Struggling to pronounce the name of Real Madrid midfielder Asier Illarramendi was the least of David Moyes’s problems at the weekend.
He had just seen his Real Sociedad side beaten 4-1 by a team he described as “the best in the world” in Madrid.
The Basques were not expected to get a point in the Bernabeu, but the sight of their best player – and the Primera Liga’s most fouled – Carlos Vela leaving the field clutching his knee was a bad one for Moyes.
After having surgery on his knee ligaments, the in-form Mexican is expected to be out for two months. His absence has been compounded by Sociedad’s failure to bring in new players during the January transfer window.
Moyes put a brave face on the situation and said he was “disappointed” that he was unable to strengthen his squad. It was not his fault nor was it for the want of trying.
One of Moyes’s jobs is to identify potential signings and recommend them to his sporting director Loren Juarros.
This he did. It is up to the sporting director and president to then negotiate and bring the players to the club.
Moyes was realistic in identifying four he thought could improve the side. Tottenham Hotspur’s French midfielder Etienne Capoue and the Costa Rican striker Joel Campbell would both be loan moves, but Campbell went to Villarreal.
They also looked at bringing Illarramendi back on loan from Real Madrid and tried to sign the AIK Solna winger Nabil Bahoui, 23.
Draft contracts were presented to the Spanish League, which announced the signing on their website, but the paperwork did not arrive in time for the Stockholm club.
Moyes thinks his sporting director and club president pushed hard to sign players, but they ran out of time. Their difficulties were compounded by Vela’s injury.
Sociedad’s players are enjoying working under Moyes and despite form being indifferent, he has lifted them from just outside the relegation zone to 13th.
Their position remains precarious, though, and they are bottom of the three Basque teams in the league, just four points off the relegation zone.
Staying in the top flight is the priority, starting with a winnable game at home on Saturday to Celta Vigo, who are two points ahead of them in 10th.
Moyes has been told he will have money to spend to bring new talents in during the close season. That will make a change from Sociedad selling their best players.
He is a dedicated manager who will improve his side and push them up the table towards the European places at which they should be aiming, but he needs to be given the tools to do the job properly.
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