Each line is generated from a finding that cleared its evidence bar; nothing here is a generic coaching point. The grey line says what it rests on; the button opens the sequences.
Copy the sides that escaped it: Villarreal got out 70% (long on 10%), Atletico got out 68% (long on 8%), Athletic Club got out 67% (long on 6%).
Average escape rate against them is 50%.
When you win it, go down their left side immediately.
64% of the xG they concede after losing the ball comes down their left side (70 attacks, 10 shots), against 36% of their own attacking xG through that channel.
Avoid conceding corners; mark Nahuel Tenaglia first.
24% of their corners end in a shot; first contacts: Nahuel Tenaglia (3), Lucas Boyé (2), Ville Koski (2).
Where each player takes the ball in each phase of their possession, and who passes to whom. Event data has no off-ball positions, so this is the shape of their touches — the standard event-data proxy. A phase is defined by where the ball is, so the dots sit inside that phase's third (shaded): read the order and the width, not the depth of each line. Alaves attack left to right.
attacking → · shaded = the build-up zone
537 build-up phases. Dot = the median spot of a player's touches in this phase; size = share of touches; lines = consecutive touches between two players.
attacking → · shaded = the progression zone
734 progression phases. Dot = the median spot of a player's touches in this phase; size = share of touches; lines = consecutive touches between two players.
attacking → · shaded = the final third zone
554 final third phases. Dot = the median spot of a player's touches in this phase; size = share of touches; lines = consecutive touches between two players.
Tackles, interceptions, recoveries, blocks, challenges and fouls in the opponent's final 40%.
244 in the window. The press on a build-up = the first two rows: 43 (4.3 a match).
| source | times | share | per match | shot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| press: settled build-up taken off them | 37 | 15% | 3.7 | 8% | |
| press: their restart forced into an error before they settled | 6 | 2% | 0.6 | 17% | |
| counter-press: won straight back after losing it | 13 | 5% | 1.3 | 15% | |
| second ball: the opponent touched it but never controlled it | 188 | 77% | 18.8 | 28% | |
| ↳ rebound after their own shot (saved or blocked) | 20 | 8% | 2.0 | 30% | |
| ↳ their cross / ball into the box, cleared | 75 | 31% | 7.5 | 41% | |
| ↳ their long ball, only headed or touched away | 18 | 7% | 1.8 | 17% | |
| ↳ after their own throw-in / set piece | 21 | 9% | 2.1 | 14% | |
| ↳ loose ball in their combination play (pass blocked or tackled) | 54 | 22% | 5.4 | 17% |
| opponent was | share | league | rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| dribbling or a loose touch | 20% | 27% | 19 / 20 | |
| passing to a full-back | 15% | 17% | 12 / 20 | |
| going long | 15% | 10% | 4 / 20 | |
| passing sideways | 13% | 5% | 3 / 20 | |
| passing forward | 13% | 26% | 19 / 20 | |
| taking a throw-in | 9% | 2% | 2 / 20 | |
| passing to the keeper | 4% | 2% | 5 / 20 | |
| passing back | 0% | 0% | 9 / 20 | |
| a loose ball | 0% | 0% | 1 / 20 |
The opponents who went long most (34% of build-ups) got out 43% of the time; those who mostly played short (10% long) got out 60%. That is a lean, not proven at 20 matches (p=0.1118).
Best escapes: Villarreal 70%; Atletico 68%; Athletic Club 67%. One dot per match; hover for the opponent.
Most often started by Lucas Boyé (20), Pablo Ibáñez (18), Ángel Pérez (15), Nahuel Tenaglia (12).
| lost in | losses | won back within 5s | led to a shot |
|---|---|---|---|
| own third | 29 | 31% | 17% |
| midfield | 239 | 21% | 3% |
| final third | 357 | 29% | 0% |
14.7 opponent attacks per match after winning the ball in open play that broke forward fast or reached the final third. Shading and % = share of the xG they produced, by the channel they used. Alaves's goal is on the left. Central attacks carry more xG for every team, so compare with Alaves's own attacking xG in the same kind of channel (centre, or the average flank): left 64% conceded vs 36% own, right 18% conceded vs 36% own, centre 18% conceded vs 28% own.
Every real turnover, named by the situation it came from. "Fast" = the side with the ball reached the final third within 10 seconds. Only real turnovers appear here: for everything the press wins high, including restarts it forced into an error, see "Every ball won in the opponent’s third" in the press section.
| type | times | share | fast | shot | xG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won high from a settled build-up (press) | 41 | 5%lg 5% | 41% | 7%lg 12% | 0.2 | |
| Won after their long possession (10+ passes) | 82 | 11%lg 12% | 10% | 2%lg 4% | 0.4 | |
| Won straight back after losing it (counter-press) | 76 | 10%lg 11% | 36% | 7%lg 9% | 0.4 | |
| Won by stopping their counter | 33 | 4%lg 4% | 15% | 6%lg 3% | 0.3 | |
| Won in midfield | 185 | 25%lg 24% | 31% | 4%lg 7% | 1.3 | |
| Won deep in own third | 292 | 39%lg 37% | 11% | 2%lg 3% | 0.3 | |
| Won from their set piece | 45 | 6%lg 5% | 13% | 4%lg 3% | 0.1 |
| type | times | share | opponent fast | shot against | xG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lost in own build-up under pressure | 22 | 3%lg 5% | 50% | 18%lg 12% | 0.2 | |
| Lost after own long possession (10+ passes) | 33 | 5%lg 12% | 12% | 0%lg 4% | 0.0 | |
| Lost straight after winning it | 93 | 13%lg 11% | 40% | 9%lg 9% | 0.7 | |
| Lost during own counter | 29 | 4%lg 4% | 14% | 0%lg 3% | 0.0 | |
| Lost in midfield | 197 | 28%lg 25% | 35% | 5%lg 6% | 1.5 | |
| Lost in the final third (attack broke down) | 304 | 43%lg 37% | 13% | 2%lg 3% | 0.5 | |
| Lost from own set piece | 28 | 4%lg 5% | 11% | 0%lg 4% | 0.0 |
Every controlled possession is typed by how it was played, and every real turnover (a possession that was established and then lost) by what the losing side was doing, how it lost the ball and what the winner did next. "Settled" = sustained or worked possessions; "unsettled" = short, second-ball, counter and direct possessions.
| type | times | share | ended in a shot | avg passes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sustained circulation (10+ passes) | 47 | 5%lg 13% | 17%lg 12% | 14.0 | |
| worked possession (4-9 passes) | 223 | 25%lg 28% | 10%lg 10% | 5.8 | |
| direct attack | 160 | 18%lg 13% | 4%lg 2% | 1.6 | |
| short possession (0-3 passes) | 213 | 24%lg 22% | 2% | 1.5 |
| the side losing it was in… | times | fast attack | secured | lost straight back | can’t keep it | shot | xG | how it was lost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sustained circulation (10+ passes) | 34 | 12% | 26% | 6% | 53% | 0% | 0.0 | pass cut out 23, bad touch 4 | |
| worked possession (4-9 passes) | 166 | 23% | 8% | 8% | 56% | 2% | 0.4 | pass cut out 84, long ball lost 33 | |
| direct attack | 117 | 28% | 17% | 9% | 39% | 5% | 0.5 | long ball lost 47, pass cut out 43 | |
| short possession (0-3 passes) | 188 | 30% | 11% | 7% | 49% | 6% | 1.6 | pass cut out 83, long ball lost 35 | |
| second-ball possession | 130 | 18% | 13% | 7% | 52% | 3% | 0.3 | pass cut out 64, long ball lost 23 | |
| counter / fast transition | 43 | 16% | 7% | 12% | 53% | 0% | 0.0 | pass cut out 25, bad touch 7 | |
| set piece | 28 | 11% | 11% | 25% | 43% | 0% | 0.0 | pass cut out 15, long ball lost 6 |
| mechanism | times | share | led to a shot against | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| pass cut out | 337 | 48%lg 48% | 3% | |
| long ball lost | 147 | 21%lg 23% | 6% | |
| bad touch | 106 | 15%lg 14% | 4% | |
| failed dribble | 70 | 10%lg 7% | 3% | |
| tackled / dispossessed | 44 | 6%lg 6% | 2% |
| the opponent was in… | times | fast attack | secured | lost straight back | can’t keep it | shot | xG | how it was lost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sustained circulation (10+ passes) | 85 | 11% | 15% | 8% | 53% | 4% | 0.5 | pass cut out 49, bad touch 11 | |
| worked possession (4-9 passes) | 199 | 17% | 11% | 10% | 52% | 4% | 1.1 | pass cut out 109, long ball lost 45 | |
| direct attack | 93 | 29% | 17% | 9% | 37% | 2% | 0.2 | long ball lost 43, pass cut out 36 | |
| short possession (0-3 passes) | 166 | 29% | 6% | 10% | 49% | 5% | 0.6 | pass cut out 64, long ball lost 36 | |
| second-ball possession | 129 | 18% | 19% | 7% | 53% | 1% | 0.1 | pass cut out 73, long ball lost 19 | |
| counter / fast transition | 37 | 16% | 16% | 8% | 49% | 5% | 0.3 | pass cut out 19, bad touch 9 | |
| set piece | 45 | 13% | 9% | 9% | 58% | 4% | 0.1 | pass cut out 25, long ball lost 10 |
Fast attack = their final third or box reached within 10s. Secured = kept 10s+ or 4+ passes. Lost straight back = controlled, then lost within 5s. Can’t keep it = won the ball but never got it under control (cleared it, headed it away, blocked it or lost it at once).
Each phase split into the situations it is made of, every row with its league median and clips. Shots are their own category: a possession that ends in a shot has finished, it has not lost the ball.
| type | times | share | got out | reached the box | lost in build-up | shot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| from the keeper / goal kick, played out short | 29 | 18%lg 18% | 69% | 28% | 24% | 14% | |
| from the keeper / goal kick, went long (bypass) | 21 | 13%lg 11% | 52% | 19% | 29% | 10% | |
| from the keeper / goal kick, stuck / recycled | 7 | 4% | 0% | 0% | 29% | 0% | |
| from the back line, played out short | 12 | 7%lg 10% | 83% | 17% | 0% | 8% | |
| from the back line, went long (bypass) | 9 | 6%lg 5% | 33% | 0% | 56% | 0% | |
| from a throw-in, played out short | 6 | 4%lg 5% | 50% | 17% | 50% | 0% | |
| from a throw-in, went long (bypass) | 6 | 4%lg 3% | 33% | 17% | 50% | 0% | |
| straight after winning it, played out short | 22 | 14%lg 17% | 73% | 23% | 14% | 14% | |
| straight after winning it, went long (bypass) | 25 | 16%lg 10% | 56% | 16% | 44% | 4% | |
| straight after winning it, stuck / recycled | 18 | 11% | 0% | 11% | 33% | 6% |
| outcome | times | share | opponent shot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| won it high | 20 | 9%lg 9% | 0% | |
| forced long, then won it back | 43 | 18%lg 23% | 0% | |
| forced long, they kept it | 7 | 3%lg 5% | 29% | |
| they played through short | 102 | 44%lg 37% | 8% | |
| kept them stuck (recycled back) | 62 | 26%lg 26% | 5% |
Won high = the ball won in the opponent's own third. Forced long = the opponent left its third with a long ball (then either lost it in that possession, or kept it).
| created by | shots | share of open play | xG | xG per shot | goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cross | 22 | 24%lg 6% | 2.3 | 0.10lg 0.11 | 3 | |
| cutback | 5 | 5%lg 7% | 0.6 | 0.13lg 0.10 | 1 | |
| through ball | 3 | 3%lg 4% | 0.3 | 0.10lg 0.25 | 0 | |
| short pass / combination | 32 | 35%lg 54% | 2.3 | 0.07lg 0.08 | 4 | |
| long ball | 5 | 5%lg 4% | 0.3 | 0.07lg 0.07 | 1 | |
| individual (dribble / self-made) | 17 | 19%lg 11% | 1.2 | 0.07lg 0.09 | 2 | |
| rebound / second ball | 7 | 8%lg 9% | 1.1 | 0.16lg 0.08 | 1 | |
| corner (set piece) | 21 | – | 1.5 | 0.07 | 1 | |
| free kick (indirect) (set piece) | 11 | – | 0.5 | 0.05 | 0 | |
| direct free kick (set piece) | 5 | – | 0.1 | 0.03 | 0 | |
| throw-in (set piece) | 4 | – | 0.8 | 0.20 | 0 | |
| penalty (set piece) | 1 | – | 0.8 | 0.79 | 1 |
| created by | shots | share | xG | xG per shot | goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cross | 4 | 5%lg 11% | 0.8 | 0.19 | 2 | |
| cutback | 10 | 12%lg 7% | 1.1 | 0.11 | 0 | |
| through ball | 6 | 8%lg 4% | 1.6 | 0.27 | 3 | |
| short pass / combination | 44 | 55%lg 53% | 3.5 | 0.08 | 5 | |
| long ball | 6 | 8%lg 5% | 0.4 | 0.06 | 0 | |
| individual (dribble / self-made) | 6 | 8%lg 10% | 0.3 | 0.06 | 0 | |
| rebound / second ball | 4 | 5%lg 9% | 0.3 | 0.06 | 0 | |
| corner (set piece) | 24 | – | 1.7 | 0.07 | 0 | |
| free kick (indirect) (set piece) | 8 | – | 0.8 | 0.11 | 0 | |
| direct free kick (set piece) | 1 | – | 0.0 | 0.02 | 0 | |
| throw-in (set piece) | 5 | – | 0.2 | 0.05 | 0 | |
| penalty (set piece) | 2 | – | 1.6 | 0.79 | 1 |
| ending | shots | share | |
|---|---|---|---|
| goal | 13 | 10%lg 9% | |
| keeper held it | 17 | 13%lg 11% | |
| keeper parried it | 16 | 12%lg 13% | |
| blocked | 30 | 23%lg 25% | |
| off target | 53 | 40%lg 39% | |
| hit the woodwork | 3 | 2% |
Penalties excluded. A "save" by an outfield player is a block.
After their keeper held a shot (19), median release 12s; league share turned into a fast attack 14%:
| their keeper held it, then… | times | share | |
|---|---|---|---|
| keeper released fast -> fast attack | 6 | 32% | |
| keeper released quickly, no fast attack | 2 | 11% | |
| keeper slowed the game | 11 | 58% |
After their own shot was held by the opponent keeper (17); league share broken against fast 18%:
| the opponent keeper held it, then… | times | share | |
|---|---|---|---|
| keeper released fast -> fast attack | 2 | 12% | |
| keeper released quickly, no fast attack | 3 | 18% | |
| keeper slowed the game | 12 | 71% |
Fast = the keeper's side reached its final third within 15s of the save. Quick = first pass within 6s.
The other half of each phase above. Their own phases break down when they lose the ball (real turnovers only); their press and block break down when the opponent gets through. Each card: how often, how, where, who is involved, and what it costs them.
130 balls lost in 537 build-up phases (24%)
giveaways per 10 build-up phases: 2.3/10 · league 2.7/10
What it costs: 36% turned into a fast attack · 45% the opponent can’t keep · 8% led to a shot · 1.1 xG
264 balls lost in 734 middle-third phases (36%)
giveaways per 10 middle-third phases: 3.1/10 · league 2.8/10
What it costs: 30% turned into a fast attack · 41% the opponent can’t keep · 6% led to a shot · 1.5 xG
265 balls lost in 554 final-third phases (48%)
deliveries into the box that fail to arrive: 57% · league 57%
What it costs: 10% turned into a fast attack · 62% the opponent can’t keep · 0% led to a shot · 0.0 xG
68 deliveries into the box did not arrive
43 of 60 counter-attacks lost (72%)
attacking transitions that produce a shot: 14% · league 17%
What it costs: 16% turned into a fast attack · 53% the opponent can’t keep · 0% led to a shot · 0.0 xG
60 counters: 10 ended in a shot, 43 were lost, 7 slowed down or went out
106 of 211 opponent build-ups got out (50%)
opponent build-ups that get out cleanly: 50% · league 50%
What it costs: 35% reached the final third · 8% led to a shot · 1.1 xG
Sides are their own: "down the left" = down their left.
130 box entries in 528 opponent final-third phases (25%)
opponent final-third phases that create: 43% · league 48%
What it costs: 34% led to a shot · 5.5 xG
Sides are their own.
28 set pieces lost in open play
What it costs: 11% turned into a fast attack · 43% the opponent can’t keep · 0% led to a shot · 0.0 xG
Their corners and free kicks that were lost in open play, and what the opponent did next.
Takers: Denis Suárez (24), Abde Rebbach (7), Carles Aleñá (6)
First contact in the box: Nahuel Tenaglia (3), Lucas Boyé (2), Ville Koski (2), Pablo Ibáñez (2), Toni Martínez (1)
What each player does in the phases, counted over the window. Only lines that clear a minimum count are shown.
The comparison behind the report: each behaviour as a rate per opportunity, ranked among the 20 La Liga clubs' full seasons, with how many of the 10 matches sat on the same side of the league median. "Style" is never a verdict.
| behaviour | Alaves | league median | rank | matches | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| style | turnovers that came from a failed dribble | 10% | 7% | 1 / 20 | 8/10 | |
| style | box entries with a short pass | 12% | 24% | 20 / 20 | 10/10 | |
| style | byline cross per 100 final third phases | 11.2/100 | 7.2/100 | 2 / 20 | 8/10 | |
| style | overlap per 100 progression phases | 4.5/100 | 2.2/100 | 2 / 20 | 9/10 | |
| style | long ball flick on per 100 progression phases | 0.3/100 | 0.8/100 | 20 / 20 | 8/10 | |
| style | open-play shots created by crosses | 24% | 6% | 1 / 20 | 7/10 | |
| style | box entries from the left | 26% | 37% | 19 / 20 | 8/10 | |
| style | box entries from the half-spaces | 41% | 54% | 19 / 20 | 7/10 | |
| style | open-play shots created by short passes / combinations | 35% | 54% | 20 / 20 | 8/10 | |
| style | triangle per 100 build up phases | 0.0/100 | 0.5/100 | 20 / 20 | 10/10 | |
| style | controlled possessions that are direct attacks (<=3 passes, fast and forward) | 18% | 13% | 2 / 20 | 9/10 | |
| style | pass rotation per 100 build up phases | 0.4/100 | 2.0/100 | 20 / 20 | 9/10 | |
| style | build-up exits with a short or medium pass | 39% | 51% | 19 / 20 | 8/10 | |
| style | open-play shots created by individual efforts | 19% | 11% | 2 / 20 | 6/10 | |
| style | build-up exits played by a midfielder (DM/CM) | 9% | 15% | 19 / 20 | 8/10 |
| phase | route | times | shot | their average |
|---|
| split | behaviour | a | b | p | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| against the more aggressive pressers vs the deeper / passive sides | non-penalty xG conceded | 1.40 xG | 0.75 xG | 0.0293 | |
| against the more aggressive pressers vs the deeper / passive sides | middle-third phases that progressed into the final third | 55% | 69% | 0.0418 | |
| when trailing vs when level | build-ups that carried on into the next third under control | 68% | 45% | 0.0256 | |
| when trailing vs when level | final-third entries down the right | 33% | 54% | 0.0415 | |
| when trailing vs when level | final-third phases that created (box entry or key pass) | 52% | 42% | 0.0444 |
| date | opponent | result | npxG | opponent press | what happened |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-15 | vs Getafe | W 3-0 | 1.5–0.3 | mid-intensity press | Won 3-0, chances 1.53 v 0.33 xG. Getafe pressed at roughly league-average intensity (strict PPDA 15.8, league median 14.6). Biggest departure from their norm: opponent final-third phases that created 28%, far below their usual 42%. |
| 2026-08-20 | at Rayo Vallecano | D 1-1 | 1.3–0.5 | pressed aggressively | Drew 1-1 (1.26 v 0.50 xG). Rayo Vallecano pressed harder than a typical La Liga side does (strict PPDA 10.0, league median 14.6) and went long on 64% of their own build-ups. Biggest departure from their norm: counter-attacks 9.0/match, far above their usual 5.3/match. |
| 2026-08-28 | vs Villarreal | W 1-0 | 0.6–1.9 | pressed aggressively | Won 1-0 on fewer chances (0.63 v 1.87 xG). Villarreal pressed harder than a typical La Liga side does (strict PPDA 6.3, league median 14.6). Biggest departure from their norm: chance-creation phases that produced a shot 20%, far below their usual 33%. |
| 2026-09-06 | vs Osasuna | W 5-2 | 0.8–1.0 | mid-intensity press | Won 5-2, chances 0.83 v 1.05 xG. Osasuna pressed at roughly league-average intensity (strict PPDA 15.1, league median 14.6). Biggest departure from their norm: build-up exits down the left 18%, far below their usual 43%. |
| 2026-09-12 | at Racing Santander | L 1-2 | 1.7–1.6 | pressed aggressively | Lost 1-2 and the chances agreed (1.70 v 1.58 xG). Racing Santander pressed harder than a typical La Liga side does (strict PPDA 9.2, league median 14.6). |
| 2026-09-15 | vs Valencia | L 0-1 | 1.0–1.0 | pressed aggressively | Lost 0-1 and the chances agreed (1.02 v 0.96 xG). Valencia pressed harder than a typical La Liga side does (strict PPDA 12.0, league median 14.6). Biggest departure from their norm: final-third entries by carrying it in 27%, far above their usual 14%. |
| 2026-09-19 | at Athletic Club | D 0-0 | 0.1–1.1 | pressed aggressively | Drew 0-0 (0.09 v 1.10 xG). Athletic Club pressed harder than a typical La Liga side does (strict PPDA 7.6, league median 14.6). Biggest departure from their norm: middle-third phases that progressed into the final third 31%, far below their usual 62%. |
| 2026-10-10 | vs Atletico | L 1-2 | 0.4–2.0 | pressed aggressively | Lost 1-2 and the chances agreed (0.38 v 1.95 xG). Atletico pressed harder than a typical La Liga side does (strict PPDA 9.7, league median 14.6). Biggest departure from their norm: final-third phases that created (box entry or key pass) 22%, far below their usual 42%. |
| 2026-10-18 | at Celta Vigo | L 1-2 | 1.3–0.7 | mid-intensity press | Lost 1-2 and the chances agreed (1.27 v 0.72 xG). Celta Vigo pressed at roughly league-average intensity (strict PPDA 15.5, league median 14.6). Biggest departure from their norm: ball given away during build-up 16.0/match, far above their usual 12.1/match. |
| 2026-10-23 | vs Malaga | D 1-1 | 2.4–0.7 | mid-intensity press | Drew 1-1 (2.43 v 0.72 xG). Malaga pressed at roughly league-average intensity (strict PPDA 16.8, league median 14.6) and went long on 50% of their own build-ups. Biggest departure from their norm: opponent build-ups that got out cleanly 12%, far below their usual 52%. |