Catania lost their sixth match in a row and eighth in the previous nine this past weekend. However, new coach Maurizio Pellegrino gave distraught Rossazzurri supporters some optimism in the defeat to AC Milan.
It should be taken with a pinch of salt considering that Milan, despite their five match unbeaten streak, have a weak squad. Nonetheless, the organization that Catania had when they were reduced to 10 men was exceptional.
The Elefanti held the Rossoneri to just two shots in the approximately 15 minutes after Fabio Rinaudo received his walking orders. Granted, Milan already had the lead and didn’t feel compelled to attack them any longer.
Speaking of attacking, that’s still an issue for Catania and has been all season, regardless of who’s been coaching from the touchline. Injuries to Gonzalo Bergessio and the absence of Francesco Lodi contributed to those poor performances, but even with them fully healthy and available, nothing noteworthy has occurred up front.
The Etnei have scored a league-low 24 goals, around 0.72 per match. The average number of shots per match is 12.3, fifth lowest in Serie A. The on target attempts is 3.4 per match though, which is the worst tally out of all 20 teams.
Catania relied so heavily on the counter attack in the previous two seasons, but this year it’s been significantly weaker. Part of that was down to Lodi’s departure, but now it’s even more evident that Alejandro Gomez left a massive hole on the wing.
Yet when examining the amount of dribbles completed and fouls suffered, the Rossazzurri are in the top 10 in both category. Their ninth in the former and have been fouled around 15 times per match, which is sixth in Serie A.
Some would say that defensively the team isn’t strong, but they’re getting stuck in and that’s what their system calls for. No team have completed more tackles (23.5) than Catania. They rank third in interceptions, but have also committed the highest number of fouls per match.
Pellegrino will have a lot of work to do in the summer, assuming he stays on as coach. The lack of quality up front and the one-dimensional play has led to Catania’s inevitable relegation. Targeting proper wingers in the summer is a must. Pablo Barrientos will most likely be a target for a few Serie A clubs in the summer when the Elefanti go down, so it’ll be even more important.
President Antonino Pulvirenti claims that his team’s failings are down to his own failings.
“At the end of the season trying to keep some players at all costs does not pay off,” Pulvirenti told Sky Sport Italia.
“Last year we made that mistake, clinging to some players. It won’t happen again.”
It could also be the fact that Pulvirenti changed the coach four times. That never helps with consistency, but even still, keeping players wasn’t the issue, it was letting the key ones leave. The depth got thin and due to a lack of funds, the club couldn’t re-stock properly. The remainders of the squad aren’t good enough to start anywhere in Serie A.
Maybe Pulvirenti will learn his lesson when he’s in Serie B and has land for a stadium to pay off in the process.
