Atalanta, a season in review.

It had started oh so well in my latest crack at not being a failure in this game world. 4 wins and 2 draws in our first 6 games had the fans dreaming of promotion, 10 goals scored and just the 3 conceded had given us the perfect platform to push on and make this a successful season. What followed was just damn right torture of the SM variety, 2 wins followed out of the next NINETEEN games and I now was trying all sorts to pull us out of this mess, tactics and transfers had little effect on the players. Fans were disillusioned, every monday morning they would come smash up the training ground furious at the lack of any wins. I felt just like Alan Pardew, an absolute fraud of a man, everywhere I went in this game world I failed and this was becoming a habit I needed to kick. Finally back to back wins followed for the first time in over 20 games as Olympiakos and Bordeaux were defeated(the latter no doubt would have a huge bearing on how the season ended), a further 1 win in 7 left us deep in relegation trouble and it was down to the last 4 games, just how would we survive? Monaco were next up, and in familiar fashion we were behind within 2 minutes. Flares rained down on to the playing surface and fans were getting angry. HT came 0-1. I tore in to the lads, this wasn’t good enough, I promised the ultra’s would be allowed in the dressing room should things not improve 2nd half! It worked, kind of, as despite not being at the races 2 vital 2nd half goals from Elkeson saw a 2-1 win. We then went and suffered a 1-0 defeat away to Marseille, a bitter pill to swallow with the late goal from Britos meaning survival was out of our hands. A 2-2 draw at home to Levante in our last game at home was followed by a mass demonstration as the ultra’s again vented their frustration at our performances(strangely it had been one of our better games in all fairness). Espanyol were our final game, away, A game which both sides had something to play for. Not what we had hoped for, 6 wins in 31 games and here we were needing a win and a favour elsewhere to survive. New signings had come but was it too late? 5 debutants started the game but it was down to one to steal all the headlines. Paulo Guerrero had arrived as part of the deal which took Camarasa to Ajax, Guarin also arrived to steady up the midfield in the deal. and within 33 minutes we were 2-0 up, Guerrero with them both, we had Hope. It took a dodgy penalty just 8 minutes in to the second half for the nerves to kick in as ex Atalanta player Ocampos slotted home the pen, 1-2!! Guerrero wasn’t finished however, smashing a shot past Horn to complete his hat trick. It was at this point I checked my phone, how were Bordeaux doing? we had to better there result to stay up! Shit they were 3-1 up away from home themselves, what were the chances of that? a few minutes passed, ping went my phone Palace 2 Bordeaux 3 Ashley Young had pulled one back. Hope again. Back in our game I had tried to shut up shop, Suchy came on as we went to a back 5, it hadn’t worked as planned as with 8 minutes to go Pizzi scored in off the post, 2-3 the same as the bordeaux game. 3 minutes from time BOOM Palace 3 Bordeaux 3, Ashley Young AGAIN!! Now hold on was the cry, Guerrero had a final chance to settled the nerves, played in by Guarin he fired wide with seconds to go. Then we heard of the FT at selthurst park, 3-3, we just had to hold on to stay up and we did with little bother in the end, the back 5 saw out time and we were safe. GET IN!!!!!! The players collapsed on the pitch, half the team had only been here 48 hours yet they had played a huge role in securing 4th division football next season. Guerrero unbelievably become our joint 2nd top scorer of the players who were left in squad for the season, he’d played 90 minutes for god sake. 

The initial aim was to give all players a fair crack under me, at previous clubs I have been guilty of being far too hasty and being gung ho with transfers. It wasn’t until things had gone off the rails before I was panicked into deals, had i made a mistake leaving things so long?  We were slap bang in the middle of a horrendous run in the league when I decided we needed to act. Subasic arrived from Espanyol, a great pick up, finally a class keeper. Previous occupant Hitz and Ocampos headed to Spain. Propper, Badstuber and Elkeson followed about a week later. There was definitely a shift in my ideals, I like to build with youngsters but I knew experience was needed, it didn’t mean my policy was completely kicked into touch as Mikel Merino arrival proved there was some blocks still being built, the loss of Valverde in the Merino deal was tough to take but I really like Merino and decided it was a risk worth taking. Malcuit was brought in exchange for Kovalenko, I was lacking a decent option down the right and he fitted perfectly. Giaccherni arrived alongside young Rui Pedro from Hella Verona, Grassi being the makeweight in the deal. It wasn’t until the last 48 hours of the season before we went crazy, 6 players arrived on the eve of our last game. Eremenko and Emenike arrived to add a bit solid depth to the side, we said goodbye to our 2 top players in Moreno and Camarasa who left for fiorentina and Ajax and we acquired in return Nani, Guerrero, Guarin and Rodriquez. After our great escape we allowed Rausch and Hoger to move on, Squad players who were not going to feature moving forward. As for our future we have picked up some promising young talent, 4 young English lads followed me to Italy, messers Bayliss, Leko, Maja and Mumba. Talented gk Letica arrived from Hadjuk, Left back Gersbach from Augsburg, Zebli from Sampdoria and young french rb Valery. Not all will make it however I’m happy enough with what we’ve done transfer wise this season.