There is no date that is not reached and no deadline that is not met. We were all anxious to see Erick Gutiérrez in the Guadalajara kit and it was against Athletic Club, that we were finally able to see him.
It is no secret that his arrival will bring a lot to the squad, and not only in terms of soccer, because he is a leader both on and off the field. But let's talk about what happened on the field in his presentation in front of more than 35 thousand fans who gathered to watch the second leg of the Arbol de Gernika Trophy.
Chivas came out with a 4-2-3-1 formation, in which we saw Gutiérrez in the double pivot alongside 'Oso' González. It was undoubtedly an interesting exercise, since throughout his career, 'Guti' was dominant from playing in that role, in which he can exploit his conditions to the maximum. Erick played 45 minutes and left a pleasant sensation in the Rebaño.
How was his game against Athletic?
Erick Gutiérrez was very involved in the ball out wide and immediately showed his skills in first passes. He was able to receive the first ball and turn quickly, relying on his great first touch and varied passing range.
For this tournament, Veljko Paunovic opted for a 3/4 + 2 formation, i.e. 3 or 4 defenders and 2 close midfielders or a midfielder and a winger inside. So having a profile like Gutierrez's is double gold, because he is capable of playing with both wide and close midfielders.
Chivas were dominant in the first half and this was thanks to the advantages they gained in their own half. Gutiérrez added rhythm with the ball, and not only was he good at teamwork, he also showed interesting things by gaining height on the pitch and participating in the opponent's field.
Guti' even came close to scoring his first goal, when he received the ball at the edge of the area and hit a powerful left-footed shot that went close to the corner.
Without the ball, he was also a very valuable asset for Pauno, he is a tremendous pressing tool due to his physical condition. We must also recognize his defense in his own half, which is very good due to his location and aggressiveness to cut actions.
Why was his participation so valuable?
Although it was a friendly match, the duel against Athletic serves to see what is to come in the Apertura 2023. Chivas has great midfielders, but they didn't know they needed a profile like Gutiérrez's until he was in action. He is undoubtedly a golden addition for the Rebaño ahead of the busy semester that lies ahead.
