Things have long been turbulent at Las Palmas.
The 2016/2017 season bore witness to a brilliant LaLiga start under former boss Quique Setién,
which petered out despite their desire to stick to good, aesthetically pleasing and
technical football.
When their coach decided to up sticks for Real Betis’ renewed ambitious project in
the summer, it was going to be a challenge to replace him.
Setién identified with the club, its style and the stereotypical Gran Canaria player.
Young manager Roberto De Zerbi was outlined as their new target, having plied his trade
in the lower leagues in Italy, and goalkeeper Leandro Chichizola was brought in on a free
from Spezia to indicate that De Zerbi would follow.
However, De Zerbi did not arrive, and Las Palmas eventually appointed Manolo Marquez
from within.
Marquez had been a great success with the club’s B team and earned them a recent promotion,
but was a far cry from the profile that Setién had offered.
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Manolo Marquez was only to last in the hot seat until mid-September.
Having seen himself flung into a high-pressure scenario at a top-flight job, perhaps a little
too soon.
Aiming for tightening things up at the back and being a little more pragmatic, it was
too much of a contrast to the free-flowing and gung-ho style championed by Setién.
Jonathan Calleri, Jonathan Viera and Alberto Aquilani had a positive impact in the early
weeks of the season, but the loss of Roque Mesa to Swansea City left the team without
a rudder to sit deep in midfield and dictate play.
Elegant centre-back Mauricio Lemos [LAYMOSS] was trialed in the deepest midfield pivot
role, but lacked the awareness and drive to look comfortable, with young midfielder Fabian
given his LaLiga debut due to the need for direction and the existence of injury problems
- but that experiment ended exactly there, at one appearance.
Jonathan Viera’s driving runs were the only thing to direct the side.
Marquez talked a lot about a lack of confidence, and a lack of belief.
Though he acknowledged that the players had worked hard, he thought it best to step down
for the good of the club.
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Pako Ayestaran was next in line.
After enduring a tough spell in charge of a free-falling Valencia, Ayesteran’s luck
followed him to Gran Canaria.
Seven losses in nine games made up the board’s mind, and he was sacked.
Las Palmas had now gone through two coaches in just the first three months of the campaign.
Before his dismissal, Ayestaran managed to secure a new league record of 13 consecutive
LaLiga defeats across his ill-fated Las Palmas and Valencia spells.
His only win with the club came in a 4-1 cup victory against Deportivo La Coruna.
After a promising first half in his debut against Barcelona, things began to fall apart
very quickly.
Jonathan Calleri was still utilised up front, with Jonathan Viera asked to use his technical
ability to link midfield and attack.
Mauricio Lemos would intermittently step up into midfield, with Vicente Gomez returning
from injury and getting a run in the team in central midfield alongside Javi Castellano.
But, still, the team lacked any real direction or identity.
Loic Remy continued to be a useful goalscoring presence from the bench, eventually earning
him a place in the starting eleven, with Raul Lizoain replacing Leandro Chichizola as first-choice
goalkeeper.
There were cases of rotation, but largely a reliance on one creative outlet and a general
laxness at the back would cost Ayesteran dearly.
No trees were pulled up tactically, but instead there was an attempt to find a different mentality,
one more focused and hard working.
Next up, Paco Jemez, who arrives in Gran Canaria with a reputation.
Having spent some successful years with Rayo Vallecano in the Spanish top flight, where
he found himself in a constant battle against relegation on a shoe-string budget, the Spaniard
is certainly no stranger to high-pressure situations.
His team at Rayo were aggressive, played on the front foot and punched above their weight,
despite a huge turnover of players each summer.
Jemez is very demanding and wants total commitment from his players, with any dissidents or bad
influences sure to be rooted out.
[SEE PRESS PIC] Jemez’s tactical plans have also been dealt something of a blow, with
promising young midfielder Sergi Samper [SAM-PEAR] ruled out for the rest of the 2017/2018 campaign
after a devastating injury, but the premise remains the same.
To work hard as a group, to press and try and show an aggressive edge to their game,
and to move the ball at pace in quick triangles.
Rather than utilising the 4-3-3 of both Marquez and Ayestaran, Jemez has brought in a 4-2-3-1,
with one central midfielder (10) given great license to get up in support of lone striker
Jonathan Calleri.
At times, this midfielder will also press with real purpose, aiding his forward and
becoming almost a front two (as shown right).
Las Palmas try to press intensely and as a collective when they sense that there is a
chance for the opposition defender to be forced into kicking long.
The collective hard work that goes into such an approach is something that both Marquez
and Ayesteran had struggled to maintain.
[SEE LEMOS PIC] Mauricio Lemos (5) will continue to be key as something of a quarterback for
Las Palmas, with the Uruguayan centre back having previously suffered when playing out
of position in central defensive midfield this season.
He was thought to potentially be the solution to losing Roque Mesa during the summer, but
instead he looked clunky and lacked the awareness to operate neatly.
When deployed at centre back, however, he can showcase his tremendous passing range.
It will not be unlikely to see Lemos hit the space in behind Jonathan Calleri, encouraging
his striker to use his pace to get in behind, nor to try and seek out a winger or wide full
back with an ambitious cross field pass.
As Las Palmas look to be positive and adventurous in possession, his ability to help them miss
a man out is incredibly useful.
Las Palmas are often not in a rush in possession, with their goalkeeper asked to do a lot with
his feet.
Javi Castellano could drop in as the deepest midfielder to offer for the ball, but if Lemos
can see the pitch in its entirety, chances are that he has the eye for picking out a
better option.
[SEE THIRD MAN PIC] Against Valencia in the Copa del Rey, where Jemez’s side suffered
a heavy 4-0 loss at Mestalla and gave themselves the chance to focus on just LaLiga survival,
playing plenty of triangles to encourage third-man runs was key to their approach play.
The likes of Dani Castellano and Michel could look to overlap as full backs, but similarly
were able to come inside and underlap - so long as there were a couple of central midfield
options to hit, playing around them was not an issue.
With the likes of Alen Halilovic and Jairo as wide men at Mestalla, they were capable
of playing some neat wall passes and looking to bounce off one another at pace.
If Jemez’s side can work a man over by taking a risk, that is exactly what they will do.
Energy, intensity and taking risks in the right areas are key at Las Palmas.
The club have taken a fiery gamble in Jemez, but he is their best chance of shaking the
lackadaisical stereotype of Gran Canaria and stirring them from a dangerous slumber.