Waiting for Gattuso
When Gennaro Gattuso arrived at Valencia, there was a self-conscious enthusiasm around the East Coast of Spain. Not daring to get too excited, having been hurt often and recently, this was a man who spoke their language, with a clarity that is hard to dismiss. That was tempered by a generous serving of scepticism from the outsiders. Gattuso’s managerial career has been as consistent as the Calabrian mountains.
However after a few weeks of Gerard Butler-esque monologues, it was difficult to deny that Gattuso, seen up close as a manager for the first time in Spain, had a certain way of rousing the rabble. While the likes of Carlos Soler and Gonçalo Guedes left, Samuel Lino, André Almeida, Samu Castillejo, and in particular, Edinson Cavani, were reason enough for hope on the other side of those sales.
A couple of promising performances, especially at Mestalla, backed up the idea that there was something building in Valencia again. Perhaps a project that would be limited in resource, but consistent in its growth and attractive to watch. But those early mistakes, put down to teething problems for a new squad and a new system, eventually became a pain in the proverbial. Mestalla is slowly becoming fed up of the inconsistency.
Since the 7th of October, Valencia have won just once in La Liga. That solitary victory, a 3-0 win over Real Betis, is their only clean sheet in that spell too. It leaves them just three points clear of the relegation zone.
At the time, that Betis win, alongside a draw against Real Sociedad and a narrow defeat to Barcelona could conceivably have been spun into a positive run. They took Real Madrid to penalties in the Spanish Supercup, with Almeida looking like he belonged at the top level. They are just eight points off 7th-placed Osasuna with a game in hand, and the season not yet at the halfway stage.
Valencia remain a series of promising signs as fans wait for the Gattuso effect to take place though. While the Italian is a great motivator, when those dramatics are met with the same disappointing result, it leaves the Italian looking increasingly powerless.
Even in the transfer market, where he is powerless, Gattuso has spoken openly about Cagliari midfielder Nahitan Nández, and more recently claimed they wanted a central midfielder that could play multiple positions not just the pivot role. Now into the final week of the window, nothing has happened yet. The reality is, Gattuso is still waiting for the midfielder that José Bordalás asked for last January. Meanwhile Los Che face Athletic Club in a Copa del Rey revenge quarter-final; a win puts them into the final four, where perhaps they salvage something from the season.
It’s all a bit familiar. The explosive Italian has been wished well by almost all, and you would say he is still well-liked by the majority. Unless results improve, there is only so far that good will extend. As Mestalla impatiently taps their collective fingers on the table, they must be wondering if the Gattuso effect is ever going to come after all.