The defense does not settle

Atlético bleeds behind. That old solidity that defined the Cholo team. The forcefulness. 33 goals conceded already and there are still 15 games to go before the end of LaLiga. Never since he arrived at Atlético in the summer of 2014 had the Slovenian goalkeeper experienced such a situation, never since he arrived at Atlético in the summer of 2014 had he conceded so many goals. Last season, when the rojblanco team was proclaimed champion of the Oblak League, they had collected the ball from their net eight times less. In 38 games.

But something, in this atypical season, with Simeone’s worst numbers since he came to the rojiblanco bench, in December 2011, is the lack of continuity of its defenses, of all its defenses. If in the 2013-14 season, for example, when Atlético was proclaimed champion of the League for the first time, their defenses were said to be in a huddle, Juanfran, Miranda, Godín and Filipe, game by game, always the same. When that season ended, Juanfran was the second most used footballer by the Argentine (4,934′), Miranda was 4th (4,710′), Godín was 6th (4,620′) and Filipe was 7th (4,272′).. This 2021-22 season, its two ‘headline’ central defenders, the ones called to be, the owners of the keys to the area, Savic and Giménez, are the 9th and 13th players in minutes. There, one of the explanations for that lack of red and white forcefulness.

Felipe has been erratic, nervous, abrupt. His mistakes have been condemning him throughout the season, with red, big mistakes. Hermoso has also made a mistake, although against Valencia and Getafe he became the hero, with two goals in the last minute that gave Atlético the epic victory. And need. Giménez has played 1,651 minutes and Savic, 1,361. Savic suffered a muscle injury and his recovery coincided with the worst moment of the team, the four consecutive defeats in the League, Mallorca, Madrid, Seville and Granada. At the Camp Nou they returned to form a couple in the center of defense eleven games later. Savic continues, Giménez no longer, due to COVID.

Comings, comings, COVID, injuries

Trippier is gone, Wass arrived to release a Llorente who seems condemned to the side and was injured, Lodi does not finish, Vrsaljko does not either. It becomes difficult to recite the defense in a row. It doesn’t settle. Not even the Savic-Giménez couple managed to stop the bleeding (in the only 11 games that they had been able to play together so far, Atlético had only lost two). “Today Savic and Giménez played and they put us four“, lamented the Argentine coach at the subsequent press conference. The next game, they were no longer able to form together. The red and white defense against Getafe was again unprecedented: Llorente, Savic, Felipe and Reinildo, who made his debut to try to stop the Bleeding. So that the back line settles. And that the forcefulness returns at the moment that the team needs it most. Before United.

Minutes defenses season 2021-22

Handsome2.285′ (3)

Llorente1.721′ (7)

Gimenez1.651′ (9)

Felipe1.527′ (11)

Savic1.361′ (13)

Trippier1.198′ (15)

Lodi970′ (17)

Vrsaljko704′ (19)

reinildo125′ (22)

Wass44′ (23)

Minutes defenses season 2020-21

Savic3.744′ (2)

Trippier3.086′ (5)

Handsome3.019′ (7)

Felipe2613′ (10)

Gimenez2.115′ (13)

Lodi1.678′ (14)

Defense minutes 2013-14 season

Juanfran4.934′ (2)

Miranda4.710′ (4)

Godín4.620′ (6)

Felipe4.272′ (7)