The malaise of Antoine Griezmann is a common theme in Spain right now, and has been for weeks. With the Spanish media talking Griezmann into a crisis, the Frenchman has obliged by showing no signs of his very best form.
A general slant of Griezmann being terrible feels very unfair, and he’s simply not been at his blistering, and Atletico-saving, best.
Despite having roughly the same statistics, for matches, goals and assists, as Luis Suarez so far this season, it’s Griezmann singled out as the fallen hero because he’s so important to his club.
The Manchester United factor also helps.
Griezmann’s flirting with Manchester United has now been the subject of countless articles looking for reasons behind poor form. Monday sees similar, with AS saying the big Man United chance has ‘turned him crazy’.
Loco Antoine has therefore had his head wobbled by Jose Mourinho’s advances, and hasn’t been concentrating on his Atletico present. Fans, who can’t forget Griezmann’s public games, haven’t lent their support as strongly as previously, and everything is piling on to make the situation worse.
Over the weekend, as Atletico lined up for their pre-match photograph against Deportivo La Coruna, Griezmann was snapped walking off before the picture was finished. This then spread around the internet, as if to signal how the footballer feels about his club right now.
Even Marca, who love hyperbole, have pointed out the reaction is nonsense. 
Proving, with another image, that Griezmann has done this before, it’s explained an Atletico assistant is always waiting for him with a ball for a little last minute personal warm-up.
Always eager to get to that final drill, Griezmann sometimes goes too early.
It’s not quite the Ivan Perisic plan of the summer. With Mourinho pushing Man United to sign him, and Perisic hoping Inter Milan would grant him the move, the Croatian comically edged himself away from teammates at any photo opportunity.
Hey Ivan, it’s team photo time, move in. That’s a bit better. And anoth… Ivan, IVAN! pic.twitter.com/749bbBXfLE
— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) July 28, 2017
Whilst there is the occasional ‘Hang on guys, perhaps it’s just a bit of bad form and things aren’t so bad’ thrown in by the Spanish media, it’s very much overridden by the opposite, and suggestions Griezmann is looking towards the exit.
So the 26 year old packs his bags and heads for Old Trafford in January, or maybe the summer, right? Everyone wins, Atletico get their money, and get Diego Costa and Vitolo to bring a new style of play, and Griezmann gets a cure for his craziness.
It’s just not so simple any longer. Manchester United moving on to Romelu Lukaku, and then also re-signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic, suggests a style which won’t be so fluid.
Griezmann would have to go further back or wide, and whilst he’s capable of that, he’d be joining Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford as forwards who were pushed wide, or back, to allow the big man upfront plan to continue.
There are worse problems to have for Mourinho, but the manager may well be looking at signing a winger with the ability to stick the ball consistently in the box and play second-fiddle to the main striker.
That’s not the dream scenario Griezmann went loco for in the summer, and Atletico failing to overturn their transfer ban has perhaps had a direct impact on how Manchester United play this season and in upcoming campaigns.
Right now, if the opinion of others was of no impact, it’s likely Mourinho would take Perisic over Griezmann should he be given the luxury of choice in January. And, for Manchester United 2017/18, that’d probably be the right decision.
