Villarreal at Osasuna: La Liga Preview

I’m tired of getting draws. Yes, yes, I know we won 6-0 against a completely overpowered team in midweek... but daggumit we’ve had four league draws in a row and I’m tired of it. Osasuna is rooted to the bottom of the table and we need to beat them.

Our Opponents

After losing Pervis Estupinan over the summer, Osasuna’s offense has absolutely cratered this year. They are creating fewer shots and getting less quality out of the shots they are creating, and frankly I just don’t know if they’ll be able to score enough goals to stay up. They’ve lost four out of their last five league games, only scoring two goals in that time. They’ve only scored multiple goals twice all season.

Villarreal

Man our injury situation is an absolute mess. It makes it really, really hard to predict a lineup. Iborra, Paco, Bacca, and Estupinan all look to miss this one, and even though Francis Coquelin isn’t listed on Transfermarkt’s official injury page for the club, I just assume he’s hurt unless I see with my own eyes him start a match and finish it without limping (and of course he came off injured against Elche). Moi Gomez is slowly working his way back, but I don’t expect him to start. Pedraza, as I understand it, is suspended for this one, having picked up a fifth yellow of the season against Betis. All of this mess leaves Jaume Costa as our best remaining option at two different positions, which just isn’t a good state for the squad to be in. Here’s my best guess for a lineup, though I confess I’m largely guessing here. If I’ve missed an injury or suspension, just let me know in the comments, there are too many of them for me to keep track of.

lineupbuilder.com

Prediction

Osasuna is offensively inept, but our attacking front is also beat to heck right now, I think this will be a 1-0 win, but I don’t feel great about it.