Ville Koski: From last option to key piece in Quique's Alavés defense

Ville Koski has gone from being a fringe player at Deportivo Alavés to becoming one of the pieces Quique Sánchez Flores cannot leave out. The Finnish centre-back has started all of Alavés' LaLiga matches since making his first start, a run matched among outfield players only by Tenaglia and Rebbach. His improvement explains much of the defensive leap made by the Basque side.

• Koski has started every league match since his first appearance in the XI against Barcelona.
• Alavés have kept a clean sheet in five of the ten matches the Finn has started.
• He arrived in the last winter window carrying an injury and began as the last option in central defense.
• His aerial dominance and aggression make up for his lack of pace when the line pushes forward.

From emergency signing to permanent starter at Alavés

The former Istra 1961 player landed in Vitoria during the last winter window to reinforce a depleted back line. He did not arrive in ideal condition: an injury delayed his debut and forced him to watch the opening matches from the outside. His first start did not come until the third-to-last round, in a demanding scenario against Barcelona.

Far from showing a lack of match fitness, Koski produced a convincing display against the league champions. That game changed his situation completely. Since then, nobody has moved him out of the starting XI. He was decisive in the two wins that sealed survival for Alavés, and he has kept that status during the early stages of the new season.

The Koski effect on Deportivo Alavés' clean sheets

The numbers back Quique Sánchez Flores' faith in the Finn. With Koski in the starting lineup, Alavés have finished half of their matches without conceding. Out of ten starts, five have ended with a clean sheet. That is a significant improvement for a team that spent many months of the previous season fighting against relegation.

In five of the ten matches Koski has started, Alavés have kept a clean sheet.

Aerial strength and aggression as his main weapons

Koski brings height and physical presence to a defense that lacks those qualities in certain areas. His command of aerial duels has made him a highly valued asset for the Alavés coach, especially in set pieces and crosses into the box. He is reliable in the air, a department where the team needed to improve.

When Quique pushes the defensive line forward, the Finn is not the quickest defender. He can struggle when an opponent targets the space behind him, but he compensates with aggression and constant work to disrupt his marker in physical battles. His reading of situations allows him to anticipate and prevent forwards from turning with an advantage.

The comfort of the 5-3-2 and his tactical fit with Quique

The system Quique has used most often, the 5-3-2, clearly benefits Koski. Playing flanked by two other centre-backs allows him to impose his presence in the box and step out with less space behind him. That shape reduces his weaknesses and highlights his strengths: dominance in the air, positioning and physical presence inside his own area.

His adaptation to Spanish football was not immediate. The first weeks after his arrival were difficult, affected by the injury and the pace of competition. However, the adjustment process is now a reality. The Finn's form has not only stabilized; he is offering more arguments every week to remain an undisputed starter.

Koski among the few Alavés players without a rest in LaLiga

Only three outfield players have started every league match for Alavés this season: Tenaglia, Rebbach and Koski. The Finnish centre-back, despite arriving later and with less match rhythm than his teammates, has earned his place in that exclusive group on merit.

The contrast with his situation a few months ago is clear. From being the last option in central defense to becoming Quique's key man. A journey explained by daily work and by his ability to respond when the team needed him most.

What to expect from Koski for the rest of the season

Deportivo Alavés have built their improvement on defensive solidity, and Koski is central to that plan. As long as he maintains the level shown since his first start, his place in the XI is not up for debate. Quique Sánchez Flores has found in him a competitive, reliable centre-back, particularly useful in a block that prioritizes order and physical presence.

The season will be long, and Alavés will need consistency to stay clear of the bottom of the table with more calm than in previous campaigns. With an established Koski, the Basque side has reasons to believe their goal can be a fortress both at Mendizorroza and away from home.