Valencia have turned to Javier Aguirre as their third coach this season, hoping to reverse a troubling run of form that has seen them score just eight goals and concede 17 in 11 La Liga matches. The Mexican manager was officially presented at Mestalla on September 28, stepping into a side that has won twice, drawn three times, and suffered six defeats under three different leaders.
The club’s goal-scoring struggles are clear. Valencia have generated 10.8 non-penalty expected goals (npxG), ranking 17th in the league, but have only converted six of those chances excluding penalties and own goals. Forward Umar Sadiq leads the squad with 1.8 npxG and two goals, while teammates Hugo Duro and Arnaut Danjuma have failed to find the net despite opportunities valued at 1.6 and 1.4 npxG respectively. Their most productive attacking period came during the seventh and eighth matches, when they averaged 1.85 npxG, but that momentum has not been sustained.
Defensively, Valencia have conceded 14 non-penalty goals, closely matching the 14.8 npxG allowed. The team defends deep, with their defensive actions averaging 30 metres from their own goal line, the deepest in La Liga. Opponents enjoy more time on the ball as well, with Valencia’s PPDA (passes allowed per defensive action) at 15.8, the highest in the division compared to the league average of 12.4. This limited pressure allows opposing teams to complete more passes before Valencia intervene outside their defensive third.
This cautious defensive approach means Valencia control just 36.4% of final-third passes, the lowest figure in the league. They have held the larger share of these passes in only two of their 11 matches. Across the pitch’s 24 zones, Valencia have dominated control in five, while opponents have outperformed them in 11.
In possession, Valencia complete 313 open-play passes per match, placing them 15th in La Liga. However, only 21.2% of those passes reach the final third. Their passing has produced an expected threat (xT) of 9.3, the second-lowest in the league. Danjuma leads the squad in xT with 0.97, followed by Pepelu at 0.93 and Luis Rioja at 0.71. The most frequently used formation is a 4-4-2, with José Gayà and Justin de Haas forming the most common passing partnership, exchanging 23 passes on average.
Valencia attempt 10.3 non-penalty shots per match, each with an average value of 0.10 npxG. Their average shooting distance is 17.8 metres, the ninth shortest in the league, yet goals remain scarce. The team has spent nearly 64% of the season level and only 10.1% ahead, reflecting a difficulty in converting parity into leads.
Aguirre inherits a squad that spends long periods defending and struggles to make the most of limited attacking chances. His task is to improve Valencia’s ability to move higher up the pitch and turn draws into wins. So far, the team’s issues with both scoring and defending have left them near the bottom of the La Liga table after 11 matches.
According to Yahoo Sports.
