Archive for November 10th, 2008

Lecce 1-1 Milan: Ronaldinho Gives Hope, Set Pieces Shatter It (Serie A Matchday 11)

Monday, November 10th, 2008

AC Milan‘s stay on top of Serie A standings lasted merely a week, as the Rossoneri drew 1-1 away to Lecce, the home side making use of the one thing that still continues to be the bane of Carlo Ancelotti’s team: defending set pieces.

The 93rd minute goal scored by the Giallorossi, after Milan had dominated proceedings in their best away display so far this season, looks like a slap in the face for Ronaldinho & friends, especially since Borriello and Kaká had contrived to miss a flurry of chances for the visitors. The positive news for Galliani & Berlusconi, while they still wait for Shevchenko, is that their bet on Ronaldinho seems to be really paying off, the ex-Barcelona forward scoring the Rossoneri’s only goal from an assist by Pato (just on in place of Mathieu Flamini).

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Alessandro Del Piero, Juventus & Azzurri Legend, Turns 34

Monday, November 10th, 2008

34 years ago, on the 9th of November 1974, in a little town called Conegliano in the province of Treviso, one of the beautiful game’s greatest legends saw the light. Born of Gino and Bruna Del Piero, three decades later this wonderful footballing genius is still running on the fields of Serie A and of Europe, surprising us with his astonishing fitness level and never-empty gas tank, and delighting us many fans with his touches of magic. The delicate ball controls, the pinpoint passes, the inswinging goals (alla Del Piero), and free-kicks… these are but only a fraction of the immense repertoire of tricks this man is capable of, the true embodiment of where skills become genius, and where genius becomes legend.

And oh yes… those free-kicks. What better way to celebrate your 34th birthday than with a victory and with a goal this week-end, the set-pieces home special the Chievo supporters had to learn the hard way. Yet another masterpiece in a year that only keeps getting better.

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Bologna 1-1 Roma: Totti and Cicinho, the Two Faces of Roma… (Serie A Matchday 11)

Monday, November 10th, 2008

The good news? Francesco Totti is back. The Roma captain celebrated his 400th Serie A appearance by scoring a beauty on Saturday, and while he may still not be perfectly fit (his running efforts are limited, and he’s still not confident enough to take players on one one) his passing game and ball control can do without the stamina element. His goal was once again class & technique exemplified.

The bad news? Roma still isn’t “there”. And I’m not just talking about the mind-boggling own goal scored by Cicinho in stoppage time. If there’s anything that Saturday’s match showed, it’s that Roma’s midweek win over Chelsea (as good as it felt) did little to solve all the problems the Giallorossi have been struggling with since the season started. With the good news limited to the positive performances by Juan, De Rossi and Totti, this team seems to be cruelly lacking ideas: Spalletti’s game plan never really took off and the players’ contribution overall was average. Oh and also? Doni got injured.

As for Bologna, they played their hearts out. Despite some very evident problems in midfield, the Rossoblue created more scoring opportunities than the visitors, and in extra time of the second half managed to give their new manager, Sinisa Mihaijlovic (of Inter Milan and Roberto Mancini-assistantship fame) something to smile about in his Serie A coaching debut.

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