudet: Alavés Created Enough Chances to Win But Must Take the Point Against Girona
Eduardo Coudet reflects on a bittersweet draw for Deportivo Alavés against Girona, praising the performance but lamenting missed chances in a high-intensity clash.
Eduardo Coudet wasn’t exactly over the moon after Alavés drew with Girona, but the Argentine boss was at least honest about what his side produced — and what they left on the table.
A Performance Full of Promise, Short on Cutting Edge
Coudet was fairly effusive about the overall display, calling it one of the games where his side had created the most goalscoring chances all season. And honestly, looking at how the match unfolded, it’s hard to argue with him. Alavés were at it from the off — he reckoned they could quite easily have been 3-0 up inside the first 15 minutes. Three nil. In the opening quarter of an hour. That’s not a missed opportunity, that’s a missed statement.
The second half followed a similar pattern: Alavés on the front foot, only to get pegged back when they were on the verge of taking the lead. They equalised, had chances to win it, and ultimately had to settle for a point.
- Early dominance squandered — multiple big chances spurned in the opening spell
- Girona hit back at the worst possible moment in the second half
- Alavés levelled but couldn’t find a winner despite the pressure
Coudet Keeps It Real
To his credit, Coudet didn’t try to spin it as a great result. It’s a bittersweet one — his words, essentially. He acknowledged that Girona are a side with quality well above what their league position currently suggests, so taking a point off them isn’t nothing. But he was clear: with a bit more composure in front of goal, they’d have been walking away with all three.
His line about the mid-game lulls was interesting too. When you’re pressing high with a compact shape against a team that can really move the ball, there are going to be periods where you get flattened. It’s the nature of that style of play. If Alavés had been two or three goals up, they could’ve sat a bit deeper and hit on the break — but they weren’t, so they couldn’t.
The Pablo Ibáñez Substitution Controversy
There were a few boos from the home faithful when Pablo Ibáñez was taken off, and Coudet addressed it directly. The switch wasn’t originally the plan — he’d intended to go to a 4-3-3 with Denis and Pablo both on the pitch, but Girona’s goal forced him to rethink on the fly. He kept Toni Martínez on and decided Antonio Blanco gave him more balance in the middle. Tough call, made in the moment.
He was also pretty understanding of the crowd’s reaction, noting that the fans have been used to a different style of football for years and that nerves are natural when you’re watching a team try to play out and be progressive. Fair enough.
Eyes on the Road
Alavés now face back-to-back away fixtures, starting with a trip to Levante. Coudet admitted he prefers playing at Mendizorroza, but insisted they prepare the same way regardless of venue — going out to be the dominant side and take the win.
The dropped points will sting. But if Alavés keep creating chances at this rate, the goals will come.