Team Focus: Fiorentina And Their Abundance Of Attacking Talent

On the final day of the 2012/13 Serie A season, Fiorentina travelled to Pescara knowing that a victory over the Delfini and AC Milan failing to overcome Siena would see the Viola secure a place in the Champions League next season. In the end, their 5-1 win over the bottom placed side needn’t have mattered as a late Philippe Mexes strike ensured Milan would be plying their continental trade in Europe’s elite competition again next year.

It was tough for Fiorentina to take, especially with potential suitors for striker Stevan Jovetic circling like eagles, ready to pounce on their weakened prey. In the end, despite interest from Arsenal and Juventus, it was Manchester City who secured the signature of the Montenegro international earlier this month. Yet, regardless of losing a key asset, the Italian side have strengthened considerably this summer already to counteract the loss of the 23-year-old.

Mario Gomez, Joaquín, Massimo Ambrosini and Josip Ilicic have all arrived at the Stadio Artemio Franchi, while Juan Guillermo Cuadrado saw his loan move from Udinese turned permanent one after an impressive campaign. Factor in the long-awaited return of Giuseppe Rossi from injury and the possibility of holding onto Adem Ljajić, despite interest from the Rossoneri, and head coach Vincenzo Montella has an abundance of attacking talent available to him for the forthcoming Serie A campaign.

Such is the strength in the Fiorentina attack that many a footballing connoisseur have been pondering how the team will line up next season, with genuine fears that they may appear too top heavy against the likes of Juventus and Napoli, who finished first and second respectively. With Montella unlikely to compromise the solidity of the midfield - with Borja Valero, Alberto Aquilani and David Pizarro the trio that look set to be first choice in the middle of the park - the Italian is likely to persist with his five-man midfield, utilising two wing-backs to provide the width.

Last year, Cuadrado and Manuel Pasqual were the pairing to have done so and with the forming attaining an average WhoScored.com rating of 7.51 - only Jovetic (7.53) accrued higher for Fiorentina - and the latter Montella’s captain, it’s unlikely that the duo will be dropped in favour of any new arrivals. It’s likely that a place on the frontline will be the hotly contested position for the current incumbents and the new arrivals, although it’s expected that Gomez will be the focal point next season.

The German scored a goal every 79.7 minutes for Bayern last season, regardless of his peripheral role in the first team, needing just 27.1 touches per goal. With Fiorentina creating 72 clear-cut chances - only Juventus (87) created more in Serie A - it’s expected that the fabled ‘Mario Gomez Button’ will be pressed more than the 11 times it was last year. However, with Jovetic creating 13 of those 72 - no Viola player created more - an inventive threat will be needed to support Gomez on the frontline.

While Ljajić’s future hangs in the balance - Fiorentina are keen for him not to go the same way as Riccardo Montolivo and it’s reported that he’ll either be sold this summer or sign a new deal - in creating 7 clear-cut opportunities for the club last year, he falls behind both Ilicic and Joaquín (10) in the creative stakes. However, what stands the Serbia international in stronger stead is his goal getting and assisting ability. While the new arrivals were able to create the chances, Ljajic still accumulated 11 goals and 8 assists over the season, a better return than Ilicic (10 goals, 2 assists) and Joaquín (4 goals, 6 assists).

Yet, it could be argued that Ilicic’s goal return for Palermo would rank him higher in the pecking order than his new teammate, especially when taking into account that his former club netted just 34 Serie A goals last season - the Slovenia international directly contributed to 35.3% of their goals. That figure easily overshadows that of Ljajić, whose direct contribution for Fiorentina was 26.4% last season in a team that netted 72 goals, though that tally was vastly superior to Palermo’s. Add Joaquín into the fold, and the Spaniard either scored or assisted 18.9% of Malaga’s 53 La Liga goals last term, and for a player who operated on the flank for much of the season, it isn’t necessarily a bad return from the 32-year-old.

The acquisition of both Ilicic and Joaquín will undoubtedly swell the creative options available to Montella, while providing ample competition for a starting spot. It could even be argued that the former would make for a more than adequate replacement for Ljajić, should the midfielder sign for Milan this summer. With the creativity of the former Palermo man, it’s undeniable that a player of Gomez’s striking ability will thrive from the extended playing time he’s expected to attain with the Viola next year.

Performing as excellently as he did during the 2012/13 campaign with Palermo - the club failed to win any of the nine games Ilicic didn’t start last year, picking up just two points from a possible 27 in the process - will have ultimately impressed Montella. For a team that also scored just the 14 left footed goals in Serie A last year, the addition of a player who netted 8 with the same foot - only Erik Lamela (11) scored more - will add a further dimension to their attack and allow Fiorentina to build on their 4th placed finish. It leaves a number of supporters wondering what could have been had they been able to convince midfielder Montolivo to snub Milan last summer - the team that pipped the Gigliati to the Champions League in May.