SCOUTING VALENCIA: Should be a breeze in theory but Valencia at the Mestalla is never easy

Valencia are on their third coach after just 11 league matches. Carlos Corberán’s dismissal, Óscar Sánchez’s brief spell in charge and Javier Aguirre’s arrival have brought two wins, three draws and six defeats. They have scored eight goals and conceded 17.

The lack of goals is their most immediate problem. Valencia have created 10.8 non-penalty expected goals, ranking 17th in La Liga, but scored only six when penalties and own goals are excluded. They are struggling both to create enough and to finish the chances they do get.

Umar Sadiq leads the squad with 1.8 npxG and two goals. Hugo Duro and Arnaut Danjuma have yet to score despite chances worth 1.6 and 1.4 npxG respectively. Valencia’s most productive attacking spell came in their seventh and eighth matches, when they averaged 1.85 npxG.

They have conceded 14.8 npxG, an average of 1.34 per match, with 14 non-penalty goals allowed. Opponents are scoring roughly in line with the chances Valencia concede.

Much of their defending takes place close to home. Their defensive actions occur an average of 30 metres from their own goal line, the deepest figure in La Liga. Their PPDA of 15.8 is also the league’s highest, indicating that opponents are allowed more passes before Valencia intervene outside their own defensive third. The league average is 12.4.

That limited pressure is reflected in where matches are played. Valencia account for just 36.4% of final-third passes, the lowest share in the division, and have held the larger share in only two of their 11 games. Across the pitch’s 24 zones, they have controlled five, compared with 11 for their opponents.

Possession has offered little relief. Valencia complete 313 open-play passes per match, ranking 15th, and only 21.2% of the passes they receive arrive in the final third. Their passing has generated 9.3 expected threat, the second-lowest total in La Liga.

Danjuma leads that measure with 0.97 xT, followed by Pepelu on 0.93 and Luis Rioja on 0.71. Their most-used formation has been 4-4-2, while José Gayà and Justin de Haas are their most frequent passing partnership, exchanging 23 passes.

Valencia average 10.3 non-penalty shots per match, each worth 0.10 npxG. Their average shooting distance of 17.8 metres ranks ninth shortest, but the goals have not followed.

They have spent almost 64% of their season level and just 10.1% ahead. Aguirre’s task is to give them more ways to move up the pitch and turn those long periods at parity into winning positions. So far, Valencia have spent too much time defending and made too little of their opportunities when they arrive.