Villarreal—Leganés GAMETHREAD

If you’re in the US, I hope you remembered to “spring forward” the clock! Villarreal have no such worries, but let’s hope they get off to a quicker start than has often been the case.

BeINSport has this in the US on their main Spanish channel.

Here are the teams:

VILLARREAL: Asenjo; Peña, Albiol, Pau, Alberto M.; Trigueros, Iborra, Moi Gómez, Cazorla; Gerard and Alcácer.

Bench: Andrés, Mario, Funes Mori, Anguissa, Ontiveros, Chukwueze and Bacca.

No Qunitillà, no Fer (i am sure he is with the B team today)

LEGANÉS: Cuellar; Jonathan Silva, Roque Mesa, Awaziem, Rosales, Aitor Ruibal, Guido, Amadou, Siovas, Rodrigues, Oscar.

Bench: Soriano; Bustinza, Omeruo, Guerrero, Assalé, Ruben Pérez, Bryan Gil.

For what it’s worth, I predict 2-1 to Villarreal, mostly because that often happens when these two teams meet, but I feel it’s important for the Yellow Submarine to do well early. Lega are going to be desperate for points though after Mallorca’s defeat of Eibar, so that could play into our hands—if we can counterattack at speed, we can find joy.

Obviously on paper there is a big difference in quality between the two sides but as always, the game isn’t played in paper. If Leganés can hold us off, play for a set-piece situation, etc., that would seem to be their best hope.