Sampdoria’s gutsy season agonisingly petered out in the final two months of the campaign, but the Blucerchiati can be pleased of the impression made on the Serie A table.
Despite a finish within the European spots not looking too unrealistic at some points, Sampdoria finished up in seventh, which is still a marked improvement on last season’s standing.
La Samp were let down by the joint poorest goalscoring record in the top half of the table, notching just 48 goals from all 38 fixtures of the Serie A season.
Top goalscorer Eder didn’t manage to reach double figures for il Doria, while no other player managed to score more than four goals across the league campaign.
It was a season of mixed emotions, from confidence-boosting scalps to a big-name flop and an end of season declination, but Sampdoria’s passionate fanbase can continue to be typically hopeful of their team’s chances of success next season.
Sampdoria’s season started with an impressive eight game unbeaten streak, in which they showed admirable defensive discipline as they conceded just four goals. A 1-0 loss to Inter served as a mere blip as Sinisa Mihajlovic’s side followed the loss up with a return to form, clinching a further seven games without the agony of defeat.
So far, so good for Sampdoria, as they entered the new year looking like one of the league’s toughest sides to claim all three points from.
A disappointing January and February rocked the players, with a crushing 5-1 defeat against Torino washing away the memories of the defensive genius deployed in the months beforehand.
The month of March was sensational for supporters of the Genoese side as they won four from four, with consecutive victories against Roma and Inter being particularly joyous, placing them in a favourable looking position sandwiched between European qualification spots.
Cue an end-of-season collapse, then, as one win in nine rendered the final fixture against Parma a dead rubber.
On the cup side of things, Sampdoria saw their march halted at the round of 16 against Inter, which served as a disappointment to ambitious president Massimo Ferrero.
Player of the Season
Admittedly, not many players have a particularly loud shout for player of the season, owing to inconsistency and unconvincing performances.
However, the pick of the lot would be Eder, who is ahead in only a slender way to Roberto Soriano, Pedro Obiang, and Alfred Duncan.
The Brazilian-born star has never really been a revolutionary goalscorer for Sampdoria, and indeed his overall record for the club makes for unremarkable reading, but his exploits this year have seen him earn two caps for the Italian national team, where he has one goal to his name.
Eder’s attitude and work-rate is second to none and has seen him lead by example at times, two enviable characteristics which have seen him become a very valuable asset to Samp.
Goal of the Season
There were only a few notable strikes to choose from, but Stefano Okaka’s powerful solo run and finish against Torino will claim this year’s accolade.
Holding up the ball and wriggling free from two challenges, the Italian steamed forward menacingly and swept a shot into the far bottom corner, despite the best efforts of Torino’s Emiliano Moretti to try and swap shirts 10 minutes before the final whistle.
It was a moment of brilliance from the striker which was unfortunately all too rare, as he will surely be hoping for a more productive campaign next time around.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Kfv21M6NVA[/youtube]
Best and Worst Signings
Sampdoria didn’t rest on their laurels when it came to investing in the squad this season, adding 13 new players to the existing pool permanently.
However, the best of the bunch was only on loan, coming in the shape of AC Milan man Alessio Romagnoli. A coup at a relatively low wage, the youngster was one of Sampdoria’s most played defenders, featuring in a terrific 30 Serie A matches.
The Italian was key in Sampdoria’s watertight start to the season, and continued to be one of the standout players even when their form took a hit. An astute signing from Sinisa Mihajlovic, he provided key qualities in return for minimal risk, a stroke of transfer genius.
Although Samuel Eto’o is reportedly banking a modest fee of €35,000 a week, in comparison to the hundreds of thousands he has earned elsewhere, he still ranks as Sampdoria’s most disappointing signing this season.
The former Barcelona and Chelsea hitman only managed to fire home two goals since his January move, failing to provide a crucial goalscoring injection for the Serie A side at a time where they needed it most. The retired Cameroon international only added to Sampdoria’s group of misfiring strikers, rather than being a solution.
The Coach
Sinisa Mihajlovic has been headhunted by Napoli, and for very good reason. In his second season with the Sampdoria, the 46-year-old marched his side into the upper reaches of the Serie A table, and a seventh placed finish still represents a brilliant achievement for the Serbian.
Carefully managing the needs of an outgoing president and fiercely passionate fans, Mihajlovic has appeared to satisfy everyone, a rare feat which may be an anomaly outside of Juventus and Lazio.
Combine astute transfer deals and long unbeaten runs, and Mihajlovic has provided Sampdoria with a healthy present and a future which is just as promising, even as he vacates his role in search of a new challenge.
