Things finally look to be on the up for Kieran Trippier after a disappointing end to his Tottenham career.
The right-back struggled to recapture the form he showed for England at the World Cup prior to the 2018/19 season and he was subsequently sold by the Lilywhites.
Although the 28-year-old kept his place in the team despite his poor form, he missed out on selection for England's participation in the UEFA Nations League during the summer.
Now back in the fold for the Three Lions' upcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers, Trippier has opened up on when exactly his form at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium started to nosedive.
"The whole of last season I had no excuses," said the right-back. "My [bad] performances started after Christmas because I thought I had an OK first half of the season if I’m honest, but then it was just like a car crash.
"It just went ‘bang’, things weren’t going my way, I wasn’t playing well.
"Cholo [Simeone] is one of the best managers in the world, especially on the defensive side, which I need to improve on.
"Last season, it was there for everybody to see. Now there is no better person to work under."
Quizzed on if he was helped with the defensive side of his game at Spurs, he added: "It was being addressed, but maybe at times we could have done more work as a unit. At Atletico, it is defensive but it’s entertaining as well.
"The one thing I want is my defending to improve. I’m sure with Cholo it will do."
While he is now excelling at Atleti and earning plaudits from the Spanish media, the player believes that Mauricio Pochettino maybe sold him at the wrong time as he just needed an extended break to ensure he got back to his best after a season of injury issues.
"Tottenham probably got rid of me at the wrong time because I just needed that four-week rest for recovery, because I was struggling with injuries, to come back fresh and ready," he said.
"So, maybe I could have stayed, but I’ve got no regrets. I’m at Atletico now and I’m just looking to the future."
