Parisi and Vicario are definitely on the move. Empoli will be able to base next year's financials on their transfer fees and set up a nice team to stay in Serie A yet again. The question is, who will be their new LB and where will Libby sit in the team's hierarchies. He's not played much this year and has made a couple of costly mistakes when he has. The coach has spoken nicely about him, but who's to say if he will be good considered good enough to play week in week out next season
19' almost scores. Starts an attack with a long ball which caused a scramble, Libby takes a loose ball through on goal but speed and angle against him as the keeper saves the shot.
Somewhat at fault for Verona's opener. Verona player much hungrier and went past Libby to get the rebound to score. Not an egregious error though. Looks like a handball in the buildup could have seen it overturned, would have spared Libby's blushes, a shame
I thought he had a decent game. Didn't have much defending to do. Was always making an effort to get forward to support attacking moves down the left. Always looked the part whenever involved, should have had an assist from a brilliant FK delivery which looked easier to score than miss for the Empoli forward. Wasn't involved in Empoli's goal, came from a throw in on Empoli's right. Just a shame that Empoli gave the ball away cheaply leading to a speculative shot that the keeper parried straight to Libby's man, who was sharper and anticipated it better.
I thought he had a decent game. Didn't have much defending to do. Was always making an effort to get forward to support attacking moves down the left. Always looked the part whenever involved, should have had an assist from a brilliant FK delivery which looked easier to score than miss for the Empoli forward. Wasn't involved in Empoli's goal, came from a throw in on Empoli's right. Just a shame that Empoli gave the ball away cheaply leading to a speculative shot that the keeper parried straight to Libby's man, who was sharper and anticipated it better.
His dead ball deliveries were faultless, he's got a fantastic cross. Makes you wonder why his assist numbers are as weak as they are
A rather foreboding stat - Empoli are winless with Cacace playing this season (0W, 6D, 5L). Without him, they are 10W, 7D, 9L. Not much correlation but thought it was interesting to note
I thought he had a decent game. Didn't have much defending to do. Was always making an effort to get forward to support attacking moves down the left. Always looked the part whenever involved, should have had an assist from a brilliant FK delivery which looked easier to score than miss for the Empoli forward. Wasn't involved in Empoli's goal, came from a throw in on Empoli's right. Just a shame that Empoli gave the ball away cheaply leading to a speculative shot that the keeper parried straight to Libby's man, who was sharper and anticipated it better.
His dead ball deliveries were faultless, he's got a fantastic cross. Makes you wonder why his assist numbers are as weak as they are
A rather foreboding stat - Empoli are winless with Cacace playing this season (0W, 6D, 5L). Without him, they are 10W, 7D, 9L. Not much correlation but thought it was interesting to note
It's the sort of odd stat that some will hang their hats on to suggest a player doesnt fit with the squad or there are other issues - true or not. Hopefully the manager sees through it,
I watched this game. Thought Cacace played will. Certainly not out of place at this level. Was surprised to see him on set piece duty for anything out on the left side considering his limited time on the pitch this year. His deliveries were consistently good. Should have had an assist from one of them. He was strong in the duel and made some powerful forward runs with some clever link up play. Deserved his Fotmob rating below.
I thought he had a decent game. Didn't have much defending to do. Was always making an effort to get forward to support attacking moves down the left. Always looked the part whenever involved, should have had an assist from a brilliant FK delivery which looked easier to score than miss for the Empoli forward. Wasn't involved in Empoli's goal, came from a throw in on Empoli's right. Just a shame that Empoli gave the ball away cheaply leading to a speculative shot that the keeper parried straight to Libby's man, who was sharper and anticipated it better.
His dead ball deliveries were faultless, he's got a fantastic cross. Makes you wonder why his assist numbers are as weak as they are
A rather foreboding stat - Empoli are winless with Cacace playing this season (0W, 6D, 5L). Without him, they are 10W, 7D, 9L. Not much correlation but thought it was interesting to note
It's the sort of odd stat that some will hang their hats on to suggest a player doesnt fit with the squad or there are other issues - true or not. Hopefully the manager sees through it,
My first thoughts on that are perhaps some of these are appearances off the bench to either chase a game or hold a game where they’re under pressure. And perhaps Parisi is such a pro he’s never injured when they’re winning!
NZP who knows the cut throat Serie A better than anyone, has noted that Libby has been far from faultless in his Empoli appearances. He gave away a (soft) last min pen recently against Sassuolo, and I also remembering him struggling last season in a start against Juve.SerbianVlahović was on fire.
Hopefully Parisi moves on and Cacace gets first dibs on being Empoli's starting LB for next season. He'll be learning all the time, like he'll be more careful now with even the smallest contact in the pen box. Hopefully for the Empoli coaching staff, he's learning fast enough.
Stuffed up against Roma too, earlier in the season. BUT, and it is a big but - he is young and quite inexperienced at this level. And the coach did give him so e opportunities, which bodes well for the future. Hopefully he's gained enough experience now to put his hand up for regular selection next year. I'll be keeping close tabs to the transfer news over the next few weeks.
Something I would say about Cacace’s lack of assists, is that while surely they will come (and hopefully for the AWs too) his passing often seems to put the opposition under pressure and trigger a momentum shift in the game. So that while he isn’t holding the smoking gun, he’s providing a bunch of loaded guns ready to go for those further forward…
Reassuring news for Libby. Coach Zanetti has extended his contract with Empoli. He has given Libby some opportunities in the past and has spoken highly of him. Empoli are reportedly selling GK Vicario to Spurs for Euro 20M. Parisi has no lack of suitors, with Juventus leading the charge. According to this, Libby has been identified as Parisi's first replacement. In my view he was too error prone last season, but hopefully he improves his tactical game and takes his chance at being a starter with both hands. He is young after all and playing in one of the toughest leagues in the world.
It's hard to understate how surprising it was for Parisi to end up at Fiorentina and not Juventus. The kid is smart and in my opinion made the right choice. He's staying local and with a team where he will develop nicely... As for Libby, coach Zanetti has spoken highly of him and Empolit haven't signed a new LB just yet, but they will. Depending on who they bring in, Libby may well be the first choice LB this season...
Empoli have confirmed a friendly vs Bundesiga outfit Freiburg on 5 August.
Starter at LB all preseason so far; just come off 85 mins in an impressive 2-1 win over Lille. Can't wait for the start of the season - another nailed-on starter in a top-5 league, fingers crossed.
No new first-team LBs signed so far for Empoli, just loan returnees and youth graduates (incl. the permanent signing of 19 year old Samuele Angori, who was on loan at Empoli's Primavera side from Perugia).
Empoli knocked out from the Coppa Italia by Serie B outfit Cittadella. Final score 2-1. Libby with 68min and 1-1 when he came off. Decent game by all accounts and had a good shot. Regular season starts next weekend, Empoli host Verona
