Not one player under Valverde has improved, even if you were blind you could see that there is a coaching problem
Not sure how to reach any solid conclusions from his performance, but he seems worse than Cucurella. Still, too early to judge him properly.
Cucurella is literally a LM these days. Doesn't play as a LB at all.
Isn't he closer to what Alba is though? Haven't seen him much, but he was very good going forward at least.
Firpo was very good in the attacking phase for Betis. He was playing as a LWB very high upfield, almost like a winger too. It's pointless to judge him by 45 minutes debut after an injury at an away ground whilst everyone else also shit the bed. He is suspect defensively though, that's not gonna change with EV.
Let's get a few facts straight before we attempt to lynch Firpo.
1) This was Firpo's first start at the club. Prior to his 45 minute appearance against Graanda, he had played a grand total of 9 minutes against Betis at the Camp Nou when the game was already decided and the result was 5-2.
2) Firpo did not have a pre-season and was injured early on in the season making life even more difficult for him.
3) He is a new young signing and it should not be necessary to explain why any such player needs some time to accommodate himself.
4) Malmierda used a messed up formation against Granada and clearly more players than just Firpo looked clueless out there.
5) Firpo's mistake that lead to the goal was bad, no escaping that, but it is utterly foolish to blame the goal and loss on him alone when it is a recurring problem that the team looks dead, unfocused and utterly clueless in the early stages of ALL away games so far this season. Same story repeating itself and as stated above, all that occurred without Firpo even playing a single second.
6) Firpo was brilliant for Betis and was brilliant for Spain's U-21 European Championship winning squad. His first half performance against Granada is not even remotely representative of his overall level.
7) Such a "coincidence" that numerous highly promising players ranging from Dembélé, Coutinho, Griezmann and others have looked or look like utter crap players under the guidance of Malmierda? Do people notice a pattern?
8) If Malmierda does his usual trick and starts to freeze Firpo out, instead of giving him confidence and opportunities (playing time) to reinvent himself, he will most likely destroy another promising player.
9) Malmierda remains a giant piece of shit.