Atletico Madrid began their season with a draw against Osasuna in what may be a sign of things to come. The club didn’t look bad in the midfield, but the finishing was certainly lacking. The transfer papers for striker Radamel Falaco had not been processed in time so he was unavailable to play. In addition, when manager Gregorio Manzano left striker Diego Forlán off the team sheet, it solidified the fact the Uruguayan would be off to Inter Milan to replace Samuel Eto’o. Manzano was left to essentially play Adrián Lopez as a lone striker with Salvio and José Reyes at the wings.
Looking at the numbers, Atletico should have taken more from the match than just a point. They got 28 shots, eight of which were on goal, and had 59% of possession. Osasuna looked to slow the game down and play for the draw the whole match, and for that, they succeeded. Credit must also be given to the goalkeepers for Osasuna. Asier Riesgo started the match and looked good but had to be taken off after picking up an injury in the 44th minute. Andrés Fernández came on and continued the steady play between the sticks.
As I said, the midfield did look strong, Gabi in particular. Although it has always been a bit of a weakness in the past, Manzano is looking to build the attack from the back and use a short passing game to move the ball up the pitch. Arda Turan made his La Liga debut for the Rojiblancos. The Turkish midfielder still isn’t fully fit so he was only able to come on as a substitute in the 61st minute. One player who did disappoint was Reyes. When the match started, he lined up out wide, but he hovered around the entire pitch not really looking effective anywhere. In addition to Reyes’s less-than-stellar performance, the result illustrated the problems that are easily predictable after a club loses its best two strikers. Adrián was very poor in front of goal. It’s hard to be too critical, though, as it was only the first match of the season. The midfielders tried to compensate for Adrian’s absence of a first touch by trying their luck from long range. Even with Falcao entering the starting XI, the club needed to bring in an experienced striker to provide more support. You obviously can’t judge Adrián off one match, but it would be much more comforting to know that Atletico would have a steady, proven performer to pair with Falcao if they need to.
One player who is coming in is Brazilian midfielder Diego, on a one-year loan from Wolfsburg. The transfer has been rumored for weeks, but for some reason, went all the way down to the transfer deadline. He had a great season for Werder Bremen in 2008/09, helping the club win the DFB-Pokal. He was transferred to Juventus the following summer but has failed to regain the same form. A move back to Germany with Wolfsburg in the summer of 2010 also proved unsuccessful. A loan deal may be the most ideal option for Atletico. The club isn’t invested in him long-term so if he continues his downward spiral, he will be gone at the end of the year. There is a rumored future fee to make the deal permanent if Diego does prove to be a good option in the midfield. Along with the purchase of Arda, Diego helps to solidify the midfield. With Manzano’s tatics, he could be a pivotal player.
Another Diego was on the move, but this Diego was exiting the Calderón. Diego Forlán finalized his transfer to Inter. Much has been written about his legacy at the club. It’s undeniable that he was the catalyst for their Europa League run in 2009/10, but he was always a bit of an enigma. One day, he would want out, the next day, he professed his love for the club. He almost single-handedly ran former manager Quique Sanchez Flores out of town. For the success he brought the club and the goals he scored, he will most likely be remembered as a legend, but will never be revered among the supporters.
Falcaometer (as of September 1, 2011)
This week: 4
It is only the first match of the season, but the Rojiblancos need to show much better finishing. Falcao will not be able to score all of the goals himself. An international break may be just what the club needs. Falcao will have more time to integrate with the squad, and Arda and Diego have more time to get fully fit.
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