Atletico the light goes out

Atlético has dried up. After showing his most efficient version against Alavés in the second leg of the break, with a 4-1 that once again made clear the quality of the mattress attack and made up a very flat first 60 minutes, against Manchester City and Mallorcabeyond linking two games in a row without scoring, the team has left a feeling of little imagination and ability to generate offensive football.

In England the plan was to be able to go out quickly on the counterattack and be precise in the passes to launch the strikers, something that was only achieved a couple of times, the clearest chance came in an attack led by Griezmann and where Llorente looked for a center-shot when João Félix doubled him at the far post. But, more worrying was the inoperative version of the team in Mallorca. Two games in a row with a balance of only one shot on goal, Luis Suárez’s comfortable header at the hands of Sergio Rico.

With Griezmann, João Félix, Luis Suárez, Cunha, Correa, Carrasco, Llorente and company, it is presented as a very, very poor result… although the problem has been chaining from further back, a machine room that he is not managing to speed up the pace of the game, be precise in the shipments for the unchecking of his teammates or skillful when it comes to breaking lines. Mallorca gave up the initiative and there a lot was suffered to propose something different. Herrera’s loss has notably penalized the team’s creativity, something very dangerous considering that the Mexican has two months left at the club (He has already signed for the Houston Dynamo). Now they are fighting against the clock so that Herrera can be in the Champions League on Wednesday.

And in recent games there has been a Remarkable reliance on João Félix’s invention. The Portuguese, chosen best player in LaLiga in Marchreturned from the break as he had left, being the most decisive player on the team. If in Vallecas he had left his touch of quality with the assistance to Koke, against Alavés he got a double and a new sign that he is enlightened. Against City he ended up playing on the left wing to collaborate with Lodi, putting his high level in favor of the team and Simeone decided to give him an hour of rest in Mallorca after the extensive workload that he carried on his legs. But no one knew how to play that role of driver of the game, individual overflow and attacking talent that is adding so much to Atlético.

Griezmann, without a goal since the return

Griezmann and Suárez formed a forward without mordant, where the ‘8’ already has nine games without scoring since he returned from his injury (plus two with France) and seems to have lost that freshness and ability to create space near the area. Although it is very important to Simeone because of his work, something that has kept him in eleven in the last six appointments, more is required of him facing the door. But he is not the only footballer who does not go through the best version of him on the attacking front.

Since Vrsaljko’s recovery, Llorente has once again added minutes in the center of the field and with freedom to step in the area, but he is barely contributing in the creation and he is not fine in the last meters, where he continues without scoring (last season he scored 12 goals). Carrasco finally finished his sanction in the Champions League, but in the starts against Cádiz and Mallorca he has not been seen at all fine. In recent days he has not had continuity due to his expulsion in Europe and his accumulation of cards in the League, which left him out in Vallecas, and Nor has he taken advantage of the minutes that Cholo has given him. Lemar has seen how the constant injuries they have been moving him away from the most decisive version with which he had started the course.

And the loss of prominence due to the return of Griezmann when he was being the most decisive player upstairs did not sit well with Correa. The Argentine has suffered that setback to the bench and if he saw a red card in the League that had him out against Alavés and Mallorca, his pitch to Grealish could have consequences in the Champions League. Neither Kondogbia, Koke or De Paul have been fine in distribution, although the former has a more destructive function and should not be required so much in that facet. Therefore, Atlético will have to improve a lot against Manchester City, since scoring is mandatory to have options to be in the semifinals.

He has arguments for it. He returns to the Metropolitano, which will be bursting with support for the team. With his push, the match script goes through a City dominating possession, something that doesn’t bother Simeone’s either. The Argentine coach will have all his offensive arsenal, he recovers Correa, who was not in Mallorca, Carrasco after three games away in the Champions League and João Félix is ​​rested. Also, if the front line doesn’t look fine, Cunha if he has come back from his injury with strength. The presence of Herrera would also be important to have an alternative in the middle to give more rhythm to the game. Atlético needs to turn on the lights of its attack again, play faster, be intense on recovery, more precise with the ball and supply balls to create chances. There is no better day for it than against City.