View from the Opposition: Empoli

Empoli-based La Nazione journalist Tommaso Carmignani, who is also the voice of the Tuscan club’s official Radio Lady station, explains all about Empoli’s impressive season so far and reveals which Roma player he’s most wary of ahead of Saturday evening’s clash at the Stadio Castellani…

Twenty-six games into the Serie A campaign, what have you made of Empoli’s season so far?

“It’s definitely been an extraordinary season so far. At the beginning of the year, nobody expected Empoli to be able to repeat their positive 2014-15 season, yet Marco Giampaolo’s side have done even better. Right now, Empoli have five points more than they did this time last year, at a time when Maurizio Sarri’s side were lighting up Serie A with the quality of their play and the results they were generating. Aside from a slight drop-off over the last seven games, during which time they’ve drawn four and lost three, Empoli have 34 points from 26 games overall. It’s certainly not a total to be sniffed at – they deserve what they have. Giampaolo has done a fantastic job so far – the coach has been able to instil greater defensive conviction into the team whilst getting the best out of the players at his disposal. That goes both for the players that were already at the club under Sarri, such as Piotr Sebastian Zielinski, Riccardo Saponara and Manuel Pucciarelli as well as for the two new recruits from none other than Roma: Lukasz Skorupski and Leandro Paredes.”

How have the summer signings fared?

“Generally speaking all of the summer signings have done very well. The club did well to select the right replacements for the players that really contributed to last season’s success and that left the club over the summer. Both Elseid Hysaj and Mirko Valdifiori followed Sarri to Napoli, while Matias Vecino joined Fiorentina. In terms of the new arrivals there’s no better place to start than the two brought in from Roma. Skorupski makes key saves in every game and is a definite starter by now, while Paredes – who Giampaolo has deployed in the deep-lying midfield role – has really impressed. I think he’s destined to return to Roma and go on to have a top-level career at one of the biggest clubs in Europe. Andrea Costa joined from Parma in July, producing some great performances and surprising everyone with the way he’s quickly adapted to Giampaolo’s way of defending. Midfielder Marcel Buchel has put in a good shift after being drafted into replace long-term injury absentee Daniele Croce. Buchel’s also scored two goals, one of which came at the Stadio Olimpico in the away match against Roma.”

Who has been Empoli’s most consistent player so far?

“Massimo Maccarone is having a great season and he’s already scored 11 goals, which is more than the ten he managed in the whole of the 2014-15 season. Let’s not forget he’s going to be 37 in September. He’s a legend to all Empoli fans and a great role model for his team-mates, both on and off the field. He’s much more than just a captain – he’s the heart and soul of this Empoli side.”

What has been Empoli’s best performance of the season and why?

“It was the 3-2 win over Bologna at the Stadio Dall’Ara, the last match of 2015. Manuel Pucciarelli opened the scoring and Maccarone added a brace. Even though on paper Bologna have a far superior squad to Empoli, Giampaolo’s side dominated the game throughout and Bologna only scored their goals as a result of defensive errors. It was a scintillating display, to the extent that lots of the Bologna staff were congratulating us in the press box after the final whistle.”

What has been the worst match and what went wrong?

“The 5-1 defeat to Napoli at the Stadio San Paolo on 31 January. Napoli were on top for the entire 90 minutes, despite Empoli taking the lead in the early stages through Paredes. After they went 1-0 up, Empoli lost their way and Napoli took complete control of the game, finding the net five times.”

Which areas of the team have been the most and least effective so far?

“The midfield has been the most impressive so far. Empoli lost two key midfielders over the summer in Valdifiori and Vecino, but they were really effectively replaced by Paredes and Zielinski and you could even say the new arrivals are doing better than their predecessors. There’s strength in depth there too – with Croce and Buchel doing well when they’ve been called into action and youngsters Raffaele Maiello and Assane Diousse looking promising too. I can’t say that any area of the team has been a disappointment, but perhaps the defence looked a bit shaky right at the start of the season and in the last few matches. That said, during Empoli’s best spell between November and December, it was one of the strongest areas of the team.”

Which side in Serie A has impressed you the most so far?

“In terms of the quality of football it has to be Napoli. Sarri has been able to implement his philosophy at a big club, something that wasn’t taken as a given when he took over. Obviously, having won 15 games on the bounce Juventus are once again showing they have a great squad and a strong mentality. I think they’re the favourites for the title.”

How do you rate Roma under Luciano Spalletti?

“The Giallorossi have one of the best squads in the league, if not the best outright. The first half of the season definitely didn’t live up to the club’s expectations, but Spalletti’s arrival can turn that around. We know Spalletti well, of course, and we really appreciate the fantastic work he did here in the past. He has the quality to succeed again at Roma and he’s already started to show that in the last few weeks. He’s really experienced, he knows the club inside out and he has the right personality to deal with the big names in the squad.”

Which Roma player should Empoli fans fear the most?

“Edin Dzeko. I think he’s one of the best strikers in the world and the last few matches have shown he’s definitely found his scoring boots again. He’s got a great nose for goal – he’s a born striker and Giampaolo’s boys will need to be all over him like a rash.”

If you could add one Roma player to Empoli’s squad, who would you pick and why?

“I’ll go with Radja Nainggolan. He’s one of the best midfielders in Serie A at the very least. If you put him in Empoli’s midfield three alongside Paredes and Zielinski, I reckon Giampaolo would have one of the best midfields in Serie A at his disposal.”

What's your score prediction for Saturday’s match?

“Obviously everything points to a Roma win, given their form coming into the game and the strength of their squad, but I think Empoli will produce a good performance. As an Empoli man I’m hoping for at least a draw – so I’ll say 1-1.”