What Is Atletico Madrid's Strongest Midfield Right Now?

Atletico Madrid's summer transfer activity gave Diego Simeone a new-look squad to work with, chock-full of quality and several players deep in most areas of the team.

He's able to rotate, alter the system and attack in different ways according to how he sees the game developing against each opponent—but the centre of the park has had a very familiar look about it at the start of the campaign, despite new arrivals including Yannick Carrasco the return from loan of Thomas Partey.

With a run of big games coming up, has Simeone got the midfield alignment right to continue Atleti's good start?

Technique and Tenacity

It's easy to partition off the different lines in Atletico's 4-4-2 system, but the most impressive feature is that they all play the same way—it's very much a cohesive unit who move, forward and back, together. The midfield's collective appreciation of space and the tactical demands placed on them by the manager is key to that.

Everyone needs to be able to contribute both offensively and defensively, even if that is simply by way of taking up a position, rather than actually going in to win the ball back. As such, all-round midfielders are critical to Simeone's needs—and they can be seen in abundance throughout the squad. These are players who can both work hard and show great industry, but also have immense quality on the ball and contribute in the final third.

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Tiago and Gabi are the two central options of choice, with Koke, Saul Niguez and Thomas also offering different strengths centrally. Oliver, Saul and Koke are the wider choices (who still play infield) at the start of the season—with Carrasco coming off the bench once so far to add a pacy, direct outlet on the flank.

Add in Angel Correa able to play as an offensive link option from the wings and the pending arrival of Matias Kranevitter, and it's clear Atleti have plenty of choice as well as quality.

Season-Long Look

Over the course of the entire season, especially once the tough early fixtures settle down, it is conceivable that Simeone will move from a solid, reliable midfield line-up to one that is more expansive, aggressive in an attacking sense and capable of surprising some of the lower sides that tend to defend in blocks.

Carrasco's pace and Correa's movement and penetration from wide could be pivotal in such matches, while Koke moving to the centre of the park not only creates room for another offensive player out wide, but also gives Atleti better distribution centrally. Injuries and suspension, of course, will also mean that Simeone rotates his options.

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At different stages of the season, it is completely normal that different players appear to be "best" or "most important" to the way the team plays, with fluctuating form and different types of opponents making different Atleti players a best-fit to perform.

Over the course of the year, all will have to contribute—some will simply do it more often, and to a higher level, than others.

Balancing Performance and Points

The question, though, is what is Atletico's best midfield right now?

It's near-impossible, indeed, to argue against Simeone's choices to start the campaign. He has gone with a mix of tried-and-trusted and like-for-like, with Oliver Torres' return to the team seeing him slot in seamlessly to Arda Turan's old role, playing with freedom from the right channel and looking to get involved heavily in build-up play.

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Oliver is arguably more mobile, agile and faster than Arda was, giving Atleti a different tempo of play when he takes over. Alongside the youngster, Gabi and Tiago were the right choice to start the season—give each of them a chance to show their form is still good enough, then change if they weren't up to scratch.

Suffice to say, they have been. Gabi has been excellent in both games, and Tiago isn't far behind, while Koke continues to put in good performances from the left—though there is more to come from him.

New faces and raised expectations at Atletico meant Simeone needed a fast start in terms of points on the board in La Liga—but the opening games handed to him by the fixture list meant that it was far more prudent to stick with what he knew than begin to change too much, too early. Once the opening run—including Barcelona at the weekend—is over and done with, the evolution of Atleti's XI will be able to take another step forward.

Meanwhile, Atletico's best midfield, right now, is their exact quartet already in place.

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