Fiorentina

Vincenzo Montella has transformed Fiorentina into a force worth more praise than it's getting.

Huge transfer activity over the summer saw the old guard—who still appeared to be reminiscing about the Cesare Prandelli days—ushered away from the Artemio Franchi and replaced by fresh, hungry recruits.

These new players, in addition to an effective system change, have seen the Viola string together five wins in a row to sit third in Serie A.

What has Montella done to make such rapid progress? Let's analyze his three-man defensive system.

Moving forward

Montella represents the new breed of young, innovative head coaches.

The 38-year-old Italian has just a single season of experience under his belt—a very successful one with Catania—and has contributed toward the three-man defence's Serie A siege.

The defensive line he has set up at Fiorentina is as close to perfect as it gets. It's been tested by Juventus, AC Milan and Lazio this season, and it stands up despite the lack of star names.

Facundo Roncaglia, Stefan Savic and Gonzalo Rodriguez are all new recruits from Boca Juniors, Manchester City and Villarreal, respectively.

Above, they can be seen spreading to cover the width of the field on attack. This gives the wing-backs encouragement to move forward and hug the touchline, while not having to worry about leaving gaping holes in the channels.

Juan Cuadrado, playing right-wing-back, is able to push forward and commit two Atalanta players. This allows Rodriguez to step forward with the ball from centre-back and look for a pass without being chased down immediately.

In a three-man defence, the centre-backs are always encouraged to move forward, carry the ball and exert an attacking influence. What's not always mentioned is the fact that this is possible purely because of a wing-back's positioning.

On the reverse

While a three-man defence stays wide and stretches the pitch on the attack, going the other way is a completely different story.

The 3-5-2 concept changes from manager to manager, but under Montella, Juan Cuadrado and Manuel Pasqual tuck in deep to make it a five when their team is under pressure.

Here, we see a narrow set of three centre-backs who've just retained the ball deep in their own half, and Cuadrado is already turning on the burners in the top left of the image.

The presence of three at the back gives the Viola solidity whilst counterattacking, as well as genuine direct threats in the wide areas.

Is there a downside?

There is a slight issue with this system, but it's not experienced by this Fiorentina side.

It get can pretty lonely up front when you've got five to seven players committed to defending a phase of play. It also means that, should you receive the ball quickly from your defence, you're completely outnumbered.

This is where the 3-5-2 separates the men from the boys; if you can't hold the ball up front, your This is where where we saw Edin Dzeko fail against Real Madrid midweek.

Here, we see the isolation issues.

Luckily, the Viola have the mercurial Stevan Jovetic, tricky Adem Ljajic and dependable Luca Toni. They've all proven proficient at holding onto the ball under pressure, and Montella is using his peripherals expertly up front.

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Fiorentina have set their asking price for Stevan Jovetic, according to Sky Sports, as his name continues to crop up around Europe.

Most recently it has been Arsenal who have been linked with a move, but Premier League rivals Chelsea are also thought to be interested.

Serie A champions Juventus would also be keen to keep the highly rated Montenegrin in Italy.

Daniele Prade, the Viola’s sporting director, said:

Since the start of the season we have said that we are not selling Jovetic. There is, however, an agreement with the player that (should we get an offer) above a certain figure, we will sit down and evaluate the offer. So far we have not received an offer for the player. He is a top player and we will only consider offers above 30million Euros. He has the potential to become a player like Francesco Totti.

Comeback

Highly sought after around Europe before his move to Italy, the 22-year-old had to prove himself all over again after a ruptured cruciate ligament sidelined him for the 2010-11 season.

He has far from disappointed since returning, though, and has continued to catch the eye of Europe’s elite.

His flair, technique, dribbling and finishing ability are regularly praised.

Whilst typically being considered a striker in the No. 10 mould, it his versatility which would allow him to be deployed in a number of roles.

Way back in 2009, then-Montenegro boss Dejan Savicevic did nothing to ease the pressure on Jovetic by saying:

"He is utterly fearless and I don't see a limit to his potential. Is he the new Savicevic? No, he can be even better. He reminds me of Johan Cruyff."

Meanwhile, according to Eurosport, the Italians have distanced themselves from Marouane Chamakh.

Prade dismissing the deal due to the players wages:

"Have we made an offer for Chamakh? We have not made one because he earns three million Euros (per season)."

The football (and sports) world recoiled in horror when Delio Rossi physically attacked forward Adem Ljajic after the two were involved in an argument. In order to justify the abrupt termination of Rossi as manager, a review of what transpired is at hand (via USA Today).

What Happened?

During the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and Novena, Rossi replaced Ljajic with another player. Ljajic (apparently) made a sarcastic comment that was not to Rossi's liking.

Rossi responded by physically assaulting Ljajic while the two were in the Fiorentina dugout. Immediately after the match, ACF Fiorentina president Andrea Della Valle fired Rossi and replaced him with Vincenzo Guerini.

Vincenzo Guerini will serve as interim manager until the end of the season.

Reflection

Della Valle did the right thing in sacking Rossi as manager even though the latter was provoked. Rossi could have simply ignored the taunt or denounced Ljajic.

The football (and sports) world has zero tolerance for violence from spectators, managers and players. The rules that exist concerning violence in football are written and are enforced.

FIFA and UEFA have rules concerning violence and misconduct which defend the integrity of football. Della Valle defended the dignity of football with his actions which includes disciplinary action against Ljajic.

The lesson to be learned from the article about Rossi is that we should stand up and say no to violence in football. It is hoped that Rossi learned his lesson although it is too late.

Fiorentina manager Delio Rossi was fired on Wednesday after he punched one of his players, Adem Ljijac, multiple times after he came off the pitch when substituted during the club's 2-2 draw to Novara, according to USA Today.

UPDATE: Thursday, May 3 at 10:45 a.m. ET

Rossi has been suspended three months by the IFA for his actions during Wednesday's match versus Novara.

Per Goal.com:

"The sporting judge, having received from the Federal Attorney a report citing article 35, 1.3, CGS in relation to the conduct of coach Delio Rossi in the 31st minute of the first half, acquired and examined television images, and all of the notifications and technical documents notes the following:

"The coach replaced the number 22 Viola player, who, having left the field of play, sat on the bench, apparently not accepting the decision, aimed ironic and provocative applause at the coach, presumably accompanied by some equally unappreciated words.

While Rossi was certainly wrong for hitting Ljijac, there was no reason for the young player to clap sarcastically at his manager. That is incredibly disrespectful and not a good way to make a name for yourself in Serie A.

The report continued:

"Rossi suddenly jumped on the player, grabbing his left arm and hitting him repeatedly with his right arm to the face, until some employees removed him from Ljajic with difficulty.

"These images show conduct so thoughtless, violent and unpredictable, the seriousness of which cannot be mitigated by the emotional tension that a match generates.

"For these reasons, the coach Delio Rossi has been sanctioned with a three-month ban."

After reading this report, and seeing the video of the incident, it comes as no surprise that Rossi has been suspended. Attacking a player like he did has no place in football, and there was no reason to deal with a player in that kind of manner.

Rossi is a good manager, and will likely lead a club in the near future, but this incident will stay with him forever.

Ljijac didn't like that Rossi was taking him off the pitch after just 30 minutes of play, and then proceeded to clap in a sarcastic manner in the bench area.

Rossi was not pleased by this gesture, and went over to Ljijac and hit him multiple times.

Here is the video of the incident.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm_UPqY_pVM

The player was certainly disrespectful, but there's no need for a manager to ever attack a player like that, especially during an actual match.

Fiorentina are trying to survive relegation and ensure Serie A football next season, and don't need any unneeded distractions holding them down.

Fiorentina  president Andre Della Valle spoke about the decision to fire Rossi after the match

Per AFP:

"I spoke with Delio Rossi and he's prepared to apologize, but this was a choice that had to be made," Della Valle said on Italy's Sky TV. "It's a choice I should never have had to make, but there is no justification for Delio Rossi's actions. The firing is for his well being. He's a great person."

Vincenzo Guerini will take over as manager for the rest of the season, according to Soccernet.

"Fiorentina announces that Vincenzo Guerini will guide the team in the final two games of the campaign. The club wishes to thank coach Delio Rossi and his staff for the work done in these months.

"Fiorentina also announces that it has opened a disciplinary case against the player, Adem Ljajic."

One of the tasks Della Valle has in the summer is to find a stable manager who will get Fiorentina back among the elite of Italian football, because there's no excuse for a club with this much talent to be fighting off relegation.

Fiorentina are currently in 15ht place in the Seria A table with 42 points, and are six points above Lecce, who are in the first relegation spot. 

After finishing fourth in Serie A and earning a spot in the Champions League during the 2008-09 season, the club hasn't finished better than 9th place since.

Their next match is Saturday versus Lecce.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XgIrRnpiw4

Here's one sure way to lose your coaching job:

Attack one of your own players.

Fiorentina manager former manager Delio Rossi was involved in a physical confrontation with midfielder Adem Ljajic on Wednesday. On Thursday, Rossi was fired.

From ESPN Soccernet:

Fiorentina president Andrea Della Valle told Sky Sports in Italy, in quotes reported on the club's official website: "At the end of the match I saw pictures of what happened on the bench when Ljajic was substituted.

"I made the decision to sack the coach for an act that was very serious. Tomorrow morning we'll talk calmly.

"I'm sorry for the coach who is a good person and does not deserve it, but tonight he committed a serious act."

Serious, indeed. Watch the video above to get a good look at the situation.

Ljajic, in fairness, was acting a bit bratty on his way off the pitch. But he's 20, and anyway, that's no reason to attack him.

According to multiple reports, Fiorentina will discipline Ljajic.

For what it's worth, Ljajic had been linked with a move away from Fiorentina, with Arsenal and Manchester United reportedly interested at some point.

The incident sparked outrage in Italy, with former national team manager Arrigo Sacchi denouncing the "excess" of modern football. From the Associated Press:

“It was a deplorable act, but it’s the consequence of the environment,” former Italy coach Arrigo Sacchi told Tgcom24. “The football system lives on excess and when everything is excessive reactions become that way, too.

“We’re living in complete abnormality and we don’t even realize it,” Sacchi added. “Football here is social survival and you’ve got to win at any cost, even with cunningness and deception. And if you live in a powderbox, eventually it explodes.”

Just for good measure, Serie A banned Rossi for three months. Vincenzo Guerini will manage the team for their final two matches this season.

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Perhaps as early as next month we will have a more clear understanding of where star Fiorentina midfielder Riccardo Montolivo will be playing next season.

Then again, Montolivo may not even have to wait until next season as the Tuscan side may elect to get whatever it can in return before his contract runs out in the summer, after which he can leave for nothing.

Montolivo, who will be 27 in January, is most likely headed to AC Milan. He grew in the Lombardy region of Italy and it certainly would make sense for him to go back to his home region.

Another possible destination is Juventus, which is looking for more star power, even though it figures to be more of a seller than a buyer in January.

Lastly, Bayern Munich is a side that could get into the mix. In the past, Fiorentina has stated it would sell Montolivo to another Italian club.

Montolivo has German citizenship through his mother, who was born there. He also speaks German as a result.

Given that AC Milan and Juventus are the most likely destinations, it is easy to see how he could fit in with either squad.

But ultimately he appears to be the better fit for AC Milan.

Juventus would have more options to offer if it wanted to make a trade for Montolivo.

One player it would likely offer is former Fiorentina midfielder Michele Pazienza, who is a solid, but not spectacular backup center midfielder.

Perhaps the Bianconeri could even insert veteran forward Luca Toni in to make the deal sweeter. Toni, like Pazienza, would be making a return to Florence. He would give Fiorentina someone to backup Alberto Gilardino.

If Montolivo ended up with Juventus, he would likely play in a 4-2-3-1 system, in which he could be the center man in the group of three, that would include Mirko Vucinic on the left and a handful of candidates for the right side. Alessandro Matri is the starting center forward and Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio are clearly the two defensive midfielders in this setup.

But this doesn’t appear to be the best choice because in the summer, chances are Juventus will be bringing back Sebastian Giovinco after two seasons on loan at Parma.

Giovinco has shown that he now deserves a starting spot. This would make things more complicated.

If Montolivo goes to AC Milan, he will fit in better. Although Kevin Prince Boateng has shown flashes of being a star, Montolivo is clearly an upgrade in the attacking midfield position. Montolivo also has characteristics similar to veteran Clarence Seedorf, who is still going strong at 35, but ultimately must be replaced.

Montolivo has been playing in front of the defense with Fiorentina, which is what Pirlo once did for the Rossoneri.

That job now has been done by committee with Mark Van Bommel, Seedorf, Alberto Aquilani and Massimo Ambrosini playing in that role.  Van Bommel, Seedorf and Ambrosini are all well into their mid 30s and none are guaranteed to remain beyond this season.

Because there are many players over 30, the Rossoneri do not have as much to offer in terms of a trade.

Certainly currently injured midfielder Mathieu Flamini, who will also be a free agent in the summer, is someone AC Milan would be willing to part with. He would give Fiorentina a solid midfielder, even if he is not as talented as Montolivo.

Flamini does bring a huge contract with him, which could be a stumbling block. Perhaps AC Milan can agree to continue to make that payment to the French player who has an Italian father.

If Montolivo comes on board, look for an exciting AC Milan to get even stronger.

Fiorentina is generally considered one of the top sides in the Italian Serie A. Most would consider it the fifth strongest club after the top four of AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus and AS Roma.

But as it stands right now, things are not looking very good in the transfer window for the Tuscan side. Fiorentina has lost a number of players, particularly in the midfield.

Thus, this is a position of dire need.

The club has lost midfielders Mario Santana and Marco Donadel in free agency to Napoli. Defender Gianluca Comotto signed as a free agent with Cesena.

Fiorentina also lost a blind auction with Udinese over playmaking midfielder Gaetano D’Agostino and is now left with just one center midfielder in Riccardo Montolivo, who might also be on his way out.

Montolivo has one year left on his current contract and attempts to get him to sign an extension have failed, leaving the club to think it might be better off selling him now rather than letting him walk for free next summer.

It has been suggested for quite some time that a deal sending Montolivo to AC Milan for Antonio Cassano might work.

Cassano would fill the void left by the departed Adrian Mutu and join Alberto Gilardino in the attack.

If the roster stands as is, Fiorentina might have to move some of its wing midfielders inside. Veteran Marco Marchionni and Swiss international Valon Behrami occupy playing time on the right side and Alessio Cerci and Peruvian Juan Manuel Vargas has played on the left side. Young and talented Adem Ljajic is purely an attacking midfielder and does not fit the bill as a center midfielder.

Not to be forgotten, Cerci has also been listed as a player that could be headed for the exits. The Roman-born player says he and his girlfriend have been treated poorly by the Fiorentina fans and has vowed to never celebrate a goal with the club’s fan base.

Fiorentina needs to get its act together and start looking at center midfielders that they can rely on.

Napoli’s Walter Gargano could be on the trading block now that three players have arrived in his position, with Udinese’s Gokhan Inler being the latest.

Or perhaps Fiorentina can approach bitter rival Juventus, as it has a clutter of players.

Sergio Almiron, who spent last season with Bari, might be another option.  Portuguese midfielder Tiago, who spent last season on loan with Atletico Madrid and has returned to Juventus, is another option.

Midfielder Alberto Aquilani, whose option was not picked up by Juventus after it signed Andrea Pirlo on a free transfer this summer, is back with Liverpool for now.

Some talks have suggested Aquilani could join Fiorentina. But it appears that Fiorentina is unwilling to pay the high price tag that comes with Aquilani.

There is still time to fix the problem. But right now Fiorentina looks very thin in the middle of the pitch. If things don’t change, fans can’t expect to see too much of the Tuscan sun at Artemio Franchi Stadium this season.

To err is human, to forgive divine. But even the good Lord must be running out of patience with Adrian Mutu. Sunday night in Sicily will surely be the beginning of the Fiorentina striker's final chance at salvaging his sporting reputation.

For anyone who has missed the story so far, it bears repeating. After capturing the eye with Dynamo Bucharest and being snapped up by Inter Milan, the Romanian established his Serie A reputation with moves to Verona and Parma. His time in Emilia Romagna under Cesare Prandelli caught the eye of the English Premier League. It was there that it all went wrong.

A move to big spending Chelsea in 2003 was followed a year later by a drug test finding him positive for cocaine. A ban ensued and his employers then decided to pursue him for compensation. A lengthy legal battle eventually resulted in the Blues being awarded £14 million in damages this summer. Mutu had not been quiet in the meantime.

He moved for a short spell at Juventus before rejoining Prandelli at Fiorentina where he started to rebuild his career. Goals in Serie A and the Champions League started to mark him out as one of the most influential players in the division. His work as an assist-man was second to none.

Everything looked to be back on track until January this year and another drug test. It flagged up the presence of sibutramine - a dieting drug on the list of banned substances. He was thrown out of football once more and, just to kick him when he was down, confirmation arrived of the payment he owed Chelsea.

Little wonder, perhaps, that Fiorentina looked to move him in the summer. Equally unsurprising was the fact that few people seemed keen to hire him. However, he made all the right noises about getting his head down and concentrating on being ready to play once his ban was lifted on 29 October. Maybe he had learned his lesson after all.

That possibility came crashing down just days before he was due to be cleared to play again. He was embroiled in a restaurant fracas which resulted in a waiter getting a broken nose. Once again, Mutu was forced to put his penitent's cap on and seek the forgiveness of his colleagues. They could have been forgiven for finding such requests a little tiresome by now.

And yet Fiorentina can ill afford to do without his services. He seems certain to feature at some point during their Sunday night game away to Catania. If he returns to be anything like the player he once was he will be a valuable addition to the Viola cause.

Question marks must remain about how focused he can possibly be on his football. The financial cloud is still hanging over him and he has now twice been banned over drug usage. Even a man in possession of the most sublime inner calm would probably be in a bit of turmoil.

Does he even deserve to get this third chance in the game? Plenty of people wanted to see him given a career-ending ban after his last offence. They argued it would send out a message to players who infringed the rules of sport that such breaches might be tolerated once but they would not be acceptable on a second occasion.

However, the nature of the offence meant it was not dealt with so sternly and Mutu will be free to return to Serie A action this weekend. If you can look beyond his off the field problems, it is definitely a boost to Fiorentina and possibly even the whole league in general. He is a class performer and his club, and the wider division, needs all of those it can get.

This has to be his last chance to clean up his tarnished image around the world. For many football followers that reputation may already be damaged beyond repair. Nothing he can say or do will change their minds.

The more pragmatic may be willing to reserve judgment. At 31 he may have three or four more years to try to turn the tide and leave the game with a more positive image of his playing days. If he could take Fiorentina back to the top end of the table and return them to the Champions League it might give this turbulent tale a happy ending. Or will the self-destruct button prove just too tempting once again?

When you follow Fiorentina, you are used to losing games. Over the years, Viola fans have had to make an art form out of taking consolation in defeat or finding excuses. This season, however, even that is proving hard to manage.

Three Serie A games without a win is not their worst run in history. Indeed, it was not so long ago they were not even in the top division at all. Nonetheless, for anyone who holds the Tuscan side dear, there are some signs for serious concern coming out of the Stadio Artemio Franchi.

It is not the defeats themselves that have hurt so much as the manner in which they have been suffered. It used to be that there was enough spirit, passion and panache in their play that the final result seemed almost unimportant. Such was the sparkle in their performance that to triumph was simply a pleasant by-product.

That is not the case any more.

It was always going to be hard for whoever took over from Cesare Prandelli. In his years in charge he built a side, which was a top-four contender in Italy and a sometimes-thrilling performer in Europe. But he was more than just a coach.

To understand what the new Italy boss meant to Fiorentina you have to fully comprehend the club and its followers. The fans are an outspoken, contrary and generally hardheaded bunch. But once you win them over, you stay in their hearts forever.

Giancarlo Antognoni, Roby Baggio, Manuel Rui Costa, and Gabriel Batistuta have all been revered in the Renaissance City. There was a similar love for their recently departed boss. Everyone seemed happy to be "Spectators at the Prandelli Show" as one banner often declared.

Now the club must search again for its very soul.

It is no use hoping for another coach to emulate the old one, it will simply never happen. Instead, Sinisa Mihajlovic has adopted an almost polar opposite approach. He has been critical, controversial, and occasionally confrontational. The trouble is that, so far, it has not worked.

Maybe too many of the players miss Prandelli. Certainly this was "his" team, moulded in his image. Even Mihajlovic has admitted he is playing with the old coach's tactics due to the personnel at his disposal. It sometimes looks like a team going through the motions.

Like the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz, they appear to have no heart.

Too many of last season's top performers have been drifting aimlessly through matches. Riccardo Montolivo looks distracted by talk of his contract, Juan Manuel Vargas is yet to hit peak condition, and Alberto Gilardino is seeing so little of the ball he may need to be given an introduction the next time it passes his way.

Marco Marchionni has lacked zest, too, and you get the feeling that last season a couple of the shots that slipped past Sebastien Frey would have stuck to his gloves. It has been that kind of year.

Among the new boys, Alessio Cerci has buzzed with industry but it looks like Gaetano D'Agostino may already have been judged a failure in the playmaker's role. While all Artur Boruc has been able to do is complain about his lack of opportunity.

Something needs to click inside this team and it needs to happen soon. A draw with Napoli was just about palatable but defeat to Lecce and losing a lead to Lazio—one only gained with a dubious penalty—were disastrous. The fans have been understandably upset.

Things don't get any easier for the Viola as they are scheduled to face two sides within their reach in the league in the next few days. Away trips to Genoa are not the kind of match anybody relishes while a home clash with Parma is also a potential banana skin.

This was supposed to be the time for gathering points before the Viola meet Roma, Milan, Juventus, and Inter in quick succession in a seven-match spell in November and December.

The usual sounds have been emanating from the Fiorentina ownership about Mihajlovic being safe in his post with no plans to replace him. They have shown patience in the past and have vowed to do so again. But it is hard to think that further poor results might not force their hand.

Now is the time for the key players to get over Prandelli's departure and get on with the job of winning games. The new era was never going to be easy but nobody expected it to be quite this hard. The room for excuses is already fastly disappearing.