Genoa is hunting for the lost goal Piccoli, a bet in the wake of Scamacca

The attack is to be revolutionized after the flops of the last six months The striker has few goals in A: he is confident in a new exploit

Genoa – Fifty-two goals in 43 Serie A matches played in 2021. Just 5 in the last 10 games, between Ballardini and Shevchenko. Il Grifone chases the lost goal and aims for a much richer 2022 than the year that is about to end. With a new module under study, the 4-3-3, and players able to score more easily: smaller right-footers as center-forward, then a series of attacking wingers with Younes and Miranchuk “hot” names for the trident. The only problem concerns the timing: Gasperini may not give the green light immediately as he has Zapata out due to injury.

Difficult to do worse from the point of view of construction compared to the last two months: without Caicedo and with Destro returning only to the derby, Criscito scored a penalty in the championship, Bianchi and Melegoni, as well as Destro himself. Ekuban is at zero altitude and is destined to return to Turkey, Caicedo is saying goodbye, ditto Bianchi. The coming year will have to bring new goals for salvation. Even if the story of the comebacks signed by Ballardini and Nicola tells more of a greater defensive solidity rather than the presence of a great bomber. In 2018 the top scorer was Lapadula (6), in 2020 Pandev with 9. The number of goals scored is in line with the poor ranking: singular, however, is the fact that with the same number of goals scored (19) and with two goals conceded in plus (39 against 37) Spezia has 5 points more in the standings.

The attack will be revolutionized, starting with the arrival of Roberto Piccoli on loan from Atalanta. He is 20 years old and has only 6 goals in the top flight to his credit so far but it is true that Scamacca himself a year and a half ago had arrived at Genoa with zero goals in Serie A and in the end ended the season at 8, the most decisive part for salvation. Piccoli will be the alternative to Destro, who has the numbers of a great striker: 11 goals in 29 games last year, 7 in 11 so far. His contract expires next June, in October there has already been the adjustment promised at the end of the summer with the commitment to meet again for the new contract. Destro wants to stay, even if he has received advances from Toronto: the goal is to save Genoa and maybe even return to the national team. Not enough, Shevchenko wants attacking wingers and playmakers able to give Genoa more strength: Miranchuk scored 5 goals with Atalanta but with Spartak he also arrived in double figures (12); Younes in his best year reached 8 with Ajax. Then among the various candidates there is also Orsolini, who has always guaranteed them at least 7-8 in the championship in Bologna.

Not only the attack, goals from midfielders and defenders are also needed. Those of Captain Criscito, waiting to embrace his newborn daughter Alice for the first time and capable of rejecting the Toronto millionaire offer because the captain does not abandon the ship. And the newcomer Silvan Hefti, 24, is a full-back with heavy assists and goals, like the one scored at Atalanta in the Champions League in the Young Boys: medical examinations yesterday and then with his new team-mates. The team should return to Signorini after the trip to Begato, the fields are now ready even if a few days late. Another goal: Danilho Doekhi, captain of Vitesse, a defender who always scores a championship goal. And from Turin he pushes Rincon to return: he is not a scorer but he has the right garra and there will be a fight.

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