With Palladino now in charge of Fiorentina, he could be getting one of the league’s most talented players in Albert Gudmundsson, and Wayne Girard points out three ways the tactician can use his new star…
How Palladino could utilise Gudmundsson at Fiorentina
It was the absolute end of a cycle when Fiorentina lost in the Europa Conference League final, their second in as many years. It would have ended the 63 year drought without a European trophy, it could have validated the newer Rocco Commisso era and the money he’d invested in the club, and given Vincenzo Italiano a sense of closure after his three year project after joining from Spezia.
But the Viola are not so distant from repeat success in European football. In fact, hotshot coach Raffaele Palladino will now be wearing purple from the touchline, bringing in a new spirit and rejuvenated energy to the Renaissance city.
A pacey and talented winger during his playing days, Palladino demands a high press throughout any module, but as each year passed at Monza, he tweaked his tactics ever so slightly. On paper, we can expect a 3-4-2-1, a 3-5-2, and even a 4-2-3-1 formation, pending on how he sees the players at his disposal, citing principals over system.
Fueling his olympic torch are a squadron of new players, with Moise Kean at the centrefold, followed by Palladino’s right-hand-man Andrea Colpani, and possibly even David de Gea.
Juventus are in hot pursuit of the Viola’s star-man Nicolás González, which looks imminent. Fear not though, as Genoa’s Albert Gudmundsson is ready to not just take his place, but be the flag bearer for a rebirthed Fiorentina.
3-4-2-1 vs 4-2-3-1
The Icelandic attacker has been sensational for Genoa over the last few years, and in his first season in the top flight, he scored 14 goals and created four assists. Throughout most of last season, he featured primarily on the left flank, roving just behind centre-forward Mateo Retegui.
If Palladino goes back to where he started with the 3-4-2-1, Gudmundsson will likely play as the left attacking-midfielder on the paper, but move slightly higher than Colpani, who would play to his right. This would be a natural balance, as the Italian often plays as a true attacking midfielder rather than wing-forward, and in attack it would be a more natural fit for Gudmundsson.
If the 40-year-old manager chooses a more rigid lineup, Gudmundsson will line up in an almost identical role to the one he played, and excelled at with the Grifoni. Forming a tandem with Kean, the two could be a major threat to the rest of the league with speedy and intelligent play.
As sporting director Daniele Pradè seeks out press heavy midfielders, both attackers would find themselves in advantageous positions closer to the net, in contrast to Italiano’s low block that required significantly more yardage from repossession to goal.
The one unsolved, and most curious position choice is the 4-2-3-1. There’s two options for Gudmundsson here, either at left-wing, or in the hole as the second forward/attacking midfielder. Even though he has not played in either position during the last several years, his game IQ would allow adapt quickly to either role, and Palladino could very well throw us for a loop here.
If he keeps a narrow setup the way he did for Monza in the 3-4-2-1, the left flank could be the more natural option, but isn’t it intriguing to imagine the fantasista playing in a spot where he’d receive the ball more, overload every quadrant, and be the brain of Florence’s reborn attack?