Simeone’s men need to regain defensive strength and add scorers for the cause
ANDIn a week LaLiga returns. A small competition of ten games in which Atlético starts with an advantage of four and six points over the second and third placed. When the stoppage motivated by the national teams ends, they will get to work to try to hold the cushion they have won during the season and try to break the hegemony of Barcelona and Madrid as far as league titles are concerned in the last decade. Simeone’s men, despite seeing their advantage diminish in recent weeks, continue to face the final sprint from first place. Now, they will have to improve in some subjects that have been choking them these months.
ADD MORE SCORERS TO THE CAUSE
Atlético need to add troops in front of goal. Get not to depend on the goals of Luis Suárez (19 goals) and of Marcos Llorente (9) It seems essential for this decisive stretch of the competition. The drought in the last months of Joao Felix (7) together with the little contribution of the rest of the offensive players, it has left the goal in the boots of Suárez and Llorente for too many weeks. The rojiblancos need that Correa (4), Dembélé, Saúl (2), Carrasco (2), Lemar (1) and Joao himself add to that plot during the ten games that remain.
Some of the points that have escaped them in recent weeks were preceded by clear scoring opportunities. The Levante matches, the derby, the draw at Alfonso Pérez … in all of them, those of Simeone they enjoyed scoring chances to sentence or overcome the matches and they weren’t able to. In the last six games, they only saw the goal Luis Suarez on three occasions, Llorente on one and Joao on another. Little baggage.
RECOVER DEFENSIVE SOLIDITY
For weeks, Atlético seemed set to break all the records of LaLiga unbeaten. That was far away in 2021. Too many goals against for a team used to dominating from defensive solidity. Re-transmitting those feelings behind is essential to sustain the team. Already the last two days those of Simeone they have left their clean sheet. They had not been able to go two games without receiving a goal in a row since the end of December. Since that final day of the year against Getafe, Simeone’s men have only left their power to zero on four occasions. The last two already mentioned and against Seville and Villarreal. A good part of the title options will go through not fitting.
PLUG IN TO SECOND UNIT
It is true that Simeone is not counting on the second unit much. The Torreira, Kondogbia, Herrera, Lodi and company have been losing the confidence of the Argentine coach. It is the whiting that bites its tail. Their performance was not what was expected at the times that they were needed and now that they have again needed an extra energy from the bench, to Simeone It has been difficult for him to trust them. Atlético need to add more pieces for the final stage. For starters, on Sunday in Seville someone will have to cover the loss of Carrasco. Not an easy task for sure.
