Inside Cosenza: Alvini’s Tactics, Transfer Window and Best Players

What a difference three months make. At the end of August, Cosenza were deducted four points for “administrative irregularities” and found themselves rooted to the bottom of Serie B with the season still in its infancy.

Fast forward to the end of November and I Lupi have not only climbed up to 14th on the table, but they are one of the form teams in the division, on a six-game unbeaten run which included aways wins over Reggiana and Brescia.

It is testament to the great work done by Massimiliano Alvini that Cosenza can look at 2025 with some optimism rather than with a sense of dread. Sure, they are only two points clear of the relegation zone, but were it not for their points deduction – which the club intends to appeal – the Calabrians would be sitting in the play-off spots in seventh place, ahead of Palermo and Brescia.

The success of the last two months has been built on a clear tactical blueprint with Alvini, who replaced William Viali at the helm in July, switching from the 3-5-2 he adopted at the beginning of the season to a more compact 3-4-2-1.

It has come with some difficult choices with veteran midfielder Tommaso D’Orazio, who scored in the opening day win against Cremonese, dropped to the bench alongside centre-back Michele Camporese. The 32-year-old returned to fitness last week after a short spell on the sidelines but is now firmly behind summer signing Christian Dalle Mura in the pecking order.

Up front, the loanee duo of Tommaso Fumagalli and Simone Mazzocchi have combined for five goals so far. The lack of goals is arguably the most pressing issue for Alvini to solve, as Cosenza have scored just 14 goals so far this term, with only five teams – Frosinone and Cittadella with eight each, Carrarese with 12 and Juve Stabia and Salernitana both with 13 – scoring fewer.

Injuries to back-up strikers Luca Strizzolo and Massimo Zini mean the attacking cupboard is bare for I Lupi, which makes their defensive solidity – Alessandro Micai has already kept four clean sheets in Serie B this season – even more important.

Cosenza’s credentials will be tested when they travel to Pisa on Sunday to face the former league leaders, who will be desperate to bounce back after losing away to Carrarrese last week.

Don’t bet against Alvini’s men springing a surprise.

Transfers: Cosenza spent just under €3m (£2.5m) in the transfer window, with the lion’s share of the sum invested on making Gennaro Tutino’s loan from Parma permanent, only to then loan him out to Sampdoria.

Midfielder Christos Kourfalidis arrived from Cagliari for €250,000, while Avellino winger Mauro Ricciardi signed in a €120,000 deal and Christian Dalle Mura joined from Fiorentina for an undisclosed fee.

Elsewhere, Jose Mauri, Christian Kouan and Andrea Rizzo Pinna all arrived on free transfers to bolster Cosenza’s midfield and Tommaso Fumagalli and Simone Mazzocchi signed on loan from Como and Atalanta respectively.

Meanwhile, right winger Manuel Marras and defensive midfielder Giacomo Calo left for Reggiana and Cesena respectively for a combined €500,000.

Best performers: Tommaso Fumagalli is Cosenza’s top scorer with three goals, while fellow loanee Simone Mazzocchi and summer signing Mauro Ricciardi have two apiece.

Meanwhile, Alessandro Micai has been instrumental in Cosenza escaping the relegation zone, keeping four clean sheets in 14 appearances.

Tactics: Like the majority of his Serie B colleagues, Massimiliano Alvini tied his colours firmly to the 3-5-2 mast at the beginning of the season, with Tommaso Fumagalli and Simone Mazzocchi up-front and Christian Kouan tasked with providing creativity midfield, with Charlys and Aldo Florenzi sitting behind him.

That approach was tweaked at the end of September, when Alvini switched to a slightly more conservative 3-4-2-1, with Mazzocchi alone up-front and Kouan slotting alongside Charlys in midfield and Florenzi one of the two No10s behind the striker.