Atletico Preview

Take heed: this post is probably going to be the longest I’ve ever composed.

First off, congratulations is due post-haste for Roy Hodgson being voted Manager of the Year by the League Managers Association, by, according to the BBC, “a record margin” (my emphasis). Although well warranted, it’s still stunning to think a manager of our tiny club is held in such high esteem throughout the football league.

UEFA has put up a great on-line magazine/program for the Europa Final. There are plenty of great interviews, videos, and even an old photo of Roy. I’d discuss it further, but there’s just too much in it. So go check it out and enjoy for yourselves.

Right, on to Atletico after the jump.

Many thanks to Al from the Atletico-Offside page and Gary from Madrid Athleticos for doing a dual Q&A session with me. Without further ado:

What has been the Achilles heel for Atletico Madrid this season?

Al: On the pitch, our defense has been a big problem this entire season. We were greatly helped by the emergence of center-back Alvaro Dominguez who came from the youth team, and aside from him, we have only two other capable center-backs. Our other defender Luis Perea had a disastrous season until a few months ago, and up until then he was so bad that he would trip on himself and get nutmegged by rolling balls, losing us important points and almost losing the fixture against Galatasaray. Our right-back Juan Valera isn’t that good either and gets outrun often, and our left-back Antonio Lopez is our captain and is pretty average, but he has that Dirk Kuyt-esque energy level that gives us that something extra.

On a mental level, underestimating smaller teams has been a problem. Atletico does well under high-pressure situations and that is why have done so well in this competition. In the league, they have suffered embarrassing losses at home by teams in relegation zones and in the domestic cup, the fixtures against the second division teams were the most troublesome. This is why I’m a tad bit nervous for the final, because I hope that they actually treat it like a European final instead of a match against a mid-table English club.

Gary: Our Achilles heel without any doubt this season has been our defence. We had international defenders playing who looked like a 5 a side pub team. Our left back was a joke. We changed Goalkeeper this year. We signed Sergio Asenjo but he didnt settle so we have between the posts now the young David De Gea who was been excellent all season. Also in the midfield Raul Garcia is our weak link.

What player(s) should us Fulham fans really worry about?

Al: Diego Forlan and Sergio Aguero. What makes Forlan so great is that he almost always capitalizes on the opposition’s mistakes, and he is also equally good with both feet, so he can pretty much score from anywhere 30 meters from the goal. As for Aguero, he doesn’t score that often but he is very difficult to stop, and can score from very improbably angles. He also recently became good at free kicks and long distance shooting.

Our attacking midfielders Simao and Jose Antonio Reyes are also very dangerous, and they are able to create magic out of nowhere. Both of them are also dangerous on set pieces and create many chances that Forlan capitalizes on often. They click so well with our forwards that the four of them play almost telepathically.

Gary: My colleague wrote a great preview the other day on our blog so I wont go into too much detail. Forlan is the typical player who can be quiet all game and pop up and score. Kun Aguero is simply just class and you should enjoy watching him. Jose Antonio Reyes has turned his career around. He came back from Benfica and knuckled down and has become a key element in the team. Simao offers a threat going forward on the other wing. I dont know if Jurado will start or be on the bench. He has made big impacts when he has come on and no more so than at Anfield.

How exactly has Quique Sánchez Flores turned around the club’s fortunes after this season’s disastrous start under Abel Resino?

Al: He was able to turn our abysmal defense into something that can hold its own on the big stage, and that was definitely the most important step in getting where we are now. His player selections, even with the mind-blowing inclusion of Luis Perea, was also much better than Resino’s. Resino was very serious and the players didn’t like him very much, and Quique is serious as well but he at least connects with the players. Team unity is much stronger and the confidence he showed to each individual was huge in improving the performances of the team. Also, the fans love him obviously for the great results but also because he promoted youth players to the senior team, and gives them minutes.

Gary: First of all Abel Resino was just not the right man for the job. I know people who have worked with him and they all say he is an excellent coach but lacked experience. He was brought in to sort out the defence and he failed big time. Quique Sanchez Flores has been working big time on that. Also he gives the players a chance instead of changing them straight away. The confidence level has also gone up. Abel failed to get the best of Maxi and Simao and the form of the 2 front men dipped. All that has been fixed now with all players finsihing the season in good form.

I think it’s fair to say it’s been a forgettable league campaign, yet you’re in the Copa Del Rey and Europa League finals. What exactly has led to such a divergence in fortunes?

Al: Abel Resino was at fault for our terrible start to the season, and with the good streaks of the top clubs of La Liga, making it to the top four was a near-impossible task when Quique Sanchez came in and was given a team in shambles with a comedy of a defense. With increasing team confidence alone, the early rounds of the Copa del Rey went great and despite us getting lucky with two draws in the Champions League group stage, by the time we made the Europa League, the team was winning and already gained its identity back. As for the league, Atletico climbed 8 spots since Sanchez’s arrival and not much more could have been done. Their foot was shot in the beginning of the season.

Gary: I think the players knew that the cups were their only chance of silverware this season. Also I feel that there was no pressure or expectation in the Europa League. I think the players rose to the occasion and are enjoying the runs in both cups. They became a welcome getaway from the pressures in the league. In the league there is also the added pressure of both Real and Barça which they didnt have in the cups.

Atletico have squeaked by the last three rounds and into the finals because of the away goals rule. In fact, you dropped down into the Europa League from the Champions League because of a goal Simão scored in Nicosia that put you ahead of APOEL in the CL group stages through the away goals rule. Does the lack of out-right victories this entire European campaign (two total, excluding the CL Playoff Round) concern you heading into a one-off final?

Al: No. Away goals have definitely been our friend in this campaign, but what is important is that Atletico has prospered in very difficult and high-pressure environments. They beat Galatasaray at home, held Sporting CP and Valencia at home, and got the away goal at Anfield, and all of those stadiums are known for being very intimidating. What I’m trying to say is that Atletico doesn’t get scared and will fight to the end, no matter what the atmosphere. This will be the one time where they can’t get lucky because an outright win is necessary and they know that.

Gary: Does it matter how you arrived as long as you arrived? On one side its true to talk about going through on away goals but it is alot easier to win at home than away. Atleti scored key goals. We have a light squad and QSF knew exactly what he had to do to win the matches. It doesnt bother me at all because the boys always lift their game when they play in important matches. Ask Barcelona. it always shows that Atleti can score under pressure and that is never a bad thing.

If you’re interested, I answered some of Al’s questions over on his page. Let me know if I’m way off base.

And lastly, good ol’ John Terry has given some encouraging words to the lads; and not about extramarital affairs. Per the Guardian:

The Fulham captain’s claim was backed up by John Terry, the Chelsea captain, who said he hoped their west London rivals would triumph at Hamburg’s Nordbank Arena.

Thanks, pal.

Right, so how do I see how this is going? Honestly, I don’t know. Neither side is a true favorite or underdog. We, a tiny club on the Thames, shouldn’t really be here. Nor should Atletico, considering they’ve won just twice in Europe since August.

I just hope the Roy and the lads make us proud. Because, you know, it’s not like they haven’t already.

And now I’m going to leave you with a tune that’s been stuck in my head for a bit and feel like sharing. I’m not entirely sure why, but I think it’s because I don’t really want the final to happen — I want to bask in the anticipation of it. You know how the weeks before and wait for Christmas is sometimes better than Christmas itself? Well, I feel like this is that. Things could really go either way tomorrow: I could be on cloud nine or mired in the slough of despond. And this song about being forever young is about not wanting time to pass. Sorta like how I am now…

Category: Europa League, Team News