When will the offensive knot burst for the Franjiverdes?

This is not at all how first division relegated Elche had imagined their start in La Liga 2: Instead of being among the top teams, the Franjiverdes even slipped to a direct relegation place after the first results of the 10th matchday. The club from the province of Alicante has only managed to collect nine points so far. Nevertheless, betting on a home win for Elche against Andorra is basically under a good star.

Finally, FC Andorra are a not-so-formidable underdog at the Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero. The Tricolors have lost five of their last seven league games (one win, one draw). However, Elche vs Andorra predictions must also take into account that the Franjiverdes have also gone not only winless in three La Liga 2 games (one draw, two defeats), but also goalless.

Elche CF’s poor start to the season can be attributed to their weak offensive performance. The relegated team scored just five goals in the first nine matchdays. However, it should be noted that FC Andorra, with nine goals from nine games, also averaged “only” one goal per league game. It follows that there is unlikely to be a goal festival at the Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero on Monday evening.

Elche – Statistics & current form

The Elche Club de Fútbol celebrated its 100th anniversary in January this year. However, the planned party was marred by the poor performance in La Liga. The Franjiverdes ended a disastrous 2022/23 season in last place in La Liga, with only five wins from 38 league games and 16 points behind the saving shore.

This means that the club from the province of Alicante in the autonomous region of Valencia must once again compete in Spain’s second-highest division, where coach Sebastián Beccacece should now be back at the top with the restructured squad, which still features a number of players with first division experience.

None more wins in last three league games

Actually, however, the exact opposite is the case. The relegated side picked up only nine points out of a possible 27 and are once again in a direct relegation spot after the first results of matchday 10 of La Liga 2. If the bet on a home defeat for Elche against Andorra is correct, the Franjiverdes would even end the matchday below the line, which would be a new low.

Yet it is not completely out of place to bet against the eastern Spaniards. After all, Elche CF are currently not only winless for three league games in a row (one draw, two defeats), but they also now have 327 goalless minutes on their record in La Liga 2.

The weakest offence in La Liga 2

Anyway, the lack of offensive penetration is the big shortcoming of Beccacece’s eleven. Experienced newcomer Sergio León, who was supposed to replace the departing goalscorers Lucas Boyé and Eqequiel Ponce, has only scored two goals in nine appearances.

In total, the Franjiverdes have scored only five goals in the first nine match days and thus have the weakest offensive in La Liga 2. The rest of the season will therefore depend to a large extent on the answer to the question of when the offensive knot will finally be broken.

Predicted line-up of Elche:
San Román – Clerc – Bigas – Martín – Gaspar – Josan – Morente – Fernández – Salvador – Fidel – Plano

Andorra – Statistics & current form

Andorra FC has had a very vibrant history. The Andorran football club, which is the only club in the country to be represented in the Spanish league system, was already involved in the third-highest Spanish league for long periods in the 1980s and 1990s, but was then relegated to the seventh division in the 2000s.

Since 2018, the club has been owned by Gerard Piqué, who led the club from the fifth-tier Primera Catalana to La Liga 2. Here, the Tricolors not only managed to stay in the league last season, but finished seventh in the final table, missing out on the play-offs by just one place (although admittedly eight points short of sixth).

Lost five of last seven league games

Coach Eder Sarabia is now expected to pick up where he left off in the 2023/24 season. However, the Andorrans got off to a much worse start than a year ago. They have already lost five of their first nine league games. Only FC Cartagena (seven) at the bottom of the league have lost more games so far.

Moreover, all five defeats have come in the last seven league games (one win, one draw), which is why the Tricolors’ momentum is not too good. That’s why the odds on Elche against Andorra are also in favour of the team from the eastern Pyrenees country.

Have not conceded a goal in two of their last four league games

Lately, at least some work has been done on defensive stability, which was not too good in the first few matchdays. FC Andorra conceded more than one goal in only one of their last four league matches. In two of the four games, they even managed to keep the white waistcoat.

However, the Tricolors have to be careful that their newly acquired defensive qualities do not come at the expense of their offensive power. Most recently, Sarabia’s side went scoreless in a 1-0 home defeat to Zaragoza, in which captain Rubén Bover was sent off and is now suspended for this away game. The average of one goal per league match (nine from nine) is also only below average league-wide.

Predicted line-up of Andorra:
Martín – Garcia – González – Alende – Leal – Molina – Orellana – Benito – Gil – Shabani – Scheidler

Elche – Andorra Direct comparison / H2H-balance

Never before has there been a competitive match between the two teams. Consequently, there is no “head to head” data available yet that could affect the forecast in any way for Elche vs Andorra

Elks – Andorra Tip

The betting companies see La Liga relegated Elche CF in the role of favourites, which in principle also has a hand and foot. After all, the Franjiverdes still bring one or two players with first league experience and have twice the total market value of the Andorrans. However, the club from Spain’s east coast is currently not only winless in three league games (one draw, two defeats), but also goalless, which is why betting on a home win for Franjiverdes is definitely associated with risks.

Much more coherent is the bet on a maximum of two goals in this Monday night match. After all, while the Tricolors have only scored nine goals in nine league games, Franjiverdes have the weakest offence in La Liga 2 with just five goals in the same period.

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