Can Simeone Restore the Wall?
In the past decade, every Champions League regular has wanted to avoid one team in the competition.
Diego Simeone’s effect on Atléti is unparalleled to the current crop of managers, in charge of Europe’s elite. From the midtable, to two Champions League finals, two Europa League trophies and a La Liga title to their name. Without Simeone, Atlético’s finances and stability as one of the biggest clubs in the continent would simply not happen.
In 2020, El Cholo remains a captivating figure in football. A charismatic character, a cult of personality if you will; yet his current Atlético Madrid team lacks the living colour when compared to the team of yesteryear. The rear-guard is gone and Simeone has adapted his trademark 4–4–2 system, but the new troops aren’t providing the defensive solidity that cemented the concreate blocks.
This was made evident on Wednesday night. Although facing the treble winners in Bayern Munich, four goals conceded in one game is incredibly un-Atléti and Hansi Flick showcased why the walls of Los Rojiblancos has looked a lot less secure than in previous years.
Firstly, this wasn’t the anti-football or regressive set-up that is often perceived by the pundits. Atlético Madrid pressed high on the Bayern backline, looking to disrupt passing lanes into the midfield with well-rehearsed movements and shifting.
When doing so, we saw some trademark tactics from Simeone’s team:
1) Man-orientation. Especially in the area where the ball was positioned, to create compactness in that area of the field.
2) Asymmetry in the midfield line. As the ballside winger presses up, the opposite would drop to prevent the switch in play, whilst the strikers adjust their positions to cover more space.
3) Staggering between the centre-midfielders. Do not remain in the same line when press. As one presses a potential receiver/ball carrier, the other holds the space in behind.
With these elements in place, Atlético Madrid’s press was very effective in the opening moments in the game, as Bayern failed to feed their rotating attackers. Here is a great example: due to their man-orientated press down the right channel, this enabled them to perform an effective collapse onto the receiver and force a mistake.
However, after an aggressive start to the game, Atléti’s intensity and early threat died as a more passive approach came to play. Having initially showed good staggering in their set-up, the flat forward and midfield lines enabled Bayern to filter play between them.
Without Héctor Herrera or Koke exchanging in pressing situations, this enabled Joshua Kimmich to orchestrate play by receiving the ball comfortably and able to turn to face the direction of play. Here are a few scenarios were Atlético engage in a half-baked pressing attempt, before dropping off into their medium block too early and allow their opponents to flood players into the middle third.
Perhaps the transition into a medium-to-low-block would have been more effective if their shape didn’t allow so much access for Bayern to play through. When dropping into their rest-defence, Bayern’s ball carriers were given an unusual amount of time to carry the ball towards the final third, subsequently allowing the player a better chance of completing a progressive pass. Atléti were reactive, rather than proactive, reliant on their defensive line to deny high-quality chances being taken.
Ultimately, their defensive block failed for two reasons:
1) Acres of space in the middle third
As the game progressed, João Félix altered his position when his team would move into the defensive phase. This would involve him dropping deeper and deeper into his half, even when the ball was still circulating amongst Bayern’s defenders. In a number of passing sequences, Simeone’s team resembled more of a 4–5–1/4–3–2–1 shape, with Félix and one of the pressing centre-midfielders operating in the same line.
Meanwhile, Luis Suárez remained fixated on the two Bayern centre-backs but wouldn’t engage in pressing them whilst in possession. The opposition defensive line were given the license to carry the ball forward and attempt to connect with receivers.
Although Lucas Hernandez and Benjamin Pavard are two fullbacks who don’t provide the overlapping runs into the final third, they both offer the penetrative passing able to break the lines. Due to the positioning and actions of the Atléti strikers, Bayern’s ball circulation had free access into the middle third, moving into the final.
2) Progression down the right
With such a vast amount of space being created in the middle, Bayern found easy and effective passing lanes to bypass the Simeone block — most notably on the right. Much of this was due to Yannick Carrasco’s positioning, dropping deeper, almost in a left wingback role.
Subsequently, this created a lot of space for Joshua Kimmich who constantly fed Thomas Müller and Pavard who operated in these areas. As well as the vertical pass into the right channel, Kimmich had the option to switch to the left, a valuable passing pattern as shown in their first goal. Atléti delt with the first phase of the attack but failed the second as the ball came back out to the midfielder from a blocked shot. His beautiful pass was graciously met by Kinglsey Coman inside the penalty area.
Bayern also showed their continued and ridiculous efficiency when they transition from their press. Leon Goretzka and Coman’s second goal were great examples (as well as being oddly familiar to recent goals that they’ve scored) off why they’re so successful from these situations, attackers who can drive the ball forward at pace, as well as off the ball movements to provide the passing option.
Atlético deployed a high, medium, and low block against the treble winners — all failing to truly nullify their opponents elite ball circulation and were punished in immense style. Although this wasn’t a disasterclass from Simeone’s team (reducing Bayern Munich to 1.54 xG from open play isn’t a bad feat), Atléti are missing a few key elements and in-game decisions to restore the great wall.
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