Defense and midfield are among the most important issues in the lead-up to the match against Padova. It is obvious why everyone is wondering – and will continue to do so – whether Iemmello will still play as a centre-forward or will be supported by another striker, but in the search for balance, eyes cannot fail to be on the midfield and in the back pack as well. And in the men who will be chosen, given that very specific qualities can be linked to names.
So far Alberto Aquilani has changed seven out of eight starting lineups including the Italian Cup match and alternated two basic formations. These variations may have contributed to slowing down the growth process compared to a team with completely defined reference interpreters, but on the other hand they are “proof” that we are given the need to search for an identity in a renewed group also on the bench.
The 4-2-3-1 of the first two outings, at Sassuolo in mid-August and at the “Ceravolo” on their championship debut, against Sudtirol, was then put aside in favor of a theoretically more covered 3-4-2-1: “theoretically” because the skids in transition suffered by the South Tyroleans were repeated against Carrarese, Reggiana and Juve Stabia after the apparent improvement shown against Spezia in the second day. With hindsight it can be said that that impression of progress was facilitated by the situation of the Ligurians, now last in the class and the only ones together with Catanzaro to have not yet won a match. The few risks taken against Sampdoria were followed by the test in Monza, with two goals “given away” in the small area: another demonstration of a fragility that goes hand in hand with the lack of a bit of healthy competitive malice and perhaps also with the need to work more on situations in the last 16 metres, regardless of who plays on the centre-left (between Verrengia and Di Chiara)
Consequently, it will be interesting to understand on the pitch, in a direct clash like the one on Sunday evening against Padova, how the coach wants to intervene. It is too early to say whether the three-man defense will be confirmed or whether we will return to the four-man line, however we can understand why Aquilani continued to insist, up until his last outing, on a formation with Cassandro and Favasuli on the full flank: they give more balance and help the three central defenders more even if they do not guarantee the same quality in the attacking phase that could be obtained from Nuamah (however the “fifth” is not the his role) or D’Alessandro, but also by Oudin and Liberali in case one wanted to opt for a solution with three attacking midfielders.
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