In recent years, we have been treated to a nice batch of nostalgia in the form of former players trying their hand at management.
From the Bundesliga to the Premier League to the Serie A we’ve seen names like Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney, Xabi Alonso, Mikel Arteta, Albert Riera, Vincent Kompany, and more take their first steps in management to varying success.
Another name that will be extremely familiar to many is Alberto Gilardino, who is currently working wonders in Serie B with Genoa.
Gilardino’s managerial career began in 2019, and in that time, he’s had stints with Rezzato, Pro Vercelli, and Sienna.
In fact, he was only appointed Genoa CFC gaffer on a temporary basis in December 2022 but was confirmed as the club’s permanent manager after a strong run of results.
Since Gilardino returned to the club he played 50 games for between 2012-2014, Genoa have lost just once in the league, keeping numerous clean sheets and scoring a healthy amount of goals.
This Alberto Gilardino scout report will dive into the tactics behind Genoa’s strong defensive record, aka pressing, while also providing an analysis of their midfield unit’s contribution when it comes to build-up play, as we look to uncover why the club are on course for an immediate return to Serie A.
We will also analyse Genoa’s efficiency in hitting teams on the break as they have been incredibly dangerous in attacking transitions under the guidance of Gilardino.
Alberto Gilardino Formations
The formation visual above paints a picture of what shapes Genoa have deployed throughout the whole season, meaning it includes data from before Gilardino’s reign began.
As you can see, before the ex-striker rejoined the Serie B club, they were no strangers to two formations in particular – 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-2, but since the World Cup winner has been in charge, they haven’t used either of those formations.




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