Statistically talking, there’s rather a lot to love about this Atletico Madrid facet. On the present fee, even after Sunday’s disappointing 1-0 defeat at Barcelona, they’re on track for an 84 level and 81 aim LaLiga season.
That might symbolize their highest aim tally in additional than 70 years whereas solely 4 instances beforehand have Los Rojiblancos handed the 80 level mark within the league.
Their general degree this season has been excessive they usually’ve even emerged as unlikely entertainers, notably within the Champions League the place no workforce can higher Atleti’s tally of 15 targets from their opening 5 group video games.
Nonetheless three poor performances and poor outcomes away from residence have been main blips in an in any other case sturdy begin to the 2023/24 marketing campaign. These outcomes are the principle cause why Atletico Madrid are seven factors off the highest (with a sport in hand) and based on stay betting odds, solely the third favorite to win LaLiga at 10/1.
A squad that’s able to profitable LaLiga
There is no such thing as a comparability between the Atletico Madrid of immediately and the Atletico Madrid of twelve months in the past that endured a depressing begin to the 2022/23 season, exiting Europe altogether and falling out of title rivalry by the point of the break brought on by the primary winter World Cup.
Whereas the personnel stays largely the identical, items have fallen into place, underperforming gamers have rediscovered their finest soccer and Diego Simeone’s beginning lineup now has a comparatively settled really feel.
There may be solely actually a debate about one of the best choices in a single or two positions, whereas this time final 12 months, there have been maybe solely a handful of assured picks along with some severe systemic query marks.
The resurgence of Mario Hermoso and reinvention of Axel Witsel as a reliable centre-back has helped give the again three a extra assured really feel, with the one frustration being Jose Maria Gimenez’s lack of ability to remain match for various weeks.
Forward of them, Koke, Rodrigo De Paul, Nahuel Molina, Alvaro Morata and Antoine Griezmann have all established themselves as mainstays for this facet, with wholesome competitors for the ultimate two locations in one of the best eleven.
Atleti followers may also be hoping the depth to their squad can provide them an edge in an extended title race and you may make an actual case for saying they presently have the strongest bench in Spain with Cesar Azpilicueta, Saul Niguez, Memphis Depay, Angel Correa and Samuel Lino all utilised within the Second Half of Sunday’s sport whereas the likes of Stefan Savic, Reinildo and Javi Galan did not make it onto the pitch.
Slip-ups away from residence
In principle, it is a squad that has all of the elements wanted for an extended slog for the league title which Atletico Madrid final received behind closed doorways within the 2020/21 season.
Nonetheless, what’s in peril of changing into a pattern and doubtlessly derailing this problem altogether, is their present lack of ability to take factors from away video games once they aren’t at their finest, with three hanging examples already this season.
The primary was at Mestalla in September. Atletico Madrid had hit seven of their earlier sport, making an actual assertion of intent by thumping Rayo Vallecano in Vallecas. Nonetheless the postponement of their fixture in opposition to Sevilla which resulted in a 3 week wait for his or her subsequent outing, noticed Atleti return distinctly out of kinds as they slumped to a 3-0 defeat in opposition to what’s removed from the best Valencia facet of all time.
The response was spectacular. Six straight wins in LaLiga, every of them deserved victories, adopted earlier than Simeone’s males as soon as once more bumped into bother on the highway in stunning trend in opposition to newly promoted Las Palmas in early November.
A 2-1 defeat in Gran Canaria introduced their profitable run to a juddering halt and it’s now back-to-back away defeats after Joao Felix’s solitary aim in Sunday’s showdown with Barcelona. That was a match which noticed Atleti produce one among their worst performances of the season in a sport that, their terrible latest document within the fixture apart, the guests had little cause to worry given Barcelona’s latest struggles.
Whereas the outcome in no way ended Atletico Madrid’s title problem, it’s exhausting to decorate it up as something aside from a serious setback, notably given Simeone had the posh of having the ability to subject his perceived strongest eleven.
A winter of difficult highway journeys
If defeat in Barcelona was not terminal, Atletico Madrid now know that, with floor to make up on the highest two of Actual Madrid and Girona, they will must do a significantly better job of negotiating tough away journeys over the following couple of months.
Whereas their upcoming matches on the Civitas Metropolitano are principally beneficial, there’s a actual hazard that their title problem may collapse earlier than it has even actually obtained going, in the event that they don’t decide up good outcomes over the following couple of months away from residence.
Atleti’s solely remaining away sport in 2023 is on Sunday sixteenth December once they journey to San Mames to tackle an more and more spectacular Athletic facet who’re only one place beneath them within the present standings.
January begins with a visit to shock bundle Girona who Diego Simeone’s facet presently path by seven factors. Whereas two of their following three away video games are throughout city within the Madrid derby on the Santiago Bernabeu after which on the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan which stays a tough place to go and win regardless of Sevilla’s present struggles.
Atletico Madrid could must win at the least a few these fixtures in the event that they wish to be in with a preventing probability of profitable LaLiga come the spring, and that’s assuming their residence type stays sturdy.
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