Atalanta - The New Force In Serie A?

With the 2 points deducted added on, you'd be sitting 2nd! Great start though mate, I reckon a surprise top 3 finish. Good luck.
 
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DECEMBER

A good month on the pitch (despite being knocked out of the cup) but off the field disaster has struck as German Denis got injured in training and is pretty much out for the season. Either the board will have to give me some cash or Carlos Fierro better come up with the goods!!!!!!

Anyway we would have ended 2012 level top with Juventus if it wasnt for the points deduction and if it wasnt for Denis' injury then I would definately be aiming for a European spot but it is 50/50 methinks.

Elsewhere Cagliari and Lazio sacked their managers with Laurent Blanc taking over at Lazio.

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Cagliari 2-3 Atalanta
Canini, Maxi Moralez, Fierro

Fierro scores his first goal for us as we rack up another win

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Atalanta 2-1 Catania
Denis, Biondini

We were a bit fortunate to win here truth be told so I am well chuffed with the points

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Coppa Italia 1st Round
Parma 2-0 Atalanta

We were poor here although Denis had a goal disallowed that would have made it 1-1. Parma will play Reggina in the quarter finals so it was definately an opportunity lost!

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Roma 0-2 Atalanta
Marilungo 2

WOW!!!! I did not expect this victory!!!! We had an early goal disallowed and I thought that was our chance gone but not so! A magnificent performance and result.

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Atalanta 0-0 Sampdoria

A no score draw!!!!! Jeezo. That is a rarity!!!!!

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PLAYER OF THE MONTH
MICHELE CANINI
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Woah! Nice one Klippy. Wasn't expecting you to be near the top 6 by January and you're "level" on points with Juve. Keep it going!
 
dont think this save will be long league this season or next then cl in 3 years at the most
 
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JANUARY

I was quite busy this month as not only did we have 5 games to play but I had to make sure any move in the transfer market was the right one. The board allowed me to change my seasons expectations so I said we would qualify for the Europa League and they handed me £10m of a transfer kitty - the search for a striker immediately started!!!!

Due to our low reputation and the fact I had already signed my 2 non EU players from abroad my options were severely limited. I failed in my attempts to get Simone Pepe, Vaclav Kadlec and Gianluca Caprari and it wasnt until the day before the Fiorentina match that I brought someone in!

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CIRO IMMOBILE
£3.6m from Genoa and £2.5m from Juventus

I am sure I have seen him develop into a decent player in other saves and while I was a bit wary splashing out over £6m on him - if he scores the goals that gets us into Europe it will be worth it!

Then on deadline day I managed to bring in...................

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THIAGO MOTTA
On loan from Paris Saint-Germain

In a squad with such a lack of depth this guy can only help and his experience will be crucial for the run in when the pressure is on. I would have bought him outright but his £80k per week wages were far too much for us.

There wasnt much outgoing - Bellini left for Reggina for £400,000 and that was about it!

Elsewhere Roma sacked their manager and appointed Ciro Ferrara while on the pitch the month was so so as we lost 3 times but we did face tough opponents.

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Torino 0-3 Atalanta
Maxi Moralez, Marilungo, Cigarini (pen)

Torino are rock bottom of the table and seemingly heading for Serie B and they didnt put up much resistance here! Bellusci got sent-off late on for us.

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Atalanta 1-2 Napoli
De Luca

From memory this is our first defeat at home and we deserved to lose - we were awful.

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Atalanta 2-4 Inter Milan
Bonaventura, Fierro

Another home defeat but this time we were a little unlucky. We were without a few players and they just had too much firepower for us.

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Atalanta 1-0 Parma
Bonaventura

What a battle this was! Not easy on the eye but we came out on top thanks to Bonaventura's early striker. Both sides had a man sent-off - Cigarini for us.

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Fiorentina 1-0 Atalanta

This was Immobile's debut and he was rubbish!

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PLAYER OF THE MONTH
DAVIDE BRIVIO
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FEBRUARY

An unbeaten month but we played 4 of the bottom 5 so maybe it should have been expected. Ciro Immobile took his time to score his first goal for us but he made amends for it against Palermo!!! It does seem as though a Europa League spot is for the taking but I am gunning for a top 4 finish.

There was a small bit of transfer activity as I paid Cagliari £2.4m to buy the other half of Michele Canini so we now have full ownership of the player. I felt I had to do it while I had the money as we are about £15m in debt so methinks transfer activity next season may be limited!

3 managers got the sack as Palermo, Bologna and Torino are looking for new managers.

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Atalanta 2-0 Chievo
Bonaventura, Frey (og)

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Bologna 1-1 Atalanta
Fierro

We took the lead with 10min left and I expected the 3pts but we quickly conceded which was annoying.

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Atalanta 3-2 Siena
Immobile, Maxi Moralez, Canini

We were 2 down after 30min here so to come back and win was really pleasing. Immobile got off the mark for us too.

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Palermo 3-4 Atalanta
Immobile 4

This really shouldnt have been that close. Immobile could have scored 6 or 7 but I suppose 4 will do!!!! lol. We were 3-0 up after 30min so we shouldnt have let them back in it.

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PLAYER OF THE MONTH
CIRO IMMOBILE
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You're smashing this save out!!! Blimey well done so far!
 
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Bergamo - where Atalanta are based

MARCH

It couldnt happen could it? Champions in the first season? Probably not be can but try!!!! If it wasnt for the 2pt deduction we would be level top but perhaps more importantly we are 8pts clear of 5th place with a game in hand.

We caught up Juventus by beating them at home and also winning 2 and drawing 1 of the other 3 games but in the final two months of the season with the fixtures coming thick and fast and with Milan, Inter and Napoli to play away methinks a top 4 finish is more realistic.

This month obviously saw the youth intake and there was one gem that arrived.................

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CLAUDIO SAINI

I have promoted him to the first team squad to develop as with 12 subs named per game he will come off the bench and get some game time.

I also released 7 u20 players who had long contracts and were worse than useless.

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Atalanta 1-0 Lazio
Marilungo

An even game but we came out on top thanks to an early goal.

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Genoa 1-2 Atalanta
Bonaventura, Immobile

We fell behind to a penalty but bounced back to grab the win.

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Atalanta 2-1 Juventus
Bonaventura, Immobile

GET IN THERE!!!!!! This was a boring game which probably should have ended in a draw. Pirlo struck home an early penalty but we levelled before half-time. The 2nd half was a non event with nothing happening until the 85th minute when Immobile popped up with the winner!

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Atalanta 0-0 Udinese

This was incredibly frustrating as after hauling back Juventus in the previous game we couldnt convert any of the numerous chances we created. Saini made his debut here.

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PLAYER OF THE MONTH
GIACOMO BONAVENTURA
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Sam91 said:
You're smashing this save out!!! Blimey well done so far!
Click to expand...

Yeah - really enjoying it and have been on it non stop today pretty much. My daughter is wanting on my laptop now though so will have a few hours break (and then watch the Newcastle game). Will try and finish the season tonight but we shall see!
 
well done mate this looks like going the way of your toon story but keep it up
 
Super Class till now mate.............Fantastic Beginning to the season. What was ur starting reputation as manager?
 
KaiRooney said:
Super Class till now mate.............Fantastic Beginning to the season. What was ur starting reputation as manager?
Click to expand...

Automatic - the only time I have started with a different rep was when I was Aitor Herrera
 
How on earth have you dragged Atalanta into a title race in your first season there? :)

You must know some sort of dark FM magic or something.
 
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APRIL

It looks as though we will be in the Champions League next season!!! The way my finances are at the moment it is imperative that we finish in the top 3 (I just realised 4th place misses out) and we end the month 10pts clear of 4th place. The board have already injected £1.6m to help with running costs.

I am not overly concerned though as there is a lot of players out on loan that I hope to sell as well as the co-owned players. Just as long the chairman doesnt go over my head and accept silly fees for my players!

Anywho we had one outstanding performance and result this month and followed that up with two poor ones but we got back on track at the end of the month. Fortunately it looks as though we will finish runners-up by more than 2pts. If we lost out on the league by 1pt I would be absolutely gutted.

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AC Milan 1-3 Atalanta
Abbiati (og), Cigarini, Marilungo

OUTRAGEOUS!!!!! We scored 3 goals having only had 2 shots and we limited them to taking their first shot after an hour! Ambrosini got sent-off for them late on and then they scored - somehow.

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Pescara 4-2 Atalanta
Femenia, Bellusci

Ouch!!!! Pescara, like ourselves, are performing way above expectations this season but after our previous result I expected at least a point here.

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Napoli 3-2 Atalanta
Canini, Immobile

After an hour we were 2-0 down and they had missed a pen and had 2 disallowed. It was our worst performance of the season - and then we scored twice!!!!! However Maggio grabbed his 2nd with 2min left to break our hearts and bring them 1pt behind us - **** THAT POINTS DEDUCTION!!!!!!

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Atalanta 2-0 Cagliari
Cigarini (pen), Femenia

A win but it was heavily assisted. We were on top and couldnt break them down. Then Yepes got sent-off on 47min and we still couldnt score. In the end we had to rely on Pinilla giving away a penalty (and getting sent-off too) before we managed to break through.

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Catania 1-3 Atalanta
Maxi Moralez, Motta, Immobile

Catania (like us and Pescara) are over performing so to beat them away is really impressive. Motta missed a last minute penalty (before Immobile scored).

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PLAYER OF THE MONTH
LUCA CIGARINI
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As a side note I am really struggling to find pictures for Atalanta to head up the posts - google images seem to confuse them with Inter Milan lol
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