Eibar 0-1 Atlético Madrid: Player Ratings

Jan Oblak, GK: 8.5

Another day at the office. Made two super, late stops on Takashi Inui and Paulo Oliveira as his defense bent but did not break. Oblak conceded eight goals and kept 12 clean sheets over the season’s first half.

Šime Vrsaljko, RB: 6.5

Outstanding first half, put influential winger Inui under lock and key. Less-than-outstanding second half, when Inui took back control, tested Oblak and ran the final 15 minutes or so.

Diego Godín, CB: 7.5

Led by example. Atlético Madrid needed three points in tough conditions and the pharaoh guided them the whole way. He took over the captaincy for the suspended Gabi, and what fellow Uruguayan Giménez brought in strength and speed, Godín brought in guile and intelligence.

José Giménez, CB: 8

Giménez lives for this kind of game — the pissing rain, a bad pitch, tons of crosses. He stepped in for his league start since Dec. 2 and barely put a foot wrong. He’s really grown and matured despite struggling to nail down a regular place in Diego Simeone’s XI.

Lucas Hernández, LB: 9.5 (Mattress Maker of the Match)

Eibar’s great recent form was inspired mainly by ex-Atlético canterano Ivi Alejo, who had scored once and set up three others over the previous six games. Matched up with ex-teammate Lucas, though, he managed just 26 touches, no shots and no key passes — he was hauled off at halftime. Replacement Fabián Orellana fared only slightly better, with one shot and two key passes (both in the last 10 minutes). Overall an immense performance from Lucas, who made a team-high ten tackles (seven in which he won possession) at what is very clearly his second-best position.

Ángel Correa, RM: 4

Correa missed a gilt-edged chance inside five minutes and completed 15 percent of his passes in 54 minutes. Yikes. His work rate was admirable but he didn’t provide much else. Back to the bench.

Thomas Partey, CM: 7.5

Anonymous in the first 45, excellent in the second 45. His positioning was sound — as evidenced by his four second half interceptions — and he really dug in to be his team’s best midfielder on the night.

Saúl Ñíguez, CM: 6.5

Battled, but the rainy conditions didn’t seem to suit him. Didn’t register any final third touches and completed under 58 percent of his passes.

Koke, LM: 6

Frustrated a bit on the left and found more success when floating toward the middle of the pitch — I know, you’re shocked, too. Got the hockey assist on Gameiro’s goal with a quick bullet pass to Griezmann.

Antoine Griezmann, FW: 7

Set up Gameiro’s goal with a perfectly-weighted ball. It was the standout moment in a very good first half for Griezmann, who often played just off his compatriot’s shoulder and seemed to enjoy the freedom. In the second half, Marko Dmitrović stopped him one-on-one, a situation where he should have done better.

Kévin Gameiro, FW: 7.5

Gameiro’s stunning efficiency in front of goal got another boost Saturday, as he scored his fourth goal from 11 shots in league play. He had all the time in the world to gather himself and slot past Dmitrović. Once a near-lock to leave in the January window, the Frenchman is steadily winning back Simeone’s confidence and re-establishing his connection with Griezmann.

Subs

Yannick Carrasco, LM: 5

Ostensibly an attacking change that was not all that effective. Carrasco was full of running but was only a marginal improvement over the man he replaced (Correa). Could not register a shot in 35-plus minutes.

Augusto Fernández, CM: 4

Got away with a possible handball in the box very late in the second half. Wasn’t quite the calm, experienced, positionally sound pivot he needed to be. (Also, I don’t like when Simeone goes defensive with more than 20 minutes on the clock.)

Fernando Torres, FW: 4

I’m simply not seeing what Torres offers against top-flight opposition in 2018. He doesn’t have the quickness to latch onto long balls out of defense, and he doesn’t have the coordination to hold up play or run seconds off the clock. He’s a warm body.