When Leganes had been promoted to La Liga on the finish of final season, there was little to counsel they might have the flexibility to compete within the prime flight.
Typically discovered and not using a pure goalscorer throughout their title-winning marketing campaign in Segunda, and harvesting a squad with little or no La Liga expertise between them. Nonetheless, in Borja Jimenez, who, like nearly all of his squad – hadn’t managed a prime flight fixture previous to this season – they’ve a supervisor who can guarantee his group carry out at a stage that’s greater than the sum of their components.
At the moment locked in a relegation battle, stage on factors with Deportivo Alaves, who’ve their heads above water on aim distinction, Los Pepineros are giving their all in an try to ensure a second successive La Liga marketing campaign since 2020.
La Liga have revealed the up to date wage limits after the January switch window. pic.twitter.com/I7XkBq0deT
— Soccer España (@footballespana_) February 18, 2025
So, how precisely are they doing it?
Jimenez tends to set his aspect arrange someplace between a 4-2-3-1 and a 3-4-3, and the frequency of transition between these two techniques usually depends on sport state and the opposition they’re up in opposition to. This flexibility leans on the tactical acumen of their 40-year-old supervisor.
In opposition to Atletico Madrid, the place they accomplished an enormous scalp by ending Diego Simeone’s 15-game profitable run with a 1-0 win at Butarque, Leganes switched very fluidly between the 2 techniques. On this one, Jimenez used Peruvian Renato Tapia as a car to modify from one to the opposite.
When Leganes had the ball on this sport, Tapia grew to become free to maneuver right into a midfield place and slot right into a single pivot function as an alternative. This grew to become an actual dilemma for Atleti’s urgent front-line, who as an alternative of trying to shut off three centre-back choices, needed to deal with shielding a go behind them into Tapia.
The Peruvian was additionally the participant chosen to drop again right into a 5 throughout defensive eventualities, which had been much more frequent as Los Pepineros seemed to carry on to their slim benefit within the sport.
It was simple to see why Jimenez went for this, as Atleti seemed to make use of fast combos within the channels to create huge overloads, which means a wider back-line would assist Leganes fight that individual menace.
Nonetheless, when Tapia drops right into a 5, often too early, it could possibly result in further house between the strains for the opposition to take advantage of – with out the Peruvian they will seem outnumbered in these areas.
Jimenez has arguably had higher success when utilizing the 3-4-3 as an in-possession blueprint, as with little pure creativity inside their ranks, Leganes should use a extra systematic strategy to fabricate scoring alternatives. Using flying wing-backs is comparable with this season’s managerial starlet Claudio Giraldez at Celta Vigo, who Leganes went toe-to-toe with by matching their huge system final weekend.
Los Pepineros wing-back Valentin Rosier has posted among the higher numbers within the division by way of his attacking output. In fact on this Leganes group, the Frenchman is a reasonably energetic defender, but additionally ranks inside the prime 4% of full-backs for shot-creating actions by profitable take-ons.
In opposition to Vigo, Rosier and maverick winger Juan Cruz gave Los Celestes pairing Oscar Mingueza and Marcos Alonso a torrid time on the Leganes proper.
It’s a easy idea, however Cruz dropping infield to draw a Vigo defender allowed Rosier to fly across the exterior and create a crossing alternative. The Spaniard’s menace alone is sufficient to bother most defences, however put the highly effective runs of Leganes’ wing-back into the equation and it turns into an excessive amount of for anybody.
In opposition to Getafe, in a sport of little or no high quality, that very same mixture devastated their Madrid rivals within the ultimate seconds of the sport. As Los Pepineros so usually do, they pounced on a transition created by Cruz’s sensible flip in midfield.
Rosier’s unbelievable physicality meant he flew across the exterior of Getafe’s back-line, free to cross, leaving Diego Garcia to creator a wonderful overhead kick previous the despairing David Soria to supply a dramatic ending to the South Madrid derby. Certainly one of many examples this season of Leganes’ wing-backs being the most important attacking menace of their aspect.
The Frenchman isn’t the one distinctive profile that Jimenez seems to be to profit from on this Leganes aspect although, as midfield pairing of Seydouba Cisse and Yvan Neyou Noupa each provide particular capabilities inside Jimenez’s system.
Cisse’s potential to maintain the ball properly affords a breadth of choices for Leganes after they construct from the again, notably parting from that standard again three. Jimenez’s defenders usually break up into wider positions to make it harder for the opposition to press them straight, but additionally block the midfield choices coming from behind.
One of many Guinean’s commonest strikes is to attend for the centre-backs to unfold into a sophisticated place, while attracting the opposition’s press, and utilizing his distinctive again to aim play, and zipping the ball out huge. This not solely beats the press, however invitations his teammates to rove ahead from that centre-back place, leaving what would often be a three-versus-two state of affairs within the huge areas.
Cisse ranks inside the prime 10% of La Liga midfielders for profitable take-ons, and doesn’t draw back from his defensive duties both, flying throughout the bottom shortly sufficient to sit down inside the prime 10% for ball recoveries too.
As for Neyou, he’s usually the out-of-possession set off for Leganes, and the sealing possibility for his or her urgent. In what’s incessantly a stodgy mid-block, the Cameroonian does his finest to defend the again line from any direct passes into that zone.
Within the ultimate third, Neyou covers appreciable floor to press opposition midfield choices again in direction of their aim. Leganes often slim off when making an attempt to pin the opposite group, which suggests Neyou can be part of the entrance two as a part of a 2-1 urgent line.
For his half, the 28-year-old ranks inside the prime 20% of midfielders within the division for tackles received, dribblers tacked and aerials received. He’s the proper praise to Cisse’s dexterous ball-playing potential.
Though their survival nonetheless hangs within the steadiness, Jimenez has performed to the strengths of his group as finest as he can, and has undoubtedly proved his value on the prime stage. Solely Espanyol and Sevilla have decrease wage limits than Leganes, and each are spending properly in extra of their allowance – an indication of simply how steep their uphill job is. By means of an intensive and organised strategy, Leganes can nonetheless dream of consecutive seasons of La Liga soccer at Butarque although.