Mark O'Haire: New coach, same problems for Los Boquerones

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2 min

Malaga finally pulled the plug on head coach Michel last weekend. Los Boquerones went limply beaten 1-0 at Getafe, their fourth consecutive La Liga loss without scoring to leave the club rooted to the bottom of the table.

Jose Gonzalez has been handed the reigns in the hope of reviving Malaga’s ailing fortunes. The club’s board hailed his exploits at Granada, where in the 2015-16 campaign he arrived with 13 games remaining to save the club from relegation.

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The Costa del Sol side are seven points from safety having lost 14 of their opening 19 matches, scoring a paltry 13 goals. However, Gonzalez – who’s most recent job came with Beijing Guoan in China – must arrest an alarming away record, starting with a trip to Eibar on Monday night.

That’s a daunting task with Eibar’s excellent W6-D1-L0 recent run finally coming to an end last weekend in a brave 1-0 reverse to second-placed Atletico Madrid. The Basque minnows were unfortunate not to take at least a point in that encounter having accumulated an Expected Goals total of 1.72 against Diego Simeone’s well-oiled machine.

Head coach Jose Luis Mendilibar has forged a fabulously hard-working and well-organised outfit – no La Liga club faces fewer shots per-game this season – and Eibar tend to relish their encounters with La Liga’s lesser lights.

The hosts are just two points off a Europa League qualification place and Los Armeros are worthy favourites to clinch another victory at their tiny Ipurua base against Malaga on Monday evening.

Recommended Bet

  • Eibar -0.75 Asian Handicap (1.94)

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