Bologna Club Focus: Out of Luck, But Now Look Out!

Date: 27th February 2014 at 12:19am
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There was a moment, in the dying embers of Bologna’s defeat to Roma, that Lazaros Cristodopoulos had a headed chance to equalise. The midfielder, perhaps mentally and physically spent after another gut-busting performance, directed the header wide. The chance was gone, and the points were gone. Just as last week.

The defeat to Roma, narrow as it was, cannot be blamed on Lazaros. His display was good, as Bologna’s display as a whole was good. Again, as against Milan, they harried, hurried and pressed. They had their out-ball in Rolando Bianchi, and were able to build a few decent-looking attacks around his presence.  All that was missing was any real goal threat.

The bare facts are simple. Roma are better than Bologna. They have better players. All things being equal, Roma would always win that game, and win it comfortably. That the Rossoblu managed to battle so hard to make that result at least in doubt is progress from the Pioli reign, and Davide Ballardini’s Bologna are no pushover.

It is a change that Daniele De Rossi noticed, commenting on the difficulty the Giallorossi had in attaining their victory, even though a second one-nil defeat condemned Bologna’s weekend to one of nervously eyeing those results that went on around them. The relegation zone remains below, so a run of games involving Torino, AC Milan and Roma is out of the way, and Bologna are safe at the end of it. Good news.

Good news too in the fixtures that are approaching. This is a make-or-break period for the Rossoblu, and six games in a row that, conceivably, Ballardini’s men might gain points in. A trip to a Luca T0ni bereft Hellas Verona means a trip to a team that are missing their pivotal player; and not in the same way Bologna are missing Alessandro Diamanti.

Games against Sassuolo, Atalanta and Cagliari are all eminently winnable at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara and trips to Livorno and Chievo might bring about points (though, Lord spare us from another game as tedious as the home game against Chievo). A run of impending games that might bring about points can be seen as a double-edged sword. Playing all the teams at the bottom now means that the chance to win points, and to take them off the Rossoblu’s rivals is the task in hand now.

Once those games are gone…the chances are gone with them. March promises to be the month that makes the difference at the bottom of Serie A. For those involved, focusing on the positive is probably the best way. To that end, Bologna have largely contained a Milan side who went on to win comfortably at Sampdoria the next week before again keeping in touch with a Roma side who, in any other season, might well be runaway leaders.

That neither performance brought a point is unfortunate, but with Ballardini’s 3-5-2 formation beginning to ensure the Rossoblu offer something at both ends of the field, there are more than just green shoots appearing.

More than just green shoots appearing at the back, anyway. Bologna’s attack although creating chances, still looks a little goal-shy, and drew another blank at the weekend. It’s a repeat of the story from earlier in the season. The coach shores up the Bologna defence at the expense of the attack. This time feels a little different, however.

This time, the attack are actually performing. Jonathan Cristaldo looks lively, Rolando Bianchi looks solid, and the link with the midfield – which used to be solely Diamanti (I’d like not to mention him in one club focus this season, but he stood astride this Rossoblu team and is still the dominant figure, as important in his absence as he was when present) is spreading through Lazaros, Panagiotis Kone, Rene Krhin – who has particularly impressed me – and now Ibson.

In the week before travelling to Verona, it is those players – and the returning Diego Perez – who will be the important ones on the training ground. The defence can’t be neglected, though their work will be different to expectation given the suspension of Luca Toni for the game, but it is the attack who will be expected to get the goals.

In truth, travelling to play Hellas really couldn’t come at a better time for Bologna. The Mastini’s home invincibility bubble was popped recently by Torino, and their leading striker will be missing as they attempt get back on track. All things point to being able to give it a really good go.

February was always going to be a tough month for Bologna. The results were poor, but performances improved. To be honest, March could happily be the exact opposite and it would be enough. Either way, there’s room for optimism going forward.

Believe in Ballardini, believe in Bologna.

 

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