So on Saturday morning I get back from a killer business trip in New York City. I hardly got any sleep. The only thing that got me home, in fact, was the fact that I would be able to see my wife and kid, and that I would be able to see Fiorentina (presumably) dismantle Newcastle Disunited (Turin Branch.)
So I get home, exhausted, play with my young son for a few hours, then settle in to watch the game. I’m really, really tired. The smart thing would have been to record the match, get a few hours of shut-eye, and watch it late night. But I’m too excited to see the game, so I decide to watch it on FSC. So I watch the first half, and really like what I see; then, when halftime comes around, I decide to take a quick catnap for fifteen minutes before the second half starts. What do you think happens? The next time I open my eyes, the commentators are wrapping up the end of the match, which resulted in a 1-1 draw between Fiorentina and the Galactic Empire. I missed the entire second half. I’ll probably watch it tomorrow night (I did record it) but I didn’t want to wait till Monday/Tuesday to put up some thoughts. Even though I only saw the first half.
• First of all, I’ll take it. A draw in Turin is good enough. We stay tied with Newcastle and few behind Inter in 1st. Again, I haven’t seen the second half yet, but the first was a fun, gutsy match, filled with nice attacking counters, particularly by Vargas and My Precious.
• Speaking of the former, Vargas really is becoming a key member of the squad. He runs like a dog, wrecks havoc on the left, crosses decently, has an extremely hard and accurate shot, and comes inside when needed to act as a bonus striker. To think how we were all getting ready to turn on him just last season. I don’t know where we’d be without him.
• And speaking of the latter, when do we start including My Precious in the conversation about the best players in Italy? His assist in the first was great, and he generally had the Newcastle defense back on its heels whenever he had the ball at his feet. And he does it against the big clubs, (Liverpool, Newcastle) and in the big competitions.
• Speaking of which, I understand that Mutu came on for Precious about halfway through the 2nd. Like I said, I didn’t see it. But is that a pattern for the future, or will the Great Man have to find a way for them both to get on the pitch for the full 90?
• I guess we all need to get ready for the idea of the GilaMonster leading the line for Italy. Good for him, but maybe not great for our beloved club. Another injury risk to worry about, although we also lose one with Mutu being booted from the Romanian team, for now at least.
• Gamberini is really the man this season. He saved at least one sure goal in the first half, if not two. And he’s tough as nails. His name might be on the shirt I get for Christmas this year. (By the way: the last three Christmas shirts? Toni, Pazzini, and My Precious. So it would be nice to go to defense. I would get a Frey in a heartbeat, but I would just never wear that Spider Man-style goalkeeper shirt that Lotto makes.)
• It wouldn’t be a Juve games without a perfectly good goal disallowed in favor of the home side, would it?
• Alessio, what’s with the hate in your preview? I don’t care if you’re kidding. I already put in writing that you are one of only two Newcastle-affiliated people I can even stand. (The other is Zidane, and no, Baggio does not count as a Newcastle player. He hated it there.) Don’t start a cold war between us. I always use kid gloves when talking about Newcastle. Don’t escalate this. I’m too busy hating Roma, anyway.
• Champions League on Tuesday. Absolutely no question it’s a must-win match. We’ll be back with all the action.
Forza Viola, everyone. Take care.