UD Las Palmas players have shouldered the blame for their 3-0 home thrashing by Castellón at the Estadio de Gran Canaria. The team produced a disastrous performance on a night where fans started leaving the stadium from the 55th minute.
The defeat marks another shameful stumble for a side sitting 16th in the Segunda División table with 11 points from 10 games. Their recent form is alarming, with no wins in five matches, suffering four defeats and a single draw. Manager Juan Manuel Rodríguez made two changes from the side that lost in Mallorca, but the defence completely collapsed.
A defence overwhelmed
The post-match individual analysis was ruthless. The defensive line received the worst ratings, with Álex Suárez, Juanma Herzog and Andrés Rodríguez described as overwhelmed and incapable. Left-back Abou Bassinga, who came into the starting lineup, also appeared disoriented. The only positive spark from the summer, it was noted, was the performance of Iván Jaime, who at least showed commitment amid the collective disaster.
The blow came early. Israel Suero Fernández opened the scoring for Castellón in the 18th minute, and Agustín Sienra extended the lead just four minutes later. The final nail came in the second half, with Pablo Santiago's third goal in the 54th minute. "The problem is on the pitch with us players, it's not upstairs or on the bench, it's us," stated a player from the yellow dressing room.
A call for unity
With morale at rock bottom, the message from within is clear. "From tonight we have to change our mindset, we have to show a different image, we have to face matches in a different way," the players demanded. The immediate objective is to get the points needed to climb away from the lower mid-table area of the standings, now 13 points behind the leaders.
The injury to Iñaki González, who had to be substituted after 25 minutes, further complicated a bleak afternoon. His replacement, Enzo Loiodice, could not provide solidity. The team now faces a key duel against 19th-placed Real Sociedad II at home next Saturday, 24 October. It is a perfect opportunity to correct their course and prove that the message of self-criticism translates into action on the pitch.
First reported at cope.es
The 0-3 defeat to Castellón was accompanied by protests from the fans at the Estadio de Gran Canaria. With the score against them, the 15,054 spectators present booed the team at halftime and chanted slogans like "Directiva, dimisión" in the 77th minute, Marca reported. The team, 16th with 11 points, seeks a reaction.
