Alaves returned to winning ways with a comfortable 2-0 triumph over a Levante team lacking leadership, cohesion and confidence.
Abelardo Fernandez's team had lost their last three games without scoring before this contest, and came into the game with doubts about their ability to maintain the good form they'd shown during the first half of the season. However, Levante proved to be the ideal opponents: fragile, disjointed and blunt. Paco Lopez's team are just four points above the relegation zone and have picked up only six points from the last 27 available.
Abelardo made three changes to his XI: Carlos Vigaray and Manu Garcia were dropped for Ximo Navarro and Drako Brasanac. Burgui was left out of the squad all together and new signing Takashi Inui started in a new 4-3-3 formation.
The new system seemed to work well, allowing Inui and Jony to provide incisive attacking support for Jonathan Calleri who worked excellently as Alaves' target man and focal point. 15 minutes in and Calleri lept to head a Jony cross onto the cross bar. On the follow up Inui headed wide when well placed. The Japanese forward frequently switched flanks with Jony and really enjoyed protagonism on debut.
On 23 minutes the hosts went in front when Victor Laguardia rose unchallenged at the back post to convert Jony's corner. The 29 year old defender had scored the only game of this contest last season, and here he broke an Alaves goal draught stretching five hours and 23 minutes. In the reaction to his goal there was an alarming lack of leadership from Levante. Doucoure was unable to prevent the goal after Jason, outnumbered at the far post, had lost Laguardia's simple run.
The visitors played a 4-4-2 system (usually they play 3-5-2) due to numerous absentees: Chema, Sergio Postigo and Ruben Rochina were injured, Jose Campana was suspended and Tono Garcia (who got the winner when these sides met in September) has been arrested without bail on suspicion of involvement with Extortion.
Paco Lopez gave a first start of the season to Moses Simon and a first start since Week 2 to Cheick Doucoure. Antonio Luna, who hadn't played since Week 6, replaced Tono and Nikola Vukcevic made just his fifth start of the season. The new-look side were unable to gel and players were frequently caught in possession because they were too isolated. Levante needed to play closer to each other and move the ball quicker. They failed to test Fernando Pacheco in goal all night, and have now lost four straight away games and not scored on the road in five hours. Roger Marti has one goal in his last eight games, Jose Luis Morales has just three in his last 20.
Aitor flapped at a Jony cross eight minutes before half time, then Erick Cabaco was yellow carded and will miss Levante's next game: away at Celta.
After half time the visitors never showed any urgency. Alaves almost extended their lead, twice through Inui and once through Jony.
When Enis Bardhi came on for Vukcevic after an hour Levante briefly switched to 3-5-2 and did look much better for six minutes. However Paco Lopez then brought Borja Mayoral on for Moses Simon and went back to a flat back four. Once Borja, and then Raphael came on, Levante interchanged the likes of Jose Luis Morales, Bardhi, Jason and Borja (wingers and strikers) but to absolutely no avail. They had zero attacking thrust and continued to look disjointed. Their best six minutes were playing a back three. With a back four Coke failed to impose himself from right back.
In added time Doucoure dithered on the ball and was tackled by Jony who tucked home his fourth goal of the season. Alaves's victory was their tenth of the season and puts them within two points of Sevilla in the final Champions League spot. In truth this game was not a difficult test for them. Next week they have a huge game at Betis (who they are three points ahead of) and then they play Celta, Villarreal, Eibar and Huesca - on paper all 'winnable' games. Post match Laguardia maintained that the ambition this season is survival.
For Levante this is a worrying time. They are sliding towards the relegation zone and failed to recruit any attacking fire power in January. They are three points ahead of Celta who they face next week. Lose that and they will well and truly be embroiled in the battle against relegation.
Images from El Espanol and AS.
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