Does Antonio Nocerino’s addition pose a tactical re-shuffle?

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The long and drawn out transfer saga surrounding Antonio Nocerino finally reached its conclusion last week when the Lions eventually got a deal completed for the former Italian international.

No doubt bringing experience and quality to the Lions’ ranks, Adrian Heath has already admitted Nocerino has been a player the club have been monitoring for some time.

Despite some fans questioning whether his transfer was a necessity this off-season with both Darwin Cerén and Cristian Higuita fantastic in anchoring the midfield last term, the focus is clearly on strength in depth.

We read in the Orlando Sentinel recently that Higuita has been called up by the Colombian Under-23 squad to play a series of forthcoming friendlies and with the 22-year-old busier than most around March, you can see why Nocerino’s arrival appears valuable.

But how does he fit into the team with everybody fit?

Speaking after the Lions’ 2-1 pre-season win over Toronto FC, Adrian Heath said to Paul Tenorio of the Orlando Sentinel: “We had a little change to the shape. 

“It’s been something we’ve been thinking about and something we’re sort of tweeking about with in training so with the addition of Nocerino, it’s maybe something we have to look at.”

@TreHellwig think it could look more like a 4-2-1-2-1 in how they line up. So Ceren-Higuita; Nocerino; Kaka-Molino; Larin

— Paul Tenorio (@PaulTenorio) February 21, 2016

We wonder whether that change to the shape could be mapped out such as this with everybody fit…

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