Frustrated Positively

By: Jeremy | September 15th, 2008

If you had told me we would have the same number of points as Milan after two weeks, Id be thinking that we were off to a pretty good start. However with both teams the only ones sitting on zero points, it is clear we need a wake up call before we dig the same hole we dug last year. The shovels or the backhoes anyway are clearly out and in the ground.

I hate to compare our situation to Milans because Milan fans know their team has talent and is still a threat to win the Scudetto. We lack a lot of talent, but with the goal only being survival, we simply dont need points as regularly as Milan.

Being a fan of a relegation team is very frustrating. When you lose to other bad teams and end up at the bottom of the league before the season is hardly underway, it seems like the rest of the year is spent trying to climb out of a hole. We are used to it but we always hope the next season will be different. But that being said, we dont need to win that many games so I am not going to get too angry because we lost to a Siena team without their best player.

Lets look at the 2-0 loss with some positivity. I hated to see the game played on a waterlogged pitch. Even if Siena would still have won, I hate when weather plays a factor in a game of any kind. That crap goal in the tenth minute from Calaio on a corner kick that someone has to head out or Marchetti has to catch totally sucked. It makes it through everyone, lands at his feet, and he kicks it in. Even Larrivey wouldnt have missed that one. Down 1-0 that quick is tough. Just not a good goal.

Cagliari just at the start of the second half tied the game and had the goal called back. It was a nice pass to Larrivey who actually scored but Jeda was called offside. He clearly was not. Does that change the game? Who knows. Larrivey soon after has the ball at his feet with no pressure from 6 yards out and completely misses the goal. I guess he is still the same Larrivey. He has to finish those. Siena then gets a last minute goal on the counter attack that only came because Cagliari was pressing forward for the equalizer. Final 2-0. A tough loss, but I dont think we were beaten decisively and it is just a matter of making some small adjustments. Siena is a relegation team in my opinion so the negative is that we lost a game where we needed a better result by putting ourselves in a hole from the beginning.

Serie A is really a tight league once you get past the big clubs. While the worst teams seem to always end up at the bottom, there is such a fine line that it is really frustrating to know your team, that will clearly relegation fodder, is not that bad. I am sick of the media saying we got destroyed by Lazio or that we are hapless because we lost to Siena. Relative to the other team we have not played that bad, but ultimately it is about the points so we can only take positives from losses for so long.

Speaking of positive, it was good to see Acquafresca to get in the game in the 75th minute. I would love to see him play a full game with Larrivey up front for a few weeks to see if he can score regularly. I also like Matri seeing some action in midfield. I think that is where he belongs. Id like to think the offense will not be our downfall with those three in the lineup and Jeda also helping push the pace. I also think Marchetti is a decent goalkeeper and with some experience, he will be an asset for us. He needs to be more aggressive in the box on set plays or crosses and that is clearly his weakness. He seems to have good hands, but his decision making needs work. With new acquisition Argentine defender Carlos Mattheu likely ready this week, our defense should get a boost. While this is our weak area, he will help and I like the acquisition.

For all the insults that we are likely to see after our results these two games, I am not ready to say we are as bad as pundits make us out to be. We are bad, but remember that we are trying to survive, not make the top half of the table. With those expectations, back to back wins turn a bad season around real quick. The problem is we have to see too many losses where one play changes the outlook of the whole game or the result. But that why we have to get players to perform to the level where that one difference making play is made to our advantage.

Our early season grave digging does not get any easier as we take on Juve at home next week. I hate Juve, but they have some great players and to think anything but an asskicking is on the horizon is pure fantasy, but points would create positivity real quick.

All I can say at this point to my fellow frustrated fans is that remember to look at the goal for the team. How far are we away from safety. Even losses in the first two games dont kill us. We have to find points, but these games are best forgotten. Keep an eye on the teams that should fight us for relegation spots. It hurts that teams like Siena and Lecce got three points yesterday, but we might as well get used to checking their scores each week and we are not relegated two weeks in.

Lets hope Acquafresca is fully fit and plays 90 next week. If Larrivey continues his inconsistent finishing we are in trouble again. Allegri seems calm and clearly understands the team was not outplayed in the two losses. Bad decisions and bad luck changed the outcome of those games. You cant coach that so he is calm. Cellino is another matter so the axe could come at any time.

This is going to be another crazy season and lets hope the luck of the past couple years is still there when we need it. So far it is nowhere to be found.