Real Sociedad vs. Atletico Madrid: Issues and Decisions to Shape La Liga Game
In the midst of a crisis at the Anoeta Stadium, Real Sociedad host Atletico Madrid in La Liga on Sunday in desperate need of a confidence-restoring victory.
Since an emphatic come-from-behind triumph over Real Madrid in late August, the Basque outfit have gone winless in eight league outings, falling into the relegation zone and inevitably swinging the axe on manager Jagoba Arrasate after the latest failure, a 1-0 loss to Malaga last Saturday.
In such circumstances, a visit from the defending champions is extremely undesirable, with Diego Simeone's men arriving having won eight of their last nine in all competitions.
Across the following slides, we examine the key issues and decisions that will shape Sunday's clash.
Jagoba Arrasate's Sacking
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It's always tricky to anticipate just how a team will respond in their first clash following the sacking of a manager.
Regularly, we see teams play with a renewed sense of energy, as though the axing has relieved some of the negativity surrounding the club. Conversely, we also watch many caretakers begin their unwinnable tasks with listless and chaotic thrashings, with players looking disinterested in limbo periods.
As Asier Santana prepares to take the reins temporarily from the sacked Jagoba Arrasate at the Anoeta, it's impossible to predict which way Real Sociedad will go against Atletico Madrid on Sunday.
And for the visitors, that's something of a concern, given that players tend to feel decidedly more comfortable when they know exactly what they're in for.
What to Do with Mario Mandzukic?
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As I wrote earlier this week, there's a noticeable change occurring at Atletico Madrid presently that is seeing Diego Simeone's men embrace a degree of intricacy to complement their strength in attack.
That's been most evident in the pair of clashes with Malmo FF in the Champions League, games in which Atleti have looked to implement a method going forward that contains considerably more finesse than we're accustomed to seeing.
But Mario Mandzukic's presence up front makes the shift to an adapted style awkward, given that the Croatian will never be the sort to participate in the growing number of passing moves shared between Koke and Arda Turan in the final third.
Simeone's attacking selections on Sunday, therefore, will be extremely intriguing, given that it feels as though the transformation taking place at the Vicente Calderon is designed to suit Antoine Griezmann and Alessio Cerci.
The Perplexing Nature of Real Sociedad's Dire Record
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Typically, teams that are found in 19th place on the league table tend to be pretty awful: They don't score often; they concede plenty and are rarely in with a sniff.
But that can't be said about Real Sociedad this season. In fact, it's difficult to work out just how they've plummeted so low.
In three games against Spain's elite (Real Madrid, Valencia and Sevilla), La Real have struck five times, conceded one less, earned four points and defeated the league leaders and European champions.
For possession, the Basque outfit rank fifth in the league, per WhoScored.com. For shots on goal, they rank the same and take more of them than they give up.
In most defensive categories, they sit mid-pack, while their tally of 15 goals allowed is fewer than five of the teams above them on the table.
Scoring has been arduous for Real Sociedad, but the men from the Anoeta aren't quite as poor as their dire record suggests, meaning Atletico Madrid could be in for more of a scrap that one might assume after looking at the standings.
Diego Simeone's Choice of Formation
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The 2014-15 season was always going to be a tricky campaign for Diego Simeone, who, without key figures such as Diego Costa and David Villa in attack, wouldn't be able to rely on his robust 4-4-2 week in, week out.
Already we've seen the Argentine experiment with a number of formations this season, with a 4-1-4-1, a 4-2-3-1 and a 4-3-3 all appearing at various points thus far.
But the one we're hoping to see more of is the fluid 4-3-3 that cut Malmo FF to shreds at the Vicente Calderon with Antoine Griezmann and Arda Turan playing the advanced wider roles and giving Atletico more presence and flow in attack.
Of course, Simeone might not be as comfortable using that system regularly away from home (it offers less defensive cover), but one feels Atleti could significantly boost their scoring power if the manager trusts that 4-3-3 more often.
Antoine Griezmann's Return to the Anoeta
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The strike, the silenced arena and the muted celebration: How often do we see it when players visit their former clubs for the first time?
On Sunday, Antoine Griezmann will be the point of focus, returning to the city in which he made his name and doing so amid his strongest run of form this season.
Indeed, after a slow start to the campaign, the Frenchman has recaptured a degree of the brilliance he exhibited during his time in San Sebastian, finding the net three times in his last four appearances for Atletico Madrid and sparking the team's attack considerably.
No one will be surprised, therefore, if it's Griezmann who proves to be the difference between the sides on Sunday.
