Atalanta to end 2021 in style?
Atalanta travel to Genoa in their final Serie A outing before the winter break, hoping to keep pace with the leading trio and maintain their six point cushion on fifth place. Genoa have one just once in the league all season, which one game before we reach the halfway stage is very concerning. It is however a growing trend in the Italian top-flight with Genoa sat 18th and just three points from safety despite the terrible results they have consistently produced this term. La Dea started a bit slowly this campaign but have rallied in the last month or so to threaten the top three of Inter Milan, AC Milan and Napoli who have been too hot to handle at times this season.
Process
Naturally the visitors are overwhelming odds on favourites with Genoa an enormous price to earn their second win of the campaign. Despite the woeful form, Genoa have not been as bad in the performance data as their league position suggests according to expected goals (xG). The hosts rank 16th on expected points and have been a little unfortunate to concede 37 from 30.2 xG at 1.68 xGA per game.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s men have been entertaining as ever and it will be interesting to see if they can push themselves into the Scudetto conversation, balancing the Europa League rather than the Champions League in the second half of the campaign unlike the state of play in recent years. Atalanta have overperformed in the final third this season, as have a surprising amount of team in Serie A this season, but still rank second for xGF having scored 38 from 31.1 xG at an average of 1.73 xGF per game. Defensively La Dea have not been as solid as last season, as was to be expected after Cristian Romero’s departure and Genoa will be hoping to profit on that and spring a surprise.
Goals?
The goal line is quite high for this encounter, with Genoa looking to stifle the game. I am looking to combine an unders selection with an outright play.
- Genoa have scored in five of ten.
- Genoa have conceded in seven of ten.
- Genoa have seen both teams score in four of ten.
- Genoa have seen over 2.5 goals in four of ten.
- Atalanta have scored in all of their last 22.
- Atalanta have conceded in eight of ten.
- Atalanta have seen both teams score in eight of ten.
- Atalanta have seen over 2.5 goals in nine of ten.
Post bet chat Marcus's Tips:
0-0 draw, did not see that coming.