MAPEI STADIUM (REGGIO EMILIA) – Alejandro Papu Gomez delivered an otherworldly performance on Saturday night to kill off Atalanta’s game at Sassuolo inside the opening 35 minutes.
The Argentinian opened the scoring and added his side’s third as they stormed to a 4-1 win, in which they were 4-0 ahead at half time and never even attempted to pick up at the same pace in the second half, with Tuesday’s Champions League meeting with Shakhtar Donetsk at the Stadio San Siro in mind.
Papu Gomez put on a show in Reggio Emilia and inspired Atalanta to a 4-1 win at Sassuolo. ?@ConJClancy is at the Mapei Stadium for #FIFattheGames.
Report ? https://t.co/uCxmmm6KSH#SassuoloAtalanta #SerieA pic.twitter.com/OwDbw2UqGj
— ForzaItalianFootball (@SerieAFFC) September 28, 2019
Papu’s newfound adaptability bodes well for La Dea
It’s no secret nor revelation that Atalanta’s captain is a special talent. The Argentinian has been performing at an incredible standard for over three seasons under Gian Piero Gasperini, having previously done well in Bergamo and with Catania earlier.
But Sassuolo were unfortunate enough to meet him at his very best, and what’s odd is that he did it while occupying a different role from his usual. Spending the bulk of the first half strolling wherever he pleased, Gomez consistently found himself drifting away from where the ball and play went in order to find space, then to pick up possession and trouble the Neroverdi from there.
His first goal was a prime example of how much of that first half went. He held back, took the ball and drove at Sassuolo’s backline, who weren’t equipped to deal with him.
Roberto De Zerbi’s men didn’t know how to counteract his free role. Nobody assumed the responsibility of marking him, which brought a lot of joy to Gian Piero Gasperini and the travelling Bergamaschi.
Though it wasn’t his typical role, it’s not one that’s entirely alien to him. At Parma in March he delivered one of the finest individual performances of last season fulfilling a similar assignment, then dictating play from deep with his passing range rather than taking the ball and carrying it forward himself.
Still just 31, he’s showing that there’s depth to his game and as he comes towards his mid-30s, there’s no reason to think that he won’t be able to redefine himself and thrive in another position, rather than on the wing or as a No.10.
Gasp did take him off into the second half, no doubt with Tuesday in mind, and if Papu can arrive at the San Siro fit and ready to go, Atalanta could well get their first Champions League win.
Duvan Zapata deserves even more praise than he receives
Nobody who follows Serie A doesn’t know that the Colombian has been on fire since last October, but he’s still not quite as praised as he perhaps should be.
Duvan outscored Cristiano Ronaldo in 2018/19. In 2019/20, he’s not only outscoring the Portuguese, but everyone else in Serie A other than Domenico Berardi – both on five goals,
Atalanta is evidently a good fit, as he is for them. In fact, no striker in Bergamo has had a start to a Serie A season as prolific as this since Filippo Inzaghi in 1996/97, wherein he went on to be crowned as capocannoniere.
His five goals this term have come in just 456 minutes, giving him an average strike rate of a goal every 91 minutes, bettered only by Berardi’s 87 minutes.
