In a highly-contested encounter at the Luigi Ferraris stadium on Saturday, Sampdoria held title contenders Roma to a scoreless draw.

Goals were all that was missing from the action-packed encounter that could have gone either way as both sides had their moments and good chances to score.

In the end, Sampdoria were worthy of a draw which enabled them to preserve their unbeaten start to the 2014/15 season – four wins and four draws.

This time last season, Sampdoria were in the lower half of the table after a slow start. That left them flirting with relegation and their status was put in jeopardy to an extent that the 1991 Italian champions were left with no option other than to change coach.

With Delio Rossi a year ago, Sampdoria had only managed two wins and three draws from 12 matches. Then, on November 20, 2013, Sinisa Mihajlovic, himself a former Sampdoria player, was unveiled as the new coach after he was convinced to quit the Serbia national team.

Mihajlovic transformed Sampdoria’s fortunes as the side emerged from the drop zone and by the end of the season soared to a creditable 12th place with 45 points.

In July, the club changed hands as flamboyant film-producer Massimo Ferrero acquired full control from Edoardo Garrone. His first move was to retain Mihajlovic.

Eight games into the new season and Samp are already reaping rich dividends from Ferrero’s decision. They are playing some of the most refreshing football in the top flight and their excellent start did not come by chance.

Mihajlovic has moulded the side into a combative outfit that tends to press high and operate through fast counter-breaks.

With some of the top guns failing to live up to expectations so far, Sampdoria can profit from their opponents’ lapses as the four-times Coppa Italia winners can make a strong quest for a berth in the Europa League via a top-six finish.

Five years ago, Sampdoria, then under Luigi Delneri, were also off to an auspicious start.

At the time, many pundits had argued that Sampdoria’s charge would not last long but by season’s end the doubters were proven wrong as the Blucerchiati finished fourth and ahead of more quoted sides in the league, the likes of Juventus and Napoli.

That Sampdoria side was built around a solid midfield compartment and in Antonio Cassano and Giampaolo Pazzini they had two deadly strikers who at times won matches single-handedly.

This season, Mihajlovic cannot count on players of high quality as his squad only includes a mix of experienced and promising players.

But Samp did manage to im-proved their defensive record.

So far, they have let in just four goals thanks mainly to the formidable defensive partnership of Matias Silvestre, a former Inter and Milan misfit, and long-serving captain Daniele Gastaldello.

Defensive woes

Last season, Sampdoria conceded 62 goals – the fifth-worst defensive record in the Serie A.

To complicate matters, in the close season they also lost Germany World Cup winning defender Shkodran Mustafi. He joined Valencia for €8m.

But holding midfielder Angelo Palombo is back to his best and filling the gap left by Mustafi.

Perhaps, it is in attack where Sampdoria have arguably their best players in Manolo Gabbiadini (co-owned with Juventus), Stefano Okaka and Eder Citaden.

This trio of players have been in such outstanding form that the club’s most expensive summer signing – Gonzalo Bergessio – has often been left on the bench. Gabbiadini and Okaka are also touted to be on Antonio Conte’s radar.

The road to glory is still far for Sampdoria though.

Mihajlovic and his entire clan, including the club chiefs, will need to keep feet firmly planted on the ground as it would be a serious mistake if they had to reckon that they’ve already achieved something this season.

Far from it, Samp have to keep playing game after game with the same kind of determination and living up to their billing as the Serie A’s surprise package this season.