A mid-table finish would usually be considered quite a job well done for a club like Atalanta in their second season back in Serie A. However, it will be viewed as something of a disappointment considering they finished higher last year despite having a six-point penalty and also because of the positive way in which they started the new campaign. The summer was far less controversial than last year and Stefano Colantuono was able to keep most of the squad together. Manolo Gabbiadini was a high profile loss but the likes of Thomas Manfredini, Federico Peluso, Luca Cigarini, Ezequiel Schelotto, Maxi Moralez, Giacomo Bonaventura and German Denis remained on board and the feeling was that they would continue to grow as a team having already played a season together in the top flight. That theory looked to have merit as a bright display and victory over Milan at the San Siro showed their promise. Indeed, they looked destined to possibly even challenge for the European places. However, a dismal run to end the year put paid to any of those hopes as the side from Bergamo lost four of their last six league matches in 2012. The January transfer window followed and it seemed like they would need some additions to address the problems they were going through. Instead, their squad began to fall apart. Peluso, Schelotto and Manfredini all left and the core of players who looked set to take Atalanta to the next level had been depleted. Indeed, their form took a turn for the worse and they didn't win for eight matches to start 2013 with six losses in that sequence. It meant they had been dragged all the way down into the relegation dogfight. However, they ended their poor run with back-to-back wins over two clubs that were below them in Siena and Pescara. Indeed, they seemed to be able to pick up results just when they needed them to stay adrift of danger. The main problem all year for Atalanta seemed to be scoring goals and if it wasn't for Denis in attack, then they may not have survived. "El Tanque" continued his solid goalscoring form this season with 15 strikes including hat-trick in the shock 4-3 win over Inter at the San Siro which virtually secured safety. However, when he went through a dry patch, not many others were able to contribute. One man who did help lighten the load for the Argentine striker was Bonaventura who chipped in with goals and assists from midfield in what was a breakout season for the youngster. Inevitably, they are two players who are being closely monitored by the bigger clubs as well as goalkeeper Andrea Consigli, whose performances helped make up for the lack of efficiency at the other end of the pitch. Colantuono himself has also been courted by other clubs and he'll surely require more backing in the transfer market to help take Atalanta further.
