In three games Luis Miguel Ramis has managed to shake off the title of defensive coach. It is true that his Espanyol still does not have the desired sufficiency against the rival goal, but no one will deny him the offensive mentality with which he faces the matches in the Stage Front. It was that persistence and not a brilliant game that allowed Espanyol to beat Alcorcón, a team in relegation and that has conceded the most goals so far this season in the Second Division.
This was, therefore, a favorable match for a team that, like Espanyol, wants to grow in confidence with the ball, even if it is with a much more direct game than in the past. Ramis' team had the offensive will that the duel required, but in the first half his performance was not enough for the public to get rid of the cold on a freezing night in Cornellà.
As already happened against Elche, the pressure was once again very high at the start, the full-backs spent more minutes in the rival field than in their own and the wingers tried to surprise the space from central positions. Ramis has clear ideas, but his team still finds it difficult to execute them without the haste caused by being out of the direct promotion positions.
In the first act, the lateral centers predominated, which Braithwaite, Pere Milla and even Aguado finished off with great difficulty. Inside, Alcorcón had designed a very serious defensive framework and as the minutes passed, Espanyol lost itself in unnecessary battles. Alcorcón claimed a penalty for Omar grabbing Addai, which the referee did not want to see.
Espanyol was saved and in the final rush before the break they found reward for their offensive mentality. The umpteenth cross that came from the left, in this case from Edu Expósito, was finished off by Pere Milla, although not without suspense. The ball hit an opponent before entering the net. The Lleida striker, much discussed in recent weeks, scored his fourth goal this season to banish criticism. Espanyol deserved it, but the goal came in a play full of fortune.
After the restart, Addai had the tie again, whose bulk defeated Calero and Omar, but when he faced Pacheco it was nighttime. Espanyol's intention was always to end the game as soon as possible. Expósito had the second on a shot from the edge of the area that went just wide. And minutes later he did not forgive Jofre in a counterattack in which he took advantage of the goalkeeper's rebound after a shot by Aguado from inside the area. The expulsion of Víctor García with twenty to go made the task of the blue and white easier.
Since the arrival of Ramis, Espanyol has added seven points out of a possible nine, they have only conceded one goal and they have conceded very few chances and managed to get back into the top positions. They are already third, just one point behind Valladolid and five behind Leganés. There is still a lot left, but the team's positive dynamic is beginning to calm all levels of the club and infect the fans, who for the moment see their team's sobriety as a great virtue after the problems experienced in the most recent past.
