In recent seasons Atletico Madrid have punched above their financial weight against goliaths of the European game in Real Madrid and Barcelona. The main reason for that overachievement is the organisation of head coach Diego Simeone.
Now for virtually the first time in Simone’s career as Los Rojiblancos, some are asking questions over his ability to get the best out of his team.
The problem that the Atletico head coach has is that his teams always had attacking players who offered a constant threat. In previous editions of Atletico teams, they had Diego Costa in his prime or Antoine Griezmann in attack.
Costa is still at the club, but he is currently sidelined through injury and is not the same player he was during his first spell at the club. Griezmann, of course, made a big-money switch to Barcelona.
The forwards at the club just do not seem to be cutting it at the minute. Their attacking shortcoming are illustrated by the fact that only five teams in La Liga have scored fewer goals than Atleti this season. Their goal tally of 22 goals in 21 league matches is poor.
To put it into perspective Barcelona have scored 50 goals, while Real Madrid have found the net 39 times in La Liga.
Simeone needs to find a way to get more out of Alvaro Morata and big-money summer signing Joao Felix, who has underwhelmed for Los Rojiblancos, mainly as he has not really been employed in his favoured position. Both Felix and Morata have scored goals in the past. However, as a partnership, they just do not fit.
There has been speculation over a move for PSG’s veteran striker Edinson Cavani. However, reports suggest the club hierarchy are not keen to shell out a reported £60million on a player of 32 years of age.
There is already talk of Simeone being under pressure from the higher management at Atletico. If he does not turn things around quickly, the unthinkable may just happen and they may just fire him.