An attack with defense

The great architect of the good situation of this Córdoba CF is Ivan Ania, who arrived at El Arcángel with the appearance of a coach who likes his teams to be protagonists with the ball and to be vertical, to look for the rival goal. However, as with so many other teams that like attacking football, their defensive numbers are at least notable. In the case of Córdoba CF, bordering on outstanding. You already know the football saying that Attacks win games and defenses win championships and this seems to be the only topic that Córdoba CF meets Ivan Ania.

Because this Córdoba CF He has had to overcome setbacks. It is true that the defensive system is everyone’s job and that the green and white team’s play without the ball is one of its identities. But beyond the collective effort in defensive obligations, the truth is that Ivan Ania He hasn’t had a shred of stability in the team’s first line.

Seven different defenses

Up to seven different defenses have had to line up Córdoba CF in the 23 League matches that have been played. In fact, there could be eight in 24 days if the suspicions are true and José Antonio Martínez starts next Sunday, at the Alfonso Murube, against Ceuta (12:00 p.m., FEF TV) replacing Matías Barboza.

The typical defense, the one chosen by Iván Ania for the League championship, was the one he fielded on the first day, against Ibiza: Carlos Albarrán, Adrián Lapeña, Dragisa Gudelj and Calderón. It was the defense of the first three days, but after the defeat in San Fernando, the Asturian decided to replace Lapeña with Carlos García for the duel against Linares in El Arcángel (0-1). Despite the adverse result, the green and white coach maintained his line in the following three days. Four full days which, so far, has been the longest period in which he has repeated a defense. Albarrán, García, Gudelj and Calderón started against Linares, as mentioned, and against Alcoyano, Recreativo Granada and Algeciras. After the defeat at Nuevo Mirador, Ania brought Lapeña back into the starting lineup, against Mérida, at El Arcángel (2-1) and again held the line for four games. Albarrán, Lapeña, Gudelj and Carrión started against Mérida, Recreativo, Málaga and Ceuta.

Turbulence and earthquake

From days 13 to 15 there are different circumstances that break what until then was a stable defensive line, beyond Ania’s adjustments or preferences with Gudelj’s partner in the axis of the rear. On matchday 13, in the visit to Atlético B, Carlos García returns to the starting lineup for Lapeña. In the postponed match three days later, in El Palmar, Lapeña returns, in a movement that is understood by the accumulation of matches in a single week, while on matchday 14, in Antequera, Lapeña repeats. The epicenter of the earthquake that the defense would experience is pointed out on 15th of the Córdoba CF. At right back, Ania must count on Iván Rodríguez for the suspended Albarrán and in that match, in Melilla, Dragisa Gudelj’s second cardiac incident occurred. Thus, in the following two days, the new central pairing, Lapeña and Carlos García, debuts with the two starting full-backs, Albarrán and Calderón.

In the 18th and 19th the one who falls due to sanction is Calderón, Therefore, Iván Rodríguez must close the defense made up of Albarrán, Lapeña and Carlos García. On matchday 20, the right-back must return to his natural position to relieve Calderón again and on matchday 21 it is Carlos García who falls due to injury, so Iván Ania has no choice but to pull the reserve team and line up to Matias Barboza. The last three days the defense has been set: Albarrán, Lapeña, Barboza and Calderón and in case of repeating in Ceutanext Sunday, would be the most repeated combination throughout the season, along with that of Albarrán, Lapeña, Gudelj and Calderón.

Seven different defenses

Total, he Córdoba CF He has presented seven different defenses in 23 League days. Albarrán, Lapeña, Gudelj and Calderón did it on days 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 14. Albarrán, Carlos García, Gudelj and Calderón did it on days 4, 5, 6, 7 16 and 17. Albarrán, Carlos García, Lapeña and Gudelj, on matchday 13. Iván Rodríguez, Lapeña, Gudelj and Calderón, on matchday 15. Albarrán, Lapeña, Carlos García and Iván Rodríguez, on matchday 18 and 19. Iván Rodríguez, Lapeña, García and Calderón, in the 20th. And the line composed of Albarrán, Lapeña, Barboza and Calderón, in the last three days: 21, 22 and 23.

And all these ups and downs, many of them forced, occurred while the team’s defensive figures not only suffered, but were also among the best in Group 2 of the First Federation. In the last ten days of the League, just in which Córdoba CF suffered several earthquakes in its first line, the green and white team is the second with the fewest goals conceded, four, only one more than the leader, Castellón, with three. In fact, Córdoba CF continues to show, overall, the third best defense in the League, with 20 goals, surpassed by Ibiza’s 16, Málaga’s 19 and tied with those received by Recreativo de Huelva.

In fact, and given that the defensive concept in this Córdoba CF is more global than ever and has dismantled all the topics that point to stability, same men to learn mechanisms and to gain confidence, it would not be at all ruled out that next Sunday, in the Alfonso Murube against Ceuta (12:00 p.m., FEF TV), Córdoba CF shows the eighth different defense in the League in 24 days. The arrival of José Antonio Martínezit is not lost on anyone, it is not like a mere resource and it is to be important in the team, although Ania has found in Barboza a more than important alternative for the area.

And a final piece of information: the number of men used in each position. On the right side, Ania used two: Albarrán and Iván Rodríguez. In the right central position, two others: Adrián Lapeña and Carlos García. In the left central position, three and he aims for four: Gudelj, Carlos García, Matías Barboza and, in the relatively near future, José Antonio Martínez. And, finally, on the left side, Calderón, Gudelj and Iván Rodríguez. Seven men, which will be eight, for four positions in just 24 days. A palpable demonstration that this Córdoba CF He has exploded all football clichés about defenses in football.