In the wise words of Mick McCarthy: “It can’t get worse can it? It can.”
Atlético Madrid today squandered another early lead, and the Rojiblancos succumbed to a dismal 1-1 draw away at the Mendizorrotza Stadium, contributing to their worst league start since 2009/10.
This draw leaves Atlético with two points from three games, against the likes of Espanyol, Elche and Alavés. Let’s hope this coming international break will be the moment of change.
Let’s get into the key takeaways of this game, themes
which relate to the mediocre start to the season as a whole:
Problems, problems, problems
It’s hard to know where to begin, but maybe a good place to start would be the announcement of the team sheets.
It was clear, upon the release of this XI and substitute bench just how poorly this squad has been put together. It has been without cohesion and considerate planning, proved by the nature of Atleti’s performances so far this season. The substitute bench actually had four full backs: Matteo Ruggeri, Javi Galán, Nahuel Molina, and Marc Pubill (though Pubill is likely to play extensively as a center-back). Four full-backs, and yet a centre-back was moved to left-back and a former midfielder, who sometimes has played as a striker, was still chosen ahead of the two right-backs. Maddening.
The bench further consisted of two second strikers in Antoine Griezmann and Jack Raspadori, two central midfielders in Koke and Conor Gallagher, two substitute goalkeepers in Juan Musso and Santi Esquivel, and then the younger talents of Carlos Martín and Jano Monserrate. It’s like a jigsaw, not for other teams to understand, but for ourselves.
For instance, if we lose our target man, our midfield destroyer, or our centre-back, suddenly everything will need rearranging – for there is little like-for-likeness where needed, and too much like-for-likeness where it is not needed (full-back). Building a squad is a delicate balance, and you need both able replacements and players who offer something different.
Hard though may it be, Atlético have got nowhere near to hitting the nail on the head, as you need to do to win big trophies. But unlike when a club is ripped apart by star players leaving, the only people who have inflicted this upon us has been ourselves, and more accurately: the recruitment department.
As this squad was being put together, I and many others were understandably excited about the new signings, but those who could exercise a little foresight had a bad feeling about the whimsical approach. As soon as one deal fell through, we would often seem to pivot to a completely unrelated player as a result. I didn’t doubt that we had signed fine, talented players, but as to how they would all fit into an overall system? It seemed a careless afterthought, or even just how they would all fit into the same squad, never mind the starting XI.
Careless, seemingly insignificant actions can lead to great consequences once time has its way. I believed these problems would come back to bite Atlético later in the season, perhaps as injuries and suspensions came to the fray, but it has happened oh so quick.
For an example of the confusion: Ruggeri was demoted to the bench, perhaps a foreseeable consequence of signing a left wing-back to play in a back four. I believed he had been doing a steady, if not spectacular job. But it seemed Simeone was thinking otherwise, and was aiming to utilise the instrumental Dávid Hancko to further extent. So, despite his monumental performance in left centre-back last week, he was moved to be an out-and-out left-back. Clément Lenglet would come into the side to take his place.
In the opening minutes, Hancko was fed down the left flank and awkwardly ballooned a cross out of play. He was then fed in again and he attempted a near-post shot that went well wide, when he could have cut the ball back for Alexander Sørloth. Despite his galloping runs and athleticism, Hancko still really looked like a centre-back being tasked to play on the wing when the ball was at his feet, because that’s exactly what he is.
I understand Simeone’s thinking, because he did make some progressive runs and incisive passes in previous games, but someone playing really well is not a reason to change their position and role. It seemed like over-thinking, unnecessary tinkering before the game, and nothing since changed my mind. It only led to diminish the performance Hancko displayed last week, and he was replaced by Ruggeri later in the game anyhow, so I think the coaching staff concluded on this point too. I suppose it was a decent experiment, but the negative results were compounded further by the fact that Lenglet came into the side and failed to impress, due to some wayward passing and decision-making.
I think what summarises the management of the squad so far this season is that we probably had one major positive last week vs. Elche, and this was Hancko in left centre-back. Today, we made one change from the Elche game: to remove Hancko from his position. It’s astonishing, incredible, and almost unbelievable.
Squashing the spider
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s a lost, bewildered Julián Alvarez.
For some time now, I have been concerned about the obscene amount of football Alvarez has played for club and country since he joined Atlético last year. My concern was rooted in his tireless style of play, the constant running, harrying and pressing which sometimes feels like he is doing alone — think back to the Bayer Leverkusen game last season in the Champions League. Through his fighting and scrapping, the man somehow hauled 10-man Atleti back into that game. This was just an occasion when what he does really came into the spotlight so emphatically, but he makes these kind of performances every week. I believe this will have a negative consequence at some point, either mentally or physically or both.
So too will the muddled and ever-changing team around him. One minute, Alvarez has the ultra-creative Álex Baena next to him, but the next minute he has a towering Norwegian poacher alongside. In high-level football, these tiny details that disrupt fluidity and chemistry end up making a big difference.
On many occasions today, Atleti resorted to long balls and crosses to Sørloth — which in itself isn’t a bad thing, as he is useful, even dangerous, in this context. But problems arise when this approach reduces the influence of others, those who are more better technically and around whose skillsets you are supposed to be building the team. And if there’s one weakness I could point to about Alvarez, I would say that he’s not renowned for his crossing abilities, thus he loses a way to contribute to the team if crossing becomes predominant.
It’s a conundrum, because only last week did Sørloth peel away and score against Elche, but Alvarez played no part in it, and this will keep happening. A feeling of being disjointed always fills the air whenever these two try to play off one another, even if one or the other or both score. It just does not feel like an optimally-synchronised team, as you need to be to achieve greatness.
It feels like Alvarez’s mental space has been affected, and is currently overwhelmed, by all the changes around him. He needs a reset, but the problem is that he can never get respite. International break formally begins on the 1st of September and lasts until the 9th, during which Argentina has two World Cup qualifying games, where once again he is likely going to be tasked with leading the line. But all things considered, at least he will get a break from the mess which is currently Club Atlético de Madrid.
On the boil Giuliano
Just last week, I echoed concerns about Giuliano Simeone’s poor start to the season.
Today, he turned everything on its head and made me look silly. Fairplay.
But in my defence, I did allude to the fact that Giuliano’s poor form wouldn’t last long, and I would be fully expecting him to bounce back sooner rather than later. This is simply because his spirit, determination and grit mean he will never wallow in pity for long. He would reset, and take things game by game, as I imagine has been drilled into him almost from birth.
His goal today was perfect example of his mentality. He first used his pace to play a one-two and get down the byline, and despite a disappointing cross, he instantly harried the Alaves backline, who were trying to scramble the ball away. As a result, he rode through several attempted clearances and rebounds before lashing the ball in at the near post with his weaker left foot. It went a long way to show what tenacity and commitment to the cause can do in a game of football.
From then onward, Giuliano seemed buoyed by this goal, and he started offering flashes of what we saw consistently last season. He was perhaps the best performer today, and given the Elche game, it shows to go how quickly things can change in football. On that note, I hope Diego Simeone and the backroom staff use this international break to find a way to get this squad all singing from the same hymn sheet. From there, a massive win streak is the only thing that may heal this disastrous start to the season.
It seems unlikely now, but never forget how quickly things can change.
