Preview: Fiorentina vs Frosinone

Everyone can breathe a bit easier after Fiorentina broke an unpleasant string of 2-1 defeats with a big away win over Hellas Verona. La Viola get a chance to improve their suddenly shaky home form with a match against Serie A newcomers Frosinone, who sit in 17th.

Fiorentina

Paulo Sousa will be breathing a bit easier with another three points, but can't let up now. Expect to see some squad rotation in this one, with players like Khouma Babacar, Matías Fernández, and Federico Bernardeschi getting some minutes to rest some key starters.

Expect Sousa to start with his usual 3-4-2-1, as it'll give him a spare man at the back and a numerical advantage in midfield. Marcos Alonso still can't get healthy, so Federico Bernardeschi should start on the left flank in place of 33-year-old Manuel Pasqual, who played 90 minutes on Wednesday. Davide Astori could also be rested after picking up a minor knock against Hellas, although he's reportedly fine. On the plus side, Gilberto is finally healthy again and could see some action off the bench.

Frosinone

Roberto Stellone has done a good job with Frosinone, leading them to second place in Serie B last season and keeping them out of the relegation zone (albeit barely) in the early going for the Ciociari's inaugural top-flight season. While the team perhaps wasn't ready for Serie A at the beginning of the season--they lost their first four before tying Juventus--they've improved by leaps and bounds, notching three wins in their past five matches, including a surprising 2-0 win over Sampdoria. The danger man is Federico Dionisi, who has 3 goals, but also keep an eye on Inter Milan loanee Samuele Longo, striker Daniel Ciofani, and winger Luca Paganini.

Stellone has followed the usual recipe for recently promoted side: organized defense and quick counters. He sets out with a 4-4-2. The central midfielders rarely venture forward, and the wingers are tasked with some serious defensive work as well. The strategy is to break quickly through the two nippy strikers. He'll have to do without left back Daniel Pavlovic (hip) and left winger Danilo Soddimo (red card suspension). Expect to see Bleedin' Aleandro Rosi (that press conference was his Viola highlight) and Modibo Diakité, who've both spent time at Fiorentina on loan, from the get-go. One-time prospect Arturo Lupoli is also on loan to Canarini, but hasn't made an appearance yet.

Projected lineups

Fiorentina (3-4-2-1): Tatarusanu; Tomovic, Gonzalo, Roncaglia; Blaszczykowski, Badelj, Valero, Pasqual; Fernández, Bernardeschi; Babacar

Frosinone (4-4-2): Leali; Crivello, Blanchard, Diakite, Rosi; Tonev, Chibsah, Gori, Paganini; Dionisi, Ciofani

Utterly shameless score prediction

Let's call it a 3-0 win for Fiorentina, with Babacar netting a brace before coming off for Giuseppe Rossi, who also scores. Assists from Mati and Jakub Blaszykowski. La Viola should run the game, although expect one nice Ciprian Tatarusanu save when the defense falls asleep on a counter.

How to watch

TV: Sky Calcio 1 has this one, with former Viola midfielder Massimo Ambrosini on the commentary. RAI International also has it.

Online: Other live viewing options can be found here (links to illegal streams in the comments will be removed and repeat offenders banned), and as always, you can also follow along with us live on Twitter. If you haven't already, join the community on Viola Nation, and join in the discussion below.