Torino's Defensive Crisis Meets Como's Cutting Edge: Serie A Tuesday Night Preview

Tuesday night. Torino vs Como. Serie A. On paper it looks like a mid-table scrap. Watch the numbers and it tells you something more urgent than that.

Torino: One Win and a Lot of Questions

Torino have won once in their last five Serie A matches. One win, one draw, three defeats. Five goals scored, eight conceded. Zero clean sheets. I do not need to spell it out but I will anyway. That is a defence that has completely lost its shape and its confidence.

The thing is, you look at those results and there is no shame in losing to AS Roma or AC Milan. What gets me is the manner. Torino conceded in all five matches. Every single one. That tells me the problems are structural and the attitude around defending set pieces and second balls is not where it needs to be.

They beat Fiorentina 2-1 in the middle of that run, which showed the quality is there. But one good performance sandwiched between four poor ones is not a pattern. That is a blip. Torino need more than a blip right now, and they are carrying injury concerns that compound the problem. A major absentee remains out until December and another player is only just past an expected return date from a moderate injury. Disrupted squads require leaders to stand up. I have not seen enough evidence that anyone is doing that.

Como: Goals, Energy, and a Point to Prove

Como come into this with three wins from their last five Serie A matches and nine goals scored in that same sample. They conceded six, so it is not exactly a defensive masterclass from them either. Both teams scoring in four of Como's last five tells you this is an open, attacking side.

Listen, losing 2-0 to Frosinone in their most recent match will have stung Como. That is not a result a side with ambitions accepts quietly. There is usually a response after a result like that, and coming away to a struggling Torino side is the kind of fixture where you settle scores with yourself.

Como also have suspension issues in the squad. Two players are unavailable due to suspension. That limits options and it tests the depth of the group. But their recent wins over Parma, Genoa, and Napoli show they can compete against varied opposition. Beating Napoli 2-1 takes desire and organisation. I can see that much without a spreadsheet.

The Bet: Both Teams to Score

Both teams have scored in four of the last five for both Torino and Como in Serie A. Torino's clean sheet percentage in this sample is zero. Como's is the same. The thing is, when neither side can keep a clean sheet and both sides can find the net, you back goals. Simple.

I am backing both teams to score. It is the honest call given what the evidence shows. End of.

Verdict

Torino are struggling with consistency and carrying bodies who are unavailable. Como have more momentum despite the Frosinone setback, and they will fancy themselves to cause problems on the break. This is not a match Torino can approach with half-measures. Their fans deserve more than what they have been watching.

My expectation is a competitive, messy match with goals at both ends. If Torino's defence cannot get the basics right against Como's forward line, it is going to be a long evening in Turin.