Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images

Can Simeone turn things around, or has the manager?s magic run out" The more things change, the more they stay the same. In a season that held a lot of promise, Atlético Madrid find themselves in an all-too-familiar position.
Even the most realistic expectations had Los Rojiblancos closing the gap in the league at the very least, especially after they finished 19 points off top spot last season ? and outside the top three for the very first time under Diego Simeone. The new and expensive cast at the Metropolitano were meant to make the most of this transitional year and yet, as we approach November, Atlético find themselves drifting away once more.
The numbers so far make for mixed reading. After going unbeaten in their first nine games across competitions (five wins, four draws), Cholo?s men have lost three of their last five, winning just once against newly-promoted Leganés. They were also the last unbeaten side in the league before Sunday?s defeat to Real Betis, yet they place fourth on the table and are already 10 points adrift of leaders FC Barcelona. They sit in 27th in the new look Champions League with a goal difference of -5, and only the top 24 have a chance of progressing in this tournament. It does not help that it is tough to pinpoint a single reason for their faults so far either. While Atlético have the best defensive record in the league, only five teams have conceded more in the Champions...