With the 2014/15 Serie A season almost upon the Editors at Forza Italian Football have decided to put their reputations on the line and make some predictions for the forthcoming campaign.
Scudetto Winners
Dov Schiavone: I think this season Roma will go one better and pip Juventus to the Scudetto. Rudi Garcia has worked with the team and in Serie A for 12 months, and the Giallorossi have added depth and experience to their squad during the transfer window. Plus the changing of styles at the Bianconeri, in addition to a seeming desire for Champions League success, may mean they are not entirely focussed on Serie A.
Padraig Whelan: Roma. Rudi Garcia will assure himself they keys to the Eternal City if he ends the Juventus dominance. With the Bianconeri a different beast entirely without Antonio Conte (perhaps crucially one lacking the same hunger and ferocity), the Giallorossi are best placed to end more than a decade’s wait for the Scudetto. Their squad is strong and the Frenchman has instilled a big belief in them, this is their time.
Adriano Boin: Roma, though I am not convinced by my choice because…well…it’s Roma. The Giallorossi were my pick throughout the course of the summer but the recent sale of Mehdi Benatia to Bayern Munich and the Giallorossi’s knack for throwing it all away has me believing I should change my pick. However I can’t look past Juventus’ loss of Antonio Conte, meaning the capital club may finally be able to claim their fourth title.
Ogo Sylla: Juventus. Despite the coaching change, Juventus still remain the deepest squad in Serie A as well as the most balanced and technically proficient one. They have the firepower to shoot them towards the Scudetto and a defensive solidity that few of their peers boast of.
Enzo Misuraca: It has to be Roma this season. They have added depth and quality to their squad and have only had to sell Mehdi Benatia, which many predicted would happen. Rudi Garcia’s methods will now be well and truly ingrained in the majority of the players minds and their pre-season has been decent enough to show that they are already beginning to hit some form. With a transitional Juventus team, it has to be their best opportunity in a long time.
Ahmed Assem: Roma. Despite losing Mehdi Benatia in the summer transfer window, Rudi Garcia’s men have added depth to the squad – something they obviously lacked in 2013/2014. The Giallorossi lost Benatia, but immediately brought in Kostas Manolas as his replacement, leaving few or no shortages in the side. However, the continuity in terms of the coaching staff and playing style should give them the edge this season.
Player of the Season
DS: Assuming he stays at Juventus, Arturo Vidal. I think after a summer of speculation he will want to show how much he loves the club and the fans. He has already shown he is one of the best midfielders in Serie A, and with Antonio Conte gone, I feel he might be the man Juve look to for that ‘Dai Dai Dai’ input.
PW: Daniele De Rossi. Arguably one of the most depressingly underrated players in the football world. If Roma are to go on and mount another serious challenge and indeed even win the championship, then this man will be the key cog to their success and finally earn some hard-earned widespread plaudits.
AB: Paul Pogba. The Frenchman is quickly becoming one of the marquee names in world football and has shown continued progress during his time in Turin. With Andrea Pirlo unable to keep father time at bay and Arturo Vidal still battling injury concerns and offers from abroad, I expect the 21-year-old to become the key cog in Massimiliano Allegri’s new Bianconeri side.
OS: Nemanja Vidic. Although the Serbian is nowhere near his prime, he brings with him vast experience the likes of which has become a rare commodity in Serie A recently. The Inter defense was anything but impermeable last season, and so his experience should bring a lot more solidity and protection to Samir Handanovic. The 32-year-old centre-back still possesses some of the athleticism he once boasted of, and in a slower league like Serie A, he should thrive and become one of the shining lights of the season.
EM: If my prediction that Roma will snatch the title this year comes true, then it will be down to the performances of midfield strongman Kevin Strootman. Last season the Dutch international was magnificent until injury cost him a large chunk of the campaign. But he showed enough in those few early months to suggest he can be one of the best performers in Serie A with both quality and quantity in much of his play.
AA: Giuseppe Rossi. If Rossi can stay fit, then he will play a massive role in Fiorentina’s quest for Champions League football. His 2013/2014 season ended early through injury, yet was only six goals off the Capocannoniere award.
Signing of the Summer… So far…
DS: Nemanja Vidic. The former Manchester United captain is not on a downward spiral just yet. He still have enough guile, tactical awareness and physical strength to nullify the best strikers. Plus, arriving on a free transfer, it is a win-win for all.
PW: Diego Lopez. Having signed on a free transfer, AC Milan’s new number one represents an intelligent bit of business from a club who that has not been associated with at all of late although in truth it has been a summer of very few signings to get excited about in the peninsula.
OS: Yann M’Vila. The Frenchman lost his way since leaving Rennes but he now returns to Europe from Russia. The defensive midfielder is a monster of an athlete but his greatest qualities are his passing range and ability to dictate play from deep. He always looks to verticalize the play and can run a midfield by himself. If he has indeed resolved all his personal issues, he could prove the revelation of Serie A and get his career back on track to become one of the best holding midfielders in Europe.
EM: Roma’s Juan Iturbe looks like he could be that final piece in the Giallorossi jigsaw. Outstanding for much of last year, if he can handle the expectation then expect plenty of goals and assists from the wonder kid. But also keep an eye out for Napoli’s new centre back Kalidou Koulibaly who has been impressive over much of their pre-season matches.
AA: Stefan De Vrij- For Lazio to pull off such a signing with a club like Manchester United interested is just massive. The World Cup star will add much needed quality to a defensive line which let in a staggering 54 goals last season.
Young Players to Watch
DS: Not strictly Serie A, but Chievo’s Victor Da Silva is one to watch. Was the Capocannoniere of the Primavera championship last season – 19 goals in 22 games – and is now on loan at Pescara in Serie B. Back in Serie A, defender Daniele Rugani is one to keep an eye on at Empoli, and the possibility of Hachim Mastour getting a break at AC Milan is positively mouthwatering.
PW: This could be the year where Udinese goalkeeper Simone Scuffet solidifies his glowing reputation within Italian football. Alessio Romagnoli should also prove to Roma supporters that there is life after Mehdi Benatia and teammate Juan Iturbe should impress too while Keita Balde Diao (Lazio), Emanuele Rovini (Empoli) and Alessandro Capello (Cagliari) are all hot prospects.
AB: New Cagliari signings Lorenzo Crisetig and Samuele Longo are set to hit the headlines under the tutelage of Zdenek Zeman and his brand of all-out attacking football. Expect big things from the two Italy Under 21 internationals. Others to keep an eye on are Cesena’s goalkeeper Nicola Leali as he finally gets a taste of Serie A football as he challenges Francesco Bardi and Mattia Perin for the title of best young shotstopper. Lastly keep an eye on Palermo striker Andrea Belotti, who netted 10 goals in 24 appearances for the Sicilian side last season.
OS: Mateo Kovacic. The young Croatian has had a hard time integrating into the Inter team but seems to have finally gained the faith of Walter Mazzarri. Kovacic was impressive during pre-season and shows the potential to have a real breakout year for the Nerazzurri.
EM: Obviously the Sassuolo trio of Domenico Berardi. Nicola Sansone and Simone Zaza should again star for the Nerazzurri but keep a close eye on players such as Cagliari defender Nicola Murru and Empoli centre back Daniele Rugani. Much has been said about these two Italian youngsters and this could be their breakthrough year.
AA: Giorgi Chanturia. The La Masia graduate was brought in as the replacement for Juan Iturbe. He definitely has tonnes of potential, but needs to be integrated correctly into the side. However, we have to take into account that Iturbe himself was regarded as a flop at Porto before his loan spell at the Gialloblu, so watch out for the Georgian.
Coach to Watch
DS: It may be obvious but Zdenek Zeman at Cagliari. The man doesn’t know how to make his teams to defend, nor does he want them to. All-out-attack, but this time no expectations. He also likes to speak his mind and doesn’t hold back, which is always refreshing.
PW: Filippo Inzaghi: ‘Super Pippo’ has impressed already as a coach during his stints with the Rossoneri’s youth teams. This is a harder task for him with few players of real quality to assist him in his first senior coaching role but he is a pragmatic and astute figure whose skills could overcome his players’ deficiencies.
AB: Giuseppe Iachini. Yes the Palermo boss, who is more well known for his Serie B exploits than for his performances in the top flight, is my man to watch simply for the fact that his president is Maurizio Zamparini. Why you ask? That’s because it makes Iachini is the odds on favourite to be the first coach to be sacked (and to likely be brought back a few weeks later) this season. It’s not a question of if it will happen, but more so when…
OS: Rudi Garcia. After a successful first year with Roma when he brought the club up to second place, Garcia now faces his most difficult challenge: repeating last season’s success. With Roma back in the Champions League as well, Garcia will have to show that he has all the tool and tactical acumen to deal with both the day-to-day rigors of Serie A and challenge of Champions League nights.
EM: It will be of huge interest to see how Massimiliano Allegri carries out his duties at Juventus after the successes under Antonio Conte. We will see a change of tactical approach as well as a less aggressive style in the changing room with players already saying his demeanor is much more relaxed than the previous coach. He has the know-how to win the title but many Milan fans failed to embrace him. He still doesn’t have the full faith of every Juve fan but I’m certain he can do a good job at Juventus, better than many think.
AA: Andrea Stramaccioni. It’ll be very interesting to see how the former Inter coach will fare at Udinese. The Zebrette have heavily reinforced their squad during the summer and the 36-year-old will have definitely learned from his spell at the Nerazzurri. Now at a club which possesses lots of pace and less expectations compared to Inter, expect a career resurgence.
Relegation Candidates
DS: Cesena and Empoli look headed straight back down to Serie B. Neither have strengthened much and the latter will be relying on ageing duo of Massimo Maccarone and Francesco Tavano for goals. Other than those two, Sassuolo might struggle to perform another great escape.
PW: Cesena look dead certs to drop straight back into Serie B and Empoli should join them given that across their coaching and playing staff, they have little consistent top flight experience and will struggle. The all-out attacking tactics of Zdenek Zeman’s Cagliari should see them flirt with the bottom of the table as could Hellas Verona in their second season back although Palermo and Sassuolo have enough strength to survive.
AB: I can’t look past the newly promoted duo of Empoli and Cesena as I don’t see enough top flight talent to keep the two sides from making a quick return to Serie B. Joining them could be Genoa as Enrico Preziosi’s merry-go-round of player activity always makes them unpredictable while Torino could find life very difficult if Ciro Immobile’s sale is coupled with the sale of Alessio Cerci in the final days of the transfer window.
OS: Empoli, Cesena and Sassuolo. In the case of Empoli and Cesena, it is difficult to put forth any valid defense on how either of the two newly promoted sides will have the resources and quality to remain in Serie A. As for Sassuolo, they were one of last season’s surprise packages and so one would think that lighting simply can’t strike twice. With few knowing about them, the rest of Serie A will be far readier to quell the Neroverdi’s giant-killing efforts.
EM: Chievo look in all sorts of bother this season, not having progressed very far after last year’s awful campaign. Already eliminated from the Coppa Italia by Pescara, this could be a very long season for the fans of the Flying Donkeys. Empoli and Cesena may also struggle to keep their Serie A status, having just been promoted.
AA: Cesena, Empoli, and Cagliari. The former two haven’t reinforced their squad, and possess little experience in Serie A. Cesena’s squad is almost unrecognisable from the squad that played in the top flight two seasons ago, while the Azzurri’s last appearance in Serie A was in 2008. On the other hand, Cagliari under Zdenek Zeman will switch to very attack-minded football. However, the Rossoblu’s defence let in 53 goals last season, and in 2014/2015 they have to defend without star centre-back Davide Astori who was sold to Roma. Might be too much for the Sardinians.
Forza Italian Football’s Predicted Serie A 2014/15 Table
| 1 | Roma |
| 2 | Juventus |
| 3 | Inter |
| 4 | Fiorentina |
| 5 | Napoli |
| 6 | AC Milan |
| 7 | Lazio |
| 8 | Parma |
| 9 | Udinese |
| 10 | Atalanta |
| 11 | Torino |
| 12 | Hellas Verona |
| 13 | Sampdoria |
| 14 | Cagliari |
| 15 | Genoa |
| 16 | Chievo |
| 17 | Sassuolo |
| 18 | Palermo |
| 19 | Empoli |
| 20 | Cesena |
