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betting » Previews » Fiorentina

Fiorentina

By David, BettingExpert.com | Edited

 

Purple doubles


 

Having lost out on master mind Prandelli, who moved on to apply his managerial knowledge for the good of the Italian national side, and with Mutu’s suspension, the long term injury to talismanic forward Jovetic and the few investments on the market, club general director Corvino has laid his cards on the table and admitted that it will be a tough season for the Viola.

 

 

Coach: Mihajlovic

 

Tactics: 4-2-3-1

 

Players In: D’Agostino, Boruc, Cerci

 

Players Out: Keirrison, Gobbi

 

Current Probable Formation: Frey, De Silvestri, Gamberini, Kroldrup, Pasqual, C. Zanetti, Montolivo, Jovetic, Mutu, Vargas, Gilardino

 

 

 

Before the season has even started Fiorentina have to contend with a number of problems that are effectively major ones for a club with little squad depth. Luckily for them, if you can actually call it luck, they are not involved in European football this season, having finished eleventh last season. In their last twenty games they had managed to win just four games and lost more than half of them, eleven. That had them out of contention for the European places early on.

 

In fact, since Mutu’s problems with Chelsea and his subsequent suspension from football Fiorentina have missed his verve on the pitch. Youngster Jovetic did rise up to the occasion and managed to fill in the Romanian’s big shoes. He shone as bright as he could especially in highlight games like those against Liverpool and Bayern Munich, against whom they ultimately got eliminated somewhat unjustly. It was a tough year for them but the Montenegro youngster had come in to the fray at the right time to lift up the team’s spirit. With Vargas and Gilardino in particularly great form the Viola managed to survive through the storm.

 

Things do look bleaker this season, however, as Jovetic has now been ruled out for about six months depriving Fiorentina of creativity up front. For this reason, one of the earliest signings of the summer’s transfer market, D’Agostino, will probably have to replace him just behind striker Gilardino. The ex-Udinese man, who was close to sealing a move to Juventus last summer, should not have problems adapting to the role momentarily. Once Jovetic is back there may be problems with his inclusion in the two-man midfield employed by Mihajlovic. Italian duo Montolivo – Cristiano Zanetti will be in charge of that role whilst Jovetic is on the sidelines. Both are great players, with the former considered a pillar in Prandelli’s starting eleven for the Azzurri.

 

Corvino, usually one of the best directors on the transfer market, has this time made some eyebrow-raising choices. All of his major signings have involved the arrival of players that go on to step on the toes of already established players in Mihajlovic’s tactics. Cerci should be a forward capable of replacing missing forwards in the three-man line behind Gilardino,  but with Vargas, Marchionni, Santana, the promising Ljajic and Babacar, and the quick Papa Waigo available for selection he does look like superfluous material. D’Agostino’s arrival also goes on to cause headaches for Mihajlovic, who will have to think up of something when the new arrival, Zanetti and Montolivo are all available. Not to mention Donadel. Only two of those can play in the 4-2-3-1 and it is Montolivo and D’Agostino that most resemble each other in their qualities on the field with Zanetti and Donadel better adapted at breaking the opponents’ play.

 

The most mysterious of the three new signings, however, is that of established goalkeeper Artur Boruc, who was the preferred choice at Celtic last season. With goalkeeping duties safely in the hands of one of the best in the role in Serie A, Sebastian Frey, one asks why Corvino has moved on to sign the Polish keeper. Both are good at what they do and it is therefore inevitable that problems will arise when one of them warms the bench on the weekend.

 

It is ironic to see all these high quality doubles in the team and yet speak about Fiorentina’s inability to cope with their losses. Corvino should have done better. Funds are low with the owners, the Della Valle brothers, hesitant on investing money as they evaluate ways of how to finance their ambitious project of a new stadium and related commercial areas. All signings were of high quality but the little money available should have been spent better. The defence would have necessitated a few upgrades. The starting full-backs, De Silvestri and Pasqual are good enough but there are no replacements for them. In terms of central defenders the players available are quite reliable as well, yet perhaps an important and experienced leader could have been brought on to make the backline one of the most solid in the division.

 

 

Predicted finishing position: 6th

 

All in all the players are there and with no competitions to mind in midweek Fiorentina should be doing better than last season. Nonetheless, expect a slow start as they get to grips with Mihajlovic’s ideas and the absence of key players. From November onwards they should be much better equipped to work their way to Europe once again as Mutu comes back from his ban. Whether they can fight for Europe will depend a lot on how the opposition performs but their season may be tougher than one might judge by looking at the players alone.



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