Why does Racing not give guarantees that we can fight for the title until the end?

In the days of big data, the statistics collected by the systems used by technical bodies help a lot to explain the reasons for the success or failure of a team. In short, the numbers are final. But There are contexts, of course.

Thus, by breaking down the Racing records, it is possible to understand why it does not come out of the labyrinth of irregularity. Later it will be necessary to appeal to the psychic factor, which has little to do with mathematics. And perhaps in this article there is the answer to the question that everyone asks in the Cylinder and its surroundings: why the Academy Doesn’t that guarantee that he will be able to fight for the title until the end?

Racing is among the top three teams with the highest scorers in the Professional League (22 against 24 in the River), it is the one that has generated the most obvious chances (33), the one with the highest percentage of ball possession (62, 8%) and, behind de River, is the group with the highest accuracy of passes per game (393 versus 428). He also has the third best average of shots per game (14.3) and the second best in direct shots on goal every ninety minutes (5.1). He also finished 8 times with the fence at zero, behind Atlético Tucumán and Gimnasia.

These are figures that, read below, are brilliant for the unsuspecting. in any case, the Academy It is in seventh place in the standings. And there is another fact that contrasts with macro numbers: after Colón (22) and Arsenal (21), It is the team with the highest number of lost chances (20).

It is a reality that The race produces too many arrivals as it is also true that it is very wrong. There is a clear problem of definition. It is not the only one, of course. Because being a protagonist, a role that Fernando Gago’s team takes on naturally, does not only translate into a role. Possession without depth or strength is one of football’s worst sins. It happened to him against San Lorenzo, the night of the defeat in the classic that was played at the Cylinder. While the ball was 64% in the power of the Academythe Cyclone kicks several times on Gabriel Arias’s goal: 10 shots, exactly, 6 effective against a single shot under three sticks by Augusto Batalla, Enzo Copetti’s header ended up on the net.

Is Gago’s method, “the proposal” the best alternative for this team? The 4-3-3 worked for most of the tournament, but The gaps in which Racing enters are alarming, especially in the second half. If only the table of the first forty-five minutes were taken, the Academy would be the leader of the championship with 26 points. If only the complements were calculated, he would drop to 14th place with 19 units.

And here it is necessary to get rid of mathematics and talk about the moments of the game, properly speaking. The race falls physically, because in the first half it is much more intense and Gago does not always put the changes well.

The reading that the coach makes when he puts his hand on the bench is questionable. You have to refer to the results. The team usually gets worse. No one has explained, for example, why he eliminated Copetti in the final stretch of the duel with San Lorenzo. Although he had nine men on the pitch due to the red cards of Tomás Chancalay and Leonardo Sigali, the only way to break even was to hit the ‘9’ heads. He has given up his scorer (7) to include a central defender (Jonathan Galván). And it ended with the air expeditions for Maxi Romero, which until now showed no hierarchy.

The choice of reinforcements is also Gago’s responsibility. Edwin Cardona it seemed like a whim until the technician understood that it was not necessary to expose himself to criticism for the Colombian, who does not only have physical problems. His pass cost nearly $ 4 million. Johan Carbonero was torn apart. Even Sigali, who returned on Monday. And Emiliano Vecchio, an essential footballer who hasn’t played for 7 dates.

The eliminations against Boca in the League Cup, River de Uruguay in South America (they had to draw at home; Melgar lost and qualified) and against Agropecuario in the Argentine Cup left injuries, but they did not change to Víctor Blanco his decision to renew the manager’s contract. In short, Racing is qualifying for the Copa Libertadores 2023 because it tops the annual rankings.

Of course, the goal is too small for so many investments and history. The bar is high. Gago himself generated expectations that he could not sustain. Y without championships there is no project that is valid in Argentine football. Especially in big clubs. The rest is a matter of taste.