So we're all steaming after yet another brutal fiasco. This one maybe more clamorous than the others. We saw a team that went from first half domination, to complete crumble in under a minute. The injuries keep mounting, the fans disappearing, but coming from someone who has watched this team for 15 years and can still remember the Florentia Viola days, I refuse to just give up on this team. Better days will come, there is too much of a proud tradition to abandon. I am and will be tied with this team even if i'm the last one standing in the Fiesole.
Lets talk about today though. A tale of two halves, like always. We started off the game brilliantly, we were keeping the ball in their half, Comotto actually seemed to be active, and it was looking pretty good for us. In the 6th minute, Vargas slides down the left and in a classic cross finds Marchionni who heads in from point blank range. A few minutes later, a photocopy action almost doubles but misses Marchionni's head by inches. On the other end, Frey makes a fantastic save on Pazzini and Cassano is relatively quiet, and it seems like its going to be a good day. Miha's boys go back to the locker room relatively calm and collected while Mimmo's men strategize and put their game faces on.
And then the trouble starts...
Straight off the bat Vargas falls to injury near the end of the first half, then in the middle of the second, Ljajic is stretchered off. Pazzini takes a yellow for diving in the area (replays show he pulled Natali's shirt with him) and then is unpunished for grabbing Natali's face in what should have been immediate expulsion. Samp keep pushing, Frey keeps denying, and then Brazilian liability Felipe gives away a free kick too close to our side. Zeigler takes, Frey dives, Frey misses. 1-1. We don't even have time to analyze the goal when Cassano who had been absolutely nonexistent the entire match, suddenly appears, undercuts our defense, and slots it in. Suddenly we're back to nothing.
We have major issues now, Ljajic and Vargas now join the ever growing injury list, so by next week we should be fielding the Primavera, and then the week after we can field the U-10 squad.
I'm not going to talk about the fact that we're in last place, we're only 3 points away from getting out of it, and i'll wait to see what Corvino and the DVs plan to do in January. Corvino says dumping out a coach isn't in our DNA, but I believe he is holding out until someone worth a damn becomes available. Mihas days in Florence are numbered.
Ratings:
Frey- 7 - Magnificent save on Pazzini, no fault on the first goal but could have been more prepared for the second.
Comotto- 5 - Good first half, even contributed to a cross that almost found Gila, but it was he and Gamberini who opened the door for Cassano.
Gamberini- 5 - This isn't the Alessandro we know. Disoriented and lost and like Comotto responsible for the second goal.
Natali- 6 - Our second best defender at the moment (next to Kroldrup, isn't that something?) Wins all his headers but risks the penalty on Pazzini.
Gulan- 5.5 - Good first half, wins balls and runs with them, but a little too calm, showing little aggression.
Felipe- 4 - Disaster yet again. Responsible for the foul leading to Zeiglers goal, almost gets sent off for protests. Better ship him to Naples soon before I ship my foot in his-
Marchionni- 6.5 - Runs, recuperates, scores, and misses another by inches, invisible like everyone else in the second half.
Santana- 6 - Puts alot of grit into his runs and manages to hold on to the ball but looks lost and confused in midfield.
Ljajic- 5 - Was supposed to be a partner to Gila, but slowly starts retreating into midfield until Gila is completely abandoned. The few moments of tries he had he used well.
Gila- 5.5 - Tries to fight for balls, use his head, not the most invisible Gila we've seen, but abandoned by the rest of the team he doesn't know what to do.
Pasqual- 5 - Tries to be Vargas-like but too defensive and with him we completely lose forward movement.
Cerci- n/a - Comes on too late to make a difference but seems to have forgotten how to run.
Mihajlovic- 2 (generously given) - Get.The.Hell.Out.Now.
-14 days till our Romanian returns. We'll see if the Franchi is still operational by then.
Better days are coming.