Before the Serie A season got underway, new Torino coach Sinisa Mihajlovic had openly declared that his chief objective was to help the side seal a berth in Europe.
Results attained so far, however, show that the seven-times Italy champions still need reinforcements to compete for a top-five finish as they are currently eighth with 28 points.
To start with, Mihajlovic requires at least one other top quality centre-half to make his defence more watertight.
Up to now, Torino have conceded 27 goals, an average of 1.5 goals per game. Only five teams have suffered more goals than Torino – Cagliari (42), Sassuolo (33), Palermo (35), Crotone (32) and Pescara (33).
England goalkeeper Joe Hart is proving to be a valuable addition to Torino this season but he is widely expected to sign for another English Premier League club next summer as Manchester City will probably demand a huge fee for his signature, something well beyond Torino’s means.
Mihajlovic is an attack-minded coach. Irrespective of the opponents, the former Serbia boss always adopts a 4-3-3 playing system.
Earlier this month, Torino lost a nail-biting derby against Juve 1-3 but up to nine minutes from time, the score was still locked at 1-1.
Just before Gonzalo Higuain struck his second goal of the day, Mihajlovic had effected two substitutions to try to win the game, also introducing striker Lucas Boye instead of captain Marco Benassi, a midfielder.
In summer, defenders Kamil Glik (Monaco) and Nikola Maksimovic (Napoli) left for pastures new and Torino are now feeling the effects of their decision not to sign adequate replacements.
Leandro Castan, on loan from Roma, has been rather inconsistent but veteran defender Luca Rossettini, though not a leader, is proving to be a valuable addition following his €2 million move from Bologna.
Cesare Bovo and Emiliano Moretti are well past their best and Albania centre-back Arlind Ajeti, signed as a free agent, is yet to make his Serie A debut.
Meanwhile, five central defenders – Giancarlo Gonzalez (Pa-lermo), Jozo Simunovic (Celtic), Matias Silvestre (Sampdoria), Lorenzo Tonelli (Napoli) and Domagoj Vida (Dynamo Kiev) – are being linked with a move to Torino in next month’s transfer window.
Silvestre, 32, is the most likely to become a new Torino player though as the Argentine has already played for Mihajlovic when at Sampdoria two years ago.
In midfield, Joel Obi has become too injury prone for any coach to rely on him. Hard-tackling midfielder Afriyie Acquah will be on international duty for Ghana between January 14 and February 5 in the Africa Nations Cup.
At 36, Giuseppe Vives is not getting any younger whereas last summer’s signings, Sasa Lukic and Samuel Gustafson, are still too young and inexperienced to lead the team.
That leaves Mihajlovic with only three key players in midfield – Benassi, Mirko Valdifiori and Daniele Baselli.
The attack represents Torino’s strongest department with Andrea Belotti, Adem Ljajic and Iago Falque forming a lethal trio.
Belotti has already scored 13 goals, Ljajic five and Falque eight.
Perhaps, Torino’s biggest let-down has been Ljajic’s lack of consistency as Maxi Lopez and Josef Martinez rarely help the side turn around a game whenever they are introduced. Boye is a promising striker but he does not score a lot of goals.
In attack, Juan Iturbe could become a valuable addition for Torino if they land his signature next month.
The Paraguay international enjoyed a memorable season in 2013/14, scoring eight goals in 33 appearances for Verona. But he was a flop ever since Roma paid in excess of €22 million for his acquisition two years ago.
This time last year, Iturbe was loaned to Premier League outfit Bournemouth, where he made only two appearances.