By Bologna failed to win for a fifth consecutive game against Crotone, as the home home-side secured all three points thanks to a goal by Simy. As the teams behind Bologna have edged closer in recent weeks, Roberto Donadoni is now under growing pressure to turn the tide.
Donadoni made only one change from the game against Roma. Antonio Mirante came in for Antonio Santurro, whilst Godfred Donsah kept his place in the line-up at the expense of Blerim Dzemaili.
What we learned:
The attacking display against Crotone was one of the worst by Bologna in a long time. The team created almost no chance from open play, the only times Crotone were troubled was when Bologna got free kicks around the penalty area. More often than not, Simone Verdi was in charge of these, and they led to some dangerous incidents, but overall, Crotone got it too easy. The front three of Rodrigo Palacio, Federico Di Francesco and Verdi failed to make their mark on the game, something which was very surprising given their recent outings. Something which was a big part of Bologna’s failure going forward was the lack of any real movement. When any player had the ball at his feet, the players around him did not make any counter movements, and the player on the ball often found himself isolated. Additionally, lack of quality passing made it difficult to get close to Crotone’s box.
Donadoni does not seem to have a clear vision as of how he wants his team to play. Sempre Bologna has written about this earlier in the season, and it is still very much evident now. Coming from two strong encounters versus Lazio and Roma, this can seem a bit far-fetched, but his lack of vision is hurting the club. Against the bigger clubs, the players seem extra motivated, and perform perhaps somewhat over their abilities. However, against the teams in the lower half of the table, the likes of Crotone, Udinese and Cagliari, Bologna more often than not find themselves struggle going forward. In these games, there does not seem to be a plan as to how the coach wants them to play, evident today by the many long-range passes made from the back which did not go anywhere near a team-mate. Let’s be real, Bologna have enough quality to perform well against Crotone, and then to fail to create any real chances from open play is, simply put, not good enough. It now seems evident that Donadoni has taken the club as far as he can, and that a shift may be the best for everyone.
Mirante returned to the line-up after having been suspended against Roma last weekend. In that game, Antonio Santurro got his first ever game in Serie A, and he impressed with several good saves. Mirante returned to the line-up as it was expected he would against Crotone, but he was found wanting on the first goal. To be fair, the conceded goal was not just down to Mirante. The defence let Simy get passed them all too easy, but Mirante could have prevented it. When the ball was played towards the striker, Mirante’s first reaction was to come out, but he then decided not to come out. This left him in the middle of nowhere when the striker got the ball, which made it difficult to stand any chance of saving it. Had Mirante stood firm on the line, he could well have prevented the goal. This goal is part of a series of several mistakes and wrong decisions by him. It has become clear this season that he does not have what it takes, and work should be done to strengthen this position come the summer.
Best Rossoblù:
Andrea Poli: On a day where no rossoblù really stood out, Poli gets our man of the match award. He fought hard, passed the ball well, and got forward on several occasions.
Whats next?
Bologna’s next match is next Sunday at home against Hellas Verona. Five games without a win means that there will be a lot of pressure on the team going into that match. Donadoni has got one week to change things up, because if Bologna go into that match in the same way as against Crotone, then Verona will have no trouble defend against them.
What did you think of the match? Who was your man of the match? Let us know in the comments below!
Photo: Bologna FC
SempreBologna.com 