EI Atlético began a 2019-20 season that Simeone defined from the first moment as “year of transition”. A course where key players had left for years (Godín, Juanfran, Filipe, Griezmann …) and many new faces arrived to adapt to the team and Simeone.
Some, like Lodi or João Félix, it took him little to enter the first initial eleven of the team, helped by the needs of the team in their respective positions, but others have had to adapt to their rhythm until they become important. The clearest case is that of Marcos Llorente, today a capital footballer at Atlético and international with Spain for the first time, but that last season did not have an easy start until his conversion to attack. The last calendar year has changed his life and Anfield's game against Liverpool has changed his career.
A double just before the break of which returned as an elite offensive player. As inside right or second forward, Llorente has uncovered and this season has started being starter in seven of the team's ten games, scoring four goals and delivering two assists for a total of 598 minutes played. Gone was a start in his rojiblanco stage where he visited the bench more than the pitch. In last season's team's first ten games it only accumulated 183 minutes, watching three full matches from his seat in the band.
In Herrera's case, his role has been more immediate. Until the last market day They were looking for a way out to be able to register Torreira. The Mexican refused to give his arm to twist when finally it was Thomas who said goodbye with the payment of the clause by Arsenal. The departure of the Ghanaian, together with Saúl's injury, gave Herrera a few minutes that were not counted on and that you have used to perfection. In the pivot position, further back than he usually used to exercise, he has settled next to Koke and has taken a position in the eleven, although his injury with the selection complicates him at the best moment. The Mexican has returned to Madrid with an injury to the biceps femoris muscle of the left thigh. So far, he has started the last four games and adds up to 486 minutes when a year ago it was 206. Very fine in the distribution of the ball, it has been very important in this more offensive Atlético and with combinative attacks and basted from behind.
Finally, there is Hermoso, whose season finale seemed to ostracize him, but from which he has recovered. From February to the end of last year he only participated in five games. However, at this start of the campaign has started to show its best version on the left side, rotating with Lodi in the position and being a starter in the last four League matches until participating in six of the first ten games of the team (445 minutes), fitting perfectly into Simeone's new tactical system where his presence behind allows him to get off the hook. to the players in the center of the field.
The Cholo, delighted
Simeone is the great beneficiary of the evolution of his footballers who at this point last season were secondary. A list to which one could add Felipe, which also had a hard time entering until it became a fully guaranteed central. The Argentine coach pointed out after the defeat of Cádiz that “what makes me most happy is that those players who last year had fewer minutes as Hermoso, Herrera or Llorente, today they are being very important in the team. I am happy to have players who last year did not have so many minutes and today they are winning it. I have no commitment to anyone and I need them to interpret what the team wants. Those who do will come to play. “A strengthened internal competition where the great beneficiary is Atlético.