You want it all but you can't have it
The stage was set today at the Franchi for an Epic Match up between storied programs, Fiorentina against Juventus, Viola v Bionconeri, Gilardino and Mutu against Del Piero and Luca Toni, but what we really got was Epic Failure. We didn't get Serie A, we got Serie A lite. We didn't get designer Jeans, we got Pajama Jeans, you know, the jean's for those too lazy to do up a zipper. That was the match we watched.
I suppose if you want to give marks for trying, then La Viola deserve a few, they did attempt 24 shots to Juve's 8, but only managed to get 4 of those shots on, and none dangerously. Juve "responded" with 8 shots 2 on and only really tested Artur Boruc once. The Fiorentina defense seemed to be equal to the Juve attack for the most part, but whether that was due to our effort or Juve's lack of said effort could be debated.
These are two squads that should be chasing European places and these are two squads horribly mired in mid table, with no visible means of raising themselves any higher, leaving supporters on both sides wondering what the eff is next.
Highlights
weren't really any for me
Report Cards
Boruc - brilliant save preserved the one point, other than that,never broke a sweat. 6
Lorenzo Di Silvestri - slow and lumbering, but kept his side clean and contributed a bit to the attack; really much better option than comotto. 6
Pasqual - this guy is horrible in all the little things, didn't have a bad game, per se, but it is time to embrace the future and go with mr gulan. 5
Gamberini - solid, no complaints - 6
Kroldrup - solid no complaints, almost earned us a PK. 6
Behrami - he's a horse. workman like, unstoppable, i love the guy, even if my wife can't stand his hair. 7
Montolivo - slow start again, better second half, but he's really focusing too much on the long ball, need more control and advancement from him. 6
Vargas - starting to look more like the Animale we're used to seeing, had some trouble early as they were double teaming him, but he owned juve after they subbed on Jorgensen. good to see him getting healthy. no connection between Juan Manuel and Mutu or Gilardino tho, that is disturbing. 6
Cerci - wide open in the box and not only doesn't get a shot off, but just fumbles it away, that's his season in a nutshell.
"...a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." 5
Gilardino - 2 weak headers wide is about all he did, granted, he had absolutely NO service being delivered to him. we have no offensive plan it seems 6
Mutu - nothing special, 5
Mihajlovic - I feel for him, he's not playing with a full deck of players and hasn 't all year, but you can't help but think someone else would get more out of what he does have. I'm also taking our significant lack of ability on free kicks and corners personally now. I'm also now of the opinion that our players aren't players that do well in practice and Mihajlovic's unwillingness to play anyone that doesn't kill them selves in practice is wearing thin on me. 4
Looking Ahead
Well it's supposed to get up to 90 degrees out here in LA, that's about all I'm looking forward to.
La Viola go to Cagliari, the team just ahead of them in the stats by 1 point.