Carlos Soler’s frustration was palpable.
Valencia’s latest defeat of a miserable season, a 2-1 loss at newly-promoted Elche on Friday night, stung just that little bit more for a Castellon-born playmaker who joined the academy of his hometown club all the way back in 2005.
Los Che were a team on the up and dreaming of glory when Soler burst onto the scene.
As recently as May 2019, the Valencia native was the best player on the pitch as Marcelino’s thrilling, free-flowing side ended their 11-year trophy drought, terrorising Jordi Alba throughout a famous 2-1 victory over the great Barcelona.
As recently as February 2020, The Mirror reported that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had identified a player nicknamed ‘the new David Silva’ as the creative kingpin for his new-look Gunners side.
Flash forward to the present day, however, and Soler has been reduced to dissecting humiliating defeats for a crisis-stricken Valencia who have gone from potential La Liga challengers to relegation candidates in the space of just three years.
“We had to go out (onto the pitch) much more intensity. Intensity cannot be lacking in a team and much less with us,” the Spain U21 international complained after Elche hammered another nail into Valencia’s coffin.
“If we are not more intense, (wins) will not come to us. I am the first one who has to be self-critical and try to change for the game against Getafe (next Sunday).”
Soler is not the only one who needs to ‘change’. Every single player in the team is underperforming right now, with the possible exception of overworked goalkeeper Jaume Domenech.
Valencia are currently hovering above the relegation zone after three successive defeats and, if reports are to be believed, head coach Javi Gracia is already considering his future.
The former Watford boss new he had a challenge on his hands when he took over in the summer but even he might not have expected to see Dani Parejo, Rodrigo Moreno, Ferran Torres and Francois Coquelin sold in a firesale reminiscent of Leeds United’s early-noughties capitulation.
If Valencia continue like this, they will end the season with 38 points. In other words, this is ‘relegation form’.
And as Arsenal clattered into brick wall after brick wall in their 1-0 home defeat to Leicester City on Sunday, the most frustrating of losses highlighting Arteta’s desperate need for some cutting edge in midfield, it is difficult not to imagine how things might have turned out for Soler if the Gunners had turned their interest into something a little more serious.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
