Fans of
Atlético de Madrid they attended this past Tuesday, even on television, one of the best matches for their team this season. A Athletic voluptuous in attack, with an offensive vocation rarely seen in recent years. A gale of occasions and football. And what was the result? A draw for one against him
Lokomotiv of Moscow.
Quite a paradox. The Athletic The most offensive, the most dynamic, the freshest in attack, the most chance generator, he did not manage to win where years before, with previous versions of the team he did quite calmly.
In this context, the match that was seen in Russia, which the mattress fans liked very much, there could be the risk that it would be a lost opportunity in this new path. It should be explained that Diego Simeone, mattress coach, explained that this new Athletic, this new style, is motivated by the fact of having Luis
Suarez in the team.
To have a forward like him, who moves closer to the area, and who needs to be supplied with balls in other circumstances that players like Coast or Alvaro Morata, has made the Athletic towards this new course.
“Now we attack more, which is what you wanted,” he acknowledged. Savic in the preview of the crash against him Lokomotiv to talk about this Athletic perhaps it is more fragile in defense than what we were used to. By force, it is the so hackneyed simile of the blanket, if the head is covered, the feet are uncovered … and vice versa. But even so, it is undeniable that from an aesthetic and entertainment point of view, this new style is much more attractive.
In reality, it is a fallacy that the substance and the form cannot coexist, that one is closer to achieving good results by playing in a more conservative way than in a more offensive one. There are examples of them in world football in every decade. As always defended SimeoneTo play football well is not necessarily to play nice, but to do well what you should, the established plan, whatever it is.
FOR THE MOMENT, THE PLAN IS CONTINUED
For the peace of mind of the fans, the Cholo It is clear that, despite the reverse of not achieving victory in Moscow
when he deserved it long, the Athletic will continue on this path. “A pity that we could not have the forcefulness in the goal based on the game that was made, but I think this is the way to follow to win the games,” explained the coach after the game.
A spirit shared by the dressing room. “The truth is that it was a game of bad luck, but we cannot regret it. We have to continue like this because the team made a great effort to try to win the three points, but it couldn't be ”, explained Koke
Resurrection.
And it was a real miracle that Lokomotiv leave without being thrashed. The Athletic he left one of his best versions. Finished 14 times, according to data from Opt. Six of them on target. Up to nine times he finished inside the area, another five were from outside, five of the shots were headed …
Is that the mattress team had more than 63% possession, caused ten corners, gave almost twice as many passes as their rival … We are talking about a Russian team that had to defend 28 meters, on average, from their goal. Meanwhile he Athletic he began his attack, on average, almost 42 meters from his goal. The centrals of the mattress team, Savic Y Gimenez, they lived in the middle line of the field. And the Athletic he knew how to masterfully alternate the game on the wings with the game in the center, with fast walls between belt, Suarez Y Joao Felix.
Those of Cholo closed up to 28 good actions in the opposite area, focused almost 30 balls to the rival area … A real bombardment, with occasions and colorful football. A line that had already been seen in the match against Osasuna, In the second half. Or in the second part of the game against him Betis. A new reality in this Athletic which at the moment seems to want to continue.