What's going on with Paco Alcacer?
We spoke with his former coaches, analysed his statistics and considered the opinion of his team-mates to get to the bottom of Paco Alcacer's difficult start to life in Barcelona
Paco Alcacer was signed by Barcelona to be the fourth forward in the first team squad and his football is defined by goals. Therefore there’s a block when he doesn’t score. Anxiety accompanies the urgency which comes with needing to permanently be on target.
Nothing strange there, though, because this is the life of a goalscorer. Always the extreme: between praise when they score and criticism when they do not. It’s for that reason that Alcacer needs to score to restore his natural game.
To return to be the player that was enjoyed by Mestalla. An intuitive striker. A front man who knows how to be in the right place at the right moment. Timing. Who anticipates blocked shots and saves and knows what’s going on in the penalty area.
People in his entourage recognise that he’s “annoyed” at not having having scored. But it translates more into anger than despondency and as soon as he scores we will see his best form once again.
The player himself explained the feeling to SPORT one month ago: “I know that I have to score soon. I’m a striker and I live for goals. If that wasn’t the case I’d be a defender or a goalkeeper. A forward is judged on their goals. You have to take the few chances you get.”
Inside the team there’s the sensation he’s under too much pressure. Luis Suarez has revealed: "I said to Paco that he has to remain calm, that the goal will arrive. One will go in eventually. He has the confidence of his coach and his team-mates. I’m sure he’ll score an important one.”
“SIMILAR TO LUIS ENRIQUE”
Those that know him highlight that he is more frustrated at not having scored than of his situation in the team. His decision to come to the club was “measured”, knowing that he would play closer to 20 games than 80. And in addition, he has good chemistry with his coach, Luis Enrique. “They’re a little similar. Both of them have a dry sense of humour and are very switched on,” assures someone in the player’s entourage. “He’s a person who’s not easily frustrated with such an important confidence [placed in him].
What’s more, the forward is convinced that his style will fit in with Barça.
Alcacer has never stood out for beating a man or for his involvement in build up play, therefore he always looks bad when he is not scoring goals. So the game against Malaga is a big opportunity for him.
For Vicente Mir, who worked with him at Valencia’s academy, people are being unjust with him: “He’s had chances to score two or three goals, if he’d scored them, they’d be talking about something else. When he scores, the block will lift.”
The former Hercules coach thinks Alcacer must focus on doing the basics well: “He’s a young lad with a great future. He’s a player who stands out for his finishing, who can link play well, who knows how to play on the last man.”
Mir doesn’t think that a change of style from Valencia to Barcelona is a problem: “He can adapt to possession football because he knows how to move. He’s not a one-on-one player, but that’s not his game. He is flexible, though, and moves well on counters as well. He has good movement. I played him as a No.10 and he scored the same goals.”
Vicente Castro, too, the coach of Valencia’s Alevin B team, feels the same: “Paco’s scored goals all his life and he will continue to do so. I was also a striker and it’s more mental. He’s had good chances and not scored them. I don’t think it’s to do with Barça’s style. Paco’s got good movement in the area and his shooting is spectacular and there’s a lot of activity in the area in Barça’s game.”
MALAGA: POINT OF INFLECTION?
There’s no Luis Suarez against Malaga. He’s banned. Therefore, Alcacer should be in Luis Enrique’s side. It won’t be the first time, as that was the defeat against Alaves. He also started the Champions League game against Borussia Monchengladbach and the Catalan Super Cup defeat to Espanyol.
In total he has played 411 minutes of football (267 in La Liga, 54 in the Champions LEeague and 90 in the Catalan Super Cup) this season for Barça.
Away from his lack of goals, the numbers show his problems adapting to life at Barcelona. In La Liga he’s lost 17 balls and shot just six times. No assists. Numbers which highlight that he’s out of form, still getting use to his new surroundings.
The confidence factor is clearly affecting his play, but he’s also had bad luck, with shots off the woodwork which he’d usually score. “He’s the best finisher I’ve coached. We worked with him on that and he’s special. With the left or the right foot, after however many touches…” remembers Mir.
Los números en la Liga de Paco Alcácer con el Barça
Los números en la Liga de Paco Alcácer con el Barça
| Minutos | Goles | Balones perdidos | Remates | Titularidades |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 267 | 0 | 17 | 6 | 1 |
THE PLAYER’S CHARACTER
What type of character does he have? What’s Alcacer like? Mir explains: “Paco has changed a lot. When I knew him he was a shy lad who didn’t have much to do with his team-mates, but he was well-liked. At that time you had to be on top of him, the same happened with Isco, because they only liked the ball. You could see they both had different things, Isco was more quality, Paco more shooting.”
Castro also speaks of an introverted character, although he mentions his competitive spirit: “He’s always had that streak. Paco is a killer and a killer is naturally competitive. If he has to score four goals, he does. A striker always thinks of scoring more. He’s one of them.
“He was a quiet kid. Very pleasant without being too involved. To see where he’s got to, it is important to know that he was always very clear on wanting to be a footballer.”
In Barcelona he has not lost the timid character which has always characterised him. In the dressing room he has Denis Suarez as one of his best friends after playing together at junior level for Spain. He is also close to Jordi Alba. “He’s the one I speak with most and who tells me to be calm because the goals will arrive.” And he’s also impressed Ivan Rakitic, both for his character and his ability.
He’s also adapting to the city and less than a month ago moved into a house in San Gervasi with his partner Bea Viana.
Inside the club they ask for patience, expecting a different Alcacer to emerge once he’s scored his first goal. “When the first one arrives, many more follow,” Alcacer’s said on several occasions. “He’s always scored goals and he will continue to score goals,” insist those that know him well.
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