Julián's anger, Griezmann's bad run, and Sorloth's apathy: Atlético's attack is in a bad state.

When Diego Simeone substituted Julián Álvarez for Alexander Sorloth in the 61st minute last Sunday, caution and a change in attacking strategy outweighed the Argentine striker's ego. "Always me," the cameras on the bench at Son Moix captured him as he was removing his shin guards. On top of that, 10 minutes later, the Norwegian was sent off for a reckless tackle. Antoine Griezmann , who came on alongside the Atletico No. 9, could contribute little in Mallorca, nor against Liverpool. And now Íñigo Pérez 's Rayo Vallecano arrives at the Metropolitano with the team in a sea of ​​doubt and, to top it all, with a forward line that's in dire straits.

"He's the best player we have, offensively confident. We need him at his best. He was having a very good game, but I understood that we needed Sorloth to create some deeper situations inside the box. He was sent off in a confusing play. We were left with one less. And with Julián... all the players get angry when they come off," is Cholo 's explanation of what happened and the need to take care of Álvarez. A player who had just returned to the group after a knee strain and who, furthermore, had missed a penalty against the Vermillion team.

Julián's start to the season has been similar to last season's, despite the positive results he left at the end of the competitions. The Argentine had only scored one goal in the first five matchdays, as this season, but his contribution in minutes had been slightly lower. The Argentine's expected goals per 90 minutes, on the other hand, have dropped from 0.51 to 0.44. The Atlético forward's burst of momentum coincided with the team's 15-game winning streak, which will need a similar run to get back on the LaLiga trail, which currently remains nine points behind.

Not even as a revulsive

Julián Álvarez 's presence at the Metropolitano against Rayo Vallecano will be mandatory and guaranteed. Not only because he's Atlético's best offensive player according to Cholo , but also because Sorloth won't be included in the squad after his expulsion in Mallorca. A Norwegian, he won't be a major loss this year. Last season, however, he was the best substitute, scoring 13 goals off the bench.

This year, although he has the same number of goals as Julián , one against Elche on Matchday 2, his influence has waned considerably, failing to contribute in other areas such as depth, passing, and pivotal play. "Don't give our number 9 the boot," Simeone was caught shouting from the bench in Mallorca. The 20 goals he scored last season, with an incredible expected goals average of 0.97 per game, seem difficult to repeat given the Norwegian's attitude.

The last remaining solution for El Cholo 's attack is Antoine Griezmann , Atlético legend and all-time top scorer, who is not going through his best form. The Frenchman is two goals away from reaching 200 as a Rojiblanco and doesn't look like he'll reach that milestone anytime soon. His last La Liga goal came on February 1st, against Mallorca at the Metropolitano.

It's been 235 days without a goal, Griezmann's longest streak in domestic competition. His expected goals are currently at 0, down from 0.5 per game, and his on-field performances aren't the best. The Frenchman, always quick in action and positioning on the pitch, is increasingly making a dent and struggling to maintain a high tempo. He seems to have lost the flair that helped him score 13 goals in the first six months of last season.

Secondary

Although they aren't pure strikers, Giacomo Raspadori and Nico González can help with the scoring. However, the Italian hasn't fully capitalized on his minutes, with a poor performance, especially at Liverpool, where he started. The Argentine, on the other hand, has already contributed a goal and has made a number of impacts in his appearances.

Emergency solutions, considering the three red-and-white musketeers are struggling. Overall, the team has eight goals, two from its three forwards, on 73 shots. Rayo Vallecano is coming today, but Real Madrid visits the Metropolitano on Saturday, and a defeat could be a serious blow to the red-and-whites' aspirations of dreaming big, as their CEO said. "Finishing third place is an obligation, not a goal," explained Miguel Ángel Gil Marín .