19 games have been played so lets review what has gone on so far in the world of calcio. Reigning champions Internazionale top the table at the half way point, 3 points clear of nearest challengers Juventus and 6 points ahead of city rivals AC Milan. The Nerazzuri started a tad sluggishly, drawing their opening game and losing the Milan derby at the end of September as Lazio set the pace early on. From then on, though, they really hit their straps and with 33 goals have scored more than any other side in the competition. Their start to 2009 hasn’t bee so assured with a home draw to Cagliari and a thumping at the hands of Atalanta showing Jose Mourinho hasn’t quite got the hang of Serie A yet. The mercurial, opinion-dividing Zlatan Ibrahimovic continues to lead from the front with able support from Javier Zanetti, Esteban Cambiasso and Sulley Muntari. New, expensive signing Ricardo Quaresma has rarely been seen however, and the likes of Adriano, Julio Cruz and Mario Balotelli have not figured much on the radar either. At the back Ivan Cordoba and Walter Samuel have formed an effective partnership but if either of these get injured (as happens often) their replacements aren’t up to scratch. With Juve breathing down their neck, Inter need to get back into the pre-Christmas groove, fast.
Juventus have been inspired by the rejuvenated Alessandro Del Piero so far this term and the acquisition of Brazilian striker Amauri at considerable expense from Palermo already looks a shrewd move – he is their top scorer with 11 goals. Claudio Ranieri also presides over the most miserly defence in the division thanks largely to the impressive Giorgio Chiellini, Olof Mellberg and Nicola Legrottaglie. Much is expected of young Sebastian Giovinco but he has so far been overshadowed by the evergreen Del Piero. Most definitely title contenders, they will be giving Jose Mourinho sleepless nights as long as they are snapping at his team’s heels.
The only other realistic title contender is AC Milan, Carlo Ancelotti’s team who are currently worrying about whether or not playmaker Kaka will be a Rossoneri player for much longer. Ancelotti’s efforts to tinker with his ageing team have only met with partial success – Alexandre Pato continues to look like a superstar in the making and Ronaldinho has shown in patches form which once made him the best in the world. Yet Mathieu Flamini, Marco Borriello and Phillipe Senderos have been frustratingly inconsistent and that creaking backline continues to look just a little too vulnerable. They are still definitely in the mix at 6 points behind but one wonders whether the sale of Kaka, if it happens, will sap some of the energy from the team that relies on him.
Genoa sit fourth after a first half of the season that couldn’t have gone much better for the Rossoblu. Diego Milito, back at the team where he made his name and where he is still known as ‘The Prince’ has banged in 12 goals and forged a great understanding with Giuseppe Sculli (7). At the back they’re functioning too, with Matteo Ferrari, the former Roma and Everton man, looking revitalized in the colours of the Grifone. Napoli gatecrashed the top four for most of 2008 and the exciting young team at Edy Reja’s disposal are a feared proposition in their San Paolo home – no team has a better home record. Marek Hamsik, Ezequiel Lavezzi and German Denis, the attacking triumvirate who are attracting so much attention from the top clubs, continue to impress as well as the likes of Cristian Maggio and the experienced Manuele Blasi.
Completing the European places are Fiorentina, who have Alberto Gilardino scoring plenty of goals but everyone else is struggling to keep up, and with 7 defeats they are showing just a tad of inconsistency. Kuzmanovic and Montolivio have impressed for them but big signing Vargas so far hasn’t and in my view they miss the calming influence of Fabio Liverani in midfield. Udinese, who started so promisingly, have fallen away alarmingly and they now sit 13th having gone winless in 10 games. Pasquale Merino is under all sorts of pressure and it shows on his underperforming squad, the likes of Di Natale, Quagliarella and Gokhan Inler are all looking shadows of their former selves.
Roma suffered a shocking start but patience with Luciano Spalleti appears to be reaping rewards and they sit just outside the European spots as they enter the back nine. Their neighbours Lazio made all the early running but have fallen away sharply in parallel to Mauro Zarate’s goals. Goran Pandev continues to be the man with which to measure the Biancolocesti – if he plays well, Lazio win.
Its tight at the bottom, with anyone from Sampdoria down still a severe relegation worry. Reggina are bottom and have no luck, but Chievo and Torino are not much better. Bologna started terribly but are unbeaten under new coach Sinisa Mihailovic, and Marco Di Vaio, a journeyman of European football, is somewhat improbably Serie A’s top scorer with 14. I predict Inter to retain the title – but only just.
Meanwhile in Europe there's a couple of mouthwatering ties in prospect as Man United face Inter while Juventus take on Chelsea. Rainieri will fancy his chances against his old team who are showing their age and lack of creativity in midfield. Mourinho, as much as he loves playing Ferguson, may not be so successful because Inter are widely known as awful in Europe and their erratic qualification for this stage reflects that.
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