Only three days after losing the match to Lanus, River lost its 4th consecutive match to Newell’s Old Boys in the Monumental Stadium. The return of Ariel Ortega was the highlight of the match, and he played quite well despite being away from the pitch for almost two months. Nonetheless, the rest of team played its usual poor form and gave the match away in front of a supportive crowd. With four losses in a row, River continues to show signs of weakness in all sectors of the pitch. Any hope of maintaining first division placement is quickly diminishing, which would put River in an uncomfortable spot for next season.
River showed signs of improvement during the first half, especially with the help of Ariel Ortega. Coach Leonardo Astrada decided to choose a new format for this match (4-3-3), in an effort to boost the the offensive side. This formula seemed to work as River had many clear chances to score. Unfortunately, the lack of quality forwards diminished any chance of scoring. One player, Rogelio Funes Mori, has officially become the team ‘scapegoat’ as he cannot seem to score despite so many opportunities. It seems to be a common trait with this River team. The desperation to score and the mounting pressure from the fans affect each play and its outcome. The difference is that an experienced player would use these two issues as a motivational push to score, while the inexperienced gets lost in interpreting how to approach the issue.
Newell’s did not do a lot in approaching Daniel Vega, but it managed to get one past him in the 6th minute of the second half. The rival’s goal felt like a ‘cold bucket of water’ landing on the players, management, and fans. From this point on, River succumbed to disastrous playmaking and ridiculous attacks. Granted, Ariel Ortega did his best to push the team forward, but one man cannot do it alone. The anger and resentment from the fans should be enough, but it isn’t. As the final whistle was heard, the fans made themselves be heard. It seems that constant belligerent remarks from the crowd, message boards, and article comments fall on deaf ears. River needs help, desperately. If not, things will turn uglier in a few months. This ‘sleeping giant’ seems to be in a deep coma with no hope of waking up.
