Genoa, from striker to midfielder: Gudmundsson is Gilardino’s all-rounder

Second striker, attacking midfielder. First tip if necessary. Even up to the role of midfielder. Albert Gudmundsson he is the all-rounder of this Genoa team that wants to end the season in the best possible way. Alberto Gilardino’s tactical variation against Fiorentina demonstrates the flexibility of the Icelandic striker who scored his fifteenth goal of the season at the “Franchi”, the thirteenth if we only count in counting. If he has already played the role of sub forward in the past, especially when Vitinha and Retegui were in attack, the non-possession phase becomes an absolute novelty. In that case, in fact, the rossoblù 11 dropped to the line of Badelj and Frendrup.

Already happened with Messias
A novelty which is nothing new for the Grifone coach who used Junior Messias in that role during the season. The Brazilian, now forced into the pits by yet another muscle injury, has in fact often been deployed as a midfielder and also as a full-back in the 3-5-2. The possibility, by fielding a player who knows how to guarantee unpredictability with the ball at his feet, is to start from far away and then create dangers when cutting towards the penalty area. In this role Simone Inzaghi is a master with Calhanoglu and Mkhitaryan even if the former was born as an attacking midfielder and the latter held the role of midfielder at the beginning of his career before being advanced.

Eight goals in seven games
A moment of grace for the 26-year-old from Reykjavik who has not scored since March 9th only against Juventus on March 17th. Then between the national team and Genoa he always made his mark, reaching the figure of eight goals in seven games. He started from the match, then lost 2-3, against Monza at Marassi to move on to the hat-trick against Israel and the goal against Ukraine with the Iceland shirt and the scores against Frosinone, Verona and Fiorentina.