The biggest game of the season (so far)

The date that many Castellón and Eldense fans had marked on the calendar has finally arrived, as the two best teams in Group 2 of the Primera RFEF meet at Castalia this weekend. Although the number one spot is by no means settled regardless of the outcome, with just under half the season left to go, the result on Sunday could set the tone for what is to come.

A Castellón win would cut Eldense’s lead to one point, secure the head-to-head record, and change the momentum in their favour. A draw would maintain the status quo, and Eldense’s four point cushion, while potentially allowing the other teams to get closer to the direct promotion spot. A loss for Castellón would create a seven point deficit, with the head-to-head record against them, giving Eldense the clearest advantage yet of any team this season at the top of the table.

The fans from both sides know the importance of this game. Eldense is paying for four coaches to take fans to Castellón from Elda, while the Albinegres are planning a huge reception for the team bus in the Calle Huesca outside the stadium, two hours before the game. It should be comfortably the highest attendance at Castalia so far this season, with the club also offering discounted tickets and free entry to children in an attempt to sell out.

Form & Team news

Despite both teams being undefeated over their last five games, with Castellón winning two and Eldense winning three, neither team has played up to their full potential. The wins in that period have all been by one goal margins (except Castellón’s 3-1 triumph over Osasuna B), so both sides have been doing just enough to maintain their high league positions.

The opening 20 minutes of the aforementioned game was the best football played by Castellón since Albert Rudé’s arrival, and as the players get comfortable with the Catalan’s new system, Castellón fans will hope that more of that type of high energy performance will be on show on Sunday.

Koné and Pablo Hernández missed out on the squad last time due to injuries, and it also remains to be seen if new Dutch left back Roland Baas will be included in the squad for the first time since his arrival from De Graafschap on transfer deadline day.

Opponent analysis

As mentioned in advance of the first game this season, Castellón and Eldense play relatively similarly, so we should expect a technical battle which will be won with the details and in-game tactical adjustments.

To elaborate further on the similarities, Eldense are effective at creating horizontal imbalances in transition, by overloading one side of the pitch and quickly moving the ball into space on the other side. They, again like Castellón, benefit from full backs who are talented offensively and consistently push up and overlap, as seen below.

Four Eldense players are located on one side of the pitch, dragging the right back over who is supposed to be covering the open space, and that leaves room for Eldense left back Alex Martinez to make the run and eventually put in a dangerous cross to a crowded penalty area.

The team normally (and most recently) plays in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with star player Sergio Ortuño occupying a more central midfield position, behind Fran Carnicer as the number 10 and ahead of the deeper lying Miguel Nuñez. It’s a dangerous midfield trio, with Ortuño often making runs into the box and making himself available on the edge of the D - as Castellón found out last time, when he curled a nice finish past Alfonso Pastor to equalise.

Their starting striker is Mario Soberón, who, with 8 goals in 22 appearances, is a quick, dynamic forward adept at getting in behind but also playing across the forward line. Eldense’s alternative is Juanto Ortuño, who Castellón fans know well given he spent two years with the club until last year, scoring 11 goals.

Defensively, Eldense seem to mostly play in a mid-block, occasionally pressing deep in the opponent’s half but mostly preferring to stay more compact and press from the halfway line. They have the best defensive record in the league, and their organisation at the back and consistency is one of the big reasons why. Their goalkeeper, right back, and left back have played every minute, while Diego González has also been a mainstay at centre back.

That said, the last two games saw left back Alex Martínez make two costly mistakes, one of which led directly to a goal. Given the offensive firepower available to Castellón on the right with Manu and Raul Sánchez, they could put a lot of pressure on Martínez which might cause Eldense problems.

For Castellón, they should be aware of Eldense’s threat from long throws via Miguel Nuñez. The vast majority of throws from the games that I looked at near the opponent’s box effectively turned into crosses, which could cause problems if they are not dealt with correctly.

Albert Rudé’s comments

“It’s a crucial game and I encourage everyone to come and cheer us on. We will have good moments and bad moments in which we will take pleasure and suffer, and we want to do it with them because we need them a lot.

There’s no promotion immediately after today, and there will still be a lot of points on offer, with good runs and bad runs, but of course it’s a game that can change the momentum for both sides. We need to win to reconfirm our promotion ambitions and dent theirs.

We are used to working under pressure and what we try to do is give our best to get all three points.”