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Way too early Serie A Team of the Season

By John Vaccaro

STADIO GIUSEPPE MEAZZA, MILAN, ITALY - 2018/10/31: Suso of AC Milan celebrates after scoring a goal during the Serie A football match between AC Milan and Genoa CFC. AC Milan won 2-1 over Genoa CFC. (Photo by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images)
STADIO GIUSEPPE MEAZZA, MILAN, ITALY - 2018/10/31: Suso of AC Milan celebrates after scoring a goal during the Serie A football match between AC Milan and Genoa CFC. AC Milan won 2-1 over Genoa CFC. (Photo by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images) /
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Napoli’s Polish striker Arkadiusz Milik kicks the ball towards Parma’s Italian goalkeeper Luigi Sepe during the Italian Serie A football match between SSC Napoli and Parma Calcio 1913 on September 26, 2018, at the San Paolo Stadium in Naples. (Photo by CARLO HERMANN / AFP) (Photo credit should read CARLO HERMANN/AFP/Getty Images)
Napoli’s Polish striker Arkadiusz Milik kicks the ball towards Parma’s Italian goalkeeper Luigi Sepe during the Italian Serie A football match between SSC Napoli and Parma Calcio 1913 on September 26, 2018, at the San Paolo Stadium in Naples. (Photo by CARLO HERMANN / AFP) (Photo credit should read CARLO HERMANN/AFP/Getty Images) /

GK: Luigi Sepe, Parma

More from Serie A

The best keeper in Serie A so far this season surprisingly doesn’t come from a team that is even in the top half of the league table through 13 matches. Luigi Sepe might not have the Serie A lead in clean sheets, but he does have the league’s highest save percentage at an incredible 78.9% and the most saves in the league with 56. His 4 clean sheets have him in a tie for 3rd, which is especially  impressive when considering the team he plays for. He has even been the man of the match twice for Parma this season according to WhoScored. He’ll get some stiff competition the rest of the season from the likes of Alban Lafont and Samir Handanovic, but it’s hard to argue with the performance he has put in so far this season.

He has been a key part of Parma’s Serie A comeback and will need to continue playing at this high level to keep them in the hunt for a place in next year’s Europa League. They are currently only 2 points out of 7th and Sepe’s keeping could help them close that gap over the rest of the season.

Manager: Roberto De Zerbi, Sassuolo

Roberto De Zerbi has led Sassuolo to an impressive turnaround this season. Last year they finished in 11th place behind an anemic attack that only managed to score 29 goals for the whole season. Right now they find themselves holding the last Europa League, a point ahead of 8th place Atalanta. This is due in large part to their huge attacking turnaround that has seen them already score 20 goals in their first 12 matches. This attacking improvement can be credited to De Zerbi’s decision to start Kevin-Prince Boateng as a false 9. Some people thought Boateng might be declining after a few disappointing seasons, but that narrative has been completely turned around this season.

Boateng’s 5 goals and 1 assist in 11 appearances have helped turn Sassuolo into an attack to be feared. They’ve already played Italy’s top 5 teams so they could even improve their standing in the league before the winter break rolls around.De Zerbi took a struggling team with a struggling star and turned them back into a contender for  a Europa League place with a young star up front.

Next. Juventus and AC MIlan combined 11: Ronaldo and Higuain reunited. dark

Roberto D’Aversa’s season at Parma is a close second, but getting a struggling team into a Europa League spot at a time when Serie A keeps getting tougher at the top is tough to beat.

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