VALENCIA. The last pre-season friendly before uncorking the league title against FC Barcelona featured a striking tactical decision by Valencia CF coach Rubén Baraja regarding the playing system and the position of Rafa Mir. Neither the 1-4-4-2 was as rigid nor was the Cartagena native the big, key striker who shared the attacking front with Hugo Duro.
For the first time during the tests prior to the start of the league, the coach showed Rafa Mir on the right flank in a malleable playing system, which drew a 1-4-5-1 in the defensive phase and a 1-4-4-2 in attack depending on whether the team was retreating and counterattacking or had possession of the ball; The formation became asymmetrical when one of the two full-backs pushed forward on his flank.
With the team defending and the opponent in an organised attack, Rafa Mir and André Almeida would sit alongside the two wide players and the central midfielders, forming a line of five. With the midfielder/low block running on the counterattack, Rafa Mir would start from the right flank and André Almeida would position himself as a second striker. And with the team in possession of the ball and in an organised and channelled attack, Thierry Rendall would project himself out wide on the right flank, André Almeida would occupy the space behind the opposing central midfielders and Rafa Mir would join up with Duro to receive the cross from the Portuguese or from Jesús Vázquez from the left.
With Mir on the right, Baraja seeks to take advantage of the striker’s power and stride to attack the space when the team counterattacks. Mir cannot operate there in an organised, channelled attack because he is not strong in one-on-one play, but, on the other hand, he is ideal for taking advantage of the space on the counterattack. His size and physique are perfect for beating opposing full-backs with speed. The first goal of the match against Eintracht, his first goal on his return to Mestalla, is the perfect example of what the coach was looking for with Mir on that flank. And it worked out well.
Baraja’s tactical decision also allows him to take advantage of players who have more trouble getting into the starting eleven in a rigid 1-4-4-2, such as Javi Guerra and André Almeida. With Mir on the wing, Almeida, who was the starter for the Orange, can join Pepelu and Guillamón in the centre of the field and the team can play with three inside to generate superiority.
Rafa Mir, who is not the typical forward who feels comfortable playing with his back to the ball and holding onto it, was grateful for his coach’s decision to drop to the right flank. The Cartagena native played well the role given to him by the coach of dropping to the wing or joining Duro up front when the moment of the match required it.
Resource for the season
By using this coaching option, Baraja adapted to the absences of Diego López, Sergi Canós and Fran Pérez and, at the same time, to the lack of reinforcements for that position. The other striker, Dani Gómez, could also have that role at some point during the season due to his abilities.
With a squad that will once again be short on key assets and that raises numerous unknowns as to its actual composition until the market closes, Baraja is working to take advantage of its scarce resources and the Mir that we see in the Orange is one of them.
The Valencia coach had been considering the option of Rafa Mir dropping to the right since the striker arrived in the squad. Baraja already used Mir in that position when they both played together in the youth team. The argument of Mir on the wing, more than a patch or a desperate or urgent solution, is an option in the face of problems such as absences, injuries or lack of resources, and, at the same time, an alternative to face certain rivals.
