After ten matches in Serie A, one of the surprise packages of the season come in the shape of Vincenzo Montella’s Catania, who sit pretty in eighth place having won three matches, drawn five and lost just two, including taking three points in a smash-and-grab victory over Inter.
For a team who took on the risk of an inexperienced coach in Montella for this season, it’s an impressive achievement. Despite a disappointing 4-0 defeat to Milan this weekend, they are still inside the top half of the table, and don’t look like a side at risk of being sucked into a relegation battle – such as the ones they’ve seen year in, year out, since they were last promoted to the top flight for the 2006/07 season.
They haven’t finished above 13th since then, and have been embroiled in many a relegation dogfight since. However, they’ll be hoping that the current comfort of the top half will be theirs for the remainder of the season, after a number of impressive performances.
Even more remarkable is that the team’s start to the season comes despite one of the most punishing season-opening schedules. They’ve emerged victorious against Inter and Napoli, and collected points from games against Juventus, Novara, Fiorentina and Lazio. Only Milan and Genoa have managed to beat the Rossazzurri.
Montella has generally preferred a 3-5-2 shape since taking the reigns, although Catania have often switched between the three-man defence and a 4-3-3, with winger Alejandro Gomez being their star man thus far. One of thirteen Argentinians in the Elefanti squad, Gomez has bagged one goal and created another, causing trouble for the opposition defence when cutting in from the flanks.
Gomez’s compatriot Gonzalo Bergessio is the club’s top scorer, having scored thrice this season – another player who has generally started on the wing, cutting inside onto his stronger foot – in this case, his right. Midfielder Sergio Almiron has also impressed, breaking from midfield and scoring an outstanding winner in the game against Inter. Francesco Lodi has been ever-present in the centre of the park, and has arguably been Catania’s most valuable asset with his long range passing and vision from midfield.
It’s not just going forward where they’ve impressed though. Argentinian international goalkeeper Mariano Andujar has this season made more saves than any other goalkeeper in Serie A, while the signing of Nicola Legrottaglie, who scored on his debut in a 3-3 draw with Novara, goes some way to replacing Matias Silvestre, who departed to bitter rivals Palermo over the summer.
While it’s unlikely that Catania will be able to challenge for the top six this season, it is a serious possibility that they will be able to fight for a top half place. Their highest ever top flight finish was eighth – coincidentally where they find themselves in the league as I write. With one of Italy’s brightest young coaches in Vincenzo Montella at the helm, they are in with a real chance of repeating the feat they last achieved over forty years ago.
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