Tomorrow’s exam in Reggio Emilia will be the first exam of maturity for the technician John Martusciello. No risk of dismissal even in the event of a negative result, let’s be clear, but the former coach of Empoli and Lazio is desperate to bring home a victory to consolidate his position and to allow Salernitana to present themselves to the next prohibitive matches with a better ranking and without having to look back with justified concern. The numbers certify the unstable path of the granata: taking into account only the league matches, the Campanians have one of the best attacks (9 goals scored, dry only in the away match in Mantua) but also the worst defense with 10 goals conceded. Extending the discussion to the recent past, Salernitana has not closed a home match with a clean sheet since May 2023 (Salernitana-Atalanta 1-0, Candreva’s goal on the day that sealed their permanence in Serie A), while the last clean sheet is history from February 2024, 0-0 in Turin with Inzaghi on the bench at the end of 90 minutes really well played by the guests despite the emergency in all departments. Returning to current events and statistics, the Granata have lost three times out of five, falling at the Arechi against Pisa after the victories in the Cesarini zone with Cittadella and Sampdoria. Without the penalty of Cosenza, the playout zone would be as close as the playoff zone and it is a risk that Salernitana cannot afford after the relegation with negative records that materialized in April. Martusciello, therefore, is called upon to find a balance between an offensive phase that is at times excellent and a defensive phase that is totally negative. For now, not even the arrivals of Stojanovic and Ferrari have guaranteed a change of pace, the choice of the coach and the sporting director to set up the team with a front-wheel drive, giving up any defensive midfielder capable of protecting the rearguard, weighs heavily.
In January, continuing like this, it will be necessary to take a step back and intervene urgently so as not to nullify the good work done in these weeks. It must be remembered, in fact, that Martusciello has several alibis on his side. Leaving for the retreat with a group and finding yourself playing the first match of the championship with a completely changed squad would not have been easy for anyone, with the Dia case that has dominated the spotlight for a month and a half, some requests that have not been fulfilled (a deputy Amatucci, a strong central defender, the permanence of daniliuc) and a dressing room to rebuild after last year’s split. “I need time and training, I know perfectly well that we are late but we are talking about a team that was a work in progress until the last day of the transfer market. It wasn’t easy, I know that tactically we can’t be perfect and that it will take a few more weeks to improve. For now I am satisfied with the fighting spirit of the boys, the total availability and the heart beyond the obstacle thrown in so many games. Obviously, I don’t like always going behind or having to take a punch to throw another” he said on the eve of the match with Pisa, when his desire to see “a balanced Salernitana in the two phases” was betrayed by the 0-1 cold and the usual defensive errors. The club, through president Busso, has however reiterated maximum confidence in the entire technical staff, acknowledging the appropriate excuses for a start below expectations and, perhaps, potential.
Speaking of potential, it is evident that the Salerno at full strength has a very respectable lineup and potentially capable of competing for the playoffs. Sepe, Ghiglione, Ferrari, Bronn, Jaroszynski, Amatucci, Maggiore, Verde, Soriano, Kalllon, Torregrossa: a 4-2-3-1 inferior, in quality and experience, to few teams. With young players like Gentile who are growing a lot and some veterans like SImy who turned whistles into applause by scoring two goals, creating an own goal and providing a winning assist to Bolzano. What is worrying is the depth of the squad. In defense, for example, there is a lack of a strong, reliable center back who can represent a valid alternative to Bronn who has never fully convinced in these two and a half years in granata. In midfield, however, many gambles, the absence of an element of quantity and a small number of players available, to the point that Martusciello had to adapt a striker like Tongya to the role of mezzala, with all the consequent risks in the defensive phase. For now, however, Petrachi has no intention of drawing from the free agent market also due to the failure to leave of people like Valencia and Sfait who seemed destined to continue the season elsewhere, but who have not found an agreement with any foreign club. There are still some free spots in the over list, an advantage in view of the reopening of the market in January provided that the ownership loosens the purse strings after a summer of millionaire earnings allowing the management to work without obstacles and constraints of any kind.
Finally, it is worth mentioning the umpteenth applause-worthy response from the Salerno fans.. In Reggio Emilia, despite the recent negative result and the concomitant celebration for the Patron Saint, there will be over 1500 in the section reserved for guests. After the sold out of Mantua and Bolzano, another proof of love from the people of Granata faith. Even at home the average attendance is very respectable. Salernitana-Pisa attracted 15300 fans to the stands, the highest figure in the cadet league over the weekend. A thousand more attended Salernitana-Sampdoria, in the middle of the holiday period and on Tuesday evening. There were 12500 for the debut against Cittadella, after one of the saddest relegation in the history of football and with a team in total emergency. Without forgetting the 7,000 in the Italian Cup with Spezia, when there were the first chants against Iervolino, who was invited to step aside after having promised the Conference League and international-level purchases, only to then resign and cut off relations with the fans and a good part of the local press.