Pulpo a feira

LOTINA ANALYSES HIS TEAM

02 Aug 2007 -- Coach Miguel Ángel Lotina made a personal evaluation of all the players that he has found in Deportivo's first squad. The comments appeared in Depor Sport and should help the fans to understand the plans of the Basque coach for the season 2007/2008. The following is the translation of the coach's comments.

The keepers: Fabricio will be the keeper of Fabril. So, Manu could be the one going out on loan. But we have to see him. We have to decide if he is going to play in Deportivo B or if he will be the third keeper. That's a decision of the club and also of the keeper's trainer, I love to hear the opinions of the keeper's trainer, because he's the specialist.

Manuel Pablo: He's the experience. He participated less during the past campaign, but he is willing to do it. A player with a long route, also with a lot of strength and velocity, good qualities specially taking in mind that he's a defender. I want to see him playing on the left side against more complicated rivals. He is doing a good job.

Barragán: A fine side defender, with a good control of the ball, very fast and with offensive power. He is a player in a growing process that started since he returned to the Spanish League. During the past season, he enjoyed of a short period of vacations. That explains his ups and downs.

Fabricio Coloccini: We all know him very well. He is a central defender with a good control of the ball, he knows how to be placed on the pitch. He is one of the best central defenders in the Spanish League, and he is destined to be an important piece in this squad during this season.

Albert Lopo: He is a very complete central defender. He is fast, knows how to head the ball and I think that he has improved since I met him. He is more secure now and I see him with more confidence compared to the player that I met at Espanyol. He made a good job on the past season, but I believe that he still can improve.

Aythami: He's young, but is a central defender with character, I don't know if the correct word is aggressive, but definitely, he is forceful. Another player with good internal passes and for what we have saw, no matter the situation, he is a player that's always able to reach the ball.

Pablo Amo: He posses the quality of knowing how to evacuate the ball, bur he needs continuity in order to visualise his current condition. We know him for his job at other clubs, but we still have to see him at Depor. He posses a good aerial game and he made a great job on the past season.

Rodri: Similar case than Aythami. He posses good conditions, a good control of the ball and although he's a central defender, he is very fast. But he still has to mature and must start to assume obligations and defensive guidelines. Things that any central defenders needs. He is another option in order to cover the sides.

Filipe Luis: He's the typical Brazilian side defender. Almost all of them are equal, with quality and a good control of the ball. He posses very good movements and is elegant with the ball. But logically, we will have to insist with him in the defensive aspect.

Sergio: He puts quality in midfield. He is a 'second pivote' with a good ability to support the work up front. He's noticed as a creator of game and also as a goalscorer, he makes combinations and good internal passes. He's a good player and has to be a reference at Deportivo.

Julian De Guzmán: He is all mobility, he's able to reach any place on the pitch and is very agile. He is able to do interesting things with the ball and although he isn't at the top, he's always able to make good internal passes. He isn't the typical organiser but he's able to make good passes. He is a really interesting player.

Juan Rodríguez: A player with tremendous conditions. If we find the correct place for him, he will have continuity in a concrete place. He could be an interesting player. His multifunctional skills are important for any club. He makes a good job up front.

Cristian: All work, he's fast in short spaces, also very dynamic, he can play in both wings. He is a player that has surprised us in a positive aspect. He isn't a man for one-to-one plays, he usually can't handle those actions, but he makes good combinations and possess a good ability to shot on goal.

Lafita: He's ability and velocity. He contributes with work on the sides and we have big hopes for him during the present season. He played a few games at Zaragoza and needs minutes. He could be an important player, but needs continuity, because he has the conditions for it.

Pablo Alvarez: He is the player that has surprised me the most. He runs a lot, he always puts his feet and is very honourable at work. He is helpful in both areas, he defends well and helps up front. I have seen positive things in him.

Guardado: Taking in mind his age, he is a very complete player. He runs long distances, contributes with a lot of work and possess quality. He is a very dynamic left winger and is a very interesting signing. He has a responsibility in this team but he isn't used to that. However, I'm sure that he will know how to face that.

Valerón: Juan Carlos is one of the references, not only at Deportivo, but also in the Spanish and European Football. When Valerón would be fine, he's capable of making any team to play well. I'm speechless to add more things about him.

Verdú: A quality player, something that's normal to be found in Barcelona during this days. He can perform near to the area and also as a double pivote. Talented, good with the internal passes, and capable of making the last pass. But he is also able to give an exit to the squad when he is coming from behind.

Riki: He's a powerful and fast player, with a good ability to shot on goal. It's difficult to stop him for his physical presence. We are hopeful about his conditions for the present season. I believe that he's a little disordered, but that quality makes him more harmful by the centre than by the sides.

Bodipo: He is power and goal. He always plays at the limit of the offside trap and knows how to play in the penalty area. He is always waiting any lost ball, he knows how to take advantage of the opportunities and is obsessed with the goals. He is doing a great job during the pre-season.

Adrián: I still have to know him well, but he posses goal and velocity. He is capable of making short manoeuvres in the area and he is always thinking in the goal. There are players that were born to win the games, and other ones to make the squad play. His case is the first one.

Rubén Castro: He is ability and specially, a player. Dangerous inside the area and also at the border of it. He's good shooting on goal and is fast in short spaces. He posses a better capability that the one he has showed during the last years.

Xisco: He is distancing with rupture, he knows how to hold on the ball with his body, he's fast and very strong. He contributes with things that we like to have in our strikers. He made a good job on the past season, and should be a reference for those who leaves the club on loan.

Taborda: He is the typical striker that's a reference. He dominates the aerial game, but he isn't a mobile option at the sides. He prefers to play near to the area. In that zone, you can notice better his skills and you can take advantage of them.

Jairo: A goalscorer. He posses quality, talent and good movements on the pitch. But the injuries have stopped his career. He's fine and when he receives the ball between the lines, he's capable of making interesting things. Good shot on goal with both legs.

Momo: Good internal and external movements. He is good in one-to-one plays, strong in short spaces. In a team that's dominating a game, he could generate a lot of damage, that's because he possess a lot of resources in attack.

Iago: A typical playmaker that performs between the lines, with good shot on goal and specially, left-footed. He's capable of making good internal passes. He is skilful and has interesting things, but he needs to enjoy of continuity.

Iván Carril: He surprised me. I didn't have good references of Palencia and with us, he has worked really well. He knows how to hit the ball and knows how to play on the right and on the left side. We will follow him at Fabril.

Antonio Tomás: A player with a lot of quality. Talented and knows how to manage the ball. He is interesting, but we already have covered his position. He could find a place at any squad. He isn't physically strong, but he knows how to find his place on the pitch.

Pita: An inner that's very elegant, with good presence and is pleasant to see him on the pitch. He manages the ball very well and knows how to shot on goal. A very complete player at the centre, he defends well and knows how to attack.

Aridane: He is the player that has lived the worst moment during the pre-season. We knew it because is difficult for him the fact of reaching a good form. He is a player that knows how to hold on the ball and that posses the quality of the goal. For the moment, that body is a problem for him, but it will be an advantage in a few months.