Sunday afternoon at Goodison
Park. Hardly the proper time for football but
nonetheless. Tense game with some
expansive and beautiful Everton play.
Pompey’s very own Diddy man evades his markers to grab an equalizer for
the visitors and the home side is discombobulated for a while. Normal service resumes and Tiny Tim gets
Everton’s second whilst the Yak scores the third of the game and his eighteenth
of the season.
A convoluted trip limits the
number of away fans although the home fans turn up in decent numbers for what
is a European six pointer. The weather
and pitch are fine and the Panto Dame predicts a bore draw. Hardly serious football journalism from Lawro
when both sides have only managed two (home/away) draws from league play this
season. The stakes are high and at both
teams are unbeaten in three so something has to give.
Moyes is starting to encounter
the problems of having a full and functioning squad coupled with the need to
drop or change players. Difficult but a
nice problem to have.
Howard keeps goal, Hibbert occupies
the right back berth after a solid performance against Petrov, Yobo and
Jagielka continue their strong partnership in the centre and Lescott stays at
left back. Carsley and Neville sit deep
with Pienaar Osman and Cahill getting licenses to attack with Yakubu as the
main forward. This is very firmly an
attacking 4 5 1.
"IT'S OK LADS! MOST OF THEM ARE ONLY THIS TALL!"
DAVID JAMES ON THE MIDGET GEMS!
Redknapp has plenty to chose from
and opts for a large 4 5 1. James
continues his long streak in goal the back four has the energy at the flanks in
John son and Hreidarsson and solidity in the middle with Campbell and Distin. Strung across the middle are Bouba Diop,
Diarra, Muntari and Krancjar with Defoe and Kanu up front as a little and large
partnership.
"IS THE BIG GUY ENGLISH?"
CAPELLO, HOT OF THE HELICOPTER FROM BOLTON.
PLENTY OF ENGLISH TALENT ON SHOW!
Before Capello has even taken his
seat (the Italian is hot off the helicopter after watching Bolton
lose) Yakubu has duly scored the opener.
A brisk Everton attack and a clumsy challenge see Pienaar deliver a
nothing ball into the area. Distin is
too slow, John son just watches and the rest of the defence barely moves as
Yobo flicks the ball on for his countryman to stoop and head beyond James. Clocked at fifty seconds.
"FEED THE YAK AND HE WILL SCORE!"
JOHN SON AND JAMES CAN DO NOTHING TO STOP NUMBER SEVENTEEN
Before it’s even begun the game
has turned into a major challenge for Portsmouth. One which in the first half they barely rise to.
Huge swathes of the first half
see some delightful Everton passing and movement which bamboozles and befuddles
Pompey.
My highlight is Pienaar and Cahill
passing to each other as they advance down the left ignorant (seemingly) of the
Pompey defenders they leave for dead.
Nothing comes of all the fancy footwork but a few good saves and
clearances from a stout Pompey back line or a wayward strike from Phil
Neville.
Osman and Cahill have chances and
James gets away with one of his trademark Calamity’s ™.
The Everton player with the
hottest boots is Irish; Carsley has a free kick and two more chances, none of which
find the target.
"EVERYBODY WAS KUNG FU FIGHTING
THOSE GUYS ARE FAST AS LIGHTENING
SOMETIMES IT'S A WAS LITTLE BIT FRIGHTENING
EVERYBODY IS KUNG FU FUGHTING
LA LA LA LAAH!"
THE KUNG FU OF KUYT IS PRACTISED AGAIN AT GOODISON PARK.
John son skinned Pienaar early on
but produced a poor cross and Kranjcar briefly sputtered into life in a half
that until the thirty eighth minutes the visitors looked practically dead and
buried as they foundered on a calmly wonderful Everton back six.
The ground goes into that stunned
away goal silence when from out of the blue John son lays in a lovely ball
which Howard should be rushing off his line to claim. The big yank doesn’t and the little Englishman
slips between two vastly bigger but static defenders to graze the ball with the
faintest of touches beyond a flailing Howard for the equalizer.
Who picked up Defoe’s run and why
didn’t Howard move. For a normally solid
defence that was shocking.
"SILENCE IS GOLDEN"
UNLESS IT'S THAT GHASTLY SILENCE THAT FOLLOWS AN AWAY GOAL
POMPEY'S VERY OWN MIDGET GEM GETS AN UNEXPECTED EQUALIZER.
Everton still press in the last
five but some of the conviction has slipped from their play.
Moyes keeps things the same and
Harry must have given some sort of fire-breathing-barnstorming-Churchillean
monologue to inspire his players.
The visitors emerged from the
tunnel with their proverbial tails up, Defoe and Yakubu were swapping goal
celebrations and everyone was happy.
Ten minutes into the half and
Everton had barely gotten into second gear.
The champagne had gone flat and it took a determined team effort to haul
their sorry arses back into the game, they were just getting going and starting
to move forward with some purpose when the key managerial input came.
Moyes switched to a 4 4 2 and
brought off Hibbert for John son, Neville slotted in to the right back role and
John son caused immediate mayhem.
A rapid and ball hungry outlet
pulled the Pompey defence all over the park.
The interplay between the front
two was nice to see and effective, Pompey retreated back into their shell and
even the addition of Utaka’s pace and skill made little difference to the
Blues’ dominance.
Things were still tense though as
without a goal Pompey could sneak one or the game could end drawn.
Tensions eased and the noise
level rose after some neat play on the left produced a classic Cahill headed
goal.
SOMEWHERE IN TIM CAHILL'S LINEAGE IS A WALLABY!
THE EXCELLENT OZZIE LEAPS TO GET HIS TENTH OF THE SEASON
The Australian played a ball out
to the left from deep, Yakubu got on the end of it and played in Pienaar, the
South African whose crosses the ball into the six yard box, Cahill has
continued his run and not been picked up and rose magnificently to bury one,
his tenth of the year.
John son scored but the goal was
called back for a tight offside and James had another Calamity ™ yet got way
with it.
The icing on the cake (albeit not
a clean sheet) was Yakubu’s second goal.
Portsmouth lost the ball in the Everton
half and John son picked up the clearance, his crossfield ball flew fourty
yards and caught Campbell in an indecisive mood,
the ex-Gunner let the ball go behind him and the Yak took the gift, turned Campbell inside around and
hammered the ball beyond a stunned James.
FEED THE YAK AND HE WILL SCORE!
NUMBER EIGTHEEN IS ABOUT TO BEAT JAMES AFTER YAKUBU BAMBOOZLES CAMPBELL.
Everton finished
professionally.
Everton played well; they dug
themselves a hole, blundered around in it for a while before pulling themselves
out of it and playing even better.
Happy with the goals, unhappy
with equalizer and the twenty minutes of mental lethargy.
Happiest with the mental
toughness that turned the game around in the second half.
Loved the changed from 4 5 1 to 4
4 2.
EXHIBIT B - HOW BEING A FOOTBALL MANAGER WILL SERIOUSLY DAMAGE YOUR COMPLEXION!
The first half was an intimate
exercise; football in microsm; play well but don’t score and you leave yourself
vulnerable.
2008 is becoming a good year for
Everton in the Premier League.
Seems the defeats in the two domestic
cups were forgotten in the cold of Norway and the team was celebrated
in the six-one European Night.
Thursday will be the toughest
test for the team of the season so far.
Fiorentina are good, hungry, and unfamiliar. To repeat the efforts and enjoy the
performances of the 1984/85 season the team needs to play very well against one
of Italy’s
best sides. Tough but eminently
dooable. COYB
Pompey weren’t in the game for
long periods but could have gotten three points.
"OIY LADS! QUICK! OVER 'ERE - LOOKS LIKE HARRY"S GOING FOR THE HIGH NOTE!" MR REDKNAPP's URGING HIS TEAM ON WITH SONG!
On small things games turn, for
example Defoe. On another day Pompey
score a second and kill the game. Today
they weren’t good enough to do that but good enough to frustrate and get at
Everton without causing Howard too many worries.
Mariner. Pretty good game lah!
Note to Andre: check the video of
the game, notice that Distin had his arms all over Lescott whilst holding him
down, and notice the pushes John son applied at crucial moments to Lescott and
Yakubu. All three offences happened in
the penalty area. Penalties, maybe I’m
not an expert, I’m just mentioning them in case you didn’t see them.
Wow! Great game in Rome. Roma produce everything from the sublime to
the ridiculous whilst Fiorentina struggle to cope with a rejigged side, they
threaten on occasion, more so than Roma in the first half
Italy’s capital bathed in Sunshine
and adorned with the red of the Giallorossi Tifosi. The Stadio Olimpico is a great stadium to
watch football in and the home fans bought their singing voices in support of
their beloved team. A European
six-pointer.
Spalletti; with a full deck;
Mancini’s suspension aside; to pick from; still rings the changes; likely the
previous game last Wednesday and the game this Wednesday on his mind. Doni keeps goal with a back four of Cicinho,
Ferrari, Mexes and Tonetto. Aquilani is
welcomed with a start alongside De Rossi with Taddei, Vucinic and Giuly strung
out behind Totti. It’s a very fluid 4 5
1 formation (or 4 2 3 1 if you want to be picky).
Prandelli is buoyant from a job
well done in Europe and has the Blues to contemplate plus a midweek clash with Livorno to consider as well. He has more injuries and suspensions to
handle and picks a recombobulated side.
Frey is fit to keep goal, the
back four sees Ujfalusi and Gobbi wide with Gamberini and Kroldrup in the
middle. Kuzmanovic, Jorgenson and
Montolivo make up the midfield with Mutu spearheading a front three which
includes Semioli on the right and Vieri on the left.
La Viola start with intent and a
bit of fire, the fire is returned and Ferrari and Vieri start a game long
tussle.
Semioli is the key with Tonetto
defending slackly and allowing the wide man space to put in crosses. Gamberini forces a fine save from Doni on
three minutes, Mutu eschews a much easier chance, Mutu jumps ahead of the
better placed Gamberini and has his header cleared.
Roma aren’t being outplayed so
much as sitting back and absorbing pressure, they love to attack quickly and
from deep.
Crosses are a staple in the Viola
armoury; with Vieri not exactly mobile and Mutu often pushed wide the lack much
of a target.
Roma’s quick breaking sees’ Totti
win a foul and his quick free kick sees Vucinic spurn a chance with a levered
strike which goes well above the bar.
Twenty minutes in and Roma are
asserting themselves with good pressure.
They use the ball and space so beautifully at time with a cavalcade of
slick passing, mobile players and not really too much to trouble Frey. Totti gets free but scuffs his shot with too
much time to think about what he wants to do with the ball.
When La Viola do break Roma surge
back in numbers, at one point stifling the attack and regaining possession with
seven players and the ‘keeper in the area.
The dominant Roma midfield keeps
possession well and forces the odd aimless hoof from Fiorentina, still the
Giallorossi don’t really trouble Frey.
Cicinho comes closest but as a
result of a clearance not some slick passage of play, Frey’s hands are stung
but he stays firm.
Disaster strikes Prandelli’s side
when Mutu evades the Roma offside trap.
One on one with Doni he goes wide but the astute Doni keeps his feet and
times his challenge well; he wins the ball although his momentum sweeps Mutu
awkwardly off his feet. Mutu’s left knee
is not well and he is replaced by Papa Wiago.
The new signing forces Prandelli into changing to a 4 5 1.
Spalletti must have lit a fire
under the hairy Montenegrin’s arse at half time as Vucinic, pushed wider on the
left plays like a man possessed.
Prandelli and his number two must
have talked fashion and football as Fiorentina don’t come out hard as they did
in the first half.
Vucinic runs at Fiorentina and
terrorizes Ujfalusi with his pace and directness. His run and shot forces another good save
from Frey.
Fiorentina step it up some and
try to utilize the space left by Roma’s pressing, this works well although
Vieri needs to be in the middle and not making poor crosses from wide
left.
The game heats up and flows
faster from end to end until Roma make the vital breakthrough, well Vucinic’s
vim, verve and pace create the breakthrough.
Ujfalusi needs help and Gamberini
keeps being pulled wide to provide it.
Roma are on the front foot and a ball from De Rossi out to Vucinic pulls
the defenders wide, his pace and touch allow him to make space for a shot, one
deflection takes it into the path of three Roma players and Cicinho is cool
enough to finish past a well stranded Frey.
Fiorentina’s response is only a
moment or two in coming.
Montolivo; playing inside more
now; finds Papa Wiago on the right, the Senegalese pass inside finds Kuzmanovic
and the youngster takes paint off the crossbar with Doni statuesque or
positionally challenged.
Normalcy soon returns to the
Stadio Olimpico and Vucinic continues his campaign of terror against Ujfalusi
and this time the entire Fiorentina defence is static and the ball behind them
finds Totti who forces yet another great save from the much talked about
Frey.
Roma; as is their wont; seem to
be incapable of stuffing the game down their opponents throats and start to
ease of the gas, they sit deeper and deeper and let Fiorentina have more of the
ball. La Viola can’t really do much with
it so maybe the tactic is sound.
Numerous substitutions change the
complexion of the game after the hour as Roma go more defensive and Fiorentina
form up in a 4 4 2.
Roma defend well and Fiorentina
miss the sheer Mutuness of their inured Romanian striker.
The highlight of the last quarter
is Ujfalusi being punished for blatantly stealing ten or so yards on a throw
in, the referee calmly watches his pilfering before blowing his whistle and
awarding the throw to the home side. The
Roma Tifosi liked that one, Ujfalusi is steaming.
The final flurry sees a stupid
Cicinho pick up a needless red; his petulant kicking the ball away earns him a
second yellow and an early bath.
Gamberini comes close again in
the dying minutes and can’t use the time he has to aim better, his header is
watched wide by Doni.
Back up to a four point lead in
second will please Spalletti. Cicinho
will not although the midweek game against Inter will test his tactical
grit.
Roma were so sublime and
beautiful in parts but also pretty slack in others; Ferrari and Aquilani almost
handed La Viola the equalizer with some atrociously shoddy defending. He has plenty of personnel but how best to
utilize them? Three points and a pretty
comfortable win – Spalletti will have a good polish tonight.
Prandelli will be distraught; but
eminently fashionable; with the knee injury Mutu sustained. His side lacks a lot without the Romanian and
his goals.
Admittedly not his first team
Fiorentina played well in a few first half spells and made Doni work. The other eighty minutes they weren’t much
kop. The battle for the European places
and a UEFA Cup won’t get any easier.
Morganti was actually very
good. This is nice to see in a referee
these days. He didn’t have any tell tale
‘fat wallet’ bulges in his shorts either so neither Totti nor Juve nor anyone
else can have reason to complain.
AS Roma:-
Doni
Cicinho
Ferrari
Mexes
Tonetto
De Rossi
Aquilani
Taddei (Perotta 65)
Vucinic (Cassetti 67)
Giuly (Pizarro 79)
Totti
Bookings:-
De Rossi
Perotta
Cicinho (R )
Goals:-
Cicinho 53
Fiorentina:-
Frey
Ujfalusi
Gamberini
Kroldrup
Gobbi
Kuzmanovic
Jorgenson (Liverani 76)
Montolivo (Cacia 67)
Semioli
Mutu (Papa Waigo 42)
Vieri
Goals:-
Bookings:-
Vieri
Referee:-
Emilio Morganti
Nice to hear Christian Miles of
FSC talk about the team sheet graphics; he said, “Here are our projected line
ups” That is so appreciated Christian.
Makes you and FSC look so much better and is much preferred to you and
FSC being just plain wrong.
Today at least you got the team
sheet graphics for this game spot on.
Reggina put one over on a stuttering Old Lady to grab a bit of
relegation relief. Some brilliant
touches and some shoddy play in an odd game that ended in fireworks.
The Granillo in Febuary, both
teams well represented and neither bolshily optimistic nor dreadfully
pessimistic. Juventus wanted to leapfrog
Roma and Reggina needed to mount another last ditch fightback from the gaping
maw of Serie B.
Amaranto manager Ulivieri feared
for his job as he picks the team.
Campagnolo keeps goal behind a back three of Lanzario, Valdez and Aronica. Defender Cirillo is put in midfield to help
shore things up alongside Cascione, Barretto and Vigiani; wide on the left to
provide an attacking option is Modesto. Brienza operates forward and mostly right
with Vigiani sitting between attack and midfield, Amoruso is the target
man. Kind of a 3 4 1 2.
Ranierii is hit by a back virus
and other injuries and has to select a makeshift team with little on the
bench. Belardi keeps goal with a back
four of Gygera, Legrottaglie, Chiellini and Molinaro. Camoranesi, Zanetti, new signing Sissoko and Nedved
are strung across midfield with Del Piero and Palladino in attack.
Reggina come out hard but quality
soon tells and Juventus dominate the early going with an impressive array of
touches, the lack of much goal threatening action doesn’t stop the Bianconeri
from mostly dominating the first half hour.
Amoruso selfishly shoots when a
lay of to the left would have found the open man.
Del Piero’s chance comes at him
too quickly and is cleared.
Camoranesi is floating around and
causing the Amaranto a lot of problems.
Belardi saves well from Modesto.
Sissoko flails at a half chance
and pokes the ball over.
Although Ranierii’s men dominate
they seem disjointed somehow, the lack of a penalty box striker could explain
it. Seems as though it will be only a
matter of time before their neat build up play actually forges a chance that
someone will bury in the net.
Mentally Juventus step off the
gas, passes go astray and Reggina claw their way back into the game. Some sloppy defending leads to a corner;
Sissoko half clears the second one and Legrottaglie; not on his best form of
the season; is slow to step up which leaves Belardi one on three with the
Amaranto attack, Brienza accepts the gift and finishes well past the stranded
‘keeper.
Hardly galvanized into action
Juventus still look out of sorts and only reassert their obviously better skill
in the final five minutes of the half.
Again Camoranesi is at the heart
of everything good for Juve.
Neither side changes at the
half.
Backs to the wall, ten men behind
the ball kind of effort from the Amaranto are on the cards and duly
delivered.
Juventus look frustrated and unlikely
to force the equalizer as the well drilled home side defend deeper and more
resolutely as the half wears on. What
they lack in skill they more than make up for in grit and determination.
Valdez makes a late and well timed tackle to
rob the ball off Sissoko as the Mali International gets a run into the
box. Camoranesi has a go from distance
as does Nedved.
Grygera comes on for the more
attack minded Salihamidzic and Ulivieri brings on Tognozzi for Cascione.
It all goes horribly wrong for
the home side a nothing shot without much power behind it finds Campagnolo
asleep, he wakes up in time to fumble over the ball as Del Piero wheels away to
celebrate another Serie A goal. Really
really poor ‘keeping.
For the rest of the game it’s
more Juventus attacking and more Reggina defending, Reggina tire first although
late on even Juventus start to fade a little.
Costa gets a rough Serie A debut
and a little while later Makinwa is thrown on to replace the injured
Brienza.
Juventus threw it all forward and
did very little defending, Reggina clearances allowed them to mostly control
possession. A late break by Amoruso did
need Belardi to be alert and quick off his line, n o mean feat for a virtual
spectator.
Injury time and it all
exploded.
Camoranesi’s header comes off an
arm and Juve expect a spot kick, the ball is cleared well as the referee
ignores the pleadings and Reggina attack on the right. A more hopeful than stunning cross finds
Sissoko and Amoruso as favourites for the ball, Sissoko needlessly pulls off
some flying kung fu kick which misses the ball and catches Amoruso. The referee is well places and point to the
spot amidst howls and begging please from Juventus.
Amoruso duly ####s the penalty
past his old team mate and Reggina win.
Tough loss for Juventus. Great win for Reggina. The ref played the game well enough. Seemed to get most things right amidst all
the diving and play acting.
How he only gave Legrottaglie
only a yellow when the Juventus defender wanted a wrestling match only he will
know, he even gave a card after the whistle for a cheap and girly kick by
Zanetti.
Juventus:-
Belardi
Grygera (Salihamidzic 61)
Legrottaglie
Chiellini
Molinaro
Camoranesi
Zanetti
Sissoko
Nedved
Palladino
Del Piero
Goals:-
Del Piero 71
Bookings:-
Grygera
Legrottaglie
Zanetti (R )
Reggina:-
Campagnolo
Lanzario
Valdez
Aronica
Cirillo
Cascione (Tognozzi 63)
Barretto
Modesto (Costa 82)
Vigiani
Brienza (Makinwa 86)
Amoruso
Goals:-
Brienza 32
Amoruso 93 (P)
Bookings:-
Lanzario
Amoruso
Brienza
Referee:-
Dondarini
Does it surprise that FSC got the
team sheets wrong again?
Inter won in Serie A and lost in Europe, Milan drew twice last week, Fiorentina won
twice and Juventus won then had the middle of the week off.
Wins for Sampdoria, Lazio, Empoli, Palermo
and Udinese set smiles off in Genoa, Rome, Empoli, Palermo and Udine.
Losses for Genoa, Catania, Roma, Napoli, Atalanta, Cagliari
and Reggina means tears in Genoa, Catania, Rome, Naples, Bergamo, Cagliari and
Reggio Calabria.
Draws for Parma, Siena, Torino mean scratched heads in Parma,
Siena and Turin.
Shock of the week, Empoli handing it to Napoli in Naples.
Non shock of the week, Inter wins, again.
FIXTURES
Reggina V Juventus
A week without the hullabaloo of Europe
will be good for the Bianconeri, time to relax and plan for a second place
challenge. Reggina have had some soul
searching to do on the back of four losses, it looks bleak for the Amaranto.
Reggina were hammered by four in their last meeting.
The firepower at home is weak (if not AWOL) and Juventus
have an awful lot of talent.
Milan V Palermo
A tough trip to London
and a laundry list of injuries will be tough for the Rossoneri to overcome and
bring their all to the Stadio Meazza against tough but fragile opposition. Palermo may
have turned a corner but will be wary of the Milan side at home and be in a cautiously buoyant
mood.
Palermo
beat Milan Palermo earlier this season.
Inconsistent form is the bane of both clubs with a lot to
play for this could be a cracker or a tight and tense draw. Managers and players will decide the outcome;
fresher legs may play a part. Europe beckons.
Torino V Parma
Neither side scored in the last round of Serie A. The Toros are in more ebullient form than the
Gialloblu although neither side is yet free of relegation worries.
Parma beat Torino in Parma.
The forwards aren’t firing particularly well for either club
but expect the home side to be less cautious.
Has all the makings of a defensive draw so it’ll probably be hugely one
sided or something.
Atalanta V Sienna
Comfortably mid table versus uncomfortably close to the
bottom three. Sienna comes into the game
with one loss in their last three while Atalanta has one win in five.
The Zebrette and Nerrazzurri drew in Siena.
Siena
play well but struggle to finish and Atalanta are much too inconsistent
recently. Best possible game would ensue
if Sienna scored first and early.
Cagliari
V Lazio
Finally the Romans won whilst the Sardinian side looks
mournfully upwards at the other nineteen Serie A sides. Things aren’t all that bright in Rome though with poor
form amidst the ruins of high expectations.
The Rossoblu got well beaten by the Biancocelesti in Rome.
Neither side has it easy finding the net although Lazio do
better away than do Cagliari
at home. This could go either way but a
lot will depend on how much fight the Sardinians actually have; there are still
fourty five points to win.
Empoli V Catania
Wow and unexpected stuffing of the Azzurri leave the Azzurri
in grand fettle. Catania’s loss last week has them only a
point above Empoli but they generally play better football. This still has the makings of a relegation
six pointer.
Last time out the Elefanti beat Empoli.
Form is with Empoli on the back of two wins as opposed to
four losses. Neither side scores many
with Pozzi being the standout forward; an injury means though that neither side
really has any edge in that department.
Home form will probably tell but the points will be hard fought
for.
Livorno V Napoli
The loss to Inter is part of an Amaranto spiral downwards,
they want a few wins though to haul into themselves back into the mid table
melee. Two losses for the Azzurri is
uncreditable, given their weapons and defensive minded coach.
The home side lost in a tight one earlier this season.
Formation and personnel is crucial for Napoli,
stars are out and a choice between 352 and 443 is tough. Livorno will
look to take on a weakened team with verve and vim at home, the wrong result
will see them in the bottom three come Sunday night.
Roma V Fiorentina
Winning in Europe is
good. The legs don’t feel so tired and
the heart and mind are full of fire and confidence. The Giallorossi still have a task in the
second leg and La Viola contemplates the Blues.
Both sides have three domestic wins in the last five with Fiorentina
edging a point closer to Roma on the back of one loss less.
Florence
saw a combustible score draw last time the two sides met.
Roma have Juventus breathing fire from below and the smell
of old age liniment is wafting up from Milan. European football next year is a must, the
name of the Cup is more vital than life itself; if you were to believe the
media.
Should be a cracking game with two sides that have plenty of
weapons, decent stoppers and solid back lines.
Mutu has more goals than Totti, take away the penalties and it’s only
one more though, expect big things from both players.
Sampdoria V Inter
Licking his hand and combing it through his coiffure as
opposed to licking his wounds and criticizing referees. A Sampdoria starlet and a Scudetto winning
manager. Europe
and Anfield was a blow, the derby d’lanterna was also a blow but the goal and
the madman were magical.
Inter still seem to be unstoppable in the league and
vulnerable in Europe whilst a Cassano inspired
Sampdoria keep climbing the table.
The Blucerchiati were soundly thrashed in a one sided
Nerrazzurri mauling in Milan.
The midfield is getting out of it’s mess and now the defence
has just slipped into one, an abundance of strikers and goals is the key for
Inter. Cassano grows into the
inspiration for Sampdoria whilst Belluci keeps ban ging in the goals. Expect some fireworks, some histrionics and
possibly a cracking game and an Inter loss.
Of course Mancini might have kicked his players and himself so hard on
the flight back from England that Inter’ll be superkeen to stomp all over
Cassano and co.
Udinese V Genoa
The uns exy side in Serie A have started getting back to
winning ways now that the spotlight is turned elsewhere. The Grifani continue to stay in the middle of
the pack with some up and down play and results. The side from Udine boasts the only cappocannoniere in
waiting who does it without the spot.
Genoa
star Borriello bagged a hat trick earlier in the season.
Udinese have some potent weapons and a mean defence, Genoa’s are less potent
and mean though not without merit. The
home side would be favoured although Derby
results can be misleading. Could be
anyone’s a Genoa
goal early would be a nice start.
My Games of the Week.
Sampdoria V Inter is trumped (just) by Roma V Fiorentina
(keep your eye on a bounceback thrashing from Napoli)
What’s On FSC?
Reggina V Juventus (Sat)
Roma V Fiorentina (Sun)
Milan V Palermo (Sun)
Expect at least one Game Summary and another episode of
SERIE A IN BRIEF IN PICTURES.
Serie A proved to be a mix of the mundane, the farcical and the sublime
this week. Although looking back it has
those properties every week.
Roma crashed away at Juventus, given the Giallorossi’s record in Turin it is still a
surprise.
Ranierii picked an attacking if unfamiliar three man
attack. Sure they seemed to have plenty
of the ball early on and had a few half chances, but in reality the majority of
the Bianconeri crosses in the first half went AWOL, Camoranesi had a good game
but was unable to unlock Roma.
Roma actually played a good
tactical game in the first half, they sat back, built up attack slowly and
tried to keep possession in the middle.
The majority of their crosses and balls into the box needed a Juventus boot
or head to cut them out.
Roma always looked more
threatening and composed.
Nedved is a wily old campaigner
and knows how to dive. Sure the foot was
stuck out, watch the replay, he starts the dive with his other leg. That sort of play gets you a free kick in Italy.
Let’s not take away the excellent
free kick from Del Piero, let’s just point out the atrocious wall.
Roma came out in the second half
but the tactical nous of Ranierii saw Camoranesi withdrawn and Nocerino
added. So the Bianconeri have two
holding midfielders, Roma get plenty of possession but failed to find that pass
or that shot.
Mr. Spalletti, clearly Totti is a
talismanic figure in Rome,
but clearly he was not fit today.
Playing him was pretty dumb. Sure
his touch can be sublime and his passing intricate but when he can’t run to
stab home a ball in the six yard box then he’s just like a chocolate
fire-guard. Would Ranierii, Mancini, Ferguson, Wenger or Moyes play
a crocked player?
Juventus:-
Buffon
Zebina
Legrottaglie
Chiellini
Molinaro
Camoranesi (Nocerino 46)
Zanetti
Nedved (Palladino 81)
Del Piero
Iaquinta
Trezeguet (Sissoko 67)
Goals:-
Del Piero 46
Bookings:-
Chiellini
AS Roma:-
Doni
Cassetti
Ferrari
Mexes
Tonetto
Pizarro (Aquilani 73)
De Rossi
Taddei (Giuly 60)
Perrotta (Esposito 82)
Mancini
Totti
Bookings:-
Goals:-
Referee:-
Saccani
Genoa lost at home to Sampdoria in a turgid game
without much to recommend it.
The bright start, Maggio and Di
Vaio going reasonably close in the opening few minutes soon gave way to some
really dire football.
The two teams aren’t solely to
blame for this. Them being two points
off each other before kick off and local city rivals and having played to a
draw earlier on in the season were just a backdrop.
Fresh faced and freshly minted by
FIFA Mr. Rizzoli; known for being card happy; had a total smegging ‘mare of a
game. Breaking wind got you a stern look,
spitting and he’d give a player the evil eye, make a goof strong derby tackle
and he’d give s oft or stupid yellow.
The teams cancelled each other
out in a poor Derby
game whilst the referee was happy to take Bob Marley at his word and “Every
time I plant a seed,
He said kill it before it grow”. He had
to do a Cartman and stamp his AUTHORITAH! On the game instead of letting it
flow. Then Rizzoli has the temerity to
not book Delvecchio?
Genoa had more possession but couldn’t do
much with it. Sampdoria looked more
threatening in attack but it took playing against ten men (a spurious couple of
cards) and the eventual use of his eyes by Maggio to create the goal.
Cassano was the one bright spot
in the game, some brilliant passages of play and some entertaining whining
flowed from the youngster. Thankfully he
didn’t despair that the six other chances he handed to Maggio went AWOL and
persevered to hand the midfielder the seventh.
Genoa:-
Rubinho
Konko
De Rosa
Criscito
Rossi (Bovo 67)
Paro
Juric
Danilo
Milanetto (Lucarelli 64)
Borriello
Di Vaio (Figueroa 49)
Goals:-
Bookings:-
Juric
Paro
Danilo
Danilo (second get’s sent off)
Konko
Criscitto
Sampdoria:-
Castellazzi
Campagnaro
Sala
Accardi
Maggio
Delvecchio (Volpi 68)
Palombo
Franceschini (Bonazzoli 83)
Pieri
Cassano (Ziegler 90)
Belluci
Bookings:-
Sala
Campagnaro
Cassano
Accardi
Goals:-
Maggio 87
Referee:-
Rizzoli
Injuries can be no excuse for this torpid and uninspiring display. Top marks to Parma for making themselves hard to
beat.
Not much to say about this
game. Parma started the game with a point in mind
and got it. Milan started the game poorly and continued
in that vein for the following ninety minutes.
Even the highlights were
awful.
Ancellotti is praying for
Pato.
Parma:-
Bucci
Zennoni
Couto
Falcone
Castellini
Dessena
Morrone
Cigarini (Mariga 75)
Pisanu
Reginaldo (Gasbarroni 64)
Lucarelli (Budan 64)
Goals:-
AC Milan:-
Kalac
Cafu
Nesta
Kaladze
Jankulowski (Maldini 70)
Gattuso (Gilardino 46)
Emerson
Ambrosini
Serginho (Pirlo 46)
Kaka
Inzaghi
Goals:-
Referee:-
Dondarini
Adrian Mutu is sniffing around the capponcanoniere. The Romanian is the difference in one of the
best Italian games this weekend.
Catania
are hard to break down and have some good attacking options in Vargas, Pia and Martinez.
Fiorentina are better away than
at home although they have Mutu up front.
A good team with plenty in all departments.
Catania shaded the game early on then
Fiorentina got themselves straight and started to dominate possession although
not chances.
Some soft defending allowed
Kuzmanovic to get between two defenders to nod home a cross for Fiorentina’s
opener.
Mascara’s introduction caused
Fiorentina problems and more defensive fluffs (created no doubt from the dodgy
Serbian ‘keeper) led to a well executed goal from a corner, Vargas with the
powerful shot from the sloppy clearance.
The second half was end to end stuff,
nail biting and well executed. Mutu is
the jewel in Prandelli’s squad and a good knock down, powerful direct running
and a blinder of a shot led to the winner for La Viola. This was just after a passage of play that
saw Fiorentina pushed back and Catania
squander several half chances.
This time Fiorentina weathered
the late pressure and came away with a good three points.
Fiorentina:-
Frey (Abramov 55)
Potenza
Dianelli
Gamberini
Pasqual
Donadel
Montolivo (Jorgenson 65)
Kuzmanovic
Santana (Semioli 76)
Mutu
Pazzini
Goals:-
Kuzmanovic 39
Mutu 70
Bookings:-
Mutu
Donadel
Catania:-
Polito
Alvarez
Silvestri
Stovini
Vargas
Baiocco
Izco
Biagianti (Mascara 46)
Martinez
Pia
Colucci
Bookings:-
Silvestri
Goals:-
Vargas 60
Referee:-
Banti
Catania’s 433 would look like this is FSC were
actually correct in their team graphics!:-
Polito
Stovini – a CB @ RB?
Vargas – a LB @ CB?
Izco – a CM @ CB?
Baiocco – a CM @ LB?
Silvestri – a CB @ CM?
Biagianti
Colucci – a F @ CM?
Pia
Alvarez – a RB @ F?
Martinez
That is just so dumb.
Max Bretos and other commentators.
Gotta single out the commentator
here. Firstly the team sheet for Catania was hopelessly
WRONG. The names of the players were correct
but their location on the graphic was hopelessly lost. Juan Vargas isn’t a right back either. Thankfully he didn’t do the commentary.
I’m sure that the people of Genoa love to hear tales
about their nautical past but is it really necessary to waffle on about it
during a football match.
He wasn’t the only muppet at the
mike this weekend though. Two normally
reliable commentators; Richard Widdle and Paul Visca; seemed to think Juventus
dominated the first half, surely they must have been bough some nice new
Italian suits by Ranierii to be so blatantly pro Bianconeri.
The bloke who did the Fiorentina
game was excellent.
Other Results.
Internaz ional 2 – 0 Livorno
The table toppers increase their
hold on the Scudetto. Suazo gets a pair
and Livorno are glad to get out of Milan.
Lazio 3 – 0 Atalanta
A surprise and welcome win for
the Biancocelesti. Back to the drawing
board for Atalanta.
Napoli 1 – 3 Empoli
Big trouble for the Azzurri with
another loss. With three sendings off it
was a high tension game.
Palermo 2 – 1 Cagliari
Guidolin’s ‘little girls’ show
some balls.
Reggina 1 – 3 Udinese
Back into the European place
scrap for Udinese, more woes for Reggina.
Traveling support loud and proud as the Blues win away from home in Europe again. Less
than brilliant but professional and mostly solid.
Brann Stadion in chilly; hovering
around the freezing mark; Bergen Norway had a
hostile and vocal atmosphere for such a small stadium. Everton’s traveling fans were mostly drowned
out by the whistles, boos and cheers of the home support. Great atmosphere for a European night.
"DEATH IS MY BUSINES...AND BUSINESS IS GOOD!" PROFOUND THOUGHTS FROM A VENERATED MEMBER OF THE UNDERTAKING PROFESSION AND THRASH METAL FREAK!
Moyes; without his full squad to
pick from; went 4 4 2. Yakubu; naughty,
punished and forgiven; played up front alongside John son. An unfamiliar look to the midfield with Osman
and Fernandes wide with Cahill and Carsley in the centre. Jagielka continued in the centre of defence
alongside Yobo with Neville and Lescott operating as fullbacks. Howard keeps goal.
ONE FOR MUM!
A squad full of internationals;
unbeaten in nineteen at home and current Norwegian Champions went with an
attacking 4 4 2. Mjelde keeps Norwegian
number one Opdal in goal with a back four of Dahl, Bjarnason, Sigurdson and
Hanstveit. Moen operated on the left
with Bakke, El-Fakiri and Solli inside him.
Up front Helstad is a threat alongside Karadas.
Everton have an early chance for
Yak but his shot is weak. Carsley is
called into action at the other end.
Brann aren’t shy to come forward
and drop 6 men back when Everton come forward.
A lack of natural width forces
Everton through the middle where Brann are strong.
Yakubu and John son don’t really
work together they are just both up front.
A discombobulated midfield can’t
get many good balls forward and shows sloppiness in possession.
Jagielka is a rock at the back
bar one fluff with Lescott (similar to the howlers against Arsenal); thankfully
Helstad is a bit rusty and doesn’t take a shot.
The Brann corner kick is an
excellent weapon; crowd the six yard area and hamper the goalkeeper; almost
worked in the last minute of the half but for a Bakke arm across Howard; those
almost always get given.
Osman provides the goalmouth
entertainment he only brought a fine save from Opdal on his third try.
Brann could have been ahead,
Karadas’ header flashed over from a wonderfully flighted free kick. Moen was the bright spot for the home side;
always good deliveries. Brann had more
possession but lacked alacrity in attack, particularly Karadas; Helstad would
have been more assured in front of goal mid season.
No changes at the half, surely DM
made a few choice remarks at half time though.
Everton start off the second as
they did in the first half. Some decent
play and possession. Cahill came close
with a good run and shot which may or may not have been touched onto the post
by Opdal.
The visitors kept playing hard
without really threatening when the breakthrough fell their way. A robust Cahill tackle on the left didn’t
interest the referee, he pokes the ball to John son who gets forward, he is
pushed wide but manages a decent cross; Dahl’s clearing header only finds the
venomous right boot of Osman who send the ball rocketing back beyond the
defenders and Opdal.
OSSIE DOES HIS JIMBO IMPRESSION!
Brann don’t give up. They work hard and push Everton back.
The home side’s corner kicks
still cause problems and Howard has to be alert to gather Helstad’s header;
Neville had closed his eyes or something at the back post and left his man
free.
Some of the Blue defending is
sloppy but Jagielka seems to be in the right place to stick out a foot or win
the ball. Substitutions with twenty odd
minutes to go energize Brann; a Gambian international tests Howard when the
defence fails to close him down and the winger adds something.
Everton start to work the ball a
bit more and apply a professionalism to the game to kill it off; this doesn’t
involve flopping all over the place as they do in Italy.
A late Brann charge has Everton
sitting deep and keeping almost everyone back.
Lescott breaks with a galloping
and most unorthodox style down the left, he looks up and shows that he has
practiced his crosses with a superb delivery that finds Anichebe at the back
post, a cool finish over the ‘keeper seals the win and probably the tie. Was it offside? Possibly, I’ve seen those flagged back before
now, but the Bulgarian official kept his flag down.
VICTOR FINISHES WITH A FLOURISH!
TIM, CAN YOU JUST F..U..C..K.. OFF, WE'RE HAVING A "GOAL SCORING" MOMENT!
Carsley and others did the brave,
mad or ambivalent thing with shirtsleeves.
Everton won albeit with two decisions which on another day they might
not have gotten. Professional away win;
which has become their stamp in Europe this
season. Winning when you don’t play all
that well is a bonus and kind of makes up for some of the losses when we’ve
actually played better and lost. Surely
this a ticket to the last sixteen and probably a trip to Italy or maybe a return trip to Norway.
Hey! Yes You! The Idiots Who Inavded The
Pitch At The Final Whistle. I Know You
Are Excited But Your Stupidity Could Result In Everton Being Censured By UEFA!
Mjelde can take a lot from this
game. His side stood up and attacked
well, defended well but showed too much rustiness to score. They played better in the first half than the
second but couldn’t put away the chances they had. They will enjoy a trip to Liverpool
in the next leg but only a home disaster or an away miracle can give them the
win.
The Bulgarian referee allowed the
game to flow, some robust challenges were let go before Cahill won the
ball. That seemed in character with the
rest of the game. Could the linesman
have given offside, well yes he could, he didn’t and the second goal
stands.
