View from the Opposition: Quickfire scouting report on Udinese

How is this Udinese team different from last year and what are the objectives for the season?

"Udinese brought in lots of promising youngsters as well as two or three more experienced heads in the summer. The team has changed a lot and there are four or five different players in the starting line-up in comparison with last season. In goal, Simone Scuffet has replaced Orestis Karnezis, while other new faces include Bram Nuytinck from Anderlecht, Czech midfielder Antonin Barak and Kevin Lasagna and Maxi Lopez up front, who joined from Carpi and Torino respectively. As well as them, another player there is excitement about is Bosnian forward Riad Bajic, who scored 17 goals in the Turkish top division last season. Right now, some of the key players in the team are not fully fit and that’s been one of the big reasons behind Udinese losing four out of their first five Serie A games. Samir is coming back from knee surgery, Seko Fofana has returned after a long layoff following an injury he sustained in March and Danilo is really struggling to get to peak fitness – he pulled a muscle in the last game against Torino. Udinese’s objective is to make a significant improvement on what they achieved last season, so they’re aiming to get more than the 45 points they finished the 2016-17 campaign on."

How will Delneri set his side up and what kind of line-up will he pick on Saturday?

"Udinese will definitely start with a 4-1-4-1, which – as has happened in nearly every game so far – will morph into a 4-4-2 or a 4-3-3 during the match. In terms of the line-up, there’s a decision to make in goal between Scuffet and Albano Bizzari, because the former received some criticism after the last game against Torino and the coach will need to see whether that will affect the young keeper mentally. In defence, Danilo is injured and will be replaced by Gabriele Angella, who’ll partner Nuytinck in the centre. Jens Stryger Larsen will play on the right, while Ali Adnan could play on the left given that neither Samir nor Giuseppe Pezzella are in good physical shape. Sitting just in front of the back four will be Valon Behrami as the holding midfielder, with Rodrigo De Paul, Fofana, Jakub Jankto and Lasagna across the midfield from right to left. Lasagna will have the job of getting forward and helping out striker Maxi Lopez."

Who will Udinese’s key man be against Roma?

"It could well be Lasagna, who has shown himself to be in good form and has scored two goals already. As well as him, I’ll go for Jankto. He might lack a bit of consistency, but he’s got real quality and potency. He’s the kind of player that’s capable of changing a game, as he did in the last home match against Torino."

Who is Roma’s biggest threat?

"Udinese have really struggled against attacking midfielders who like to look for goal and have a dangerous shot on them, with Valter Birsa and Adem Ljajic causing them trouble in the games against Chievo and Torino. On that basis, I think the biggest threat is going to be Radja Nainggolan."