Better.com takes an intriguing look at the consistent selling of major players by the Zebrette, and attempts to determine where that will take the club in the upcoming season.
Udinese’s transfers have been rather disturbing for their fans, but there is nothing to take away from the fact that their performances in the last two seasons have been nothing short of spectacular.
Only last year they edged past the likes of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Lazio-c39775 to take the UEFA Champions League qualification spot. So much so that despite the fact that they had sold a number of their main players before the start of the new season,
they still managed to win a qualification spot for the Europe’s elite tournament.
The Zebrette have once again exhibited that nothing is sacred at Stadio Friuli in the face of a good offer, except of course http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Kwadwo-Asamoah-c21502, and Chilean Mauricio
Isla to Juventus as well as their first choice goalkeeper http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Samir-Handanovic-c32356 to Inter Milan.
As if selling three of their key players was not enough, they have also made permanent the outgoing moves of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Pablo-Armero-c28946, who formed a core part of their defence in
the 2011-12 campaign.
That raises a big question mark on the future of a team that is not new to facing a ‘profit-inflicted’ mass exodus of players. However, it may be about time for the club to realize that they just cannot go on winning in the league by selling their players.
Francesco Guidolin’s team has always relied on the consistent goal-scoring of Di Natale, but how long can the legs of ageing Italian international keep pulling the weight of the huge responsibility. This upcoming season might be about time when the deteriorating
stamina of the Golden Boot winner gives way to goal-scoring drought for the Zebras.
Moreover, the mass selling of players will mean that more than half the squad of the Bianconeri will be based on new faces, which will require a steady growth through the season.
Guidolin has proved himself to be a master coach, and the team has defied such scepticism in the past as well. But the club may have tightened up the noose a bit too much this time around, and while the coach will still be confident to stage a repeat of
their last season, it will be most interesting to see if they can manage it once again and how?
Looking at their next season, it seems imminent that Udinese will continue to drop points at the start of the campaign, owing to the numerous new additions to their playing eleven. Moreover, the almost looming drop in number of goals from Di Natale is also
expected to kick in, which will also translate into further drop of points for the Zebrette.
Moreover, teams like Inter Milan, AS http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Roma-c31603 and Napoli that did not make it into the top three last time, look stronger than ever to give the Little Zebras a run for their money.
So, the verdict is straight forward, Udinese may not drown, but they might find it too difficult to hang onto the Champions League spot in the 2012-13 season.
However, as always a lot of their fate will depend on the quality of the youngsters that are brought in as replacements, and how they pan out in the heat of the Serie A battles.
But regardless of the fact that Udinese rise or fall, it will be mighty interesting to see how the club is able to cope with the challenges at hand.
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