Date: October 15, 2022
Time: 20:45 CET | 14:45 EST
A Quick Tale of the Tape
Atalanta: 2nd | 21 points | +9 GD | +4.7 xGD
Sassuolo: 9th | 12 points | +1 GD | +2.7 xGD
Atalanta Looks to Get Back to Winning Ways Against Sassuolo
Ever since Gian Piero Gasperini has taken the helm at Atalanta, he has only lost once against Sassuolo. When comparing two teams on roughly similar budgets and expectations, its as close to ownership as you can get. However, Sassuolo has a current winning streak of 1, so its been a minute since we’ve seen illustrious scorelines that saw Atalanta put four, five, or even six goals past the Neroverdi. So the question on everyone’s mind is: is Atalanta able to conjure up that offensive potency again?
Probably not. Everyone who has seen Atalanta football this year would tell you that the amount of goals scored in this match will be modest. Interestingly as stingy as Gian Piero Gasperini’s defense has been this year, Sassuolo’s defense has also risen to the occasion. Earning five cleansheets in his last seven matches keeper Andrea Consigli and his defense have done well to stifle opposition offense, so for a match that has recently produced goal after goal, maybe we’re setting ourselves up for a defensive stalemate?
Sassuolo’s Game Plan and How To Stop Them
Its no secret that Sassuolo has become a recent breeding ground for excellent offensive players. The laundry list of offensive players that have moved on for big money deals rivals that of Atalanta’s, and somehow Sassuolo continually finds ways to retool. Lose Giacamo Raspadori, Jeremie Boga, and Junior Traore to injury? No worries, Sassuolo can just go out and find Armand Lauriente to fill the void. Lose Manuel Locatelli to Juventus? Fine by me – here’s Davide Fratessi to marshal in the midfield. Essentially Sassuolo is a well-refined template with management that is really good at finding the right pieces to fit the scheme put in place.
Even in the coaching ranks this is evident. When Roberto de Zerbi left two years ago, no one would have chided you for suggesting that Sassuolo was due for a drop off. After some early struggles last year, new coach Alessio Dionisi was able to step into the managerial vacancy and deliver a team and results that was eerily similar to those of de Zerbi’s Sassuolo. Possession based football, play out of the back, dictate passing from the midfield, and get-forward with athletic playmakers. That is Sassuolo regardless of who has been at the helm the last few seasons.
While Sassuolo has displayed flashes offensively this year, results have still been a mixed bag. A lot has to do with injury. The aforementioned Junior Traore may not play the rest of the calendar year after suffering a broken foot, and captain and club legend Domenico Berardi has barely managed to play 300 minutes this year. Additionally Andrea Pinamonti has not yet found his rhythm trying to replace Gianluca Scamacca. Add all of this together and it is a team that is sitting about mid-table in most offensive categories, including its overall record.
Nonetheless, Sassuolo still manages to find itself in a good position, given that the defense has stepped up when it has mattered. As mentioned above, Sassuolo has collected five cleansheets on the young season, bolstered by five matches in which its defense has permitted under one expected goal allowed:
- Lecce – 0.4 xGA (1-0 victory)
- Milan – 0.5 xGA (0-0 draw)
- Cremonese – 0.5 xGA (0-0 draw)
- Torino – 0.8 xGA (1-0 victory)
- Salernitana – 0.6 xGA (5-0 victory)
Maybe Milan is the only worthy offense in that group, but the defense surely stepped up to ensure that points were rightfully earned in all these matches. And Dionisi is probably just biding his time until Luariente gets more acclimated with the squad and Berardi comes back – and boom that offense we all know and enjoy is back!
For Atalanta’s sake, let’s hope that it takes Sassuolo a few more matches before it hits its stride.
Yet even if Sassuolo hypothetically hits its stride on Saturday, a new look Atalanta defense still has a strong say on the effectiveness of Sassuolo’s offensive attack. As it has the last several years, everything starts with Maxime Lopez in the middle for the Neroverdi. Consistently putting up gaudy passing numbers, everything runs through Sassuolo’s little number 8, and was he Atalanta’s downfall last year. The defense won’t find Lopez charging forward, but he can pull enough strings to involve all his teammates.
So for Atalanta’s sake, neutralize Lopez (if possible), as its better to cut off the flow of attack at the source rather than at the end of the hose.
Unfortunately its extremely difficult to dispossess Lopez. Alongside centerback Gianmarco Ferrari, both exude supreme patience in attack, and are willing to opt for a back pass before recycling the offense and trying to find a new route through to score. In previous seasons, Atalanta was able to force enough errors because of Sassuolo’s insistence on ball retention. But this season with a more tempered approach on offense, can Atalanta create enough turnovers in dangerous spots? Or does the squad even need to do so? We saw what Atalanta can do with a quick strike attack last year, but opportunities like that are few and far between. I’d still much rather opt for the selective pressing approach, and if it doesn’t succeed – drop back and play good defense. Fortunately an offensive attack led by Luis Muriel, Ademola Lookman, and Ederson has a lot of running in it that has the potential to force one or two dangerous passes that the Dutch ironman midfield could sniff out to start counters.
Still in the majority of situations that Atalanta does not force a turnover – the defense will still have to deal with the likes of Lauriente, Jeremy Toljan, Rogerio, and Kristian Thorstvedt streaking forward. The Sassuolo attack has speed to burn, but Atalanta has demonstrated this season that speed is not necessarily Dea’s kryptonite this year. The defensive setup should already be in place to address Sassuolo’s attack, and their shouldn’t be any surprises because Atalanta doesn’t get enough men forward to be counterattacked, nor is Sassuolo known as a counterattacking juggernaut. The individual athleticism of Caleb Okoli and Giorgio Scalvini will be on display, and if they can exude the same chops that tempered the effectiveness of attacking threats like Nicolo Zaniolo, Jonathan Ikone, and Gerard Deulofeu – I reckon the defense can hang strong.
Nick’s Predicted and Preferred Starting XI
There should be no surprises to this lineup. Duvan Zapata is still out injured, and Hans Hateboer is suspended due to yellow card accumulation. Perhaps Gian Piero Gasperini opts to use Mario Pasalic in place of Ederson, but Pasalic’s inability to contribute against Udinese likely has him starting on the bench. Its also important to note that Berat Djimsiti is back with the squad and is featured on the team selection sheet. There’s no real reason to rush him back into the starting lineup, but it is nice that the Albanian is back to give some much needed depth to a squad that has sneakily been struck by the injury bug.
One glaring, or maybe not, omission from this lineup is Jeremie Boga. Yes Boga has barely played this year, but the headlines right themselves if he is able to have his coming out party against his former club. It would be a wonderful story if a goal or two against his former employer started his hot streak – but it feels doubtful at this point.
Atalanta Player to Watch – Brandon Soppy
A brief hiatus in Hans Hateboer’s comeback tour gives another chance for Brandon Soppy to try and restake a claim to a starting role. After a hot start to his Atalanta career, the young Frenchman has not been great since his match agianst Monza in early September, and needs another strong performance to make another shout to get back into the starting XI. By default, he will likely be slotted into the lineup on Saturday, and the test will not be easy for him.
The aforementioned Lauriente is a burner that has the ability to pick apart defenders on the wing better than Soppy. Atalanta’s system will give Soppy a defensive boost, and he likely gets assistance from Marten de Roon in the middle so he can get further forward. However, defense solidity should be on the top of Soppy’s mind against a Rogerio/Lauriente combination that will pack the left side flank and half space.
Random Atalanta Number of the Week: 99 – Luis Muriel’s total Serie A goals. Muriel needs just one more goal to join his compatriot Duvan Zapata as the only two Colombians to total at least 100 goals in Serie A.
Speaking of random numbers, Atalanta is celebrating its 115th anniversary in this match against Sassuolo. A new kit drop is ushering in the event, and fortunately Joma didn’t mess up this year – and hopefully the whole Joma Gate, or if you prefer Torino Gate, scandal is behind us. Why 115 years is significant, I’m not sure – but its always nice to create a reason to celebrate and give the boys a reason to cook in a new kit. We know alternative kits are our friends, when we actually wear them on the pitch that is.
Green versus Milan, gray versus Roma, hot Salmon versus everyone, and hopefully 115 shades of black and blue against Sassuolo can push us over the finish line for three points. And as always, Forza Dea!
