With 13 games remaining in Toronto FC’s regular season, they are currently the second-worst team in MLS based on points (19). Only D.C. United has a lower total than TFC, which underscores the dour nature of the 2022 campaign.
But the cavalry is coming.
After plenty of hoopla, Italian forwards Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi will make their TFC debuts this Saturday at home against Charlotte FC. Only eight points separate TFC from a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, so TFC will need their Italian internationals to hit the ground running if it wants to qualify for the postseason.
Here is an in-depth breakdown of how they could fit into coach Bob Bradley’s system and what each can provide the Reds if deployed properly.
Behind the Numbers
Before we dive into the tactical fits for each player, let’s examine their underlying numbers using statistical radars, beginning with Lorenzo Insigne.
Insigne hasn’t hit the highs of the mid-2010s, but he’s still a productive chance creator, whether it’s from set pieces or open play, as evidenced by his 0.22 expected assists (xA) per 90 minutes.
However, the 31-year-old is coming off a season when he scored two non-penalty goals. When comparing Insigne’s non-penalty expected goals (xG), xG per shot, goals per shot and other categories to his positional peers in top-five European leagues over the last 365 days, he ranks between the fifth and 46th percentile.
Fortunately, the “MLS Tax” could boost Insigne’s goal-scoring numbers significantly, as has been the case with some players in the past like Sebastian Giovinco, Carlos Vela and Josef Martínez, who all enjoyed immediate individual success upon their arrivals to North America.
In addition, Insigne produces a high number of shot-creating actions, so at least he can set up teammates in the box if he can’t find the back of the net himself.
Meanwhile, Bernardeschi experienced a lacklustre season for Juventus in 2021-22, although the club underachieved based on its lofty standards.
Bernardeschi has never been a key player for Juventus, and like Insigne, he ranked pretty low in major offensive categories among his positional peers over the last 365 days. However, he’s an effective playmaker when deployed properly.
The most intriguing takeaway from the radars is the pressure regains. Both players were effective at regaining possession off the press, so concerns about their defensive involvement at TFC could be rendered moot if that translates to MLS.
Maximizing Insigne
Bob Bradley has switched to an attacking trio in recent weeks, which indicates that we’ll likely see a front three of Lorenzo Insigne, Jesús Jiménez and Federico Bernardeschi at some stage.
A 4-3-3 or 3-4-3 formation benefits both Italians. They’ve played in similar formations before, mainly with the national team and in Insigne’s case, at Napoli under Maurizio Sarri when he thrived from 2015-18.
Insigne generated no fewer than 16 combined goals and assists under Sarri thanks largely to Napoli’s lethal left-sided trio of Insigne, full-back Faouzi Ghoulam and former captain Marek Hamsik. About 46 per cent of the team’s attacks were generated down that flank from 2015-18 as a result.
In the clip below, Ghoulam (No. 31) is occupying space deep in the final third, with Hamsik (No. 17) drifting across to combine with him and Insigne (No. 24). When Hamsik receives the ball, he passes inside to Allan (No. 5), which shifts Lazio’s defensive shape into the centre. Unbeknownst to Lazio, Hamsik is darting towards the box and Insigne is shadowing into the box undetected.
Those third-man runs were a constant theme for Sarri’s Napoli. A third-man run involves a player moving beyond two teammates who exchange possession between themselves.
The two teammates in the next clip are Hamsik and Dries Mertens, with Insigne as the third man. We see Real Madrid’s defence focusing on Hamsik and Mertens, allowing Insigne to blaze past Raphael Varane on his blind side before converting calmly.
A left-sided trio was key for Italy at Euro 2020 as well. Left-back Leonardo Spinazzola was Italy’s leader in several open-play chance-creating metrics, according to Opta. Spinazzola and Insigne were unstoppable on that flank together, with Marco Verratti also featuring heavily in the forward’s success during the tournament.
Sound familiar?
But Insigne suffered after Spinazzola was ruled out for the remainder of the tournament with an injury. He averaged 0.05 xG per shot, compared to 0.13 with Spinazzola on the pitch, attempted fewer passes into the box and was generally ineffective compared to the first four and a half games of the Azzurri’s tournament.
Domenico Criscito has tucked inside to form a back three in possession since his debut, so it appears that Luca Petrasso will play the role of Ghoulam. Jonathan Osorio or Mark-Anthony Kaye should replicate Hamsik’s duties, depending on Bradley utilizing a double pivot or a trio in midfield.
Whether those players, and TFC in general, can fully implement that same fluid, uptempo style is the burning question.
Maximizing Bernardeschi
There are plenty of similarities between Lorenzo Insigne’s ideal role and Federico Bernardeschi’s, as we’ll soon discover. The key difference between them is that Insigne has a history of consistently contributing at least 10 goals in a season, whereas Bernardeschi doesn’t.
The aforementioned “MLS Tax” and regular playing time could change that, of course. After all, Bernardeschi registered 11 goals in his final season at Fiorentina where he was one of the main men, so it’s not inconceivable.
A significant number of Bernardeschi’s goals were scored against the run of play. His pace and technique make the 28-year-old a constant threat whenever those opportunities present themselves for TFC.
However, Bernardeschi isn’t just counter-attacking forward. He loves to utilize quick one-twos with his excellent vision and dribbling, plus he’s a brilliant crosser.
This could aid Jesús Jiménez, Mark-Anthony Kaye and Jonathan Osorio who like to execute late runs into the box while undetected by defenders.
Kosi Thompson might be a beneficiary as well. Both Thompson and Bernardeschi like to start wide and then drift inside, so they could alternate with each other.