With all the transfer dealings completed before the season began we could get stuck straight into this new Serie A campaign. I started out fairly hopeful and expectant, with good reason too given the considerable sums invested in the playing squad over the summer.
RESULTS
Things did not get off to a great start with us having to come back from a goal down twice in the first half against Spezia, we ended up taking a 3-2 lead into the half but gave up an easy goal late on in the second half to drop two points. We squeezed through against Sassuolo having given up a two goal lead at the half. On our travels to Lazio we came up short, conceding our sixth goal of the campaign in just three matches. The result was better at home to Hellas Verona but in truth the performance was not great, days later we were undone on our travels again with a defeat to Champions Inter. To compound our misery we hosted Juventus in the next league game and I can safely say it is the worst we have played in the entirety of this save (to date).
Brenner left it late to claim victory away to Sampdoria but Robert Lewandowski’s penalty wasn’t enough to secure the 3 points at home to Benevento. It was at this point we scrapped the 4-3-1-2 and reverted back to our tried and tested 3-4-1-2 - the change paying off as we claimed a narrow victory against Fiorentina. Our three centre backs grabbed a goal each in the 3-0 demolition of Cagliari before surprise title-challengers Napoli stopped any momentum building. The hit to our morale carried over to our next game as we drew a blank in Rome.
We managed to go throughout the five games in December unbeaten and add two January fixtures into that run also. That would be a massive positive if it weren’t for the five 1-1 draws - two of which came against sides predicted to have to fight against an instant return to Serie B. I do have to acknowledge the optimistic notes in the wins over Chievo Verona and Torino - Declan Rice scoring his first league goal for the club.
At this rate of going we will be lucky to see European football next year, never mind fighting to improve on last year’s finish!
Despite our domestic troubles, we made a glorious return to European football by qualifying for the knockout phase as second place in our group.
With my chances of a title challenge pretty much dead in the water, the Coppa Italia is what I need to fuel me! Brenner and Hakan ensured our progression with a fine 3-1 win over Bologna.
WHERE HAS IT ALL GONE WRONG?
The pre-season tests of the 4-3-1-2 tactic were all so positive but as soon as the competitive football started it fell to pieces. I wanted defensive stability and encountered anything but - that £151m on Donnarumma is looking quite silly right about now as the “World Class Goalkeeper” has conceded 22 goals in his 23 games keeping just 7 clean sheets.
This is easily my worst Andata performance of the save and I’ve (sensibly) written off any chance of a return to the Top 4 this season - even to catch Cagliari in 6th might be a stretch given how poorly we’ve played at times.
In Europe we’ve been drawn against Paris Saint-Germain in the first knockout round of the Champions League. Hardly reasons to be optimistic against the side fielding a front four of Kai Havertz, Neymar, Antoine Griezmann and Erling Haaland. Oh, and they’ve just spent £112m bringing in Phil Foden from Manchester City. On the bright side, we have a favourable record against PSG in previous games having beaten them 1-0 at home and drawn 0-0 away in our first season’s Champions League group.
The Coppa Italia is where my hopes really lie. We face Udinese in the Quarter Fina, the winners facing Lazio, Cittadella or Lecce in the semi final. This is a massive opportunity that I just can’t throw away this season.