The week before last I claimed that Atalanta Club Focus was the happiest place on Forza Italian Football. Well, this week there is an argument to be made that it is the happiest place on the internet! The mood in this corner of the site is comparable to that of the mood encapsulated by Pharrell Williams’ latest hit-song, ‘Happy.’
If you’re wondering why spirits are so high I have to ask the following question: where have you been? Coming off the back of a nice victory, sorry, a resounding thumping of Napoli, I am happier than I ever have been in my role of Atalanta Correspondent. If you read last weeks piece, you will remember that I was quietly confident ahead of the clash with the Partenopei, but never would I have predicted a 3-0 scoreline.
Truth being told, there probably wasn’t three goals between the two sides. Napoli had more efforts at goal, but the Nerazzurri were much more clinical with their chances. After being dominated for the majority of the first half, Atalanta seemed to realise they could not afford to fluff their opportunities.
I predicted that Germán Denis and co could have fun playing against this Napoli defence and I was proven to be right. Two of the Orobici’s goals came courtesy of errors from the Partenopei’s players, and the third could and probably should have been prevented. The first to slip up for the visitors was Blerim Dzemaili. His miss kick was picked up on and Denis was set through on goal and he knocked the ball into Pepe Reina’s goal.
Next up, it was Gokhan Inler who was feeling generous as his atrocious attempt of a clearance went backwards and set Denis free in the 18-yard-box and he got his second of the afternoon.
To finish off the calamitous defensive hat-trick, Federico Fernandez decided to fall over in the box allowing Maxi Moralez to pick up the ball and steady himself to finish past the Spaniard to round off the comfortable victory.
The fact that Reina didn’t make a single save just shows how clinical La Dea were. More of this ruthlessness will be needed as the season progresses, especially as they travel to Florence this coming weekend.
Any relative success the Bergamo side have this season depends almost solely on the fitness of their two Argentine forwards. The reliance on Denis and Moralez doesn’t look to be letting up anytime soon, with the former being responsible for 11 of his side’s 24 goals this season (nine goals, two assists) while the latter can claim responsibility for seven (four goals, three assists.)
I just keep finding more reasons to be optimistic about this Atalanta side. Having gone two months without a win they have now notched up three straight home wins sees them still sitting in 12th place in Serie A, level on points with Genoa in 11th and only two points away from the top half of the table.
On top of these three wins from four games, Atalanta have also not conceded from open play in their last three games. With the only goal conceded coming from an Alessio Cerci spot kick in Turin.
If Stefano Colantuono can continue to drive the team on using these performances as fuel, it’s possible that La Dea may sneak into the top ten before the end of the season. I may be getting way too carried away after the defeat of Napoli but it’s not completely out of the realms of possibility that La Dea could pick up a point in Florence this weekend. Defensive performances have been good, the strikers are hitting form and finding confidence, and last time out on the road the side played very well and were unlucky to lose to a very good Torino team.
Colantuono will have had a full week to prepare for the fixture while the hosts do not have this luxury having played on Tuesday night in Udine, where they lost 2-1 the team will most likely be a little worse for wear. Well, let’s hope so anyway!
Unfortunately, I still expect to fall to a defeat against La Viola but don’t be surprised if the Nerazzurri pick up a rare away point despite their abysmal results on the road so far this season.
Until next week, FORZA ATALANTA!
Follow Conor Clancy on Twitter: @concalcio
