With Serie A in its midseason break, Torino still find themselves away from the relegation zone. Forza Italian Football brings you a review of all that has happened over the first half of Torino’s difficult season.
It was always going to be an impossible task for Torino to follow up on a sensational 2013-14 season that saw them clinch European football, having lost their two most important players. Following the exits of Alessio Cerci and Ciro Immobile, this season was never going to be easy. So it has proven to be.
While progress in Europe has been excellent, a resolutely sound defensive Granata outfit overcame the qualifying rounds and a difficult group stage to set up an exciting contest against Athletic Club; but league form has been indifferent and worrying.
They currently sit just five points above 18th placed Cagliari, in 14th, with victory in their final game of the year snapping a winless run that had lasted since the end of October.
Torino have won only four games this season with two of those coming against sides below them in the table. Torino are the second worst goal-scorers in the league so things can only improve in the new year.
Transfer Hit & Flop
While Fabio Quagliarella has hardly set the heather on fire with his performances, filling the boots of the capocannoniere would always be tough but the striker, back for his second spell at the club, has done a reasonable job.
The explosive and eye-catching shooting from distance that saw him make his name at the club as a youngster has been missing but his experience and clinical nature (in comparison with other forwards in the squad) has been crucial. More is expected of him in 2015 but six goals in all competitions has been a decent return for the Granata’s investment so far.
In fairness, this is a tough category to pick from. Antonio Nocerino has been disappointment since arriving but has not played enough to truly be a contender.
Consequently midfielder Marco Benassi becomes the unfortunate beneficiary in this category. He has featured mostly in the Europa League and sporadically in Serie A but has done little to show that he merits a regular starting spot or shown why he was so highly rated in Inter’s youth sides. His slackness in the final moments of the Derby della Mole cost Torino a priceless point.
The Coach
Giampiero Ventura continues to frustrate the Torino support and his antics at the end of the derby in which he got involved in a war of words and insults with a prominent supporter have severely dented his popularity.
His media dealings are also doing him no favours as he refused to turn up to a mandatory UEFA press conference in the Europa League and initiated a silenzio stampa (refusing to speak to media) after feeling the press were treating him unfairly.
However, he remains very much Urbano Cairo’s man and bought himself a lot of time with his previous efforts over the past two seasons; so a departure seems unlikely — for the foreseeable future at least.
Best Goal — Bruno Peres v Juventus
When you wait over a decade for a derby goal, you can only hope they are all special as this glorious coast-to-coast effort from the Brazilian at the Juventus Stadium.
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