Como vs Venezia Preview: How Nico Paz Can Open Up a Back Five

With ten minutes of normal time left in Turin on Tuesday, Como were a goal down. By the final whistle, Jacobo Ramón had headed in a Nico Paz cross, Paz had scored himself and Martin Baturina had made it 3–1. Write that result alongside the wins over Fiorentina and Sassuolo and it looks like Como have spent October putting league games away comfortably. My pulse would suggest otherwise.

Now comes Venezia at the Sinigaglia, on Sunday, 1 November at 12:30 CET, in round ten of Serie A. A Como win would be our fifth straight in all competitions, counting Manchester United. Davide Nicola’s visitors have lost eight of their opening nine league games. If I were Nicola, I’d happily take a repeat of those first 80 minutes in Turin. The interesting question is what Cesc Fàbregas can do to spare us the wait.

Give Venezia’s wing-back a decision

Venezia are expected to play a 3-5-2. When their wing-backs retreat, that gives them five across the back and three midfielders close enough together to crowd Paz. Como could have plenty of the ball in that game without giving Filip Stanković a particularly busy lunch hour. The giveaway will be which way Paz is facing when he receives it. If he keeps having to lay the ball back towards halfway, Venezia will be perfectly content to let him have another touch.

That’s why I like Baturina starting on the left. Put him just inside their right wing-back and keep Kaiki wide. If the wing-back follows Baturina, Kaiki has a route towards the byline. If he stays wide, Baturina can receive inside and combine with Paz before the midfield three get across. Up front, Tasos Douvikas has a job even on moves when nobody passes to him: a run across the nearest centre-back can buy either playmaker the yard he needs to shoot. Baturina hit the bar as well as scoring off the bench at Torino. I’d give him the first go at that space on Sunday.

The best chance might come when Venezia have the ball

The number I keep coming back to is four. That’s how many league goals Como have scored after winning the ball high up the pitch, more than any other Serie A side through nine rounds, according to Opta’s match notes. Think of Baturina’s goal on Tuesday: Torino had the ball in their own area and seconds later he was celebrating. If Venezia build short from Stanković, watch Douvikas as the pass goes towards an outside centre-back. Close off the return ball quickly enough and Como can attack before those five defenders are back in line.

There’s a price for getting that press wrong. With two forwards, Venezia can leave one up against Ramón and send the other into the space a Como full-back has vacated. Akor Adams is expected to start; John Yeboah and Lion Lauberbach are the options alongside him. Yeboah in particular deserves attention. Across this season and last, in Serie A and B, he has scored 11 league goals and set up nine. If both our full-backs are beyond the ball when he collects a knockdown, that’s a much better invitation than a side with three points ought to get.

Team news and possible lineups

Jean Butez is tipped to return after Robert Sánchez started in Turin. Moise Kean is recovering from surgery, with Assane Diao, Jesús Rodríguez, Mattia Liberali and Trevoh Chalobah also listed as unavailable. Jayden Addai lasted only 20 minutes after coming off the bench on Tuesday; reports differ on whether he’ll make Sunday’s squad. The selection I’ll look for first is Yan Couto’s. Sky Italia has him on the right wing with Ivan Smolčić behind him, while other projections keep him at full-back. Starting him higher would give Como width without asking him to make every run from his own half.

Here’s one possible pair of XIs, following Sky’s projection. The shapes are a better bet than all 22 names: La Gazzetta dello Sport also expects a Venezia 3-5-2, but has different candidates for several midfield places.

Como (4-2-3-1): Butez; Smolčić, Ramón, Kempf, Kaiki; Perrone, Ricci; Yan Couto, Paz, Baturina; Douvikas.

Venezia (3-5-2): Stanković; Halhal, Moreno, Juan Jesus; Hainaut, Kike Pérez, Busio, Bašić, Haps; Yeboah, Akor Adams.

Marco’s prediction: Como 2–0 Venezia

I expect a tighter first half than the league records suggest. What tips it for me is that Como can make the opening two different ways: Baturina drawing a defender out for Paz, or Douvikas forcing a hurried pass near Venezia’s box. An early goal would be lovely. At 12:30 on a Sunday, I’d settle for getting one before we have to put Ramón up front again.