The Almería team is currently mired in a deep crisis that seems impossible to escape. Fans of the Liga Hypermotion, particularly those loyal to Almería, will recall the nickname that emerged on social media and was later adopted by the club itself when they began their remarkable turnaround in the standings after a dismal start to the season. That team, which started to string together victories and remained unbeaten for 14 consecutive games, was dubbed “el coco” – a moniker that was both amusing and intimidating.
This catchy nickname, which didn’t sit well with all fans of the second division, served as a warning to the teams leading the standings at the time, as Almería slowly but surely gained ground until they achieved the impressive feat of rising from the relegation zone to the top spot in just a few matches, earning them the title of winter champions. Fans would post emojis of the tropical fruit after each win, and the club’s social media profiles would share memes featuring the coconut, referencing the fictional, anthropomorphic figure that frightens children at night, using it as a simile for their rivals.
However, since their defeat in Albacete, there’s been no sign of that formidable team that once inspired fear in their opponents. The rojiblancos have now gone eight consecutive games without a win, are out of the playoff spots, and trail the direct promotion spot by six points – the club’s primary objective. Rubi, who has experienced a similar situation in the past, during Huesca’s promotion season to La Liga (when they also went eight games without a win), has been unable to find the formula to revive a team that appears to be lifeless.
The Almería fans are becoming increasingly disheartened with each passing game, despite their team being one of the best home teams in Spain’s top two leagues. They have managed 12 consecutive games without a loss at their home stadium, a feat matched only by Huesca, and surpassed only by Atlético de Madrid (with 14 games). In fact, they have only suffered one defeat at home this season, which was against Castellón on September 16. Nevertheless, neither this impressive home record nor having the most prolific attacking trio in the league (with 34 goals between Arribas, Baptistao, and Luis Suárez) has been enough to keep them at the top.
Always on the back foot
In more than half of the 30 games played so far, Almería has been forced to come from behind, with 16 games seeing them trail at some point. Overcoming a deficit is already a challenging task, and it’s even more difficult in the second division. Almería has only managed to turn the tables in two of the 16 games where they started behind (against Elche away and Granada at home). The team is conceding too many early goals, which ultimately seals their fate.
@U_D_Almeria
The team’s inability to start games strongly has also been a major hindrance. In those 16 matches, Almería has conceded 31 goals, with 19 of them coming in the first half (63.33%) and 11 in the first 20 minutes alone (35.48%). These alarming statistics clearly weigh down the team’s chances of success and make it impossible for Rubi’s side to escape the crisis they’re embroiled in.