AC #3 : Cantera policy downsides

So, where shall I start? I guess I'll explain the main issue I have with the current team. This has been the case since Bielsa left, I think, or maybe Valverde. But to be fair, I wasn't able to properly watch the team back then so I can't say one way or the other. Point is, the downside to the policy is the options are limited in what you can do via squad building. Basque football is much like the English game in that it's physical, based on transitions, and generally lacks in "end product". That's the best way I can say it. If you look at La Real, it's not like their youth talents are overly creative and their strikers are predominantly not Basque. At the end of the day, you have the familial/community aspect, which this club thrives in, but you also have the on-pitch product. It's disheartening, at least for me, to know that most weeks Athletic will feature in a game with one or two goals, and sometimes it'll be 0-0. That's depressing. It's one thing, like I said, to go to the cathedral that is San Mames with your friends and watch the game in person. In that case who cares if it's 0-0? But for me, a world away, it's hard to get up for games where Athletic are favored or even. They play well, especially under Marcelino, as the underdog, but in reality that's not that often. The big two, Atleti, Sevilla, maybe Betis/Valencia/Villarreal. Outside of that they're meant to be taking initiative on the ball and controlling the game in the traditional sense. But they just can't do it. This is where the limitations come in. One of them is simply that with the money in today's game and the reality of running contracts down, players either leave for big fees or on a Bosman. They rely on the academy mostly for new players, but on occasion they bring in a Basque player. 2 of the past 8 or 9 years the club has spent 10 million pounds or less. That's mad. In that same period, they've only really sold 3 players; Ander Herrera, Aymeric Laporte and Kepa Arrizabalaga. Nearly every other outgoing has been on loan or left due to his contract expiring.

The back half of the team is fine, for all intents and purposes. Simon with young Julen backing him up, a back four of Capa with De Marcos/Lekue rotating in, CB pair of Yeray/Nunez plus Martinez, and Yuri with Balenziaga set to come in is solid. The problem is the rest of the team. Javi Martinez was never replaced, nor was Ander Herrera. Aduriz more or less took the place of Llorente, but he's retired now. Muniain and Inaki for me have not come close to fulfilling their potential. I don't really like that word, but the truth is, if they were that good, they would've moved on a while ago. There's this weird balance now, much like the USA men's team actually, where the guys around my age, who should be in their primes, are simply not at the required level. Actually, in Muniain/Inaki/Sancet, there's a good amount of creativity. The problem is there's nothing whatsoever coming from midfield, and the chances that are created are never finished because there's no striker. Vesga is actually half decent at creating from CM, but he's the only one, and the finishing issue is glaringly obvious. Like most clubs that struggle to score goals, they threaten mostly with direct balls over the top to Inaki or via set pieces, usually to CB's (Martinez, Vivian). To be fair as well, Yuri and Capa haven't featured at all in the league, and that must play a part in the ineptitude going forward. Oscar de Marcos has done alright at RB though.

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On another note, I quickly want to address something in terms of identity and fandom. I love the fact that Athletic has an identity in a game where it's been stripped away. At the same time, using the Ajax comparison, or even German clubs like Bayern and Dortmund, it's not like the club and the fanbase is perfect. By this I'm basically referring to the arrogance that comes from having "history", as fans love to talk about. I'll throw Liverpool in as well, as their delusional supporters love to talk about how pure the club is compared to the dirty modern football sides like Chelsea and City. Look. The fact that there's more money now doesn't mean players haven't been poached throughout the history of the game. In this case it's the Basque country sending literally every good player to Athletic or La Real, but Athletic is the bigger club so they tend to take priority. It even got so bad that La Real were relegated and decided to scrap the Basque only policy, as the talent pool is small and Athletic were the dominant force. Eibar doesn't even have an academy. Osasuna, arguably Basque or just kinda residing nearby, ends up getting their players poached. Alaves, like Eibar for their 5 or so year stay in Primera, is barely capable of competing at this level with the talent (or lack thereof) in the club, especially compared to the early 2000s when they were good. Point is, Athletic is only rivaled by La Real, probably usurped in the past decade, given the cup final last year and the league finishes, and that's largely down to them expanding their player pool to have guys like Isak. To be fair, their academy, Anoeta, is producing just as well if not better than Lezama and this point.