Atletico Madrid Treble Bid Hampered by Misfiring Strikers
Whether or not Diego Simeone is interested in acknowledging it, or anything beyond the next game, Atletico Madrid have a good chance to win one, two or even three trophies this season.
Their mere presence in each cup competition they entered at this stage of the season, not to mention their position atop La Liga, already puts them in the reckoning, but recent history shows they are more of a threat than they seem.
Under Simeone, Atletico love flying under the radar, scraping through games by the odd goal or two, building their title pushes on a rock-solid defence and not a lot of flair going forward.
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That's how they did it in 2014, taking it down to the final day against Barcelona at the Camp Nou, earning a draw that was enough to hand them the league championship.
Diego Godin's header to earn that point was a suitable and fitting way for Atletico to lift La Liga, and the same may prove true again in May.
The Rojiblancos are the league leaders, although Barcelona are two points behind with a game in hand.
These sides meet in the Catalan capital at the end of January with what has been labeled as "half a league title" at stake, by Sport's Lluis Mascaro.
If they can find the net and win the game, they would be able to take the value away from Barcelona's game in hand and with it the driving seat proper in the title race.
However, the goalless draw on Wednesday night in the Copa del Rey quarter-final first leg with Celta Vigo exposed both Atletico's strengths and weaknesses.
Atletico were lucky not to come away from the match with a defeat thanks to a brilliant goal-line clearance by Gabi after Augusto Fernandez's error of knocking the ball past his own goalkeeper and toward the net.
At the other end, they were weak, rarely threatening Celta's goal, with Jackson Martinez toiling to little effect before being taken off.
The only one of Atletico Madrid's attacking players who has found the net with any degree of consistency this term is Antoine Griezmann.
Enjoying a spectacular season, the Frenchman can dig his side out of a hole, but putting too much of the burden on his shoulders will eventually end in disappointment.
Losing Raul Garcia to Athletic Club was a problem. As well as adding fight and spirit, he also had goalscoring capacity.
Griezmann has 18 goals in 28 appearances for Atletico in all competitions this season, more than Fernando Torres, Jackson Martinez, Yannick Carrasco, Oliver Torres, Luciano Vietto and Angel Correa put together.
The other strikers and attacking midfielders have 16 between them, with Correa's four goals the highest individual total.
That is clearly a problem—for one, what if Griezmann were to get injured? Neither of the other two title contenders, Barcelona and Real Madrid, would be so hurt by the removal of just one player.
Barcelona proved that when Lionel Messi was injured and Neymar stepped up to fill his shoes, with Luis Suarez providing more than adequate support.
But even if Griezmann does stay fit for the season, not having someone else capable of finding the net on a regular basis will cost them.
Although they should be able to squeeze past Celta Vigo in the second leg of the Copa quarter-final, they will likely have to face Barcelona at some point.
The Catalans struck twice in La Liga against Atletico and are, as such, responsible for a quarter of the goals they have shipped in that competition. You would back them to do it again.
So Atletico must fight fire with fire, but if Griezmann is the only danger, he will be easier for Gerard Pique and company to shackle.
The same goes in the Champions League, with Atletico drawn against PSV Eindhoven, whom they should beat. At some point, if they keep progressing, they will likely have to face one of Bayern Munich or Barcelona, Europe's biggest attacking threats.
As good as Atletico's defence is—and it is extremely good—sooner or later something has to click up front.
It may be worth dipping into the transfer market for a new striker, with none of the current bunch looking particularly likely to end their barren form.
The club are banned from registering new players after this window slams shut, so it may be a case of acting now or being stuck with the same options until the summer of 2017.
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