Reiseplan » ndefeated. Djokovic wins O2 opener Novak Djokovic beat

BARCELONA, Spain -- Diego Simeone can scoff all he wants at the suggestion that his Atletico Madrid team has become a formidable attacking side.But the numbers, and the added threats he now deploys, dont lie. The team that Simeone long forged into a defensive machine could just score its way to a title in 2016-17.The improvement in attack is thanks to the continued growth of Antoine Griezmann and the emergence of a pair of partners to share the scoring burden the France standout has shouldered in recent campaigns. Yannick Carrasco and Kevin Gameiro might just be the missing ingredients Atletico needs to successfully culminate another run at silverware.Simeone, however, insists that this latest incarnation of his team is true to his team-first philosophy.I laugh when they say that now we are an attacking side and that now we are playing well, Simeone said. The facts speak more than words.The Argentine coach points back to his 2012 team that won the Europa League with Radamel Falcao in his prime. But having to reach that far back highlights that missing No. 9 since Diego Costa left Atletico for Chelsea following their surprise 2014 Spanish league title.But now Atletico appears to have finally found the help that Griezmann lacked last season when Atletico came up short in the Champions League final to Real Madrid and stumbled in the league with two matches left.This season is barely two months old and Griezmann, Carrasco and Gameiro have combined for 18 goals.No, they arent as glamorous as Barcelonas trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez or Madrids Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema. Yet Atleticos forwards may be good enough, considering the perfectly balanced squad behind them with Jorge Koke Resurreccion and Saul Niguez in midfield, Diego Godin in defense, and goalkeeper Jan Oblak.Atletico has maintained the staunch defense that has defined it since Simeones arrival in 2011, allowing a league-low six goals through 10 matches this season. But it has also scored 25 league goals, 10 more than at this point last season.Atletico is in third place in the league, three points behind Madrid, and leads its Champions League group after three wins, including a victory over Bayern Munich. Atletico hosts Russian club FC Rostov in the European tournament on Tuesday.In the league, it has dished out lopsided thrashings of 7-1, 5-0, 4-0 and 4-2, giving it the best goal difference in the competition. Only Barcelona with 30 goals and Real Madrid with 28 have scored more.That 4-2 result came against Malaga on Saturday, a victory that featured two goals apiece from Carrasco and Gameiro.Carrascos goals showcased his best weapon: speed.The 23-year-old winger used a quick change of pace to wrong-foot his marker before opening the scoring. He later surpassed that with a breathtaking solo effort in the final minutes when he overtook a defender with a blistering sprint before rifling home a pin-point shot from long range.I am very ambitious, said Carrasco, who two weeks ago renewed his contract through 2022. Thanks to the team I am enjoying a good stretch. I hope it continues.Carrasco has already surpassed his scoring total for last campaign with seven goals. That includes the Belgium internationals first career hat trick to fuel the 7-1 rout of Granada, and goals for 1-0 victories over Bayern and Rostov.Carrasco has grown thanks to work, Simeone said. He works as hard as anyone. He continues to grow and has a lot more to give. The best thing about Carrasco is that he is now fully integrated into the team. Its not just about his goals.Gameiros two strikes against Malaga were his first multi-goal outing for Atletico since his arrival from Sevilla for a reported 30 million euros ($34 million).The investment is paying off as Gameiro settles into a side that has been missing consistent goals from its striker position. It got 22 league goals from Griezmann in each of the last two seasons, but lacked a reliable second scorer after Mario Mandzukic and Jackson Martinez didnt pan out.Gameiros promising start earned him a recall from France for its World Cup qualifiers. He didnt disappoint, scoring twice to lead its 4-1 win over Bulgaria on Oct. 7.And Gameiro believes he has more to give his new team.We still havent seen the Gameiro of Sevilla, he said. I still need a bit more of confidence. Little by little I am honing my style and my teammates are helping me a lot. Eric Dickerson Jersey . -- Aldon Smith believes he is on the path to being sober for good. Orlando Pace Youth Jersey . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. http://www.laramsfootballshops.com/eric-dickerson-jersey/ . Their experience showed Tuesday as the No. 10 Badgers blunted a Saint Louis surge to win 63-57 and advance to face West Virginia in Wednesdays finals of the Cancun Challenge. Bobby Evans Youth Jersey . Patrice Bergeron and Daniel Paille scored 20 seconds apart a few minutes after Stamkos was taken off the ice on a stretcher with a broken right leg, and the Bruins beat the Lightning 3-0 on Monday afternoon. Andrew Whitworth Youth Jersey . -- Jacksonville wide receiver Cecil Shorts will likely be a game-time decision whether hell play Sunday in the Jaguars home game against the San Diego Chargers.Sky Sports Tennis analysts Barry Cowan and Barry Millns felt Novak Djokovics media inquisition underlined where he is at the moment. The Serb reacted furiously during the post-match press conference after being grilled about a potentially dangerous incident when he slammed a ball into the stands during his ATP Tour Finals win over Dominic Thiem.Djokovic responded to losing the first set against Thiem by angrily hitting a ball into the court and it bounced towards spectators before disappearing into a staircase. Watch NOW TV Watch Sky Sports for just ￡6.99. No contract. The world No 2 was given a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct and, although he battled to back to defeat Thiem, he was still in a tetchy mood when he faced the media shortly after the match.This is not a catastrophic moment in Djokovics career. Hes just set the bar so high that this now this is a real test, Cowan said. Djokovic denies temper issue Novak Djokovic denies temper problem after hitting ball into crowd at ATP World Tour Finals But if he comes through this - and Im seeing encouraging signs more now in Paris and here - it will only make him stronger.Giong back to the incident in the first set, yes, it was a mistake and he was lucky, but the important thing is to try and move on. He did get a lucky break because if he had hit someone then it probably would have been a default, but he channelled it in the right way.Barry Millns admits it could have got very ugly for the second seed had he hit a spectator.Hes passionate and he cares deeply about his tennis, said the Sky Sports commentator. Weve also seen it here before where hes reacted very emotionally to a situation. It could have got very ugly for him because had he hit a spectator with that ball he hit off the court, well there are things in the rules that say what happens next. Highlights from Djokoviics win over Thiem at the ATP World Tour Finals Millns also felt there were some underlying tones when the Serb reacted angrily during his press conference, responding to the suggestion that it could have been a serious incident, by saying: It could have been, yes.ddddddddddddIt could have snowed in O2 Arena as well, but it didnt.But he believes Djokovic hes not gone off the edge of a cliff and has backed the former world No 1 to bounce back against remaining group opponents Gael Monfils and Milos Raonic and go through to the semi-finals undefeated. Djokovic wins O2 opener Novak Djokovic beats Dominic Thiem at ATP World Tour Finals Hes lost the number one ranking at the moment because his form has not been where it was in the first half of the year, but what he achieved at Roland Garros and to get a career Slam was a tremendous effort, said Millns.Since then, although its not been a terrible season by any stretch, its not been quite at the level it was.Theres been much made about whats going on privately. He talked about personal issues without going into too much detail and thats been something hes been having to deal with. He is human after all. Novak Djokovic talks to Sky Sports tennis analyst Mark Petchey at the Sky Pad after his win Hes just trying to manage the situation and is different to where he has been when hes had everything under control for the past three years.Things are not under control as they were, but hes not gone off the edge of a cliff. He found a way of winning that match.Check our game-by-game coverage from all group matches at the ATP World Tour Finals in London - including Novak Djokovic - on skysports.com/tennis, our app for mobile devices and iPad and our Twitter account @skysportstennis. Also See: Djokovic wins O2 opener Djokovic denies temper issue Tour Finals: Panel predictions Novak out to silence doubters ' ' '