19 November 2012

ROMA 2 (Osvaldo 71 Pen, Pjanic 86)
TORINO 0

Ogbonna took a diving header into Marquinho to concede the penalty. Top marks for originality and none for the stupidity. Pjanic fired in a loose ball via a massive deflection off Gazzi to complete a routine victory.

Attendance : 34,011
Red Card : Ventura 73 (Torino C)
Assists : Marquinho (won pen), n/a


18 November 2012

BOLOGNA 3 (Gilardino 22, Gabbiadini 44 Pen, Diamanti 48 Pen)
PALERMO 0

Gilardino flicked up a deflected pass with the outside of his right foot then sent a half volley dipping over Ujkani brilliant goal. Bologna's first penalty was for handball. A defender sold Ujkani short on a backpass and he tripped Gilardino to earn a red card. Diamanti threw himself to the floor like a big girl after Barreto put his hand on his back as he ran past. Taider was shown a second yellow for going through the back of Kurtic. Labrin was lucky to be shown only one red card for a criminal studs up foul into Morleo's right knee.

Attendance : 20,148
Red Cards : Ujkani 46 (Palermo), Barreto 72 (Palermo), Taider 78 (Bologna), Labrin 82 (Palermo)
Assists : n/a, n/a, Gilardino (won pen)


CATANIA 2 (Almiron 51, Almiron 85)
CHIEVO 1 (Andreolli 93)

Almiron headed in a Gomez corner. His second gave an indication as to why Juve once paid €10 million for him. He cut in from the left before gently curling the ball inside the right post. Another super goal. Andreolli headed in a last second consolation goal from a corner.

Attendance : 11,045
Assists : Gomez (ck), Castro, Di Michele (ck)


FIORENTINA 4 (Rodriguez 5, Aquilani 42 fk, Aquilani 47, Toni 49)
ATALANTA 1 (Bonaventura 32)

Pasqual curled a free kick into the box and Rodriguez broke from the wall to smash in his third of the season, a career high but the main thing is he's fit and playing again. Bonaventura scored a scrappy equaliser but Aquilani restored Fiorentina's lead with a brilliant free kick then tapped in a second in first half injury time from a corner. Four minutes into the second half Toni got his head on the end of a brilliant cross by guess who? MOTM Aquilani to complete another impressive victory for Fiorentina.

Attendance : 27,219
Red Cards : Cigarini 45 (Atalanta)
Assists : Pasqual (ck), n/a, Pizarro (won fk), Valero (ck), Aquilani


INTER 2 (Palacio 10, Astori 82 og)
CAGLIARI 2 (Sau 43, Sau 67)

Palacio headed Inter a goal up inside ten minutes but Milito did what he's been doing for two years i.e. continued to missed easy chances. Sau volleyed in the equaliser from Cossu's low inswinging cross. Pinilla came within a lick of paint of scoring a fantastic goal, his scissor kick came back off a post, Sau slipped when trying to control the rebound, inadvertently selling Handanovic, Ranocchia and Samuel a dummy in the process then he tapped Cagliari in front. Astori turned in Alvarez' cross to spare Inter's blushes.

Having beaten Juventus, Inter have only picked up a point in their next two games. They're started crying about referees. Against Juventus it's one thing but after failing to beat Atalanta and Cagliari it's downright pathetic.

Attendance : 51,671
Assists : Cassano, Cossu, n/a, n/a


SIENA 1 (Valiani 31)
PESCARA 0

Attendance : 8,382
Red Cards : Capuano 86 (Pescara), Zanon 91 (Pescara)
Assists : Vergassola


UDINESE 2 (Di Natale 9, Pereyra 50)
PARMA 2 (Marchionni 46, Palladino 89)

Parma's offside trap bailed leaving Di Natale to lob Mirante for a 9th minute lead. Marchionni wriggled through traffic onto an Amauri knock-down to equalise. Basta knocked over Mirante with a typically explosive shot and Pereyra tapped in the rebound. Parolo sent a longball over the top and Palladino ran between Udinese's centrebacks before lobbing over Brkic as Di Natale, who has been substituted, watched in disgust from the bench.

Attendance : 18,000
Assists : Domizzi, Amauri, n/a, Parolo


SAMPDORIA 3 (Poli 16, Bovo 36 og, Icardi 88)
GENOA 1 (Immobile 73)

Maresca tried his luck from 20 yards, his miss-hit shot went through a gap in the Genoa defence and landed at Poli's feet, 1-0. Teenage Argentinean born former Barcelona youth team product Icardi powered his way through the Genoa defence before selfishly shooting straight at Frey, the ball rebounded to Bovo who had enough time to clear but he stumbled and fittingly fell flat on his face as he turned the ball into his own net. Vargas smashed a loose ball into a packed penalty area then shanked the rebound to Immobile who quickly turned before shooting wide of Romero to score his fourth goal of the season. Icardi, who could have easily had a hat-trick, finally put away a chance. It was his first Serie A goal.

On the evidence of this game Icardi has great movement, is strong and quick but a lousy finisher. He is only 19 though and has an Italian passport. Italy are well stacked in terms of centre forwards. As it stands Balotelli and El Shaarawy will lead the Italy attack at the next World Cup. It's the defence that needs work.

Sky Italia played some weird Italian-Irish themed music over the highlights. One of the strangest things you'll ever hear.

Attendance : 32,000
Assists : Maresca, n/a, Vargas, Tissone


17 November 2012

JUVENTUS 0
LAZIO 0

Attendance : 38,839
Assist : n/a


NAPOLI 2 (Inler 4, Insigne 30)
MILAN 2 (El Shaarawy 44, El Shaarawy 82)

Inler tried his luck from the edge of the box, Abbiati moved towards the ball then inexplicably moved away, a bizarre error. I hope he doesn't have any gambling debts. Milan were heading for a thrashing after another blunder by Abbiati. Insigne took a pass away from Acerbi and shot through his legs, the ball took a slight deflection but nonetheless Abbiati, who was perfectly placed, should have saved. El Shaarawy followed up his mid-week goal for Italy with two more today. Milan worked the ball from left to right, De Sciglio rolled forward a pass and from the right edge of the box El Shaarawy whipped a first time shot into the left corner. Fantastic goal. Hamsik missed when clean through. El Shaarawy didn't. Robinho played a ball around the Napoli defence and El Shaarawy left Gamberini and Cannavaro for dead before shooting first time past De Sanctis.

Napoli's defence - De Sanctis 35, Campagnaro 32, Cannavaro 31, Gamberini 31. They're just the wrong side of 30 but it's not that they're old old, they're shit.

Attendance : 50,000
Assists : Hamsik, Maggio, De Sciglio, Robinho