Improved play, but still lacking goals: River’s attacking dilemma persists | OneFootball

The start of the Apertura 2026 Tournament shows a River Plate renewed in its structure, yet stagnant in its offensive effectiveness. Although Marcelo Gallardo's team appears much more solid than in 2025—driven by the balance of reinforcements Moreno and Vera, plus the creativity of Quintero, Galván, and the young Kendry Páez—the lack of goals from their forwards has become a statistic that is starting to cause discomfort in Núñez.

Gallardo and the defense of the squad: «It's not about signing just anyone»

After the goalless draw against Rosario Central, the «Muñeco» was blunt when asked about the absence of a new key striker in the transfer market. The coach described the demand to sign a «9» as a «simplistic opinion» and assured that there are no options in the market that guarantee immediate adaptation to the River world.

«I try to be cautious and observe the evolution of the young players. We have a squad to compete, and I am convinced that they will provide the solutions,» affirmed the coach, reaffirming his confidence in the players currently at his disposal.

A worrying drought: the numbers of the attackers

Despite the coach's confidence, the statistical reality is alarming. In the first three matches of the tournament, River earned points thanks to the midfielders (Montiel and a double from Juanfer Quintero), while their main forwards are experiencing unusually negative streaks:

With Subiabre and Ruberto eager for a chance from the bench, Gallardo is betting on the collective functioning to break the curse of his forwards. For now, the midfield is sustaining the results, but the question about the lack of a true goal scorer remains present in every appearance of the Millonario.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.