Player Focus: Iturraspe the Unsung Hero of Athletic Bilbao

The name Ander became a household one over the summer when a transfer saga that ultimately failed to come to fruition became headline news. This season in La Liga, however, that particular Ander (Herrera), while doing his reputation no harm whatsoever, has played second fiddle somewhat to a namesake.

Ander Iturraspe has been the man in Athletic’s midfield to deservedly take the plaudits this season, putting not only Herrera in the shade, but other, more high-profile individuals at the club. The likes of Iker Muniain and even Aritz Aduriz, despite his remarkable goal haul of late, haven’t produced the refined performances quite like those of Iturraspe this season. No other player, with the exception of Mikel Rico, has better exemplified the change Ernesto Valverde has brought about at the club, sitting comfortably in the highly sought-after fourth Champions League spot.

With a 7.20 rating this season from WhoScored.com, Iturraspe’s quality is coming to the fore having remained in the shadows for so long. He’s surpassed his ratings for previous years by a huge margin. His debut season under Marcelo Bielsa was credited with a rating of 6.53 while last season was 6.68 - both a lowly 13th overall at Athletic.

Bielsa’s influence was important; it was the Argentinean who spotted the wiry framed Iturraspe strolling the turf at Lezama and went about placing him in the ‘Sergio Busquets role’, sitting in front of the defence. It’s the 25-year-old’s adaptation and learning of the position that has seen current coach Valverde reap the rewards.

Bielsa’s number two during his time in Spain, Luis Bonini, intriguingly said he believed Iturraspe to be the most intelligent player at the club from a tactical point of view, and the one that had the most projection in the whole squad. This is of course, all while Javi Martínez was still at the club. Iturraspe is of sorts, a calculated chess piece on the board of his coaches.

Look at the game against Villarreal for instance, where Iturraspe registered his second assist of the season, with Valverde insisting his vision was required in areas Ander, Muniain and others had failed for 80 minutes or so. There, his delicious delivery sat perfectly on the top of Aduriz’s head to earn a precious point in a pivotal game. Iturraspe had 86 touches of the ball at El Madrigal, more than any other player on the field. In the biggest game of Athletic’s season so far, Valverde knew who to turn to. The second half was a barnstorming affair, which had Villarreal clinging on, and it owed much to Iturraspe being pushed further up the field.

It’s no surprise then that the most influential player in terms of passing at Athletic this season is our man Iturraspe. His 49.4 passes on average per game is slightly ahead of young centre-back Aymeric Laporte, while Ander Herrera sits on 48.0. It must be said, however, that the latter does operate in a more advanced position leading him to produce more key passes, 1.6 per game, compared to Iturraspe’s 0.5.

The passing range of Iturraspe is another defining feature however, which sets him apart from your run of mill screening/defensive minded midfielders. While he’s extremely comfortable to exchange neat, short passes to build an attack there is also a variation. His average of 5.2 long balls per game, for example, is the second most of any outfield player at the club, with a total of 131 accurate out of 182 attempts. Iturraspe’s judgement in a game allows him to decide when best to open play and hit those Athletic players galloping up and down the flanks.

The player being used as a comparison here, Sergio Busquets, produces a similarly modest 0.6 key passes per game. He remains the second most influential player in terms of passing at Barcelona, with 77.1 per game only bettered by Xavi. We all know Busquets’ integral value to the Catalans, how he is the foundation upon which Barça’s endless array of attacking flair performs upon.

This season Iturraspe is impacting on Athletic in the same manner; allowing Rico to become one of the best signings of the season with his darting runs into the penalty area. Ander, meanwhile, is being afforded more time to operate in the final third and as an interior source on the left which in turn means Muniain, sometimes lazy with his defensive work, can be less concerned with such tasks and instead focus on troubling defences. Iturraspe is there for them all, just like Busquets props up and covers for several Barça stars.

Iturraspe’s currently averaging 2 tackles per game this season as well as 2 interceptions per game – the third most overall at the club, as he plugs the defensive holes in midfield. Aerially, meanwhile, he is also a mean customer, with his 3.2 aerial duels won per game bettered only by the regularly in-flight Aduriz at Athletic.

Iturraspe’s positioning off the ball has been particularly enjoyable to watch, as he reads the game so adeptly. He’s been used predominantly in a central role, but his efforts to support his full-backs can’t be ignored. Against Real Madrid at home for instance, it was Iturraspe who focused on the influential source of Ángel Di María. What he lacked in pace against the Argentinean, he made up for in anticipation, making sure any possible avenues of attack where shut down. Valverde’s pinpoint usage of his own ‘Busquets’ made sure there was no repeat of the 3-1 defeat earlier in the season.

Valverde’s system is largely based on solidity of the defensive and midfield lines, hence why they’ve conceded just 32 goals - a total bettered by only the current La Liga top three. After the erratic displays under Bielsa there’s a calm air that sweeps across the new San Mamés surface. There have been only 11 goals conceded by Valverde’s outfit since the turn of the year in La Liga, and four clean sheets kept in their last six alone.
 
When the awards are handed out at the end of the season, Iturraspe not only has a claim for most improved player, but also the most vital to his team having been one of the best midfielders across the course of La Liga 2013/2014.

How do you rate Ander Iturraspe's performances this season? Let us know in the comments below