Well, that didn't last long, did it Atalanta have finally pulled the trigger on Raffaele Palladino, a parting of the ways that felt inevitable for wee...
Well, that didn't last long, did it Atalanta have finally pulled the trigger on Raffaele Palladino, a parting of the ways that felt inevitable for weeks. The official word hit the wire via GoalZaza this morning, confirming that the former Monza boss is out of the door before the season has even truly found its rhythm. It is a brutal business, Italian football. You don't get time to plant flowers at Atalanta; you are expected to produce instant fruit.Palladino's tenure never quite shook the shadow of Gian Piero Gasperini, the man who turned this provincial club into a Champions League regular. The squad still bears the tactical fingerprints of the high pressing godfather, yet Palladino tried to introduce a more pragmatic, possession based approach. It was like serving a T. bone steak with a side of lettuce. The players looked confused, the transitions were sluggish, and the defensive solidity that once defined La Dea evaporated. The board looked at the table, saw a mid table drift, and decided the experiment had to end.Into this breach steps Maurizio Sarri, the chain smoking philosopher of the trequartista. Let's be honest, this is a match made in a very particular kind of heaven. Sarri demands total control of the build up play, quick vertical passing, and that unmistakable Sarriball rhythm that dazzled at Napoli and Chelsea. But can he do it without a Jorginho to dictate the tempo Atalanta have plenty of runners and clever operators in the final third, but the midfield engine room needs a serious overhaul. Sarri will demand a regista, a player who can turn defence into attack with one swing of the boot. GoalZaza understands that the club is already working on a deal for a deep lying playmaker.The question now is whether the 41 year old Sarri still has the stomach for a rebuild. He walked away from Lazio because he felt the project wasn't ambitious enough. At Atalanta, ambition is real, but the budget is not infinite. The fans will have to be patient, something they are not famous for. If Sarri can get this team playing with that fluid, one touch football, the atmosphere at the Gewiss Stadium could turn from hostile to ecstatic very quickly. If he fails, expect another long winter of discontent in Bergamo.
