Reinildo’s offensive challenge

Impressive defensive specialist, rediscovered his current best level and won 87 percent of his duels in the last game against him Athletic Club, Reinildo Mandava face a new offensive challenge in Atletico Madridencouraged and promoted by Diego Simeone Convinced of turning the left back into an attacking asset, beyond his performance at the back.

What are you most looking forward to? reinildo? “That he throws us a center-goal, that he passes the midfield, that he can triangulate and reach the bottom and generate a goal situation… Because we are also in that search, that he can grow in that aspect, because he . it has, because it has strength, vitality and because it has done it Francethat there were those situations”, responded the Argentine coach on the eve of the visit to real Madrid within Bernabeu.

“We need his contribution to all the extraordinary things he does defensively,” said the coach about an idea that is not new, where he works with the confidence he has in the making. reinildo a footballer with an offensive side as well. In other words, a more complete player. As he has already done in indisputable examples in this sense, though in other circumstances and characteristics, such as Antoine Griezmann, Marcos Llorente, Juanfran Torres, Yannick Carrasco, Ángel Correa…

His vision is from the past, when he was even counted as a left winger due to the speed and power he needs to reach the baseline, although he still needs to refine his accuracy in the middle, so it is very important for in a full-back advancing towards the attack; in rare cases even to Atletico Madridalso influenced by the fact that a high percentage of his matches until Rojiblanco were played as a left-footed center back.

An average of 1.03 centers per game

On his tour since last January in Athleticin his 53 games played in all competitions, 49 starts, out of 54 available, the statistics show an offensive deficit compared to his previous time in Lillewhich Simeone focused on this afternoon, in the press conference at Sports City of Majadahondamentioned that offensive pursuit of the Mozambican international full-back.

In the rojiblanco team, according to the advanced statistics of ‘Be Soccer Pro’, reinildo averaged 1.03 centers per game (55 total) when at Lille, where he played 87 games out of 110 called up, 68 from the start, was 2.10 per game (183 overall). Of these, 0.22 (12) were successful in Atlético, compared to 0.63 (55) in France. In accuracy in this section, the difference is also large: 21 to 61 percent.

The same happens when the area is defined at its centers. From 0.60 incl Athletic (32), with a 0.13 hit rate (7), per game now averages 1.21 (106), twice as much as the French team suggests, with a higher hit rate, 0.50 (44 centers also). Also, the expected destination has now achieved 21 percent compared to 41 before, as is also the case in the transfer sections.

Although in Athletic provides more per game than Lille (41.79 per game compared to 37.39 in France), when it comes to deliveries to the area there is also a shortage under the orders of Simeon With respect to his past with the French team: he suggests 1.07 per game now, where he reaches 0.39, compared to 1.83 previously, with a success of 0.82 -more than double again-.

Lille had more dribbles

More developments at Atlético

He also bargained more successfully with Lille (2.08 per game, where he evaded his opponent 1.19 times per contest, compared to 1.28 and 0.75 currently), but he is developing more on the ball now than before, even though in the past he took them to their destination more chance: 1.62 per game to 1.20.

This is the next step that the coach intends for the left-back or center back (he has been used in both positions since he arrived in Athletic 13 months ago) that impresses for his defensive performance, for the capacity he has for that skill, for blocking, for anticipation, for one-on-one duels, for coverage at speed and for the wonderful crossing and savior for his team, as he was new Athletic Club.

“Awe, because it’s not easy to defend. Everyone thinks that defense is easier than attack and defense is not easy. You have to have intuition, aggressiveness, strength, security… And all that is done him very well. He told us that he still wants to attack. We will work on that facet to see if he can find it too”, said the coach on Sunday, heading into the derby against him. real Madrid this Saturday at the stadium Santiago Bernabeu.

there it appears reinildo as a defense that won 63 percent of its faceoffs (240 of 377 incl Atletico Madrid) and 64 of them against one (53 to 82). He has intercepted 257 balls since his arrival at the rojiblanco club and recovered 599 possessions, according to ‘Be Soccer Pro’ advanced statistics.