Inside Verona: Zanetti’s Tactics, Transfer Window and Best Players

A summer of enthusiasm in Verona has been swept away by the cold reality of an unforgiving autumn. The Gialloblu deservedly earned the label of Serie A’s surprise package after trouncing Napoli 3-0 at the Bentegodi on the opening day of the campaign and winning 2-0 away against Genoa two weeks later.

Even a 3-0 defeat against Juventus seemed little more than a bump in the road for the Scaligeri, whose rope-a-dope approach proved mightily effective in the early stages of the season.

“Sometimes our tactics work, sometimes they don’t,” Paolo Zanetti said after his team’s win at Marassi.

Unfortunately for the 41-year-old, the tactics appear to have stopped working. Verona have lost six of their last seven matches, with their only win coming against Venezia, who are currently bottom of the table.

Having kept two clean sheets in the opening three games of the season, Verona have conceded 19 goals in their next six fixtures, which included an embarrassing 6-1 capitulation against Atalanta in which they allowed five goals in 34 minutes.

With 22 goals conceded the Gialloblu have the worst defensive record in Serie A and are just a point off the relegation zone following Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat away against Lecce.

Zanetti, however, remained upbeat despite a third consecutive loss and praised his players’ response after the shellacking against Atalanta.

“We’re in a fight to avoid relegation, and we know precisely what we need to do. It’s a demanding league, but we’ve been here before,” he said after the loss at Via del Mare.

“Despite the setbacks, I’m pleased with the team’s improved mentality. This is a tough situation, but I’m not giving up.”

If he is to see out his first season in Verona, his players must not give up either.

Transfers: Verona have splashed out just over €16m (£13m) on players this summer and stuck to their policy of taking a punt on raw talent, which already paid off in spectacular fashion. 

Daniel Mosquera and Casper Tengstedt – signed from Colombian side America de Cali for €700,000 and on loan from Benfica respectively – have combined for seven goals so far, while Jackson Livramento and Jackson Tchatchoua – plucked from MVV Maastricht in the Dutch second division and Belgian side Charleroi for €3m respectively – were on the scoresheet in the wins against Napoli and Genoa.

Elsewhere, midfielder Suat Serdar arrived from Hertha Berlin for €4.5m, while 18-year-old striker Mathis Lambourde joined from Rennes for €3m and attacking midfielder Ayanda Sishuba signed from fellow Ligue 1 club Lens for €2.5m.

Best performers: It is hard to look past Tengstedt and Mosquera. The attacking duo have combined for seven of Verona’s 13 goals so far, with the Danish bagging four and the Colombian scoring three.

Tchatchoua has made the right-back spot his own, while even at the tender age of 34 Darko Lazovic remains a pivotal figure for the Scaligeri.

Tactics: Zanetti began the season with a 3-4-3 formation with Tengstedt flanked by Livramento and Grigoris Kastanos, but then switched to a 3-4-2-1 with Livramento and Kastanos or Tomas Suslov and Abdou Harroui supporting the lone striker. A switch to a 4-2-3-1 to provide more cover for the back four was swiftly abandoned after two defeats in three matches and resurrected for the loss to Lecce on Tuesday.