Zdenek Zeman returns to Pescara with great panache

Date: 22nd February 2017 at 5:53pm
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In a time of struggle the Delfini have brought back the Czech-Italian maestro as coach and the beautiful game is back in Abruzzo in remarkable style.

Crisis does not quite sum up the situation at Pescara prior to the return of former tactician Zdenek Zeman last Friday.

Under the coaching of Massimo Oddo, the Delfini had only won one Serie A match in the 2016-17 and that was only because Sassuolo fielded an ineligible player in round two. Although they played with an attacking intent, the Abruzzese side struggled to score goals and the defence was leaky to say the least.

Pescara president Daniele Sebastiani was not having an easy time. He had two cars set on fire, and after failing to accept Oddo’s resignation after the 5-3 defeat to Torino, he gave the 40-year-old the dreaded vote of confidence before proceeding to sack him. After 24 league matches, the Delfini were sitting firmly on the bottom of the Serie A table just nine points.

The shambolic circumstances prompted Sebastiani to turn to Zeman, who coached Pescara in Serie B back in 2011-12, when they won promotion to Serie A and the likes of Ciro Immobile, Marco Verratti, and Lorenzo Insigne had breakthrough campaigns.

The Delfini faced fellow strugglers Genoa on Sunday afternoon and although the Rossoblu were not the greatest opposition on paper, hardly anybody could have predicted that Pescara out of all teams would beat them so comprehensively. So shocking was the result, the Grifone sacked Coach Ivan Juric immediately and replaced him with Andrea Mandorlini.

Zeman stuck with his trademark 4-3-3 formation despite only joining the club two days before the match against the Grifone and “The Bohemian’s” transformation of the Abruzzo club proved to be extremely rapid as they demolished their Ligurian opponents 5-0. It was also a historical result for Pescara as they registered their greatest-ever Serie A victory.

Although the 69-year-old has created a team ready to attack opponents, this Delfini team was not as swashbuckling as the previous squads he has coached. The defensive line did not play high up the ground and the defenders were able to get their positioning right as well as make the right interventions.

True to a Zeman team though was Pescara’s ability to combine well by making vertical and diagonal passes and playing at speed while individual players have been rejuvenated under the tutelage of the coaching veteran in an instant.

As Oddo persisted with the constantly failing “false nine” experiment, January arrival Alberto Cerri was playing sparing but the change in coach meant that he had a new opportunity to prove himself.

The 20-year-old centre-forward rewarded Zeman with a complete performance. His cross-shot was bundled over the line by Lucas Orban and he finished off the scoring by turning-in Francesco Zampano’s low cross from the right-wing. Aside from his goals, he was able to drop back into midfield, hold the ball up, and also make a flick or two with the ball.

Gianluca Caprari was the “false nine” under Oddo but Zeman used him on the left-wing and grabbed a brace while attacking midfielder Ahmad Benali was moved to the right-wing and he scored the third goal of the game.

Journeyman midfielder Alessandro Bruno starred in the holding midfielder role while Ledian Memushaj and Valerio Verre were superb in their ball distribution and provided the links between midfield and attack. Memushaj in particular was outstanding by assisting in two of the goals on Sunday.

In short space of time Zeman has already worked wonders but the upcoming fixtures will be an indication of whether this is just a honeymoon period or if this run can be sustained. With 13 matches remaining in the season and being 10 points from safety, the Biancazzurri will have a mammoth task in trying to achieve Serie A survival.

“You can be last in the table, but with dignity,” Zeman said at full-time on Sunday. “Enjoying yourself is important, too.”

Even if Pescara are inevitably relegated to Serie B, the Delfini will at least try to entertain. One thing is for certain, and that is they will be worth watching from now until the season’s end.

 

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