Results:
Sunday, June, 21: Atalanta 4 – Sassuolo 1
Wednesday, June, 24: Atalanta 3 – Lazio 2
The COVID hiatus didn’t seem to have any ill effects on La Dea. After picking up a much needed and important 6 points, Atalanta has not lost a match staggeringly since the 20th of JANUARY at home against 19th placed SPAL (ugh). Granted the nearly 4 month break skews that stat, but it still shows the thunderous form they have been on. Essentially nothing has changed, fire on offense, shaky on defense, but the mantra stays the same: stick to the game plan, press, and doing everything physically possible to score more goals than the opponent.
It’s staggering to think just how expected it is for Atalanta to score 3+ goals a game. Consider last year, Atalanta led Serie with 78 goals, good for slightly north of 2 goals per game. Thinking about it now, it is nearly inconceivable to think of them scoring any less than 3, especially with the drubbings they’ve put up against many Serie A squads this year. It’s quite probable we’ve been spoiled this year by the nose they have for goal, and they’ll tick down to a modest 2 goals/game next year, but ride the tide and enjoy the roller coaster that is always an Atalanta match.
Speaking of a roller-coaster, Atalanta’s adventures in their own third can lead one to taking a daily aspirin to control his blood pressure. The Palomino experiment on the left side of the defensive three needs to finish, especially with Toloi and Djimsiti healthy again. He was an absolute sieve against Sassuolo, who could’ve been good for 3 or 4 goals without the excellent work of Gollini to bail the defense out. But when you’re constantly pressuring the opposition, a few balls over the top can leave a defense vulnerable, so its only natural that Atalanta will always concede a few goals, it just comes with the territory.
But even when they do concede, its always important to remember they’re never out of a game. The mental fortitude to come back against (former?) Scudetto challengers Lazio was a testament to their never say die attitude, and the whole team’s commitment to the sticking to the plan and not wavering (even more impressive with Gasperini who’s red card against Sassuolo had him watching the match from the stands). It continues to pay them dividends, and could may be enough to potentially catch Inter in 3rd. And who knows, rumble their way through a Champion’s League playoff that is much more in their favor now that there are no double legs.
Overall Atalanta did not disappoint in the first week back of Serie A action, and continue to bring their refreshing style of play to Italian football. In the quest to 100 goals for season (in Serie A), Atalanta have to be licking their chops with Udinese on deck, the first of three teams that was on the unfortunate end of a 7 goal drubbing. Let’s see how next week plays out, and if La Dea can keep electrifying the league!
