In the aftermath of the Cremonese win, Paolo Vanoli talked about how, with a good transfer window, he’d be able to shift the team to a 4-2-3-1. I found that comment a bit odd, as Vanoli’s only rarely played
a 4-2-3-1 in his career, during which he’s mostly relied on some form of 3-5-2, as you’d expect from someone who’s worked under Antonio Conte. It sounded like he thought changing to a 4-2-3-1 would automatically improve the team, even thought the 4-3-3 he’d finally instituted was starting to pay dividends.
Fast forward a couple weeks and suddenly Fiorentina has the personnel to just that. The additions of Manor Solomon and Jack Harrison provide some depth on the wing. Add in the upcoming swap with Bologna—Giovanni Fabbian for Simon Sohm—and there’s even more depth in the attacking band. Roberto Goretti (and Fabio Paratici calling in from his smoke breaks) has done a fair job of reshaping the wingerless squad that Daniele Pradè worked so hard to create.
Even with all that depth for the line of 3 behind the striker, though, the team is extraordinarily thin in midfield, particularly if the plan is a 4-2-3-1. Nicolò Fagioli’s firmly established himself as a starter but it’s still unclear who would partner him in the double pivot, even as Goretti reshuffles the options in the middle. Let’s run through the pros and cons of the options in the engine room.
Rolando Mandragora
Mandragora never impressed as part of a double pivot under Vincenzo Italiano; indeed, it was only when Raffaele Palladino gave him a freer role as part of a midfield 3 that he blossomed into a box-crashing, final-third-affecting howitzer. He’s smart out of possession but lacks the athleticism to screen the defense effectively and is probably best rounding off moves than starting them. He’s been more reserved this year as Vanoli’s relied on him to be the midfield glue guy rather than a goal threat, but he remains an important part of the team as a veteran presence.
Cher Ndour
The 21-year-old hasn’t set the world alight by any stretch, but his job in the Viola midfield has been as physically and tactically demanding as any in Serie A. He drops deep to screen the defense so Fagioli can step up to press but also has to pull wide to help Albert Guðmundsson and Robin Gosens shut down the wing. When Fiorentina has the ball, he has to make lung-busting runs over the top or get wide to stretch the play. I’ve been impressed with his intelligence but worry that keeping him deeper would minimize his energy and impact, especially since he’s still not great on the ball.
Marco Brescianini
The Atalanta loanee certainly looks the part as a strapping midfielder who can absorb and dish out physical punishment but I’m not sure he belongs in a double pivot. For one thing, both Gian Piero Gasperini and Palladino used him higher up, indicating a lack of trust in his defensive instincts. Like Ndour, his best quality is his energetic forward running, although in Brescianini’s case, he’s more of a ball-carrier than an off-ball guy. He can look clunky as a passer, too, so I’m not sure he’d be great in a deeper role. I’d be fascinated to see him as the 10 in a 4-2-3-1, though.
Giovanni Fabbian
He broke through as an all-action central midfielder, true, but he was part of a 3 with both Inter Milan’s Primavera side and in Serie B with Reggina. Ever since, he’s played almost exclusively as a 10, including for most of his appearances in Serie A. Like Brescianini, he likes to get forward, but I’m a little more optimistic about Fabbian’s chances of adapting to a deeper role. If he buys into doing the dirty work as Fagioli’s bodyguard, he might be the best option. Of course, Vanoli may see him as an alternative to Guðmundsson as the 10 in a 4-2-3-1, which muddies the waters.
Hans Nicolussi Caviglia
He should be the exact type of player who fits this role perfectly but it’s just not working out. Some combination of overlap with Fagioli and his own technical shortcomings mean that he might be heading out the door in this transfer window, which is a pretty damning indictment of the summer mercato.
Jacopo Fazzini
I almost forgot that he’s on the roster after he’s missed the past couple months with injury. I think he could play as an 8 in the Gaetano Castrovilli mold but putting him in a double pivot seems very unlikely after various coaches both in Empoli and Florence have decided he’s more of a shadow striker or winger than a midfielder.
There are a couple of conclusions I’ve drawn from this little exercise. The first is that Pradè sure had a type in midfield: big, athletic guys who’re probably best suited to play as an 8 in a midfield 3. Think Ndour, Amir Richardson, Simon Sohm, Michael Folorunsho, and Antonín Barák. They’re all physically imposing and at their best breaking into space rather than defending or passing. Targeting that profile time and again is part of what got Fiorentina into this mess.
Enough of looking back. Let’s look forward. If Vanoli intends to deploy Fabbian as an attacking midfielder, Goretti will need to add another central midfielder, preferably one who’s not afraid to do the donkey work of running around, tackling, and getting the ball off his feet as quickly as possible. I haven’t seen anyone meeting that description in the transfer rumors yet, but if I’ve developed this theory, you’d better believe smarter people have as well. Expect to hear a lot of names floated as possibilities in the coming week and a half to fill this void, even if the Viola brass is happy with its current midfield.
