Cagliari Calcio

By: Jeremy | Add Comments

That dull thud you heard on Sunday was not the Sant Elia stadium collapsing, but it was our boye from Cagliari finishing up the first half with an uninspired 0-0 draw at home against Fiorentina. This was really a must win game against a team that was in somewhat disarray and while Cagliari had most of the chances, they could not get that one goal that would have sent the 20 or so people into euphoria.

Now as the second half is about to begin, Cellino finds himself in a difficult spot as the pressure to move Nainggolan, and where this pressure is from is still uncertain, is ever present with both the player and Cellino trying to say it is not them, but the other who is forcing this sudden move. From what I can tell, he seems to have been sold to Juve for about 15 million plus Ekdals other half which is a sudden change from Cellino placing a value of 100 million on him to say no way will I sell him and Nainggolan saying he would only leave Cagliari for another league. How quick does a marriage go from honeymoon to divorce when it comes to soccer? Faster then a Kim Kardashian marriage or so it seems. Cellino is saying he wants to leave likely in order to justify to the fans him being allowed to leave while Nainggolan is reiterating he wants to stay and has never demanded to leave. I tend to think Cellino is trying to pull another fast one on the team by allowing a top player to leave for money at a time when his maximum value is perceived and with or without him we still finish out of Europe and likely still stay safe. It is hard for veteran players like Cossu who could go elsewhere if they wanted, to continue to see any potential for a good season snuffed out halfway through. One day one of these second half collapses we are now known for will get us relegated but such a move, without the money being spent on replacements, is a sign that Cellino thinks we can again limp home safe fans be damned.

From a business standpoint, it is probably a good move in that 15 mil is a decent amount for a player who can be replaced for less money, and made while he may be at max value. The sad thing is that a team like Juve can grab him for the price that means very little to them. With their current set up he is just depth and wont even start. Even Matri, as well as he has done, is not always the first team choice and it is frustrating to root for a small club when big clubs can spend 15 million just to solidify their depth. While Nainggolan has room to grow, i do think he is overvalued at 15 mil and its hard to turn down that money in that we are a team who seems to be safe but cant take that next step. With no strikers available who can make a difference, after Sundays game, Cellino changed his tune and said we are mediocre, lets make some money. Its very similar to the Matri deal last year.

Cellino feels like Ibarbos cheap signing can be a justification for his failure to improve the team with more established players when he had the chance but in reality we are not as good a team as we would be if we had kept all the same players we had at the end of last years dissapointing finish. I would gladly trade Riberio, El Kabir and Ibarbo for the return of Acquafresca, Lazzari, and Biondini. The money is probably the same. We are too young and inexperienced on so many levels and while the pace might be a bit more exciting, finding the net is near impossible so we are left in another mid table position.

The first half can be summed up in different parts with a great start, bad run, to stabilization and mediocrity. We are basically where we would expect to be at this point in the season and are on pace to finish with 46 points which should be safe, but leaving little room for error.

In typical Cagliari fashion, we replaced a coach who had done well in Donadoni, with a new coach Ficadenti who had lead Cesena to safety solidly in their return to Serie A.

Before the players had a chance to react to the change, the season started off strong following the week one cancellation of the Milan game. We played great taking three points in week one at Roma but spent most of the game on our heels defending. Little did we know that El Kabirs nice goal to give the cushion which allowed for the win would be the last time we saw him in the first half other then brief substitution appearances the last couple of weeks. Week two was a solid home win against Novara and then week 3 saw us fall apart against Palermo falling too far behind to catch up in an exciting game. We then returned home and while a 0-0 draw to Udinese seems good, we began to see the problems that the strikers would have scoring with any kind of consistency. A solid road win against Lecce followed next but the draw, again 0-0, at home to Siena was probably the beginning of the end for Ficcadenti. We then followed that up with another 0-0 draw to Napoli and it was not so much the result, but the uninspired play and lack of goals that kept the pressure mounting on the coach. Another boring draw to Cesena again frustrated fans.

Coming in to week 10 against Lazio we were still top half of the table and in a good spot, but the giving away of points to the bottom teams left Ficcadenti hanging by a thread. The 3-0 loss to Lazio pretty much sealed his fate but he was given one more chance only to give away another game to Atalanta. He was fired and acted shocked because “we were in 8th place”.

What Ficcadenti failed to realize is that absent multiple wins against big teams, draws against bad teams could not be tolerated for long. Roma was great, but Siena, Atalanta, Cesena could not all be tolerated.

Ballardini was brought in and with three coaches now on the payroll, he had leverage and came back hoping to turn things around. It was the right move from a dressing room standpoint, but the reality was we were not going to be much better because of the talent. Dissapointing new players and injuries would give Ballardini headaches.

His first game in charge was a loss to Inter. Not a big deal as it was expected even if the calls went against us. The team was lucky to draw with a bad Bologna and only Ibarbo’s goal on the road to Catania the following week kept Cellino off Ballardinis back. Following the Ibarbo breakout, we crashed with a bad draw against Parma, a loss to Chievo, a loss to Milan, only to be offset somewhat by a dominating win at home against an undermanned Genoa. The week 18 draw at Juve was inspiring and with some breaks could have been a win, but all momentum was lost as we drew again at home to Fiorentina.

With all the back and forth and ups and downs, its been an inconsistent but predictable first half. The second half is not likely to turn out any better unless we can take points against the 4-5 teams we should beat without much difficulty.

With newby Thiago Ribeiro going from starter/savior to bench warmer and soon to be ticket holder to a boat back to Brazil, his fortunes have pretty much mirrored the teams.
Injuries to El Kabir, Nene, and Astori did not help. Biondinis indifference also forced Ekdal to step in and he could be a decent player. The return of Dessena has been the only positive, albeit not the impact moves that were promised by Cellino. Add Nainggolans uncertain future and unless Nene and or El Kabir turn into something special, we are not good enough to finish anything other then safe. Cellinos ability to find nice players on the cheap has helped keep the club going, but when he allows important parts to leave because he wont ante up that extra bit of money, he sometimes fails to see the future and keeps fans guessing about whether we will spend to acquire and keep important players when their value has been established. If he wont do that, Europe will not be a possibility no matter how often we stumble on an Ibarbo or Nainggolan.

With our stadium condemmned that only adds to the issues that Cellino has to keep this club going. Quite honestly, absent some last minute to notch transfers or real reversal in play from certain players, I think the second half mirrors the first and the thought of a bad run leading to relegation is always in the back of our mind as long as we play the way we do and get the results that we get.

Enjoy the second half……

By: Jeremy | Add Comments

After their adventures in Turin, Cagliari heads back home to the recently condemned Sant Elia Stadium to play Fiorentina in a very important game which is the final game of the first half of the season.

Cagliari played pretty well against Juventus and their um tempo pressure style created many what seemed like many opportunities. However, a Juve misplay at the back and a supreme individual strike from Cossu was the only offense for them. While the match seemed to have more intensity then it would otherwise, the referees unwillingness to call blatant handballs by Juve in the penalty box combined with Juves inability to finish the game, lead to a fair 1-1 draw. Cagliari has to be happy taking a point but the pace of Ibarbo and Nainggolan are doing their best to hide what is an offense that cannot finish or create chances where even Larrivey could not miss. Here are some quick highlites…..

Heading into this weekend, Cagliari sits on 22 points while Fiorentina sits on 21. Each side has to feel a win is needed if they are going to realistically position themselves for a chance at more then just safety. With so many teams in the middle close, both clus are still looking back at the relegation zone where 6-7 points is not that much.

Ballardini has done well to promote a more aggressive style for Cagliari and the pace and pressure on the opposing side has been increased even if the goals are not coming. It is a lot of work for other teams to control Ibarbo, Cossu, and Nainggolan and their constant pressure for 90 minutes. You would think that Thiago Ribeiro would thrive in this environment but he cant even see the field. Ekdal has improved and the defense has been stellar thanks to Astori and Canini, but with the goal scoring still missing, even if the team is easier to watch, results will still be iffy and inconsistent.

Fiorentina is looking for its identity and faces similar issues as Cagliari in that it cant seem to score. They let Gilardino go to Genoa and hope Amauri will soon be signed to bring so fresh ideas to the attach. Losing to Lecce last week really set their ambitions back and they will hope a win in Cagliari will return their ambitions. They seem to be on the outside looking in of everything despite still having some good players and a respected coach in Delio Rossi. We catch them at a good time.

While Cellino tries to sort out his stadium issues, the transfer market has quietly slowed and absent some last minute surprises, Cellino is going to hold firm with his current set of players which may come back to bite him if he does not add another striker. His approach has been weak at best over the winter in that he let Biondini go without factoring in Bolognas desire to hold on to Acquafresca which essentially meant Biondini left early for free. While it may have been a nice gesture for a player who served Cagliari well for almost six years, Cellino usually gets something back. While Dessena was a nice and obvious add, with Acquafresca now likely out of the picture, there is no real difference making striker on the radar.

Cagliari still seems to be focused on trying to add Parolo from Cesena, which would be a nice player to get even if the odds are slim. However, he is a midfielder, which is where we are strongest and would cost quite a bit. I would rather spend the money on a similar striker. Beyond that, he seems to be interested in other midfielders such as Huracan’s Battaglia and Reggina’s Rizzo. While these are nice young players with potential, they dont serve our current needs. Why is Amauri not a possibility? Lastly, there are clearly offers for Nainggolan that have to be considered but Nainggolan has been all class in his love for Cagliari and Cellino will try to maintain his value for his likely summer departure so his best move may be not allowing him to leave now even if the money is tempting.

This is a game Cagliari should win. They are at home, feeling confident after two nice games against Genoa and Juve, and understand that a 25 point first half is much better then a 22 point first half, especially with games against Milan and Roma coming right up. They need some cushion as Ballardini looks not to get caught up in the poor results against lower teams that cost Ficcadenti his job. Winning against Fiorentina will make these next two games a lot easier to handle just like the Genoa game was a springboard to the Juve result. Ballardini knows this and will have the team ready.

It is always good to see potential in your team but Cagliari is still missing something that will make it hard to give the fans any serious belief they can be a european contender. It may be we root for a club that is very happy with safety each year and whose plan is to locate under the radar young players to sell them for a profit to keep the model going. There is no real ambition, even if the owner tries to say otherwise, to spend the necessary money to take the next step. That is not a criticism but it may the financial reality of owning a small club where revenue simply is not that much. I still dont understand how a new stadium makes much sense when the fans cant even come close to packing a 20,000 seat stadium where there is history and intimacy. You can build a bigger stadium but I dont think that suddenly increases fan attendance to make up for the added cost by generating revenues that only come with fan interest. Unless sponsors are going to foot the bill for a big stadium to play in front of 5-10k fans at best, it seems like a questionable move from a financial standpoint. Cellino has some work ahead of him but for now we fans are getting what we can realistically expect, which is some young players who provide excitement and move on, the occasional midlevel signing, and a 10th to 15th place finish. Time will tell if we can expect much more.

By: Jeremy | 5 Comments

As we head to Turin to face the top team in Serie A, Cagliari still has issues to sort out regarding their roster while also seeing if certain players can strengthen their claim to starting positions.

The 3-0 win versus Genoa was a much needed result and came against a team that has maybe more issues then we do yet still maintains the chip on their shoulder that they should be in the hunt for a european spot. Now that we are equal on points with them, it will be interesting to see if one of both of these teams can take the next step up from midtable to euoropean contender.

This game only added to the intrigue that is the strikeforce while also showing that if we are healthy and just a few holes can be filled, we can be a dangerous team, atleast more regularly at home where seasons are made or broken. If you saw the game(hard to get a link to show highlites), you saw Ibarbos latest individual brilliance, Cossu’s value, and most importantly, what Danielle Dessena could actually mean to this team in terms of uniting and strengthening. His positivity is contagious and he seems to add an ability to link the midfield with the strikers making everyone more effective. While it was just one game against a team in flux, it is hard not to be positive going forward as long as he is on the field.

Despite the result, there are still moves to be made and Cellino promised one forward, one midfielder(Dessena), and one defender in the market. While there is still time to make the moves, some of his targets are not so easily obtainable and he has to decide how to handle the players that are in demand.

Cagliari fans still have their hopes up that Acquafresca can be brought back and Cellino has made the effort to do so. He has allowed Biondini to go to Genoa now to win favor with Genoa’s owner, who still owns Acquafresca. A deal has been made between the two clubs but Bologna, who has him on loan with an option to purchase is simply not going to let him go. They want a replacement and it may be they want to see him play more with DiVaio to see if he is worth purchasing in the summer. Withour their consent, Acqua is not coming back although the summer may still be possible if he does not perform or gets inconsistent playing time. Cellino likely will have to look elsewhere for his promised striker. It seems like Ibarbo is going to be one starter and Larrivey continuing to be thrown out there shows how little faith the club has in Thiago Ribeiro. Ribeiro is not happy in Cagliari and wants to go back to Brazil and is looking like a failed gamble. He will be kept for depth, but Cellino will add a striker of some kind because he cant wait until Nene is healthy even if Nene has been lost this year, El Kabir cant stay on the field, and he knows Larrivey sucks. The Acquafresca-Ibarbo combo that he wanted is not likely to happen so it will be interesting to see who comes in.

As mentioned, midfielder Biondini has left for Genoa after 5.5 years with Cagliari which saw him grow from a wide eyed enthusiastic not stop hustling kid to a more talented yet more methodical player who peaked two years ago but still has some talent to offer a mid level club. Genoa is a lateral move and while he will help them, you have to wonder why he does not renew at Cagliari if he cant get a move a bigger more meaningful club then Genoa. He will be missed and is one of my all time favorites, but time goes by so fast that you dont even realize how long he was here and what he achieved. We all need to give him thanks and praise, and I understand him wanting some change, but you have to think that something could have been worked out absent the calling of a big club.

Speaking of big clubs, the latest on our most valuable player, Nainggolan, is Juventus, this weekends opponent. They are looking to grab him from us just like they did Matri in exchange for some cash around 15mil and Ekdals contract. While teams like Cagliari have a hard time keeping players when their value reaches 15mil, you have to think it will be the summer before we let him go. Hes not the type of player who is going to see a big increase in value going forward as he is not a goal scorer or obvious leader. To me he is Biondini when he was at his peak and likely wont get much better. He can be a nice midfielder for a top team but I dont see him as a star on a big club. If he leaves, Dessena’s value goes up as our midfield would be losing another player who was counted on to make a difference. It will be interesting but Cellino needs to correct his other mistakes before he sells Nainggolan so we should enjoy his talent for the second half of this season.

Juventus is also on newly fit Astori who is now back to his spot sending Ariaudo to the bench. If Astori is sold, it will be for a profit, but Cagliari cant sell everyone so I think he stays for awhile. We also have to find a way to keep Ariaudo on the field and hopefully his playing time wont be too drastically reduced now that Astori is back. He is one to watch for the future and Cellino may let the backline play on without adding anyone as we do have a good mix of players in the back.

Despite the upbeat week, Cagliari now must go to Turin to play Juventus who seems to have done everything right this year. While they sit with Milan on 37 points at the top with other clubs looking to capitalize on any mistake they make, you have to like what they are doing. They have kept icons like Buffon, Grosso, and captain Del Piero around they are still valuable players. They have added the right mix of players from other teams such as Matri, Vucinic, Pirlo, and Barzagli etc. Now during the window they add Boriello to the strikeforce and still have Luca Toni and Amauri to use as pawn in deals to smaller clubs who are searching for goals. They keep depth at all positions including Marco Storari, Cagliari icon, who is happy to be Buffons understudy to be with a team like Juve. They have quietly solidified this team with under the radar stars and while they certainly have their moments, they are now back to being one of Italy’s top teams after a few years of scandal and years where they didnt even qualify for the Champions League. They have a roster that can win the Scudetto and be a threat in the CL which is what any Juve fan would expect. They are must more likable then they were just a couple of years ago where as teams like Milan cant say the same.

To go to Turin and win is not impossible and one of my all time favorite games is the 2009 matchup where we went there and not only beat them, but came from a goal down to do it. While expecting the same result with our lack of offensive consistency is going to be tough, its much easier to look forward to this game then it was just a few years ago. Its a shame that important players from that game like Acquafresca, Matri, Biondini, and Marchetti are no longer with us. Its too bad we could not have kept all of them and built from there.

With the bottom three teams now starting to fall back, relegation is not a huge threat just yet but the team still has to feel there is something that can be done to prevent another boring 15th place finish. Lets hope for a nice road result, but for now fans may be looking more at what goes on in the transfer window.

By: Jeremy | 1 Comment

The winter break is now over and we get revisit the reality that is our beloved Cagliari. Following the lastest embarrassing losses to Chievo and Milan, we find ourselves in 15th place on 18 points, just six from the drop zone and other then bad teams like Novara, Lecce, Siena, and Cesena, who were all picked near the bottom, we are above none of the teams in the standings who we expected to be in front of following the big overhaul last summer.

There are obvious problems that need to be fixed and the question around the club is whether it is as much the lack of talent as it is the lack of positivity or optimism inside the training ground on a day to day basis. Cellino has pledged to solve it and is going to supposedly bring in atleast three players during the transfer window which need to be players whose mental and team makeup is as important as the talent they offer.

Unity and chemistry are very important especially in a league where teams for the most part are very close in talent and in the standings. Other then the very top or very bottom teams, the rest are looking for that slight break that can lead to finishing at the top of mediocrity rather then the bottom. We are at the bottom of this group and if some correction is not made, relegation cannot be ignored.

So how do you solve it? The big problem have been injuries and a lack of offense. As a fan, as much as I want new talent to come in, I want players I can root for. While we dont want to root for no talent hacks as all my appreciation isnt going to cause an inferior talent to go on a scoring spree(Larrivey fans are you listening), if we truly are rooting for a player and he has talent, the love of the fans can spread from player to player causing some results that we might not otherwise get.

Cellino is beginning to understand this as he let many talented players who were also fan favorites to leave to save some money thinking if he was bringing in similar talent for less money the results would be as good or better. He realizes that is not the case. While I dont want to be harsh on Thiago Ribeiro, he is not a fan favorite and has done nothing to win the locals affection. El Kabir has been injured so he cant be graded, but does anyone know he is still on the team? Ficcadenti was brought in to replace a coach in Donadoni liked by the fans and Acquafresca, who loves Cagliari as much as the fans love him, was allowed to leave, and Lazzarri, our best player this side of Cossu, was essentially given away. The players who have taken their place ie Ribeiro and Ibarbo, have been thrust into action and for different reasons are not ready to assume the mantel of fan favorites. Add the Marchetti affair, Biondini’s indifference, and fan participation is off and this problem has contributed to the teams slow fall to the bottom of the standings as we simply cannot win the games we are supposed to win to finish mid table and to sniff Europe.

Cellino has made one good move so far in bringing back Danielle Dessena from Samp. He was a huge fan favorite two years ago and the fans took to Cagliari like he did to the island. While he is an up and coming talent who Samp wanted back for the CL, we failed to keep him when maybe we could have. He did in his one year what our new guys this year couldnt even if his talent level is not much better. You cant let these players go. He is a poor mans Lazzari and we now have him on loan with an option to buy. No matter how he performs in the Spring, he needs to see the field and be purchased outright so the fans can see a favorite will be here for awhile and is not going to go away just as we start to get invested in him.

Cagliari may also be on the path to another reunification that seems real unlikely. After his first two years here while he was property of Inter, I always hoped Acquafresca would some day return to Cagliari to fulfill his potential. He sacrificed and came back following a year with Genoa/Atalanta and while he didnt do better, then his first two years for many reasons we have discussed, he was still a fan favorite and exhibited the youth and hope along with obvius talent that teams like Cagliari need. His ties to Sardinia surely meant we would exercise our option to purchase after all we had been through. Instead he was allowed to leave for Bologna and you figure thats the end of that. However, miraculously, Cellino seems to be back on him as his price may have come down just a bit because he is in Bologna sitting and they dont want him and Genoa, who owns him, does not want him. If things go right, he will soon return to Cagliari as part of a deal for allowing Biondini to leave for Genoa now rather then wait until the summer. Cellino knows we need him and while that does not mean he will suddenly be our answer, he has potential and the love from the fans in Cagliari combined with his desire to be here, in my opinion he will score and increase his own value if given a full year to play as a starter. His return would increase fan interest more then you think.

Beyond that there are other rumors(no Inzaghi is not coming here) and we continue to talk about players like Parolo and maybe Donadel, but ultimately players must be added who are talented and not emotionally detached from the club in the way players like Riberio, El Kabir, and even Nene appear to be. The fans need talented players to root for and its not in every players make up to become a fan favorite. Just as the biggest asshole who only plays for himself and bags 20 goals per year while snubbing fans and refusing autographs is valuable, so are players who fans like more then others for whatever reason. Dessena is that type and Acquafresca is that type. Marco Storari is that type. Remember him? We lack those players now other then an aging Cossu as even Biondini is not in the graces of fans like he used to be as his step has lost that hop of enthusiasm that comes with the pride of being a Serie A player when many didnt expect it. It is time to fix this problem and Cellino seems to be working on it now that he has seen what he has done and that he previously undervalued what is important on a small team.

While Cellino is doing what is necessary to revamp the club, the games must go on. We have three games left in the first half which include this weekends tilt at home to an unsettled Genoa, Juventus, and Fiorentina.

Genoa is three points higher then we are and feel like they should be higher but they have a bit to sort out as well as they are needing some more talent. They have added Gilardino from Fiorentina which if anything will help them sell Acquafresca to us for a lower price. Gila is still a top striker but injuries and indifference have left him looking to revamp his stalled career with Genoa. Genoa seems like an old side and is only going to get older when Biondini shows up. They lack goal scoring and have taken a dramatic step to get it that could easily backfire. With their expectations of fighting for a european spot, they cant drop points to us.

Cagliari is still the same woefully offensive team it has been for some time. With the health of El Kabir and Astori soon ready for game action, followed closely by Nene, having to watch Larrivey and Ibarbo run in circles hoping for a moment of brilliance will soon end. Dessena gets amped up immediately as the Samp man hates Genoa and that combined with his wanting to win back the fans in Cagliari, expect him to be fully involved.

All is not lost for us as sometimes it takes dramatic things to happen before you see what is important. While we arent going to sign assholes like Ibra who we would love because he scores a ton for a high price fans be damned, we can do better to bring in talent that can make a difference while feeling some loyalty to the club and also bonding with fans. Until we get that right balance of talent, hard work, and contributing fan favorites, things will be uncertain in Cagliari. Lets see what the market brings and hopefully Cagliari is back to the fun of the last Spring with Ballardini at the helm.

By: Jeremy | 4 Comments

There is a reason games against the likes of Parma and Chievo are very important. When you get the required points from these games, you can then go face a big team that the schedule mixes in and play relaxed which often leads to unexpected points and increased momentum. When you dont take the expected points from these lower level games, the arrival of a big team makes you play tighter and enhances a crisis that could have otherwise been avoided. Welcome to the life of Cagliari Calcio who cant seem to figure out that uninspiring performances against your peers are going to lead to real relegation issues no matter how much of a positive spin is put on the situation.

I didnt think I could get more frustrated with our team until I watched the Chievo game. Good grief that was a pathetic performance. We did not have one real chance on goal, and the veterans played terrible to the point where they seem to be elsewhere mentally. Biondini had a hard time with his passes and Canini just looked lost out there making the Chievo offense seem like a turbocharged Catania. We deserved the defeat and it pushed us further down the standings and to the point where we really have to be concerned that we can avoid the drop. Of course to make things worse, we get a very quick turnaround against a top Serie A team in Milan where their depth will make the overall talent gap seem worse then it already is.

I have never been a fan of big clubs who can buy multiple players for each position and who act like they are in crisis becuase their 4th string forward isnt up for the Ballon D’Or. Dont get me wrong as there are worse big teams to hate over AC Milan, but quite frankly I dont want to analyze them and talk about how one players performance might be underwhelming(Pato) or that they might have to have high level coaching meetings to decide which players to rest forcing top level back ups to pick up the slack. The whole Allegri thing has been beat to death and as time passes, the game really is not that special or one where we are after revenge because he quit on us before the season was over. Milan is already looking forward to the next match and our performance gives them no reason to think they wont make a quick stop for three points.

Now if Cagliari was playing well or gave their opponents reasons to believe they could actually score goals, they might get a little bit of respect from the big clubs, but when Allegri wont even say the match will be tough in the condescending way only he knows how, you know we suck and are not threatening to our opposition.

Absent dramatic turnaround, Massimo Cellino is going to the goat around here if the team gets relegated because he took real risk in signing players who either were unable to adjust to the league or who were over rated talent wise. Even if we dont get relegated can you be happy with a 15th place finish when moves were supposed to be made to make a push for european qualification.

Ballardini is so desperate for offense he put Larrivey, Thiago Ribeiro, and Ibarbo on the field at the same time hoping one of them would work some magic. The problem with these players is they are not creators as simple passes cannot be made and you are reminded that Cossu is very valuable and even an aging David Beckham would be better then what we have when it comes to creating goals. While Ibarbo looked great scoring his one goal, the game is built around the creators and your good strikers will put themselves in a position to finish very simple chances. We dont have that no matter how good Ibarbo and Ribeiro look running around the field. How Larrivey even sees the field is amazing to me. He simply is not Serie A quality on any level.

The midfield probably could have used Conti and Cossu on Saturday and while Cossu will return for Milan, I am beginning to accept that maybe we just are not that good in the midfield. Cossu must be kept but he needs help. Biondini in spurts is good, but either he is so frustrated at not having more talent around him and plays too often in panic mode trying to do too much or is mentally playing for Lazio or Genoa. He is still one of my favorites, but he is more of a third or fourth midfielder and can really complement talented players versus being the main guy.

I still think Nainggolan is overrated. Is he good? yes. Does he score the occasional quick hitting goal? yes. Is he going to make a difference for a big club? I really doubt it. I dont know what bids have been made for him and I know Cellino talks how valuable he is, but to me if there is a bid anywhere near what Cellino thinks hes worth, he needs to take it. I just think he is more of an engine type player ie maybe a poor mans Roy Keane(really poor man) but players like that need great strikers to be effective and we dont have that. If Cellino wont bring in real strikers, his value is only going to go down so sell him and spread the money around for his replacement and a striker or two. Nainggolan is like the racing tire you see on a 4 cylinder car. Makes no real difference even though hes a nice accessory if you put him on a racing car ie top level team.

The decision to allow Lazzarri and Acquafresca to leave so they could be replaced by Thiago Ribeiro and El Kabir has been a huge mistake. While Lazzari and Acquafresca are not exactly tearing it up for their new clubs, they fit well here in that we need players like them to make the Biondini and Nainggolans of the world more useful. Acquafresca is a proven Serie A goal scorer who was settled here and Lazzari is a dangerous second tier midfield striker which we now lack. While its not fair to put too much blame on this decision as El Kabir has been injured, for the same money, we could have kept what we had and the play of Naiggolan and Biondini would be better and more valuable. When you are a small team, you have to very careful about taking a step back to go two steps forward as stepping backwards may not allow you to go forward. Cellino was doing the right thing until this year which was take one step forward without going backward. We had a good group and once he signed Astori, he should have kept Lazzari and Acqua and built from there.

One positive note is I really like Ariaudo. He is getting more comfortable at the back and his size has been a threat on delayed attacks and corners. If he can learn to head a ball, he is as big a two way threat as any player we have. Lets hope Ballardini does not send him to the bench when Astori is ready next month.

As things slowly spiral out of control, its obvious the coaching changes are hiding a bigger problem. Donadoni was fine and while I dont think Ficcadenti was a fit, he was fired because he could not hide the deficiencies of the players. Ballardini has the same problem, but he stays because you cant fool the fans anymore. Without real influx in January, we are in trouble. While I still think even at our worst, we are better then Lecce, Siena, and Novara, there is not a lot of room and we are going to be barely safe. With the money spent already, I dont see Cellino bringing anyone expensive in and may luck into a loan or two to increase depth which we need.

The lack of depth will be shown on Tuesday. Cossu is back and will likely send Ceppelini back to the bench(was he even on the field on Saturday) and Ekdal will likely have to share time with a tired Biondini. While Thiago Ribeiro has been playing more like Alphonso Ribeiro, he and Ibarbo wont be tired but a tired midfield wont get them any more chances against a Milan defense who is much better then Chievo’s any goals we get will likely be from Milans mistakes and not our creativity.

Pressure is building in Sardinia. Ballardini wants more talent but will stay quiet this time as he wants to keep his job. EL Kabir has to get healthy and absent a sudden change in on field performance we will be in the relegation zone by February.

Does anyone have any thoughts or solutions as to what needs to be done to turn things around?

By: Jeremy | 1 Comment

As the Offside seems to lose readers by the day and the Cagliari offside is basically me writing to myself, we wonder who has more uncertainty going forward, the blog or this team? I am sure these questions will be answered soon.

For those who care, Cagliari drew at home with Parma in what was essentially a crappy performance by the Sardinians. There were no real offensive chances because we have no real offensive threats and if you thought it was bad last week, it could be worse against Chievo as we head to their stadium for another match between teams trying to stay out of the relegation battle while convincing themselves they could sneak into the final european spot.

Cagliari gets another chance to pick up three points that under normal circmstances would not be difficult to obtain. After all, its Chievo. However, Cagliari cannot score and Ibarbos blip aside, I dont think we have scored in like 6 matches other then from the penalty spot. Pathetic. However, at 18 points, a win is going to push us into european contention. As bad as the team played last week, we go to Chievo without Cossu who is our best offensive player. Conti will also miss so Ekdal will get another chance to try and earn a midfield place once Biondini leaves.

The problem is still the offense and Ballardinis change in tactics cant hide the strikers inability to score. Thiago Ribeiro and Ibarbo are still your best bet, but quite frankly this duo does not scare me as they look better then they perform. Larrivey is still a waste of space and El Kabir and Nene are not close to returning. Unless we add someone over the winter, EL Kabir is really the only striker who might solve our problem. He is our best striker simply because he looked good in limited time versus the overall results of others.

Chievo mirrors Cagliari but their talent level is lower. The team lacks confidence and cannot put together any reasonable streak of games but a win over Cagliari, who has not beaten Chievo at their place in forever, puts them in front of Cagliari. The pressure is purely on them to win. Other then Pellessier, I dont know any of their players.

The game will be on Saturday and on FSC in the USA so again I get to enjoy lunch and a game while the weather cools. If Cagliari is going to do anything, we have to stop drawing against teams like Parma, Siena, Chievo et al. These are winnable games but until the strikers start doing something, we are going to see more bad results then good.

Enjoy the game everyone.

By: Jeremy | Add Comments

Cagliari gets another opportunity on Sunday to show that it is a threat to be more then just an also ran team that is going to finish anywhere from 8th to 18th. While Ibarbo’s goal took the team from the back to the front of a big pack of teams, all of whom are convinced they are better then their position in the standings, it did not hide the weaknesses that need to be fixed if the season is going to mean anything. However, not since the win against Roma in week one has the team felt like now is the chance to show we can push for european football.

A home game against Parma is a nice matchup to get the right mindset solidified going forward. Their horrible road record may allow us to overcome our bad home record. A win is going to put some pressure on a group of teams trying to qualify for europe. This is not going to be easy as Cagliaris home form has been atrocious and if you get past the excitement of Ibarbo’s goal, which was helped by a defender and goalkeeper who were unable to stop him when many felt they should, Cagliari is still a team that cant score and Parma, despite its similar inconsistencies and bad road record, can cause problems with the likes of Giovinco. With 16 points they are one behind Cagliari’s and have the same hopes and fears we do as they try to move up the table.

Cagliari is going to start Ibarbo which only makes sense even in light of the injuries that would have him in there whether he scored last week or not. Hopefully Thiago Ribeiro starts with him and their playmaking ability will get us a few goals. El Kabir is still hurt so these are our best two options. Dont kid yourself, the offense is woeful and other then the goal, there were no other offensive threats against Catania.

The midfield will welcome the return of Nainggolan and with Cossu and Ibarbo’s confidence, it is mind boggling that we worry about the team scoring. The talent is there. Biondini and Conti are the likely starters in midfield with Ekdal playing if Ballardini thinks Biondini is becoming a substitute spark which he clearly was last week.

The defense is still missing Astori but Ariaudo looks good and Agazzi is still making all the necessary saves and then some.

Parma is very much like Cagliari in that they had their Roma moment by beating Napoli on the road but they are up and down since then as we have been. Biabiany is worth watching with Giovinco, but this team is typical of a below average Serie A team in that they dont have the talent level to be more then midtable even if they are a bit too good to fear relegation.

Cagliaris better talent and being at home means they should win this game but the bad offense, the home inconsistency still cant give fans serious hope. However with Parma’s extra bad road record, if we lose this game its crisis time. A win puts us up with the european contending spots and this is a winnable game so Ballardini needs to win this game to show he is doing what Ficcadenti was not able to which is do better at winnable games at certain stages of the season. Time will tell but I think we get a win.

By: Jeremy | 5 Comments

Cagliari really needed a win yesterday. After a decent start, they had been slowly drifting down the table to where certain results in this weekends round could have left them just one point from the relegation zone. Thanks to Victor Ibarbo’s moment of brilliance, Cagliari got the only goal in a game where their problems were still the same in that they had no offensive imagination and the other team controlled posession and ultimately wondering how they got no points from the match.

Ibarbo is all the talk right now and his goal has briefly hidden the problems but has also given Cellino some positivity for the money he spent on him and for bringing back Ballardini. First look at the only goal of the game yesterday………

This is the type of goal many expect to see when you have a player that is fast like Cristiano Ronaldo and looks like Mario Ballotelli. The team is happy because such a moment of brilliance has come in an important game when Ibarbo has only been allowed to start since Ballardini took over. Give Ballardini credit for shuffling the lineup but injuries have forced his hand as much as anything else and it may be he will benefit from it. Ficcadenti was only going to use Ibarbo as a sub until he felt Riberio and or El Kabir were not players for the future. The decent start solidified his approach and sadly for him he was fired before he decided to shake things up once things simply were not working offensively. In comes Ballardini, Nene gets hurt, and with Larrivey his only other option, Ibarbo was going to get a chance to shine and his goal makes Ballardini look good. This goal will now make him a starter for the forseeable future and Thiago Ribeiro should be his strike partner with Larrivey on a boat back to Argentina in January and El Kabir getting some time for Ribeiro upon his return from injury. As things happen, you may ultimately see Nene, Ibarbo, and Ribeiro on the field at the same time with El Kabir ready to step in following the inconsistency of one of those players and there will be some so if he can get healthy he will get his chance and he could outshine Ibarbo.

Ibarbo’s goal has only briefly patched a problem what was not getting any better from what we could see Sunday. Cagliari had no offensive chances and I mean none before that goal. Cossu showed his creativity with an earlier pass to Ibarbo who could have done better, but there were no real threats on the Catania goalie. Catania controlled the game and their inability to finish put them in the position of being down when Ibarbo scored. After that, Cagliari packed the back and there were still some chances that Maxi and other will rue not finishing. Other then Ibarbos goal there was no reason to be happy with this game other then Agazzi’s solid mistake free play.

There is a reason players with unique skills are so attractive and huge sums are paid for them, even when they are young and have proven nothing. Ibarbos goal told everyone that he has certain skills that are just dying to come out. While Ibarbo’s agent and others think he might be the next Cristiano Ronaldo or whomever because of one goal because he looked so good, the fact is the guy has not scored much in his career to make anyone think he was special once you get past his appearance. His speed and size draws attention and the word potential is just that, for now. But if you can grab one of these types before they break out you are in for a huge profit and the 2.5mil euros Cellino paid for him will likely net a profit probably in the summer of 2013. Until then, he will get his chance to provide more moments like he did yesterday.

Ballardini is also getting another look at some other players and firming up his beliefs on whether or not to keep some others. His ability to adjust will hopefully pay dividends as it did with Ibarbo yesterday.

If he is reading, here are some suggestions he needs to be aware of…..

Do not let Larrivey on the field any more. The experiement is over. He is not a useful player. Forget him and transfer him out.

Thiago Ribeiro needs to start with Ibarbo up front. Ibarbo is still young and makes many mistakes and Ribeiro does not look all that enthused, but these are players who are capable of moments of brilliance and with an offense that is overall horrible, we need these guys in the lineup for that small chance they do something special.

Ekdal is a good choice to play and he should stay in the starting lineup. He has been up and down but he needs a chance to show his talent.

Ariaudo should stay in the lineup even after Astori returns. He has been a solid player and his talent will continue to shine as he gets this experience. The Cagliari defense has been pretty good even without Astori.

Do not let Nainggolan leave in January. The midfield is too uncertain to allow its best play maker to be transferred right now. Ceppelini has not shown much and with Biondinis uncertainty, unless we are smart and bring Lazzarri back from Fiorentina either in January or the Summer, we cant lose Nainggolan just yet.

Speaking of Biondini, Cagliari needs him in the lineup and he needs to be resigned. hen he came on in th4 second half on Sunday, he provided a real spark to the team and opened space which lead to the Ibarbo goal. If he cant be resigned, we may not see him play for Cagliari too many more times.

Cagliari still has six first half games left with a balanced schedule. We have Juve and Milan where points will be hard to come by, and Chievo, Parma, Genoa, and Fiorentina, who all are the big mix of teams that could be 7th one week and 17th the next depending the results. We need to win a couple of these games with 24-25 points being the goal at the end of the first half. If we can add the right player or two in January, if we head in to the second half with that kind of point total, we can see if there is hope to push for an even higher spot. That being said, Ibarbos goal only hid our real problems which is the lack of offense. For now, he will get his chance to provide more moments of brilliance even if he still looks uncertain most of the time despite his perfect appearanace and pace that gets us all drooling over what the future might be.

By: Jeremy | Add Comments

Another week, another blown opportunity for our Sardinian Brothers. After going out in the Coppa with an uninspired home loss to woeful Siena, we take on Bologna at home and are lucky to send them home with only one point. What was predicted about 6 weeks ago because of the indifferent but lucky results, Cagliari has moved slowly down the table to where the relegation teams, some of which have improved, are now clearly in the rearview mirror. Add some injury concerns and a budget strapped by having to pay multiple coaches, there is no relief or hope in sight. Despite all the negativity as Serie A tightens even further, a win against Catania would ease things and could always lead to some momentum that could push us back to the top half of the table.

Last weeks game against a sorry Bologna team was dreadful. Despite Ballardini’s efforts to shake up the lineup with more offensive creativity, we still couldnt score. The fans who are fined for protesting the wrong way should be given refunds for having to watch such sorry play.

No matter what is going on, we head to Sicily to play Catania who surprisingly is 3 points ahead of us but no better then we are and its a team I expect us to beat, road game or not, under normal circumstances as they play tighter more defensive football then even us. These are not normal circumstances though as Nene is out until March which with our lack of depth does not help and Astori is still 6-8 weeks away from returning. Add Biondini’s indifference, Cossu’s frustration, Nainggoloan’s eye toward Juve, Thaigo Ribeiro’s apprehensiveness, and the overall lack of chesion, and Ballardini has his work cut out for him to turn things around. We need El Kabir to get healthy yesterday.

Catania is at the top end of a huge of teams within 4 points of each other and while they have to be pleased they are not immediately in relegation danger, they can fall back just as quick so fans will expect them to beat team in poor form like Cagliari, especially at home where their record has been good. While David Suazo wont play against his old club and has not shown the potential for his old Cagliari magic, the club also is wondering if they can hold on to Maxi Lopez past the transfer window. He is their main offensive player and he can turn a boring game into an exciting one fairly quickly. Otherwise this team has a lot of non descript players who play boring but disciplined football as one would expect in Serie A.

What can you say about Cagliari that has not been said. They are playing what has used to be considered an inferior opponent and where three points was a strong possibility. Now its an acheivement to score a goal and there are no players that are doing anything to stand out. While rumors are floating as to who may come in to provide offensive help come January, Cellino will not be spending money. He is so desperate that he is even calling his buddy Gallani hoping to convince the desperate to play Inzaghi to come to Sardinia for a semester as he will not see the field for Milan while he stays there. Hes old but he can finish which is what we dont have.If Inzaghi wants to play and score, Cagliari would be a great opportunity for him. Realistically its better to pay attention to El Kabirs health as he still has not been healthy enough to show anything good or bad and we cant win with Larrivey starting.

We should beat this team but I see Catania playing us like Bologna and Siena did and they will find a way to win while we figure out what went wrong.

For those of you that are die hard, be up early on Sunday as the game is on Fox Soccer Plus at 630am EST. Ill watch the games until we are relegated and I still believe there is time to turn this woeful situation around.

By: Jeremy | 1 Comment

Now its time to shift back to the Sant Elia where we face a Bologna club in what many feel will be a relegation battle or atleast the battle of teams who will just finish just above the relegation zone.

If Ballardini caught a break having his first game away to Inter where there was no real pressure and he got to see how his team played so he could make some roster and positional evaluations, he has no such luck this week. The pressure is firmly on Cagliari and anything less then a win is going to cause an already unfullfilled owner and fan base to get even more restless. Ballardini’s chances of guiding the team to a win will be boosted by the return of Andrea Cossu to the midfield where he will be allowed to return to the kind of midfield role Ficcadenti pushed him away from causing some strife and which surely played a factor is Ficcadenti’s dismissal.

The Inter match was frustrating but the result was probably just. Their first goal was clearly offside and falling behind was sure doom for Cagliari but Inter should have been up 2-0 atleast before that goal was even scored. Yes we had a penalty not called and overall it was a frustrating match but with the offensive imagination still a problem, even Larrivey’s last minute goal made the game appear closer then it was. While I would have preferred the ofside been called, I didnt see anything that made me think we would take points in Milan.

Bologna at home is a different matter all together. We must win this game. Bologna is one of the few teams below us in the standings and their offsensive problems run just as deep as ours. Add the return of Robert Acquafresca, who will start up front for Bologna and you would be ignoring the obvious if you didnt think this game was set up perfectly for some revenge on his part for Cagliaris refusal to buy his contract and keep in Sardinia, which is where he wanted to be unlike some other players who have come through here.

As bad as Cagliari’s offense has been, many will feel it will get worse now that Nene is on the shelf and our only strikers are Ribeiro and Larrivey who should start and play the whole match unless they are removed because we have a lead late in the game. I disagree and think the offense will actually be better with Ballardini’s return and Nene on the bench. I continue to sour on Nene who simply cant get in a goal scoring position to use his finishing skills and his play has only angered me more that Acquafresca was not kept. With Nene unable to play, while I hate to say it, we might get a long look at Larrivey. Yes he sucks and should be on a boat to Argentina in the transfer window, he seems to be able to get in a better position to finish then Nene and Ill take his cheap deflection type goals over nothing. With Ballardini’s tactics differing from Ficcadenti’s, these changes and injuries could cause Cossu to return to happiness and who knows, maybe Ibarbo will flourish as hes put more into a midfield type role. No matter how you slice it, we cannot be any worse then we have been and changes might lead to some goals. We will find out this weekend as we could break out and score a few.

Bologna on the other hand is an enigma. Many thought that DiVaio and Acquafresca, combined with Ramirez would lead to some goal scoring and make them a great team to watch. Its been the opposite as DiVaio’s days as a good striker have gone away and Acquafresca, as in Cagliari last year, is not scoring when he cant get full time first team football. His time is going to increase and it could be DiVaio who hits the bench now that Diamanti is healthy. Their lack of overall depth is only emphasized when they dont score. Their bad start cost Bisoli his job and while they have improved, they simply are not any better then a barely safe team and will be constantly looking over their d shoulder at safety, especially if one of the bottom three teams puts a winning streak together.

With these teams facing similar problems, Cagliari only gets the edge because they are at home. If you think a loss is the worst possible scenario, you are wrong. A loss would be made worse by a boring game with no chances that end in a 1-0 defeat following an Acquafresca goal. As much as I love him and want him to score each week they dont play us, I cant imagine this happening as it would bring to the surface again Cellino’s failures to raise the talent level of this team while letting important players to leave who come back to burn us.

Its time to turn it around as the excuses are over and I think the team responds with a win.

For those of you who need a halftime break while watching the game, enjoy this 10 minute Thanksgiving set from my man Mayer Hawthorne………..

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!