Deportivo Alavès – Atlético Madrid: Compact Hosts Frustrate Winless Atlético  (1-1)

Atlético Madrid have made their worst start to a league campaign since 2009/10. With only two points from their first three matches, Simeone’s side already face an uphill battle in the LaLiga title race. Against Deportivo Alavés, the same attacking problems resurfaced, as a compact defensive block once again left Atlético short of solutions.

Tactical analysis and match report by Sebastián Parreño.

Diego “el cholo” Simeone and Eduardo “el chacho” Coudet are more similar than many realize. Not only are they both Argentinian managers known by their nicknames, but they’re also similar football-wise. Both pray on the altar of intensity and order, and those two things showed in Saturday’s game. This was a game built on mirrored 4-4-2 shapes and man-orientation rather than zonal control. 

Both teams accepted a narrow central corridor and tried to win it by specific assignments. Atlético pushed the wingers onto the opposing fullbacks and used the strikers to sit on the double pivots. Alavés countered by reshaping their first line and overloading the last line. The result was a match of constant micro-movements—players dragged out of their line by an opponent’s run—where access to the middle was rationed and most advantages had to be created off the ball rather than on it.

Alavés’4-4-2 formation had Antonio Sivera in goal, behind left-back Moussa Diarra, central defenders Nahuel Tenaglia and Facundo Garcés, and right-back Jonny Otto. The flat midfield four consisted of Carles Aleñá on the left, Pablo Ibáñez and Antonio Blanco centrally, and Carlos . . .