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Roma came out in the second half but the tactical nous of Ranierii saw Camoranesi withdrawn and Nocerino added.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.
Siena 0-0 Torino
Snore draw. Hardly a surprise.
Prospect