Martín Anselmi is still waiting for his first win as manager of Elche CF. The green-and-white side lost 3-2 to Real Sociedad on the fourth matchday of La Liga, registering a third defeat in four games under his command.
This confirms a difficult start to the season. Elche currently sits 19th in the standings, with just one point from a possible nine. Their goal difference stands at three scored and nine conceded, highlighting issues at both ends of the pitch. The next challenge is a tough trip to San Mamés to face Athletic Club, who are ninth, on Saturday, September 12.
How has Anselmi's start unfolded?
Martín Anselmi's debut on the Elche bench came at the start of the current campaign. His record so far reads zero wins, one draw, and three losses. The sole point was earned in a 1-1 draw with Deportivo La Coruña. The defeats have been heavy: a 0-5 loss to Barcelona, a 0-3 defeat against Racing de Santander, and the recent 2-3 loss to Real Sociedad. In total, the team has conceded twelve goals while scoring only three in these four matches.
The situation in the table is precarious, with the club in the relegation zone. You can follow the full standings on our standings page. The gap to the top is significant, as Elche trails leaders Barcelona by eleven points.
What did the manager say after the defeat?
Following the match against Real Sociedad, Anselmi used a strong word to describe the moment. "La palabra cruel me parece que grafica un poco lo que ha sido el resultado" (The cruel word seems to graph a bit what the result has been), stated the coach. He acknowledged the team's capacity to react but demanded more consistency. "Pero lo que está claro es que cuando vamos, cuando empujamos, podemos remontar." (But what is clear is that when we go, when we push, we can turn it around. But in this League we cannot fail because in the end you pay dearly. We had a reaction, but it needs to be constant, not only a reaction), he added.
His comments underline the urgency to find competitive regularity. The squad is also hampered by several key absences, as detailed on our injuries list, which includes Adam Boayar, Yago Santiago, Fernando Niño, and Thomas Lemar.
What is Elche's next challenge?
The schedule offers no respite. Next Saturday, September 12, Elche CF travels to face Athletic Club at San Mamés. The Basque side sits in ninth place and represents another difficult test for Anselmi's quest for a first win. All the season's fixtures are available on our fixtures calendar.
Ending this poor initial run has become the absolute priority. The team needs points quickly to climb out of the relegation places and build a solid foundation for the rest of the campaign. The match in Bilbao will be a important test to see if the manager's words translate into tangible improvement on the pitch.
