In this article, find out how the recently promoted side are causing a stir with their recruitment policy and interesting tactics.
Como have been the name on everyone’s lips this season in Serie A, not just because of their return to the top flight for the first time in 20 years but for a number of different reasons.
First, there was the transfer market, which brought players to the small Lombardy club that we thought didn’t belong to their level: from Rafael Varane and Sergi Roberto to Pepe Reina and Alberto Moreno, even up to the latest winter rumours about the incredible offer made to Theo Hernandez (which was politely declined).
Then, there was talk of some great seasons from their young players: first Nico Paz, acquired from Real Madrid and now called up by Argentina; then Assane Diao, signed from Betis in the middle of the January transfer window, who has since scored 5 goals in his first 11 Serie A matches.
Finally, there was talk of Cesc Fabregas: of his possible future on the best benches in Serie A, after two victories against Fiorentina and Napoli, leading Roma and Milan to approach them with the attention reserved for a top team. Como were defeated in exactly the same way in these two "big matches" - 2-1 after initially taking the lead - but the impression was clear: Fabregas' team appeared to be at the level of the best in Serie A.
Strangely, for a league so obsessed with defensive play like Serie A, few have noticed the great efficiency of Como's defensive system, which is perhaps the most impressive aspect of their game this season. Maybe it's because it's the area where they’ve made the least investments, or because Fabregas' Barcelona background instinctively leads us to think of elaborate offensive manoeuvres and tactics. Or simply because, theoretically, Como have the sixth-worst defence in Serie A.
Whatever the reason, some statistics seem to go against the image of a team that is beautiful but careless. For example, Como concede fewer shots than teams like Napoli and Inter, and in this statistic, they only perform worse than Bologna, which is perhaps the team that most resembles them without the ball. One might think of a team dug in defensively, ready to block opponents' shots with a human wall in front of the goal, but Como are also second-to-last for intercepted shots, once again outperforming both Napoli and Inter.
So, Como also benefit offensively from this, but the most significant impact is on their defensive setup, which, for large parts of the game, manages to keep the opponent in their half through a pressing system that alternates between strict man-marking and zonal coverage.
According to the PPDA (Passes Per Defensive Action), the statistic that measures the intensity of pressing through the length of possession allowed to opponents, there are very few teams that do it better than Fabregas' side, with only a handful of elite European-chasing teams above them and the previously mentioned Bologna once again topping the metrics. Who would have expected that?
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