Serie A 2014-15 mid-season report card: 5 things we have learnt so far

Although Juventus are on course to claim their fourth straight Serie A title, they have already shown a few chinks in their armour that others will look to exploit over the course of the season. While the fight for the title is between Juventus and Roma, the race for the final Champions League spot is heating up. Six teams are within three points off the coveted third place spot currently held by Napoli while at the bottom, barring a miracle, it looks as though the three clubs currently occupying the relegation places will go down this season.Four managers have already been sacked and the number is only expected to go up if the fortunes of those in the bottom half doesn't change. Here are the major talking points from the first half of the 2014/15 season in Serie A.

#1 Football has given the city of Genoa something to cheer about

Gabbiadini celebrating in front of the Sampdoria fans

Just three years after torrential flooding killed seven people, bureaucratic inertia and poorly planned buildings meant that one man was killed and €200 million worth of public property was damaged in the floods that occurred in Genoa in October 2014. With doom and gloom spreading like wildfire across the city, the people of Genoa needed something to cheer about and their football clubs have given them just that.

Both Sampdoria and Genoa are in the top six and are looking to end the season inside the European places. Manolo Gabbiadini's goals have lifted Sampdoria to fourth place, level on points with Napoli in third and Lazio in fifth. Genoa who are currently sixth, just one point behind the three teams tied on 27 points. They were in third place for most of the season before back-to-back defeats against Roma and Torino ahead of the Christmas break.

With both clubs flying high in Serie A, the people of Genoa at least have something now to take their minds off the terrible tragedy that befell them.

#2 Roma struggling to deliver on Garcia\'s promise

Gervinho (L) and Totti (R) need to click into gear

After a 3-2 loss to Juventus in October that ended their winning start to the season, Roma coach Rudi Garcia said: "we will win the championship, we can do it." Pretty stern words indeed from the manager of a side who finished 17 points behind Juventus in second place last season. When he said that, his side were second in their Champions League Group and have since bowed out of the competition after they lost to Manchester City in their final group game.

If Roma are to have any chance of winning the League, they need to be more ruthless and not draw games they should win. They also need more goals from their forwards. Although Adem Ljajic has scored six goals, both Francesco Totti and Gervinho have only scored two goals each and they will need to get their act together fast. The Giallorossi also need to make the most of the opportunities afforded to them by Juventus, because they won't get too many from the defending champions.

#3 Parma going from hero to zero

The season is definitely not going according to plan for Donadoni

What a difference a year makes. Last season, Roberto Donadoni guided Parma to their third consecutive top ten finish and qualified for Europe by finishing sixth, only to be barred due to the late payment of a tax bill. Many expected them to continue and stay in and around the European places this time around as well, but things haven't gone according to plan at all, for Parma.

After being docked a point at the start of the season, the club have won just two games this season and are currently bottom with just six points, having conceded 36 goals, double the combined total conceded by the top two. They aren't scoring too many goals either and it looks as though, after a few seasons of stability, Parma are going to return back to Serie B much sooner than they would have wanted to do.

#4 Palermo need to hold onto Paulo Dybala

Dybala (L) has set Serie A on fire with his goals

Only four teams are worse off defensively than Palermo in Serie A and three of them occupy the bottom three places. And yet Palermo are sitting comfortably in 10th place, 10 points off the drop zone. The main reason for that is Paulo Dybala. The 21-year-old Argentinean forward has scored seven and assisted six goals in his 16 League games and has attracted the attention of some of Europe's top clubs.

While the defence is far from convincing, up front, the presence of Dybala has ensured that the club have picked up some crucial points. The worry now, for the club is that he might leave them. After all, Palermo have a history of selling their best players, with the likes of Edinson Cavani and Javier Pastore moving abroad on the back of successful seasons with the Sicilian club.

But if Rosanero (The Pink-blacks) are to have any chance of staying up this season, they must ensure that they don't sell Dybala in January, irrespective of the offers that they receive for him.

#5 Milan clubs still struggling to find their feet

Both Milan clubs struggling to recapture their former glory

Much was made when Pippo Inzaghi was named the new manager of AC Milan. But for all the hoopla surrounding the brand of football that the club were going to play, the Rossoneri have flattered to deceive so far. Although they were involved in some enthralling encounters, they have won just six out of their 16 games and are currently in seventh place, two points and two places off a potential Europa League spot.

After just 16 points from their opening 11 games, which included some humiliating defeats at the hands of Cagliari and Fiorentina, Walter Mazzarri was sacked and former coach Roberto Mancini was brought in to turn things around at Inter Milan. However, just one win in his opening five games means that Mancini hasn't had the impact many thought he would have and the club are in 11th place six points off a European place.

With both clubs expected to strengthen in January, fans would be hoping for an upturn in their fortunes, for if that doesn't happen, neither Milan club will be in Europe next season.