Just bad luck or is it a question of quality?

2 late goals conceded (83./90.+5) spoiled the Sunday evening in the Drususstadion for around 4.000 FCS fans. FC Südtirol had been very, very strong for a long time against the favorites from Venice and their individual quality. In the end, the bitterness about the last-minute knockout remains - and the question of why.

FCS interim coach Leandro Greco knew exactly what to expect against Venezia. Despite the assistant coach role alongside Ivan Javorcic in the championship year, the former Roma professional is not a 1-to-1 copy of the Croatian. In the few days in which Greco was in charge as head coach of the White-Reds, he changed numerous things. There is no longer any sign of Zauli's hesitation. Instead, there is a team in Serie B that shows clear ideas and principles.

One point concerns the game structure. The Greco-FCS is already acting more innovatively with the ball than the championship team from the previous season. Left-back Tommaso D'Orazio had a special assignment against Venezia. If the central defenders had the ball, it initially stayed low. This attracted the opposing wingers. As a result, D'Orazio moved into midfield. If the opponent followed him, the passing path to left winger Matteo Rover was free. If the Venezia winger remained standing, D'Orazio was free in midfield. Here Greco used his knowledge of Javorcic, who plays a very man-oriented pressing game.

Raphael Odogwu scored the first goal in Serie B for FCS. © Press - FC Südtirol

Greco also relied on attacking pressing. Venezia had serious problems with this. The white and red midfield bravely pushed forward and put the central defenders under pressure. Greco's very offensive approach was rewarded. With Fabian Tait being substituted due to injury, the approach changed a bit. That wasn't because of Greco, but simply because Luca Belardinelli (more six than eight) is a completely different type of player than Tait. Greco's tricks initially worked. However, there is one factor that no coach in the world can influence: the individual quality of the players. Why were the goals conceded? In terms of quality, FC Südtirol was inferior. This was mercilessly demonstrated when we conceded a goal to equalize 1-1. Because central defender Marco Curto didn't move out to Michael Cuisance for a second and thus left the space between the lines open, the goal was scored. The Frenchman, who FC Bayern Munich bought for 3 million euros three years ago, has the technical finesse to make decisive use of the little free space.

The FCS game changed with the substitution of Simone Davi for Mirko Carretta, which Greco might not have made in retrospect. Formally, the team stayed in a 4-5-1 system against the ball. Because Davi is a trained left-back and not a winger like Carretta, he naturally played much deeper. On the other hand, Rover practiced the same thing. The result: The FCS often stood with a six-man chain deep in their own half. This not only made counterattacking impossible (because there were no more passing stations at the front of the sides). Venezia was also given the entire midfield. The Lagunenstädters were able to pass the ball to each other in front of the FCS penalty area without much pressure.

After a long, exhausting game, Curto unfortunately deflected into his own goal. But the same applies here: no goal is conceded without mistakes. A central defender should always act with his body turned forward in his own 5-meter area - precisely to avoid such own goals. That may be a high level of defensive art, but in Serie B this level is required.

If these small but crucial mistakes are not eliminated, it will be very difficult for the South Tyroleans. The FCS can only score points as a collective, because most of their opponents are better positioned in terms of quality. Some even more than clearly.

Serie B Italy	SP	TV	P
1. Sassuolo	37	78:37	82
2. Step on	37	62:35	73
3. Specia	37	56:32	63
4. Cremonese	37	61:42	61
5. Juventus Stabia	37	42:41	54
6. Catanzaro	37	51:45	52
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Just bad luck or is it a question of quality?

FC Südtirol lost its first Serie B home game in the club's history in a way that could hardly have been more bitter. Was the last-minute defeat against Venezia (1:1) just bad luck or was it for tactical reasons?

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