The most unnatural Girona side is experiencing torture in Elche

GironaGirona's season will be a long one. Just when it seemed the team was rekindling its competitive spirit, this week served as a stark reminder of its fragility: on Wednesday, they were humiliated and eliminated from the Copa del Rey by a Primera RFEF side like Ourense, and today they failed to recover against Elche, where they were tortured and humiliated, suffering another unfortunate defeat (3-0). Míchel's men, for yet another matchday – their fourteenth already – will remain in the relegation zone.

The setback was inevitable. Eder Sarabia's team sought to create a frenetic pace from the outset, against a Girona side desperately needing a break, something that had caused them a grimace in the past. Now, however, they need to play defensively. And they feel more comfortable in matches where not much happens. Lack of confidence and injuries have eroded a team that, from time to time, shows signs of recovery, but deep down remains ailing.

Elche dominated the match, both in terms of football and attitude. From the outset, what under normal circumstances would have been a golden opportunity to build confidence turned into a one-sided affair, full of threats from the home side. Girona quickly became anxious and couldn't find solutions to the sequence of plays by the Alicante team, who only needed to mark Witsel when playing out from the back, given that Ounahi, the only Girona player who can create chances, was suspended. Without the Moroccan, Girona were completely unable to generate any attacking play.

They did have a few isolated opportunities, all falling to Tsygankov, either when he made a flying save from Iñaki Peña after fifteen minutes or, on the stroke of halftime, when he set up Bryan Gil, who, with an open goal, failed to even finish. It was all for naught against the opposing team's intricate passing triangles, which threatened numerous times before they finally scored. The only reason the goal didn't come sooner was due to the home side's poor finishing.

Passivity and repeated errors

Elche has even managed to disrupt Girona's rhythm, forcing them to dig deep more often than Míchel would like to try and quell the discomfort they've been experiencing. But the Girona team hasn't been up to par, not even in terms of intensity. The first goal, scored by Germán Valera after a series of rebounds, turnovers, and recoveries, is a prime example. While the green-and-whites were running with determination, it seemed as if the Catalans had nothing to play for. Given this passivity, even injuries are no excuse.

Gazzaniga's errors have only worsened an already dire situation. In six minutes, he misjudged a cross from Rafa Mir and then, in the comical goal of the day, unintentionally provided an assist for Mir to score what was surely the easiest brace of his career. The striker, whose Elche side had gone seven games without a win, won't get another chance like this. Until they encountered Girona, capable of resurrecting anyone except themselves. One wonders if the draws against Betis and Real Madrid were just a mirage.