The first half of the Serie A season for Parma has been much like it has for the rest of Serie A. That is to say, it has been absolutely mad.
In a season that has included a surprise contender in Roma, an out-of-this-world success in Hellas Verona, and a rejuvenated Guiseppe Rossi.
Parma entered the season with countless questions following a successful season in 2012-13 that saw them finish 10th in the tables — surprising many.
Among the many questions asked, several new transfers were expected to make substantial contributions, high-profile manager Roberto Donadoni decided to remain in charge of the Crociati rather than seek a role at a bigger club, and Parma celebrates its 100th anniversary this season.
Unfortunately, halfway through this season, almost none of those questions have been answered. While they enter the holiday break at an improved eighth place in the tables, five teams are level on points with Parma. While there have been a few interesting aspects to take notice of, the second half of the season will be decisive to how we remember this year’s Crociati squad.
Tactical Shifts
Much like Serie A power Juventus, Parma likes to run out of a 3-5-2 formation. Leaving behind the fourth defender for an added midfielder, the formation is surprisingly defensive. In the center of creative control of the team are youngster Jonathan Biabiany and summer transfer Antonio Cassano.
While the new arrival resulted in a shift of tactical power, little else has changed between last year’s squad and this one. The focus is still on defense and strong counterattacks. If the Crociati are to solidify their Serie A standings in the second half of the season, they may have to place a renewed focus on their offensive game.
Star performer so far: Marco Parolo
This is a difficult decision. Being their star transfer and tied for club leader in goals, Antonio Cassano has lived up to his lofty expectations so far. With his primary strike partner Amauri held without a goal this season, he has been the main forward goalscorer.
In most seasons, Cassano would be the runaway favorite for the star performer at this point in the season. Unfortunately, the man he is tied with as leading scorer on the team — Marco Parolo — is playing out of his mind. With 16 starts, six goals, and two assists only halfway through the season, Parolo has everyone paying attention. His star performances have resulted in a callup to the national team even.
So, while Cassano has played impressively, the award must ultimately go to Parolo.
Worst performer: Amauri
As explained earlier, Amauri has been less than impressive midway through the Serie A season. After last season in which he grabbed 10 goals during Serie A play, he has stormed into this season with a dull thud. Not only has he failed to grab a goal, he has also failed to nab an assist either. Already up there in age (33), he could quickly lose his spot to a more promising youngster — such as Nicola Sansone — if his performances don’t improve quickly.
Transfer of the season: Antonio Cassano
So, while he loses by a slim margin as overall performer so far, Antonio Cassano wins the transfer of the season by a landslide. This is not to say that he is the only new player to make an impact for the Crociati thus far. Mattia Cassani has been solid on the defensive end with 16 appearances.
Felipe has started 12 games and made two substitute appearances following his move from Fiorentina. Walter Gargano, on loan from Napoli, has even managed a goal in nine starts for the Crociati so far this season. Parma has had quite a few new players make an impact.
None of them come close to rivaling what Cassano has done for his new club so far. The production that comes with 16 starts and six goals is very difficult to replace. Without Cassano, Parma would be much lower on the tables this year.
Milestone moment
Parma’s performances have fluctuated wildly this season. From toppling Napoli 1-0 in a November surprise to losing to lowly Bologna, the Crociati have been everywhere this season. In fact, it’s the primary reason why so much is left unsaid in the first half of the season. So, while there have been more impressive and shocking victories, the milestone moment may have been a 4-3 victory over Atalanta in the fifth week of games.
It is important both because it was a win and because of how many goals were scored. Early on in the year, the Crociati were struggling to score and to get wins on the docket. In the first four weeks of the season, Parma had managed to score just twice and eked out two draws. If there was any hope of them improving from last season, they needed a definitive win with some goalscoring.
This game gave it to them. And, while they have continued to fluctuate wildly since then, this game had a more definitive feel to it than anything else this season.
What needs to happen in 2014?
Simply put, Parma needs to find more consistency. Currently, the Crociati are the owners of four wins, eight draws, and five losses this season. That’s just too many points being left in the draw column, particularly when so many of their games end in 0-0 draws and 1-0 losses.
The defensive talent has been there for Parma all season long. They’ve just been lacking that scoring consistency to put them over the top. If the Crociati are to improve their lot, or just retain their lot, they need to become much more consistent after the holiday window.
