Atalanta 1 AC Milan 1
Bologna 1 Genoa 3
Cagliari 1 Chievo 2
Fiorentina 0 Lazio 0
Palermo 2 Juventus 0
Roma 2 Napoli 1
Sampdoria 1 Parma 1
Siena 0 Livorno 0
Bari 0 Catania 0
Inter Milan 2 Udinese 1
Wesley Sneijder could yet prove to be Jose Mourinho's canniest acquisition as manager. The Dutchman, surplus to requirements at Real Madrid, popped up to find the winner at home to Udinese, and in doing so put his team top of Serie A on goal difference after Sampdoria were held at home by Parma. Samp have impressed in the early stages but are likely to run out of puff, particularly if something untoward should happen to either Antonio Cassano or Giampaolo Pazzini. Still, it gives a healthy complexion to the title race in these early stages, particularly as AC Milan continue to misfire. This week, beleagured Leonardo could only watch on as Ronaldinho scrambled home an equaliser at second-bottom Atalanta, who had earlier gone ahead through Simone Tribocchi. It is a case of the chickens coming home to roost for Adriano Galliani & co; no replacement for Kaka, Ronaldinho a shadow of his former self and the likes of Klaas-Jan Huntelaar still to find their feet. Plus the rest of the team are old. Really Old.
Juventus lost for a second week in a row - not something that happens very often - losing away at a very well-drilled and talented Palermo team, who scored through the reliable South American duo of Edison Cavani and Fabio Simplicio. Fiorentina missed out on the chance to build on their midweek Champions League success and leapfrog the Gobbini after being held at home by Lazio. My parents were in Florence last week, and said it was lovely. I just thought I'd mention that.
Genoa's 3-1 win at Bologna, courtesy of goals from Kharja, Sculli and Alberto Zapater (a very shrewd signing) keeps them fifth, with Chievo in sixth after veteran midfielder Michele Marcolini scored twice to down Cagliari. Roma's gradual recovery under Euroballs favourite Claudio Rainieri continues, as Francesco Totti scored twice, nullifying Ezequiel Lavezzi's opener, at home to Napoli. In doing so he heaped pressure on Roberto Donadoni, who, following some odd comments from club president Aurelio Di Laurentis, must surely have his suitcases and cardboard boxes at the ready for the receipt of his P45. Livorno and Catania remain in the bottom three after two pairs of 0-0 draws.
No comments:
Post a Comment