Torino started the season full of promises but so far the Maroons have been rather erratic, collecting only five points from their first six outings and the side is still in search of their first home win.

There are various reasons justifying Torino’s rather shaky start to the 2014-15 campaign.

Compared to the past two years, Giampiero Ventura’s men have already crossed swords with Inter, Fiorentina and Napoli – three sides ranked among the big guns in the Serie A.

Also, by parting with Ciro Immobile and Alessio Cerci, Torino have lost two strikers who together netted 35 of the 58 goals scored by the team last term.

Torino could have been in a better position this season had they not missed two penalties in the league matches against Inter (0-0) and Verona (0-1).

This year, Torino are also playing in the Europa League after a lapse of over two decades and that could drain some of their energy and squad resources.

Impressively, though, they have kept six clean sheets in as many outings in Europe and that will make the fans hopeful that finally there is light at the end of the tunnel.

After a shaky start, veteran striker Fabio Quagliarella has settled down nicely in his new environs and scored four goals in Torino’s last four matches, including a last-gasp penalty winner against FC Copenhagen.

The defence is largely unchanged with respect to last season and veteran Jean Francois Gillet is now back in goal after serving a one-year ban.

The former Bari and Bologna custodian started the season as understudy to Daniele Padelli, who had done tremendously well last season during Gillet’s absence.

However, a series of blunders committed by Padelli left Ventura with no other option but to drop him and deploy Belgian Gillet instead.

Midfield woes

Personally, I think Torino’s problems lie mainly in midfield.

Giuseppe Vives – the seasoned holding midfielder – is a pale shadow of the player that used to command operations in recent years.

Also, the hard-tackling Antonio Nocerino suffered an injury too early into the season, his absence depriving Ventura of some much needed cover and experience.

U-21 international Marco Benassi is still young and alternated bet-ween good and uninspiring performances in midfield. He lacks consistency and that cost him his place as he was eventually dropped.

Alessandro Gazzi and Juan Sanchez Mino have been the best two midfielders Ventura had at his disposal so far this season.

Gazzi was on the verge of quitting the club to seek more playing time elsewhere. However, on the opening day, the 31-year-old was voted man of the match in a goalless draw against Inter.

After that superb performance, Gazzi was offered a contract extension and since then he has featured regularly for Torino.

Argentina-born Mino possesses an Italian passport and the rumour mill has it that he is on Antonio Conte’s radar.

With Mino in the team, Torino have gained offensively but lost defensively. This player has the potential to vindicate why Torino paid in excess of €3m to acquire his services from Boca Juniors.

In attack, Torino may have found Immobile’s replacement in Quagliarella but Ventura seems to have been unable to identify the best striking partner for the former Juventus hit-man.

Marcelo Larrondo has seldom left his mark. Brazilian Vitor Barreto still has to make his first appearance for the club while Josef Martinez, 21, is considered too inexperienced for the Serie A to command a regular place despite being a Venezuela international.

Torino’s best bet is Amauri.

If the ex-Parma forward rediscovers his scoring touch, he can form a formidable attacking tandem with Quagliarella, in the same vein of the Immobile-Cerci mould.

Last season, Immobile scored his first of 22 goals against Sampdoria on the seventh day.

A slow start does not augur well for Torino but nothing is yet lost.

If the team stick together, Torino can climb to a trouble-free zone and make progress in Europe.

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