Udinese giants failing to live up to 'high' expectations

The Friuli side found themselves at the summit of the Italian top flight after four rounds - for the first time in 13 years - but are now down in 10th place after going winless in their last five outings. This poor run of form - the worst in Serie A alongside bottom-placed Venezia - can be narrowed down to two players who are among the podium for tallest footballers in Europe's top leagues.

Isaak Toure is the first - and arguably the scapegoat. The defender (2.06m)  is the tallest among any footballers playing in the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1 and is responsible for leaving his team with one man down twice in their last four fixtures. The Liorent loanee was sent off 53 minutes into the game at Venezia with the scoreline reading 1-2 for Udinese. The hosts equalised just three minutes after the defender left the pitch before sealing the game late on from the penalty spot.

Toure was suspended against Juventus, with Udinese losing 0-2, and returned for the trip to Atalanta. Kamara put the Friulli team ahead before Pasalic levelled just over ten minutes into the second half. But a 60th-minute own goal from Toure condemned Runjaic's men to another defeat.  In the draw against Empoli after the international break, the centre-back managed to play the full 90 minutes without causing any trouble as Udinese secured their only point of this bad run, but tragedy struck when Genoa paid a visit to Udine.

The 21-year-old threw away any chance for his team to recover from their abysmal form within four minutes of play. Toure was cautioned for an elbow to the face but following VAR intervention, the decision from referee Aureliano changed to a straight red card, leaving the hosts with a numerical advantage that the visitors seized to win 2-0. As a result, Toure will not be available to Kosta Runjac for tonight's clash at Monza. 

 

December 1, 2024

Lorenzo Lucca - the second scapegoat - will be available for the Monday night fixture in Lombardy, but whether he features remains to be seen. The striker is third in the height standings among the top five leagues (2.01m), with Werder Bremen's Skelly Alvero (2.02m) edging a centimetre above the Italian to separate him from his teammate. But whilst he was experiencing the highs of his career at the start of the season, he now finds himself in the lows. 

With six goals - four in Serie A and two in the Coppa Italia - to his name this season, Lucca is Udinese's top scorer. Unfortunately for the 'Friulani', the 24-year-old has not netted in over two months - since October 25 against Cagliari - as he hauled five of his six goals between August 8 and September 28.

His lack of output has cost him his place in the starting lineup in three of his last four games - Juventus, Atalanta, and Empoli - with the German boss opting for Pietro Pellegri or a two-man attack with Davis and Thauvin instead.  In Udinese's latest defeat against Genoa, Runjac chose to rely on Lucca again, but an underwhelming first half meant that the head coach decided to replace him with Kristensen for the remaining 45 minutes of the game. 

 

December 9, 2024