Simeone advocates match after match for the internal competition for the improvement of the team. If in attack footballers like Llorente or Carrasco have taken a step forward, at Right side competitiveness could not be more equal. Since the return of the halt due to the global coronavirus pandemic, Trippier and Arias have alternated the presence in the post playing one game each, the English before Athletic, Valladolid and Alavés and the Colombian against Osasuna, Levante and Barcelona. Now it's up to Trippier to face Mallorca.
And they are both giving arguments to Simeone to continue betting on them. With Vrsaljko injured, the third right side of the squad, the cholo nor has opted for one of them in the return to the competition. Although Trippier had been the starter throughout the course, since the pubic operation To which he underwent in late January, the Argentine coach is taking care of his physical condition. With its measured center At the head of Saúl to open the scoring against Alavés, the English added his fifth assist of the season, the third player of the team that has scored the most goals tied with Diego Costa and alone surpassed by Correa (eight) and Koke (six).
Signed from Tottenham, Trippier adapted very quickly to Simeone's schemes. Despite arriving with the vitola of a good offensive player and more absent-minded behind, at Atlético he has performed well covering his position. In addition, he has a stopped ball glove, where they have received a large part of their assistance. In total he has participated in 29 games and accumulate 2,430 minutes, seeing his progression slowed down solely by that injury mid-season.
He Arias case It has been completely different. Missing of Simeone's schemes during much of the season, did not settle in the position or during Trippier's leave period, where was outmatched by Vrsaljko in key matches like the one before the Liverpool. However, in this return to the competition, the Colombian is fighting for the position. Mainly for his offensive play, where it unfolds with high speed to the baseline and power the tense center behind looking for the penalty spot, generating danger at the Camp Nou with their arrivals.
But against Barcelona he was also fine in defense, very attentive to the additions of Jordi Alba and the coverage behind Giménez, taking advantage of the fact that the Blaugrana team did not place either end on their side until Ansu Fati's entrance. Like Lodi, Arias performed well on defense and raised the band. with conviction forcing the blaugranas to be very attentive. In the case of the Brazilian, his level was again very high in a match of maximum intensity.
Lodi has no natural substitute in the squad and his position in the left back is untouchable. He has played five of the six games in the return to LaLiga, although the youth squad Manu Sánchez could return to give him a break against Mallorca as he already did against Valladolid. With 2,950 minutes played in 38 games, Lodi is the fifth player in the squad who has participated the most and the first of the eight signings incorporated last summer, a real success considering that he is still 22 years old.