Papu Gomez: Best Player in the Serie A?

Papu Gomez has been having a great season so far. Is he the best player in the league? Image: Gazzetta

Papu Gomez has had a stellar season so far, scoring eleven goals and providing six assists on the season, a remarkable tally that has helped Atalanta to a Europa League Spot. He is surely one of the best players in the Serie A, but is he the best?

Humble Beginnings

Papu Gomez started his footballing career at Arsenal de Sarandi in Argentina, moving to San Lorenzo, Catania, Metalist, and finally Atalanta. The forward didn’t have the best start to his career, only scoring 53 goals in 344 total appearances prior to the 2016-2017 season. In fact, the Argentinian is averaging twice as many goals per game this season than he had prior to this year’s campaign. It’s been a remarkable turnaround for Papu, who has exploded out onto the scene this year, notching the third highest rating in the Serie A from WhoScored.

The Breakout

Prior to this season, most Serie A fans wouldn’t have recognized the forward’s name. That’s all changed this season. With eleven goals and six assists to his name this season, he’s single-handedly guided Atalanta to a surprising position towards the end of the season. Without his outstanding form, it’s unlikely that La Dea would be anywhere close to their current position in the table, let alone close to qualifying for European football for the first time in 27 years.

What has changed for the Argentinian? For one, Gomez has adapted remarkably well to his new position as a striker at Atalanta, his goal tally reflecting this success. Papu’s blazing speed combined with lethality in front of goal makes for a dangerous combo for any defender. He is also a very good crosser of the ball, many of his assists coming off of these precise passes.

Atalanta’s Success

What perhaps makes Gomez different from any other player in the league is is his remarkable transformation of Atalanta into a club that can compete for a spot in European football. On paper, Atalanta’s roster looks like that of a team that should sit mid-table. This isn’t the case. La Dea sit seventh in the league as of now, the final spot for qualification into the Europa League, albeit through a playoff. Much of this success is due to the Argentinian, who has saved Atalanta from countless defeats and got them some great results that perhaps they didn’t entirely merit.

Gomez is also the team captain. Leading a team is no easy task, but Papu has handled it calmly and confidently, and the fans in Atalanta have to be extremely happy with the way their team is playing as of late.With a pretty lacklustre lineup, Gomez has found a way to make it work, not only producing some great performances, but boosting the overall performance of the club through his energy and leadership. One could only imagine the things he could do with a world-class midfield and some better attackers up front with him.

This performance does not come without its cons, however. As the Argentinian continues to rack up the impressive performances and add on to his already amazing stat-line, he is gaining more and more interest from other clubs. Atalanta simply does not have the funds nor the reputation to compete with clubs such as Milan or Inter, and their star player could depart them if the Argentinian decides he wishes to join a club “more deserving” of a player of his calibre.

In my opinion, Gomez is the best player in the Serie A. Sure, he may not have the best stats, but the way he commands his team and leads them to unexpected victory after victory is worth more than goals and assists in my eyes.