Greek midfielder Panagiotis Tachtsidis made his Serie A debut last season with Roma, making 21 appearances.
The 22-year-old was a favourite under Zdenek Zeman, usually taking Daniele De Rossi’s role in the Roma midfield. Unfortunately for Tachtsidis, he seemed to be out of his element in most matches.
The former Genoa player never played a game with his parent club as they shipped a then teenage Tachtsidis to Cesena (where he also didn’t get a single minute of action), Grosseto, and Verona. It was with Hellas that the player finally found a home and thrived.
Considering Tachtsidis only started 47 times in Italy, making the jump to the Giallorossi was destined to be a monumental task. Now the Greek international gets a fresh start with Catania.
Francesco Lodi moved to Genoa, and Tachtsidis was included in the deal, meaning he’s now co-owned by both clubs. However, despite moving to a more suitable team, Tachtsidis may find himself under some pressure yet again.
Lodi was revered in Sicily and was considered one of the most underrated midfielders in Serie A. He was quietly effective and was always a threat when standing over the ball before a free kick.
Now Tachtsidis has the duty of replacing the Italian playmaker, and while it’s not a like-for-like change, it might not be as daunting as the Greek’s Roma mission.
While Tachtsidis may not have the best pace, he possesses great strength and ball shielding, two attributes needed to be a good holding midfielder.
He’s very solid defensively, and isn’t afraid to get stuck in. Tachtsidis racked up 26 fouls with eight bookings in 2012/13, demonstrating just how feisty he is.
With Catania boasting the seventh best defence last year, that area of their game could improve with the commanding midfielder operating in front of the back line.
Since Giovanni Marchese will miss the first few games of the season due to a match fixing suspension, the Rossazzurri could use all the help they can get.
The only issue in taking over for Lodi is technique and actual playmaking ability. Tachtsidis doesn’t have either of those traits. He’s recorded just three assists in his career, and took just 22 shots last season with just one goal.
Lodi managed to score six times last season, indicating that in attack, the AEK product probably won’t produce as much.Thankfully, it wasn’t only Lodi providing key scoring chances, it was the entire Catania squad as a whole. Tachtsidis would simply add another strength in midfield to provide balance, and his youth should help invigorate the team.
The latter is what’s crucial for the Serie B journeyman. The fact that Tachtsidis is still just 22 and has height in his favour, his learning curve is a lot steeper compared to the likes of Sergio Almiron and Mariano Izco.
With Rolando Maran coaching the Greek, he could bring out some hidden attributes that spectators have yet to witness. All the more reason why this upcoming Serie A campaign is integral for Tachtsidis, his development, and potential future in Italy. If this fails, maybe he isn’t cut for the league and needs a change of scenery.
