{"id":12108,"date":"2025-10-21T06:14:05","date_gmt":"2025-10-21T05:14:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=12108"},"modified":"2025-10-22T09:58:33","modified_gmt":"2025-10-22T08:58:33","slug":"tricky-test-awaits-against-atletico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=12108","title":{"rendered":"Tricky Test Awaits Against Atletico"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Images courtesy of Visionhaus & Getty Images. Our cannon points conveniently at the unfortunate bear!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Arsenal take on Atletico Madrid in the latest voyage of our Champions League qualifying odyssey this Tuesday night in what looks, on paper at least, to be one of the tougher games among our scheduled eight. The Bilbao and Olympiakos hurdles have been tidily taken 2-0 so far but Simeone\u2019s Atletico are a step-up in class and will provide a useful European yardstick of our current level. Beating them would undoubtedly set us up nicely for other tricky tests to come – Bayern Munich at home and Inter Milan away spring to mind \u2013 and would also no doubt see us firmly settled in the CL Top 8.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Much to play for then, but now is as good a time as any to play for it. After all, we have won 5 in a row after our latest victory at Craven Cottage, there seem to be no new injuries, and our very own Starboy, Bukayo Saka, looks to be getting back into form. Player of the Match against Fulham, he was even denied as clear a penalty as you could wish to see \u2013 surely only a man in cheap Japanese spectacles would have missed that one! We are also, in case anyone might have missed it, still top of the league.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who will play this time then?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, firstly I must say our new improved squad a la Berta means that I really don\u2019t know who will play as I cheerfully scan our 3-star Michelin player menu full of chef\u2019s recommendations, nevertheless, even in these days of miracle and wonder it is still possible to identify a few of the very likeliest among our likeable likely lads. No Terry or Bob but putting in David, William, Gabriel, Martin, Declan, Viktor and Bukayo gives us a sound seven probables, mix in Justin and Riccardo as the currently favoured full-backs based on this season\u2019s latest form, and we can then reduce our \u201cproblem positions\u201d to attacking midfield and left wing \u2013 then pick two from five out of Eze, Merino, Martinelli, Leo and Ethan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is a very, very nice problem to have. Or at least that has largely been the shape of things so far this season. However, a word of caution to anyone who believes my suggested XI below – Mikel has regularly thrown-in an extra change or two this season to keep things fresh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raya<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Timber Saliba Gabriel Calafiori<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zubimendi Rice Merino<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saka Gyokeres Martinelli<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, your eyes do not deceive you and I do believe that we will see the Zubi, Rice, Merino midfield triumvirate even at home, or at least to start the match. It gives us a solid base, a potentially highly productive front three, and a lot of powerful players for the inevitable set pieces. I understand the instinctive preference of many Holics for a more creative AM like Ethan or Eze but I don\u2019t think Mikel will jump that way for this particular match. Atletico and Simeone have whole busloads of experience in this type of situation and I believe Mikel will choose to reduce the risk of being suckered as far as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No doubt the situation will change as the game evolves but The Boss has been a touch canny so far this season to start most games and I\u2019d imagine a little more of the same for this one. Other than that, I expect a similar squad to the Fulham game, a few more subs obviously as it\u2019s the CL, and also Piero Hincapie is now available according to Mikel\u2019s presser \u201che will be available, that game (Fulham) came a bit too quickly for him\u201d <\/em>I expect most of us would like a look at him though it may not come tomorrow. Patience is reputedly a virtue and the season is long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Touching on the opposition<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Atletico Madrid have been among the top Spanish sides for many years now, not quite seen in the same bracket as Barcelona and Real Madrid I suppose but nevertheless a top side. <\/strong>Over the decades,they have won all the major trophies in Europe except the European Cup \/ Champions League and since Diego Simeone\u2019s appointment late in 2011they have been in the Top 3 in La Liga in 12 of his 14 seasons, winning it twice, the last time in 2020\/21. They have I think it\u2019s fair to say fallen away slightly from a high point of two Champions League finals in three seasons (both lost to Read Madrid) in the mid-2010s but even so Simeone has guided them to the knockout stages in six of the last seven seasons.However, I guess you are asking yourself in that case \u201chas the ranty, cheaty man finally lost his fire\u201d? That burning desire to win no matter the cost to his or his team\u2019s integrity. Who knows but of course we can certainly hope so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Talking of Atleti\u2019s management \u2013 a heads up for those Holics around 40 and above (hmm I wonder what that % is?) there will be a vaguely familiar face in the Atleti seats \u2013 Nelson Vivas, once of this manor, around the turn of the millennium, is now among Simeone\u2019s assistants. Although, a wee word of warning to any feisty Holics thinking of engaging Nelson in witty badinage\u2026..he once waded into the crowd in a match in Argentina and delivered a thumping to a fan he thought had been less respectful than he ought. He did have to resign as manager the next day but I suppose it does in its way send a clear message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enough of their management, what of their team. They have had a slow start to this season, losing the opening game to Espanyol in La Liga and in the CL as well, to Liverpool at Anfield. Sadly, things have picked up recently and they have beaten Real Madrid 5-2 and Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1 in the last month. On the brighter side their away form remains spotty, no away wins this season and draws against some La Liga sides they would certainly expect to beat. They come into the game 4th<\/sup> in La Liga on the back of a 1-0 win at home to Osasuna (think Burnley if you are looking for a football comparison, not location obviously as Osasuna hail from Pamplona, a beautiful city in Northern Spain, whereas Burnley hail from, well, Burnley).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have several players that we will know well and even if it isn\u2019t the famously ferocious rearguard of a decade ago, they did still had the 2nd<\/sup> best defence in La Liga last season and the capable Oblak in goal. Midfield may include Koke and Conor Gallagher, of one good season at Palace fame, and up front they usually pick two out of Griezmann, Sorloth, Julien Alvarez and Raspadori. Alvarez is the main threat these days and has been scoring far more freely than in his so-so spell at 130ty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Atleti don\u2019t have a particularly good record in the UK, never having won a group stage match away and continued that record with that 3-2 defeat at Liverpool in their first CL match this season. They uncharacteristically let in a couple of early goals that night, chased the game to equalize and then lost it at the death. It was the only time they have let in three in a game this season. They will line up 4-4-2, sit back, and look to hit us on the counter, they are good at it but Mikel knows all about them I\u2019m sure. So what will happen?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is 2-0 the new One Nil to The Arsenal?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, it is! Come on down 2-0! Our excellent defensive record so far this season encourages a not unreasonable belief in another clean sheet but\u2026\u2026Atletico have scored in every game so far this season so something\u2019s gotta give. My hoped for 2-0 would ideally feature a goal for Viktor but as usual I\u2019ll take two own goals if that\u2019s what it takes. It\u2019s been seven years since the only time we played Atletico, they dumped us out in the Ropey League semi-finals 2-1 on aggregate. We owe them one in that case and now we have just the team for payback time. All in all, it\u2019s big European night with an Arsenal team built to go deep in this competition, it\u2019s even better than good to be a gooner!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wherever you may be and at whatever unDennisly hour, enjoy the game Holics one and all<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Arsenal take on Atletico Madrid in the latest voyage of our Champions League qualifying odyssey this Tuesday night in what looks, on paper at least, to be one of the tougher games among our scheduled eight. The Bilbao and Olympiakos hurdles have been tidily taken 2-0 so far but Simeone\u2019s Atletico are a step-up […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12108"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12108"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12108\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12110,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12108\/revisions\/12110"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12108"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12108"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12108"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}