Simmering Serie A: Which Stars Are Hot or Not

Champions League, Europa League, EURO 2012 Qualifiers, and Serie A. It has been hard to keep up to speed with who is in top form.

Some sides have slumped surprisingly, others have shown shocking signs of life.

Last season's stars have not all hit their stride yet while some new names are starting to step into the spotlight.

You could take your time to study and analyze for yourself which key players are struggling to establish themselves or already producing the goods.

Or you could just take my word for it.

Sometimes a manager can stumble upon his best team as it looked like the fates helped out Milan boss Max Allegri this week.

The Rossoneri were struggling a bit against Auxerre in their Champions League match Wednesday night when their old warhorse Massimo Ambrosini picked up a knock and had to limp off the field.

It could have been a disaster, but instead it was an opportunity that KPB seized with both hands (or, more literally, his head and feet).

The former Portsmouth man was a one-man pressing crew in the midfield, winning the ball, distributing it well and bursting forward into the penalty box.

He even produced a little flick to set up Zlatan Ibrahimovic's first goal.

His impressive performance must make him a regular starter for the Milanese side and stole some of the limelight from their bigger names.

Last season he was Inter's pin-up boy, playing a key part in their most famous victories, but things have yet to click for him this term.

Maybe the tactics of new boss Rafa Benitez do not suit him, or maybe he is just understandably jaded from playing such a fundamental role last season.

Whatever the reason, he has not looked like the Milito we all know.

A little spark is missing that can probably only be cured by scoring a goal.

With a player of his class, there is no doubt a strike is just around the corner. But in the meantime his season so far has to be considered disappointing, if only for the high standards he has set himself.

A move away from the seemingly smothering atmosphere of Turin appears to have been the perfect tonic for the Atomic Ant.

Followers of the Bianconeri were getting frustrated at the eternal promise upon which he failed to deliver.

Now Parma fans are savoring what his mother club is missing.

Assists, fancy dribbling, and stunning set pieces have seen him thrive in the surroundings of the Ennio Tardini Stadium.

It is too early to think that anyone at La Vecchia Signora will be regretting the decision to let him go. Indeed, many will wish him well.

However, if he maintains his current form and Juve keeps on struggling, there may be a few fans who look towards Emilia Romagna and turn a subtle shade of green.

There was more than one eyebrow raised when the Sardinian starlet was called up to the Italy squad by coach Cesare Prandelli.

But it looks like the former Viola boss knew what he was doing.

In the opening weeks of the Serie A season the young defender has taken his reputation up a few more notches.

It is, of course, too early for comparisons with Milan and Italy legend Alessandro Nesta to be in any way valid.

However, in a nation struggling for the great defenders of old he is certainly one of the best of the new crop, and could yet mature into a stalwart for the Azzurri and clinch a move to a bigger club.

Without Stevan Jovetic and Adrian Mutu, the pressure has been building on Fiorentina's only recognized front-man.

He may have struck for Italy against the Faroe Islands, but the goals still stubbornly refuse to come for his club.

The former Milan and Parma front-man has gone through lean spells before and he usually comes out of them in a hot streak.

That turnaround cannot come too soon for followers of the boys in purple.

In the meantime, however, Gila is failing to take chances he would normally snap up and the sense of frustration continues to grow.

They like their blond-haired midfielders at Juventus.

Pavel Nedved is still revered as one of the best they have ever known and another man with a passing resemblance appears to have captured their hearts already.

Flying down the right flank of Gigi Del Neri's aggressive formation it is easy to see why.

He has looked ready to get to the touchline and deliver crosses as well as being prepared to burst into the box to provide support for the strikers.

That sort of attitude will always endear you to your home supporters. And if it can start to produce a few wins for the Bianconeri, he could cement his place in their affections.

There were some who questioned Napoli's move for the Uruguayan hit-man in the summer when he made the switch from Palermo.

They wondered how he would slot into an already well-drilled attack.

However, the departure of Fabio Quagliarella has left a bit more room up-front, and the youngster has positively thrived.

Fiorentina fans will reckon his goal against them should not have stood, but he has found the net often enough elsewhere to suggest this will be a memorable season.

His movement and poise have been a joy to watch so far in a generally misfiring Napoli side. Walter Mazzarri's teams generally take a bit of time to warm up, so they could be a real danger when they do so.

He's a player who divides opinion in Italy, with many feeling he is among the most overrated strikers in the land.

Then, every so often, he produces a goal of such beauty it silences his critics.

A move to Roma looked like a godsend as Milan stacked up its attacking options and he tumbled down the pecking order.

And an early injury to Adriano has given him a golden opportunity with the Giallorossi.

However, he missed a perfect chance to get them on level terms when they visited Bayern Munich midweek, and he has not slotted in as smoothly as Claudio Ranieri might have hoped.

It is too early to judge and he may yet settle, but the first indications from the capital have not been anything to get excited about.

If the boys from Verona find themselves at the top of the table, they have a lot to thank their hit-man for.

He may not be as fashionable as some other forwards but boy does he get the job done.

The Flying Donkeys as a whole have been one of the revelations of the season so far, and Pellissier has been at the end of much of their good work.

With wing-man Luciano (some may still remember him as Eriberto) producing some dashing runs there has been plenty of ammunition for the forwards to thrive on.

There is every chance that Chievo could keep its 100 percent record this weekend as they host Brescia.

And if they are to make it three wins out of three, it will almost certainly see Sergio on the scoresheet once again.

If Diego Milito has lost his mojo for the moment, it appears to have been inherited by his Cameroon counterpart.

The former Barcelona striker has been in scintillating form for the reigning champions, and helped to dig them out of a hole against Twente in the Champions League this week.

Many times last season he was most noted for the defensive shift he put in for Inter, as he tracked back from his wide role to help cover his full-backs.

This year, he seems to be getting more freedom and is thriving in his new role.

Some of his touches and shots have been truly breathtaking.

A lot of people questioned Barca's thinking when they gave up Eto'o and cash to sign Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

And, given his current form, the African striker may already have made it the best piece of business Inter has ever done.