With expectations low coming into the first weekend of Serie A action, Genoa got a much needed confidence boast to kick of the season.
Perhaps not as surprising as some results over the weekend, the Grifone handled Cagliari with relative ease and should have won by more than the 2-0 scoreline.
After giving up the most goals in 2011-12 and only keeping four clean sheets, the club have started off on the right foot. However, more exciting than holding Cagliari to only four shots on goal was Genoa’s ability to put the ball in the back of the net; also with just four shots on target.
Immobile notched 28-goals in 37 matches for Pescara in 2011-12 and looks to be capable of making the step-up from Serie B. The Italian striker was lively throughout the game and had a few chances before he finally opened his account five minutes from time.
Immobile showed excellent pace and skill against Cagliari’s backline cutting in between two defenders before blasting a left-footed half-volley into the goal. His performance should give him confidence going into the club’s upcoming matches as it only gets more difficult in the coming weeks with fixtures against Juventus and Lazio.
Just as questions surrounded the club’s defence, many wondered what Genoa’s attack would look like following the off-season departure of leading scorer Rodrigo Palacio. Those questions were quieted by the performances of several key attacking players, with the most notable being the returning Alexander Merkel and new signing Ciro Immobile.
The club were without the highly paid Alberto Gilardino who was suspended for the match. Gilardino’s Genoa career has stopped and started since joining the club from Fiorentina last January, but he will most likely play beside or even replace Immobile when he returns. Though De Canio has shown in the past he is not afraid to sit Gilardino on the bench. A place he deserves to be after the club’s recent result.
With Immobile and Merkel, Genoa have two excellent youngsters leading the attack. With the addition of Cristobal Jorquera, who played well against Cagliari despite missing a first half penalty and carrying a knock prior to kick-off, the club have an exciting squad that may surprise a few in the coming weeks. Though the same thing was believe a year ago as the Grifone got off to a red-hot start before cooling down and sinking to 17th .
Genoa maybe better off giving the youngsters a chance- though a lot has been invested in the aging Gilardino- before the likes of Immobile and Merkel are sold. Which will most likely be next summer.
Manager Luigi De Canio not only trusted his youngsters over the weekend, but he trusted players that were in and out of favour a year ago. Players that previous managers had little faith in after throwing them into the frying pan.
Along with Jorquera, fellow Chilean Felipe Seymour received a starting spot in the heart of the midfield. Seymour was sent to Catania last January on loan where he played well following an indifferent start to life in Serie A under then-Genoa manager Alberto Malesani. Seymour put in a solid shift before new signing Daniel Tozser made his club debut.
Genoa’s best off-season acquisition, if it can be called one, was to hang on to a core of players that could bring unity to the side. Of the 11 players that started the club’s opener against Cagliari, nine started the season with the club in 2011-12. Perhaps president Enrico Preziosi has realised all the chopping and changing has been a detriment to the club.
This year’s goal is still consolidation. As De Canio recently stated the team “want to make up for last year and do better.” Also adding, “[I] don’t want to talk about unrealistic objectives.”
And it’s unrealistic objectives that have inspired so much chaos at the Marassi during Preziosi’s reign. Hopefully, this season the man that’s truly in charge – Preziosi – will have no goals. That maybe the only way Genoa are to fulfill any potential.
Follow Genoa club correspondent Drew Farmer on twitter @calciofarmer.
