What’s gone wrong for Atleti?

The constant demand for intensity has seemingly left them exhausted and various players have spent long periods out this season. Up front, Alvaro Morata has been struggling with a groin problem, Joao Felix has missed the last three games and Diego Costa has been out since November. All three have a chance of facing Liverpool but none will be at 100 per cent. Hector Herrera and Jose Gimenez have a chance of returning from injury in time for this week’s game but Kieran Trippier is out of the tie.

Among so many injury problems, Simeone’s Atletico have never looked less cohesive. Only two players have played more than 80 per cent of La Liga minutes — one is goalkeeper Jan Oblak and the other is Saul Niguez, and even he’s hardly been a steady presence, considering he’s been fielded on the right, on the left, in the centre of midfield and at left-back this season.

Make no mistake: this isn’t Simeone keeping his players fresh by rotating — it’s Simeone struggling to field a consistent side because his players have been dropping like flies. For comparison, six Liverpool players have played more than 80 per cent of league minutes.

The busy treatment room may also be a factor in Atletico’s reduced pressing game. While there’s no perfect number to measure pressing, Opta’s “high turnovers” represents a decent proxy. Domestically, Simeone’s men are averaging 4.1 high turnovers a game this season, their lowest in recent memory.

pauleska wrote: ↑22 Aug 2018, 13:27

Furis wrote: ↑22 Aug 2018, 11:18

pauleska wrote: ↑22 Aug 2018, 11:01 O ką Atletico gali pasiūlyt Marcosui, ko negali Chelsea?

Reguliarią čempionų lygą ir geresnį klimatą.

NU baikite, kolega, su tais klimatais. Bičas jau ne vienerius ir ne dvejus metus lošia Anglijoje, tad turbūt klimatas nėra bėda. Algos vis tiek didesnės šitoj Madrido pusėj negaus, tad lieka tik reguliari ČL,

pauleska wrote: ↑22 Aug 2018, 11:01 O ką Atletico gali pasiūlyt Marcosui, ko negali Chelsea?