Date: August 28, 2022
Time: 18:30 CET | 12:30 EST
Tale of the Tape
Hellas Verona: 17th | 1 point | -0.3 xGD
Atalanta: 6th | 4 points | 0.8 xGD
An Opponent That You Cannot Put Your Finger On
Matchday three is nearly upon us, and Atalanta’s early season schedule remains, well let’s say tricky; La Dea travels out of the confines of Lombardy this weekend, making the trip East to take on a tricky Hellas Verona side at a nightmare of a venue: the Bentegodi. Hellas Verona is my early season winner for most curious team, and its perhaps the squad with the widest array of potential outcomes in the division. With Igor Tudor leaving the country, ex-Udinese coach Gabriele Cioffi steps into the helm and tries to help the Gialloblu tread water after losing its most dynamic offensive players. Also, lest we forget the Atalanta siege that brought ex-Hellas Sporting Director Tony D’Amico to Bergamo!
While Gianluca Caprari and Giovanni Simeone have departed to new destinations in Italy, Verona has managed to keep its valuable spine up the middle that still makes them a dangerous squad. Atalantini remember, but are trying to forget, the manner in which Verona tore apart Atalanta at the Gewiss last year. A spirited core of Antonin Barak, Ivan Ilic, Adrien Tameze, and Koray Gunter can still cause problems for many sides in the division, its just a matter if Cioffi can find the formula that clicked so well for the past two coaches – Ivan Juric and Igor Tudor (maybe Cioffi’s problem is he doesn’t have a four letter first name that begins with the letter I!)
Its obviously early in the year, but what made Hellas Verona so effective last year may not be in the blueprint for the upcoming season – playing dirty. With a very brief sample size, Hellas Verona is letting opponents complete 79% of its passes versus 74.5% last year, so this may not be the rough and tumble Verona side opponents have grown accustomed to the last three years. More likely, it could be way too early in the season to make that assumption with much of the same personnel still available for Cioffi. It will be an interesting test for Atalanta who has already struggled holding onto the ball for extended periods.
Hellas Verona Player to Watch- Adrien Tameze
Sometimes it feels like Adrien Tameze was the one who got away. Beyond a great squad number, in the limited minutes we saw of him in black and blue he had a game that most resembled Remo Freuler’s out of any of our other midfielders. Not much of a problem two years ago, but now… A capable, if unspectacular, player in most aspects of his game he’s a steady ship in Verona’s midfield that can let its wide players and aggressive center backs go bonkers. Sound familiar again??? Atalanta must always keep an eye on #61, because he tends to be around when good things happen for Verona.
Atalanta Passione’s Preferred Starting XI
Its time for the new blood! Brandon Soppy is Atalantini now, so why not throw him right into the fray? Darko Lazovic could be a tricky matchup for him, but its nothing he wouldn’t have encountered in his short Serie A tenure. It feels like the perfect foot-wetting match for the young Frenchman. Interestingly as I look over this lineup the entire right side of the pitch is riddled with newcomers to the side. From Ademola Lookman all the way back to Caleb Okoli, the team would sink or swim depending on how the right side performs.
However there are definitely reasons to be encouraged. Caleb Okoli looked great in his brief cameo against Milan, and did not seem to have any issues playing on the right; thus, allowing Rafael Toloi to slot over on the left to cover for the injured Berat Djimsiti. Additionally Ademola Lookman continues to be the nice change of pace and direct outlet Atalanta needs to offset press happy defenses.
Further up front Atalanta has not yet used an uninjured Jeremie Boga. Why he has yet to feature in the Mister’s plans is confusing, but three matches into the season feels late for Atalanta’s number 10 to make his season debut. Speaking of season debuts, Ederson is apparently back and practicing with the squad again. Don’t be surprised to see him inserted into the lineup up front in lieu of either one of the Premier League bred attackers.
Atalanta’s Key to Victory
Win the midfield battle: Its a bland cliché, but with both squads having centerbacks and wingbacks flying in all sorts of directions, the squad with the calmer midfield may be the one who maximizes points. Atalanta has gone with a double Dutch pivot in its first two matches – and its arguable that La Dea lost the midfield battle in both of these matches. Losing to Sandro Tonali and Ismael Bennacer may not be a shock, but watching Teun Koopmeiners and Marten de Roon get outhustled by Tomas Rincon and Abdelhamid Sabiri was certainly surprising. And the Hellas Verona pair of Adrien Tameze and loosely linked to Atalanta Ivan Ilic will be no slouch either. Teun Koopmeiners may be the most underwhelming starter for Atalanta so far this season, so a statement game from him to demonstrate his assertiveness would be a welcome pleasure and a shot in the arm for a squad that hasn’t quite yet figured it out on offense.
Stat of the week: So far three Atalanta outfield players have played 180 minutes for Gian Piero Gasperini. All of them are Dutch too! Marten de Roon and Teun Koopmeiners seem like locks to start on Sunday, but it will be interesting to see if rumored to depart Hans Hateboer gets the nod for a third straight match.
Quick starts are always a welcome sight for Atalanta fans that have recently been subject to uneven beginnings. Three points on Sunday would put Atalanta on seven out of nine points with the reigning Scudetto champs already out of the autumn picture – not a bad way to start the season when the transfer market isn’t even over yet!
Still Atalanta’s early season performances have elicited confusion and uncertainty more than anything. The offense hasn’t looked crisp yet, early season injuries never help, and the uncertain transfer status of at least three current players hinders short term cohesion. But nonetheless, there is reason for hope and three more road points against a pesky squad would be a brilliant way to finish off a tumultuous August! As always, Forza Dea!!!
