Allegri Figures It Out and Saves His Job..For Now.
By: Jeremy |
1 Comment
If you dont think as recent as a week ago Coach Allegri was spending extra time looking over his shoulder for Cellino thinking he could be replaced any second, then you dont know Cagliari and you dont know Italian football.
Just a week ago, Cagliari was fresh off a loss to Catania, one of three worst teams in Serie A, leaving them sitting just above the relegation zone, and heading into a three game stretch against Genoa, Lazio, and Atalanta, not an easy run in a weeks time. With the state of his teams play, especially at home, any more then a combined three points from those three games would have been surprising and such results likely to have seen the coach fired as the downward spiral may not have been able to have been turned around.
What a difference a week makes as Cagliari won all three games and now sits on 16 points, well above safety, and tasting the European positions. Can we have those games back against Siena and Catania?
Italian football is probably the sport with the least job security for a coach as any game with a major following. Other then Mourinho(and dont think he is not under more pressure then anyone considering Inters woeful Champions League performances), is there a coach in Serie A who does not have to worry about getting axed if they lose a few in a row or have a bad game(Juve)or sit in 14th place after a quarter of the season when the fans want you to be in 5th(Lazio). Even in the NFL or NBA, its rare a coach is getting axed after a quarter of the season no matter how bad they are. It happens, but not like it does in Italian Fooball.
Allegri was close to being the next victim of the game and league we all love and he made some adjustments knowing he had little time to turn things around.
Say what you want about foreign players needing time to adjust to the Italian league, but a striker with real finishing ability cannot be buried on a bench, especially when you paid big money for him and allowed his equivalent to walk without much of a fight. Despite the improvement in overall depth, Acquafrescas leaving left a big hole and his chosen replacement was getting splinters and pundits wondering why.
Allegri dusted off his most expensive asset and Nene showed today why Cagliari will extend the budget and spend big bucks for a player like him while Matri, despite his occasional flashes, is the type of player Milan pays us to take the other half of his contract and own him outright.
Yeah I know I bash Matri quite a bit and it must be noted that he has had some big goals for us(I still remember the game against Napoli when we scored two in the final 5 minutes to steal a game), but a striker who has a nose for goal and can finish with authority is worth much more then a guy whose goals are typically scored with little authority and who is likely more suited for midfield. Nene has this talent. Acquafresca has it. Matri and Larrivey do not.
Nene today through down the gauntlet and showed aspects of his game that Cagliari needs if they are to not only be safe but to be real players in this league. That first goal was a header with authority, not a Matri type flick that if it goes in is by pure luck, and that second goal was about beating a lazy defender to a spot and finishing. With Cossus crossing ability this is a dangerous combination and Nenes presence will do so much for the whole team and will make Matri or Jeda look a lot better.
Allegri got him in the lineup this week and he was helpful in a grinded out win at Lazio and the smash the opponent and rub his face in it win today against Atalanta. Teams without that kind of striker cant have games like they did today.
Allegri can say all he wants that it took time for Nene to adapt to the league, but you cant adapt if you dont play. Maybe he has actually adapted faster then we thought. While he wont have games like this every week, we are a better team with him as a starting striker. Period. Maybe Allegri finally gets it and took the club to hit rock bottom to make him see if that was true.
While Allegri tries to fend off expectations by talking about us now being 24 points from safety rather then a just a few points from the Champions League, expectations have to be higher then just survival if Nene is the player I think he is. For all the bad about coaching an Italian team, the good is that most of the clubs are so close, that winning 3-4 games in a row will turn your team from a relegation struggler to a fighter for a European spot. We are now in the latter and with Allegri seemingly now ready to use his expensive weapon regularly, this club could move up higher then where we sit today.
Are you ready Sampdoria? We are coming for you next week.
Category: 
Cagliari-Atalanta
By: Jeremy | 2 Comments
Alright, I give up. I cant seem to figure out which Cagliari team will show up on any given gameday. Therefore I am officially turning over this blog to the Sardinian phonics monkey my Grandma just sent over from Sassari. Its a wonder she has anything left to give me as I assume she has been taking my advice on the games and losing her ass.
Ok, I am kidding and its easy to joke when your team is on a winning streak and it has beaten two teams who were considered some of Serie As best to start the year.
What can you say about the Lazio game other then be glad we won. The goal scored by Matri to start the second half was more about the bad play of a Lazio team that is scared of its own shadow. The end result is that Cagliari after two wins in a row sits in 13th place, a step from Europe but still within distance of the relegation places.
The bottom line is Serie A has a big group of teams that despite all the drama you read about for each of them, are very close when it comes to players, talent, mental strength, coaching, and overall results. Not that I am racing fan, but its similar to spending millions in testing, crew, and drivers to find that extra tenth of a second that will turn your team from mediocre to newsworthy. We are still looking for that extra tenth of a second.
However you want to look at it, we now return home to the Sant Elia to play an improved Atalanta team that seems to be emerging from its early season doldrums to making a move to solidify its typical middle of the table spot.
Despite the slight improvement, Atalanta is powder keg where a couple of bad results will make the problems return that caused Antonio Conte to become the new man in charge. This team to me is always like Siena in that they finish higher then they should and I wonder how they are not relegated. Maybe this is the year we will see both of these overrated teams go down. While all seemed well for Atalanta after a win against Roma, the shine that comes with a new coach has worn off and they showed it by laying an egg against Livorno and their star player Doni was extremely pissed that he was substituted early in the second half. As with Lazio, this may be the time to get these guys on the pitch.
One key note about this game as it could mark the return of Acquafresca to Cagliari after having spent two years dramatically improving his standing with Cagliari while becoming a fan favorite. While he was expecting a starting place at Inter when he left Cagliari he ended up going to Genoa in a deal and soon not deemed worthy enough to start so they loaned him to Atalanta where he is still looking to establish himself. By leaving one small team for another, he has hindered his development and his Chinaglia like attitude can cause him to turn into a star or a journeymen who will be 25 and looking old before you know it. He will want to show that he is still a star in the making this weekend and while he did not play against Livorno, he should play against his former club.
Cagliari continues to make it anyones guess as to how they will play. They give up important points to teams like Siena and Catania, yet win some road games against up and coming Bari and the always solid Lazio amongst others. What was once a strong home team has now turned into the road warriors of Serie A. Coming home against a team like Atalanta, following two great wins, it would seem that this game should be won also without much hesitation. Not so says the Sardinian phonics monkey.
This is another good chance for Cagliari to take that next step up to mid table respectability. A third win in a row against a team like Atalanta will put them solidly midtable and give the team the confidence needed to pull off a win against Samp.
Allegri is still pushing the same buttons trying to get offense from an inadequate strikeforce while hoping the strong midfield pressures the other side into clumsy errors allowing for easy goals all while relying on a very inconsistent back line in front on Marchetti. This is the recipe for inconsistency we will see until the strikeforce is improved via the full time play of Nene or the addition of a midfielder to the second striker position. One of those scenarios is going to happen before you know it.
With the two good results in the past week, I cannot in good conscience pick against the boys this weekend. The team is winning and as Lazzarri has stated, the mood around the club is very positive. Combine this with the Atalanta star player coach clash and look for a third victory in a row and renewed expectations that seemed to exist when the year began.
Prediction:
Cagliari 2-1 Atalanta
Prediction record to date: 3-7
Lazio-Cagliari
By: Jeremy | 2 Comments
If there are two teams that are more similar then these two, I would like to see them. The teams meet on Wednesday in Rome in basically identical disappointing positions in the standings while also facing a lot of upset fans who feel the teams should be higher up the standings.
While Lazio has higher expectations then Cagliari, they may not be any more talented then we are and they will have to turn some of these draws into wins if they are going satisfy the rabid ultras. The maybe unrealistic expectations do not stop their fans from protesting outside the practice facility when things arent going well and pundits must be wondering how long before Ballardini gets let go after his questionable switch from a Palermo side that seemed to have a load of potential to what he thought was the more stable job. The poor guy has really been on the coaching roller coaster and you have to feel for him as what seemed like a safe decision has now turned into a mainland version of Cagliari and Palermo. Atleast it seems like he has the support of management which is not something coaches enjoy for long in the islands. I am sure Cellino and Zamparini are laughing a bit at Lazios struggles.
But is Lazio really in crisis? They have faced a tough schedule so far and have managed to earn draws witht the likes of Samp, Palermo, and Fiorentina, teams they expect to fight with to get to European spots. Their problem has been losing points to teams they really need to beat. That being said, they are only 5 points out of a great position and a couple of wins will turn it around quickly. Its simply too early to tell what will happen and their fans need to back off or they will continue to play tight ala Atletico Madrid and give away points to teams they should beat.
Cagliari is very similar to Lazio in that they have the same number of points and have played some teams tough, yet have given away points to bottom teams like Catania and Siena where results that most would have expected to have gone the other way would put our team in a european spot in the standings. Either way we are where we are and it is a little disappointing. Even the five readers of this blog had to shake their head when I start hinting at Allegris exit if he does not start using his players correctly.
Allegri made changes for the game against Genoa which included Nene starting for the first time. Needless to say the offense showed more confidence and he even put away a PK. The jury is still out on what he will do but we need to find out as Matri and Larrivey are not the answer to replace Acquafresca. If Nene starts again in Rome, it may be that Allegri gets it. If he is benched because its a midweek after a weekend game, it is just another indication that Allegri is still trying to fiddle with his lineup.
With a slew of talent in the midfield and a reminder of how the team went to Rome last year and thumped them, after the win over Genoa, they have to feel they can get a result.
Lazio has been a little inconsistent offensively and while the talent is no doubt there to score some goals, the distractions may make it even worse.
Considering I cant seem to predict anything with any kind of consistency, my thoughts dont mean much but I do like Cagliaris approach on the road. However when facing a team that is under a bit of pressure, they seem to come up a bit short. Quite frankly I dont know which team will show up for either side so I will play it safe.
Prediction:
Lazio 1-1 Cagliari
Prediction record to date:
3-6
Inconsistently Impressive
By: Jeremy | Add Comments
Another shock weekend with a surprising result, this time in our favor as Cagliari used the homefield and a bit of help to edge Genoa in the latest of what will be many must win games.
The most important note of the week was the starting of Nene who scored on a PK to tie the game, but who still needs more time on the field to get Cagliaris offense rolling. His presence made the offense better even if the chances were still created and typically finished by the midfield players. Dont make too much of this rare start as a midweek game tells us Allegri wants to use the depth of the team to his advantage even if he is playing his strikeforce depth from the bottom of the deck.
Bad luck for both teams made this game a high scoring enjoyable one, but Cagliaris strength in midfield won this game as it will often have to do until some offensive stability is created.
Genoas first goal was total luck off a deflection where Marchetti had no chance. Cagliaris equalizer by my man Biondini came after a sequence of kicks following a clear offsides. Luck evened up. Genoas second go ahead goal could not have been teed up any better by Lopez who continues to find a way to gift easy goals to the opponents at the wrong time. The hand ball that lead to Nenes penalty kick was really unexplainable as the Genoa player did not know where he was and had no need to do what he did. Luck evened up again. The winning goal from Lazzari was probably the best finished goal of the day after Matris lucky flip giving Cagliari a great win. Lazzari would be a better strike partner then Matri for Jeda if Allegri is unwilling to play Nene.
You can call it luck or whatever you want, but the overall midfield pressure created those chances and the strength of the team which allows substitutes such as Lazzari to come in fresh without a drop off in team performance will win games like these. Cossu continues to be his brilliant self and if we keep him past the winter break, it will be a surprise. He will be with a big club next year but enjoy him as he really should be in the national team for the World Cup.
Allegri may have just played Nene from the beginning because we have a midweek game and he needed to rest Matri and Jeda. Despite the obvious, Allegri surely must see that he needs to give Nene a consistent run of games as his success is needed or we are more likely to lose games like this then win them. Dont expect Nene to start midweek against Lazio but if does not start next weekend, he truly is buried on the bench for the forseeable future.
Despite the win, the team is still too far down in the standings relative to the talent. There are holes with Lopez in the defense and Matri up front, but they can be fixed and a real swarming team does exist if Allegri will let them go at it. This weekend was just a taste of it, but it has to be frustrating to be able to come back twice and fight strong against the likes of Genoa yet we fail miserably against teams like Siena and Catania. If we had beat those two bottom dwellers we would be top four in the standings and that is not asking much. Very tough to figure our team out.
The race for relegation is shaping up and there are 3-4 teams that clearly have problems and Cagliari seems to be just above them even at their worst. That being said, we are relegation candidates until the team can put together 3-4 wins in a row.
With a midweek game on the road to Lazio, a team struggling and feeling like Cagliari that they should be higher in the standings, another tough game is in store for us so lets see how we respond to a confidence boosting win.
Overall we are probably 2-3 points lower then we should be at this point in the year. We have won a couple of games where draws may have been more the expected result and lost a couple of games we had no business losing, but with the overall talent in Serie A, midtable seems to be our ceiling simply because we are too inconsistent like most teams without great players in all positions. We are struggling because we are missing a striker and who we brought in for whatever reason has not been able to replace what we lost. This must be resolved and my thoughts as to what must be done have already been outlined in previous posts.
Its going to be a roller coaster ride for this team this year which should end up with us just safe enough to be happy. While safety should make any fan happy, some of us are wondering what must happen to take that step for a 6th to 8th place finish. We have to feel the talent is there and with a little tweaking, it is not an unrealistic expectation.
Lets go to Rome and take three points and put Ballardini on the hotseat. Why he left Palermo for Lazio is beyond me I dont care how crazy their owner is.
Cagliari-Genoa..time for a new set up or coach
By: Jeremy | 2 Comments
Its tough being a fan of a small club. At some point they tease you with a run of good results that make you think they might challenge for a meaningful position in the standings. While almost every club can have a good run or even a season with a remarkable final position, for the most part the team is going to be in the bottom half of the standings with the goal being another year in the top flight.
Despite the year to year position of your club, the beginning of each year can lead to great excitement. That player added under the radar is no doubt going to make the biggest difference in what will be a surprise year and the hot young coach is going to show why he is wanted by all the big clubs.
Sound familiar Cagliari fans?
Last weekends loss to Catania was the latest disappointment against a team that was clearly not as talented but somehow managed to get the points. If we continue to play teams that are not as talented, then why do we keep losing? Could it be someone needs to look in the mirror and realize that the luster has worn off and either you are not as good as you think or you are or not focusing on the task at hand, but instead looking for a bigger place to ply your trade. Yes I am talking about Allegri.
This team is still not right in its set up. While the defense clearly seemed a step slow and a thought late against Catania, there was little to no offensive pressure from Cagliari against a bad team missing many starters. Only a brilliant goal by Dessena gave Cagliari a chance to win but overall it was a bad game.
As we head home to face Genoa, some questions need to be answered and if they cannot be answered against the other smaller clubs, you have to wonder what is going to happen against Genoa, one of Italys better teams.
Genoa is on 13 points after a little rough patch including last weeks humiliation against Inter. Cagliari is on 7 points barely above the relegation zone but now in a position where conventional wisdom says they will be in the bottom three in the next 2-3 weeks if not sooner.
The problem is still the missing striker. It seems clear Allegri will not play Nene. I have no answers as to why but if you buy a Ferrari and dont use it, something is wrong and needs an explanation, especially when you are used to buying Fiats to play for your club.
One good thing about this season has been the find of Dessena. Time to move him to striker. His skill, passion and nose for the goal might turn him in to what we are missing. His move upfront would also allow for a midfield spot to open up to get one of our talented benchwarming midfielders some more action which might lead to another find that can help turn the season around.
Its also time to shake up the defense. The team is slow and lacks leadership but the talented youth can play if put in the right setup. With Canini, Marzoratti, and Astori anchoring the back line combined with benching Lopez and or Agostini and bringing in Barone to lend some real toughness in a back midfielder defense type spot, the team would be better.
If Nene is not going to play, here is what we need to do which is kind of a 3-5-2 type set up
Marchetti
Canini-Marzoratti-Astori
Barone
Conte-Lazzari-Brkljaca
Cossu
Dessena-Jeda
1st sub-Biondini
This set up really does not take away too much of the experience, but the team seems slow and lethargic and needs some toughness and newness. We need to see what kind of player Brkljaca is and that only comes with 90 minutes of play, not 10 minutes here and there. While my first choice is to keep Dessena in midfield and play Nene 90 minutes, we cannot continue to run the Jeda/Matri strikeforce out there with a slow defense and expect to win. Home is the best place to try these changes as the team has done horribly there and the fans need to see that something is being done to shake things up. We all know there is a problem.
Genoa came to Cagliari a couple of years ago and that is when Acquafresca broke out and we started our run toward the miracle survival. Why not start another turnaround against them?
Milito is gone but this is still a very talented team. Last weeks huge loss to Inter was a surprise but they will turn it around and the difference between them and teams like Cagliari is they will use the favorable part of their schedule to get needed points and keep them in the European places. Serie A is very balanced this year however and despite their talent, they could actually end up looking outside of the European positions when the season is over. They have some work to do.
Without some changes, Allegri will soon face some real heat. He thinks he can rest on last years finish and the fact big clubs wanted him. While he would not be out of a job long if fired, Cellino will not hesitate to bring someone in quickly. While we need stability in as many places as possible, Allegri needs to wake up fast. He is not managing correctly and is not getting the right players on the field at the right time. If he makes no changes this weekend, the team will lose. I think he believes its just bad luck as to why Cagliari is losing so many games. This opinion means your team is talented but not being used right. Allegri will get it wrong for just another week and it will take a real crisis mode to make him change. Change is going to come, its just a matter of when.
For now we continue to get frustrated.
Where is Gigi Riva when you need him?
Prediction
Cagliari 1-2 Genoa
Prediction record to date:
3-5
Catania-Cagliari
By: Jeremy | 2 Comments
For those of you who could not wait for the international break to pass, I wanted to get something up early regarding this weekend so we can understand how important a win is in Catania.
Last weekends home loss to Chievo was just inexcusable. In a league that is stronger and more balanced then it has been in years, a loss at home to a similarly situated team destroys momentum and keeps you near the bottom of the standings thus making games like this weekends road match at Catania that much more important.
Cagliari sits on 7 points and basically on the fringe of being a midtable team. That being said, they are very close to slipping back into the relegation battle and a loss to Catania will put us right back there. With a team that clearly has more overall talent then last years, to see a little regression is frustrating for all fans.
What makes this weekends game that much more important is the fact that it is the last of a nice run of four games against bottom feeder type teams where 7-9 points were vital after such a slow start. While we have six from the first three, if even in an unconventional manner with two road wins, this weekends game must bring a result of some kind because the games get tougher immediately. After this weekend, we play four games three of which are Genoa, Lazio, and Sampdoria, top teams in Serie A. To survive this run, we need the momentum of a win and three points against a Catania team that is pretty much in shambles and looking like relegation favorites.
Catania, like Cagliari, has dodged relegation since its return to the top level. Coach Zenga did an amazing job but has moved on to greener pastures across the island to Palermo, the more glamorous Sicilian Club. Mascara is still around and is by far their best player but we get them at the best possible time. This team has lots of injuries and suspensions which include Delvechio, Capuano, Spoli, Barrentos, and Alvarez. They will be missing atleast 4 first teamers this and with depth at a small club at a minimum, Cagliari should be able to use its full strength squad to push the pace and bring home a win. A win for them however levels them with us at 7 points and they saw a much more favorable schedule in the short term then we do.
Cagliari is going to be judged this year by how well Robert Acquafresca is replaced. No matter how much talent is added at various positions and how much the overall depth is strengthened, you cannot lose your top scorer and not adequately replace him and expect to be anything more then relegation fodder. With Serie A’s defensive style and attack already somewhat of a weak spot for Cagliari, how the strikeforce develops is vital to this teams success. As most have seen, to date it has been a failure. Cagliari received great reviews for signing Portugals leading scorer Nene under the radar for a good price. This seemed to offset the loss of Acquafresca but instead Nene has played sparingly and Allegri is back trying to turn Matri and Larrivey into Serie A strikers. This approach is what cost Nedo Sonetti his job and required a miracle from Ballardini just to stay in Serie A. Larrivey and Matri, the latter of which has moments of magic, are not players that need to see the field if you expect long term success. Even a young tempermental Acquafresca was light years better then both. Simply put they are not the answer and if Nene also turns out to be a flop, this team will get relegated or be very close despite the wonderful play of Cossu and new boy Dessena in midfield. I am ready to give youngster Ragatzu a start so lets see what he can do if Nene wont be playing. I know he is young, but the kid can play. I would rather lose with him then the same Larrivey/Matri combo as the second striker with Jeda. Allegri is being awfully passive with this situation and he needs to act soon by either playing Nene a full 90 for multiple matches or giving Ragatzu more time. I dont see any other alternatives at this point unless he is ready to experiment with a midfielder as a striker.
This weekend could finally see the debut of Croatian youngster Brkljaca, another midfield gem. He could turn out to the one who is moved to that striker role so watch him. We can only play so many midfielders in one game so lets hope he is not just another guy added to the bench depth at midfield. At some point, one of these guys will have to be converted to a striker and other then Cossu, who really excels in his supporting midfield role and should be left alone, no one excites me as a striker. They are all classic midfielders.
No matter how you look at it, a loss and even a draw, despite it being on the road, will be devastating. Catania is then back in the mix for survival and Cagliari move forward to play some tough games. For all the momentum gathered by the earlier road wins, giving up a lead and losing at home to Chievo makes the Catania match that much more vital.
Like most Cagliari fans, I am up and down in my thoughts because of the teams inconsistent play. I just cant figure out where we are headed even if the teams talent excites me. That being said, with all of Catanias problems and their overall lack of talent, Cagliari should win this match despite Catanias ability to play teams tough of late even if they seem to be coming up a bit short in the win column. Lets hope they dont pick up their first win against us.
Prediction:
Catania 1-2 Cagliari
Prediction record to date: 3-4
Back to the Drawing Board
By: Jeremy | 1 Comment
After Sundays disappointing loss at home to Chievo, Cagliari has a week off to ponder what might have been but also to reflect and correct problems that exist and must be fixed.
Coming into the home game against Chievo, Cagliari had just won two games on the road in semi impressive fashion. Wins on the road in Serie A, no matter who the opponent, are hard to come by and can be great motivators for future games. But when you crap out at home and play what seems like uninspired football, there will be criticism and most fans, including myself, are left wondering what kind of team we have this year.
After Matri scored on a nice header on a cross from Biondini to go up 1-0, the team really should have closed the game out but its offense is not in sync and no matter how good Matris header looked, it was really a lucky finish. Instead Chievo immediately tied the game through Marcolini from long distance. He should not have been so open and Marchetti probably should have been able to tip it away from goal. Later in the second half, Marcolini finished a hard shot and again made Marchetti look like he has taken a step back after last years great season.
Cagliari now sits on 7 points and is in the mix for relegation with the other expected candidates. While Chievo is a bit of a surprise, the lower level teams are showing themselves. While we have bettered last years start and sit just above the relegation group, road wins are not likely to continue and something has to be done to win games at home to similarly situated teams.
Allegri has not said much this year and I am not sure if he is totally confident in his team. However, the talent is there and some tweaking needs to be done to get the team to perform better. I still dont understand the lack of Nene in the lineup week in and week out.
There is no question that this years team has more talent and depth then last years surprise team, but if Acquafresca is not replaced, and to date has not been, Cagliari will fight for relegation to the end despite the occasional great play they might show in a match.
Its really the same old story and I know I am always repeating myself with my comments, but why is Nene not on the field from the beginning. I dont see how we can determine he is not a Serie A level striker until he gets to play some full matches. He has not shown anything one way or the other as to how valuable he will be to this team. Based on the current set up, until his talent is asessed in regular full matches, this team will struggle offensively and if Marchetti has taken a step back, this will cause our point level to drop.
If Allegri is not going to allow Nene into the lineup, he needs to find a way to get all the talented midfielders some action. The strength of the team will get even stronger as Croatian signing Brkljaca will likely see some action against Catania. Allegri is in a tough spot. With Conte, Dessena, and Cossu guaranteed spots in midfield he has one spot left and a lot of guys who want the time. Biondini was not happy at being pulled in the 58th minute and while his talent does not excite you, his work rate is key. Lazzarri is a good player and Barone didnt come from Torino to sit on the bench. Add Brkljaca and Sivakov who all want time, and Allegri is in a tough spot.
Either way, something is not right. The team should be in a slightly better position then they are. They really should have atleast another three points, but those road wins were also unexpected so it is too early to tell where the team will end up.
The next game on the road to Catania is again another big match and a relegation six pointer. It is the last of a four match run, that while the results have not been what an outsider would have expected, we have 6 points from those three matches and I felt we needed 7-9 points from those games to get back on track. A draw on the road would be the goal but as bad as Catania is, we have to think we might get a win which likely puts us near mid table.
Cagliari is one of the more interesting teams in Serie A this year. We can finish all over the place and the talent level is real if not a little unproven. We have a real likelihood of improving as the year goes on so the start to the season is not bad, but with home loses to Chievo and Siena, the team has to be feelind disappointed at their place in the standings. Its a sign of a long year and continued frustration for fans.
Cagliari-Chievo
By: Jeremy | Add Comments
Cagliari returns home after two games on the road where unexpected results have eased early relegation worries and given fans belief that the team might even be better then last years Serie A relevation. Yes the wins were against Bari and Parma but two impressive wins on the road in back to back games can really get a team going and we all know what happened last year at this time.
Last weekends win on the road to Parma was probably more unexpected then the win against Bari. Parma was flying high, near the top of the table and looked impressive heading into a home match. Despite an iffy early penalty not given to them, Cagliari dominated the rest of the game with Dessena showing why he was a very important addition from Sampdoria in the offseason.
Cagliari now sits 13th in the table on 7 points and has a very winnable match at home against Chievo where momentum in Serie A is very important as so many of the teams are close in talent in what is one of the more balanced seasons in Serie A in some time.
Allegri seems to be relying on his midfield to create the scoring and with Dessena and Cossu you have one of the better midfield tandems in Serie A, especially considering Cagliari cannot spend so freely. With Cossu playing like he will soon see a spot on a big club and Dessena getting comfortable with his new team, they are perfect compliments to veteran Conti and the hustling Biondini. With Barone and Sivakov ready to come off the bench, this is a huge strength for Cagliari and Allegri is wise to rely on this group.
While the midfield play has been great, Cagliari cannot have any sustained success until Nene is starting and playing close to 90 minutes a game because he can score. While Jeda has played well, Matri is not the secondary finisher the club needs to reward the team for the midfield work. This situation cannot be ignored but Allegri wont have to answer to this concern if the team stays out of relegation.
The defense played great last week and will be bolstered by the return of Diego Lopez to provide stability in the back. They held Parmas offense in check for the whole game and Canini and everyone else are starting to show some real support for Marchetti who has improved after a slow start to the season.
Chievo is not to be taken lightly, they sit one point above Cagliari and have gone four games without a loss. While the win against Genoa was nice, this team is still relegation material as draws to Atalanta and Siena are not impressive and a win against Bologna is not either. Sergio Pellisier is their best player and he has scored 4 goals already so they have the finisher that Cagliari may be lacking and that could be a difference in the game. That being said, getting points is important and when Cagliari is losing at home to Siena we cannot criticize Chievo too much for draws against similarly situated teams.
This is Cagliaris real chance to help put the Siena loss aside and despite Chievos recent run, they are not as good as Cagliari. At home and with momentum, we should win the game.
A win here sets us up nicely for the next rounds game against Catania who is having problems. Look for Allegri and the players to understand how important getting three points this weekend is to the overall position of the team and that they cannot give points away like they did to Siena.
The players will come through.
Prediction:
Cagliari 2-1 Chievo
Prediction record to date: 3-3
Parma-Cagliari
By: Jeremy | Add Comments
Two teams feeling confident head into round 6 looking to build on momentum from two great results midweek in round 5.
Parma has returned to Serie A after a year in Serie B and seems to have returned to the days when relegation candidate was nowhere in its vocabulary. With a road win at Lazio, a team expected to be well into the top half of the table, combined with a wins against Catania and Palermo and a draw with Udinese, Parma sits on 10 points level with strong teams like Genoa and Fiorentina. These are 10 points earned against some strong teams and their loss to Inter is out of the way so they should really feel good about themselves and where they are to date.
Cagliari, as predicted by me, stole three points on the road to Bari with a late Nene goal. After that great road win following a strong performance against Inter, combined with Nene getting his first of what will hopefully be many Serie A goals, while they sit on only 4 points and will likely be worrying about relegation, Cagliari has to feel they can get something this weekend, even on the road to Parma. They are better then where they sit in the standings right now so Parma will not have a walkover easy three points.
Parma, despite its strong start, is still a bottom half of the table team talent wise. They have added veteran Christian Panucci from Roma and have nice young French striker Biabany, but their talent overall is not as good as Cagliaris. The difference seems to be so far is that the new players have gelled and have played together with inspiration to get some great results while Cagliari is still looking for answers.
Cagliari is still looking to find itself but the win against Bari will go along way toward gaining confidence and momentum as some easier games are coming up. I am still not sure why Nene is not starting and his performance will continue to determine Cagliaris fortunes so get him on the field more often. With Conti ready to return from suspension, Cagliari will have even more players at its disposal. Some other good news is that Mario Brkljaca, the 24 yr old Croatian International, finally has his paperwork from Hadjuk Split taken care of and his transfer might be completed as soon as this weekend. He is good enough to where he might crack the starting eleven in the next few weeks. We continue to improve our midfield but the strikeforce is still woeful and goal scoring sporadic until Nene is a starter.
Allegri seems to be planning around the fact Cossu will leave for a bigger team, maybe even this winter, but for all the talent he is getting in the midfield, none of that matters without some goal scorers. Until then, if Nene is going to be a sub of the bench, we need to find a way to get Cossu in attack and add a player from the bench to midfield. Larrivey and Matri do not need to be in the lineup.
Cagliaris talent is clearly better then last year and better then Parmas. I really think Cagliari can win this match but you cannot ignore Parmas strong start and the confidence they are feeling after beating some very strong Serie A sides. At home they should be expected to win and need to beat teams like Cagliari if they expect to establish themselves well away from relegation.
I think its too early to take too much into account regarding the overall play of these teams despite Parmas strong start and Cagliaris so so beginning. This game could go either way so I think it ends in a draw
Prediction Parma 1-1 Cagliari
Prediction Record to date: 3-2
Bari-Cagliari
By: Jeremy | Add Comments
The season starts now. The draw away to Livorno was acceptable but the home loss to Siena killed any fantasy of picking up points against Fiorentina and Inter and making others think we were potential european candidates. With the mindset back in the typical survival mode, this game against Bari, even on the road, is a must win.
Bari is newly promoted and a team worth rooting for. With 6 points from four games, they have yet to lose and are where many expected Cagliari to be at this point in the season. They have some good players but with Parisi out and Allegretti out, as well as a host of lesser players also missing, this is Cagliaris chance to show that they are better then what they showed in the match with Siena and to get a win while Bari is feeling tired and slightly depleted.
Cagliari played well against Fiorentina and Inter but still lost. They seem to play a notch below the level of the team they are playing. Typical Cagliari. Bari is not as good as Inter and if we play them like we played Inter, there is no reason why we dont win. With Pisano and Lopez still hurt and the suspension of Conti causing him to miss this game, Cagliari are without their full squad but with greater depth then Bari, Cagliari still comes into this game with the better team.
Bari is doing what any relegation candidate needs to do. Lots of draws and wins on occasion to bottom level teams. This is no doubt a relegation six pointer. Cagliari needs the game more then Bari and a loss will only build Cellinos frustration. Allegri still needs to figure out how to get Nene on the field for more then 20 minutes because as soon as he starts scoring, Cagliari starts winning. Until then, what we have seen so far will only continue. I do think Cagliari plays like they did this past weekend and their depth combined with Baris injuries will lead to a much needed win on the road.
Prediction
Bari 1-2 Cagliari
Prediction record to date: 2-2
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