The duck test

What happens to Betis? Americans believe in the “duck theory” or “the duck test”: if it walks like a duck, swims like a duck, quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck, chances are it is a duck. It is said that it was the American poet James Whitcomb Riley who coined the reasoning that comes in handy when one wants to say that, sometimes, from one’s own observation of events it is possible to infer what is happening, even if what lies behind it is considered complex or hides under dark arguments. We Spaniards also have our saying: «Al pan, pan; and to the wine, wine. It is not identical to the duck test, but it also suggests that you have to call things by their name, without detours or fear of “mining the bug.”

Betis’ game couldn’t be more vulgar. Bad results accumulate. It is logical that the fans are losing patience with the green and white setbacks this season. In October, Pellegrini once again recorded his umpteenth failure in a derby. His team’s performances in Europe have aroused indignation among the fans, the media and part of the club, who speak of it as “ridiculous” and “embarrassing.” In the League, only one match has been played that can be described as outstanding, complete: the victory against Atlético de Madrid. The last 4-2 defeat against Valencia uncovered all the weaknesses that the previous draws in the league tournament had hidden. With the defeat in San Sebastián, Betis adds its fourth game without winning in the local championship. Neither in the Conference nor in the League does Pellegrini seem capable of motivating the players sufficiently. Almost all of them are performing below the level they could show. The fault lies with the players, but in these cases we look to the coach, who is ultimately responsible.

As in the last match against Mladá Boleslav, the young Jesús Rodríguez was one of the few who was saved from the burning. His nerve, bravery and ability to unbalance are encouraging. Abde also tried again and again, while Lo Celso only had intermittent flashes. As if apathy and lack of intensity had spread like an epidemic in the squad, there is hardly anyone with his personality on the field who can or wants to lead a change of game and attitude. Not even center back Diego Llorente – who formed one of the best defensive duos with Natan at the beginning of the League – seems reliable anymore. The Madrid defender was not fine against the team with which he has played the most games as a professional. He had already recognized that Betis was going through a “bad streak.” Needless to say, in the 14th minute Llorente put the ball into his own goal and was hesitant throughout the game.

I don’t know what the appropriate term is to define Betis’ situation. Journalists begin to talk, in their huddles, about “crisis”, the word most feared by coaches and footballers. Many fans, when mentioning Pellegrini, openly allude to the “end of the cycle.” I won’t be the one who thinks the bug. But I refer to the duck test: if the Betis players are not intense or creative, if many wander around the field disoriented, if reluctance and impotence spread, everything indicates that we are facing a clear case of fiasco, let’s give it the name that let’s put it “Football is football,” said coach Boskov, in an insulting platitude. And a duck is a duck.