Alpha Romeo Metaphor II

Wednesday, 22 October 2014

Graziano Venti hopped in my new Alfa and we drove up the A1 to Parma then turned southwest to the Ligurian coast. Our destination was La Spezia where we would watch Spezia host Pescara. We hosted Pescara week after next. This was a relegation six pointer. Pescara had been **** all season long and Spezia were a shade crappier. The match was a dull bore with Spezia creating the only clear cut chance. Our conclusion is we should be able to thrash Pescara.

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On the way home, my Assistant Manager was surfing on his iPad and discovered that Delio Rossi had been appointed Modena manager. This is an interesting development as the former Atalanta, Fiorentina, Lazio, Palermo and Sampdoria boss was an experienced leader and Modena would certainly be a better side with him at the helm.

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Serie B: Citadella v. Bologna

View attachment 316639It's cold and raining. Utterly miserable day to be outside. I'm wearing a Bologna raincoat with a hood and scarf. I couldn't give the least **** if the pundits make fun of me, I'd rather be warm and healthy.

I'm taking a risk playing Luca Callegari. I could play Diego Perez in the back, Zukes as the defensive mid and play Matuzalem in midfield, but I want to see how he'll do. Also, I tell Morleo to mark Keko.

Citadella are determined to play well for their embattled manager. They keep us pinned back for the first ten minutes. Keko is tormenting poor Morleo and even with Gennaro Troianiello dropping back to help. Dejan Stojanovic is spectacular in net. I'm shocked, but we survive the first 15 minutes. My speech about playing some decent defense today must've registered.

At the 15 minute mark, Keko swaps sides and I'm screaming at Gyorgy Garics to watch him closely. Keko is surprisingly quiet out on the Citadella left. Instead, Andrea Schenetti torments Morleo. More great saves from Dejan, but we begin to have occasional breaks forward.

The statistics say that we're most likely to score against Citadella during the 30 to 45 minute mark. So I feel quite hopeful when we break swiftly. Federico Casarini plays a pass up to a WIDE open Daniele Cacia. Daniele had to wait a bit for the pass to catch up which meant that defenders would close him down. He sees Gennaro Troianiello steaming in from the left flank.

The keeper comes racing off his line and flops down, sliding quickly at Troi on the wet grass. And Troi deftly chips him.

0-1

Troi jogs over to the traveling supporters behind the goal to celebrate.

Okay, guys. We've scored, can we hold this lead until halftime. Lately, we've been unable. Y'all know the answer already. Of course we can't. Simple counter attack in the 42nd minute in which we were outnumbered did us in. How the **** does that happen. Technically, Perez got caught upfield, was slow getting back and couldn't keep up with the eventual goalscorer Benedetti who was arriving late from midfield.

1-1

I was still swearing under my breathe in English, pacing the sideline as stoppage time wore down in the first half. The ref was probably about to blow his whistle, he'd looked at his watch once already. Franco Zuculini dished off to Casarini as they pushed into Citadella territory. Casa held it, held and held it, looking for options. Eventually he played a pass across his body toward Zuke who'd drifted into Troi's favorite spot.

1-2

Zuculini smashed it into the side netting just like Troi likes to do. And that was the last kick of the second half. It was looking bad for Foscarini.

I needed a more mobile defensive midfielder and thought Perez might calm down our defense. So Uros Radakovic went on for Luca Callegari and Perez dropped into the center of the defense.

Since we'd recently scored, the equalizer was soon to come. In the 48th minute, Dominico Maietta made a half-hearted challenge for a 50-50 ball with Coralli. Coralli raced for the end line and hit a harmless cross into the middle. It was right to Dejan. However, Perez raced back and headed to Gyorgy Garics. Maybe I should say headed the ball in the direction of Garics. The problem was Garics waited for the ball to arrive and Keko nipped in front of him and tapped a pass to near the penalty spot where Gerardi gratefully buried the chance.

2-2

Things were looking up for Foscarini. On the other hand, I just stood there staring with my jaw agape. I couldn't believe what I'd just seen. Three experienced professionals all made amateur mistakes. I turned and looked at my bench. Defense Coach Stefano Romanin had his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands. I should have ****ing left Luca in. I walked over to him.

"You'd have left that for Dejan wouldn't you?" I asked rhetorically. He nodded. "I apologize. I shouldn't have taken you out."

Things started looking rather bleak for Foscarini in the 53rd. Casa had the ball with his back to goal about 40m out. Antonio Barreca was trying to get the ball off him. But it's not easy to get the ball off Casa and eventually, Barreca got frustrated and chopped his legs out.

Straight red card. I looked over at Foscarini. He looked pale. Like he'd just been given his death sentence. He couldn't even look at Barreca as his player walked past him. Actually, he looked like he was in shock.

Apparently, my defenders have a soft spot for Foscarini.

In the 57th, we gave away a free kick about 40m away from goal out on our right flank. Cappelletti whipped in the cross and Keko, who'd gotten away from Perez, nodded home. I hope you notice the pattern here. Just in case, I'll elaborate. Three mistakes by Perez resulted in three goals. But that's unfair. The entire defense outside of Dejan has been horse****.

3-2

I looked over. Foscarini was on his knees pumping his fists and screaming up into the rain.

Matthias Lepiller hadn't done much and was tiring so I sent on Nacho Huertas. Normally, Sergio would go on in his place, but he was hurt. Now Nacho is slow, but he's creative. I was hoping for any spark in this miserable day in Liguria.

We pressed but couldn't create any chances. I got Robert Aquafresca warming up. Then in the 66th, Cacia wasted a golden chance. I whirled, pointed at Aqua and waved him over. Cacia off, Aqua on in the 68th.

I looked like a ****ing genius for that move.

First touch of the game set up his second touch which was to score.

3-3

Casa played a ball up and out to Troi. Troi saw Aqua wide open in the middle and redirected Casa's long ball into Robert's path. Thank. You. Very. Much. After Cacia's display, this might get you a start, Mr. Aquafresca.

I looked over at Foscarini. His hands were back in his coat pockets and he looked pale and glum again.

Benedetti almost won a reprieve for Foscarini in the 77th, but Dejan thwarted him with yet another brilliant save.

Then we decamped in the Citadella end. We pushed and prodded, but Citadella were looking pretty resilient. We just couldn't find the combination play that would work.

The fourth official signaled four minutes of extra time. It didn't look good for us finding a way through the 10 men.

91:00 rolled by ...

92:00 rolled by ...

93:00 rolled by ...

And we won a corner. Troi grabbed the ball and sprinted for the corner flag. Perez and Maietta sprinted forward.

93:12 Troi curls in his corner. Scaglia heads clear. Zuke is running forward from his position lurking outside the box. He calls off Casa and Radakovic who are running back to get it. Radakovic unintentionally sets a pick for the defender trying to reach the ball.

93:18 View attachment 316638Franco controls it with his thigh and unleashes a tomahawk missile of a shot.

93:19 He spins away kissing his badge. It hit nothing but net.

93:20 I'm engulfed by a wave of people rushing off the bench.

93:25 I look over at Foscarini. His head is hanging. The rain coming down his forehead is spouting off the end of his nose like a sad gargoyle.

Sorry, dude. It just wasn't meant to happen.

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View attachment 316294Monday, 27 October 2014

After the second training session, my Assistant Manager sidled up to me.

“Aqua isn’t happy, boss,” Graziano whispered. “He wants to start more. I advise you to approach him cautiously.”

“Thanks for the head’s up,” I replied.

Sure as ****, there was a knock at my door right about the time all the players were leaving.

“Come in,” I said. Sure as **** it was Robert Aquafresca.

“I’m not getting enough first-team football and I want assurances from you that I’ll be getting more game time soon,” he stated.

Hmmm, that was forceful. Now that he’d scored, and the third goal that pretty much guaranteed our undefeated run continued, he’d decided that this was his moment to push for more starts. I detected the smell of an agent. Do I tell him I was planning on him starting against Pescara tomorrow?

“Well, I can’t exactly guarantee you’ll be starting games, but I am certainly glad that you’re scoring,” I replied. “Daniele links up so well with Casa and Lepiller and Troi. You’ve been working hard on this and doing better. The goal yesterday certainly helped your cause. Daniele is the proven scorer who has been doing his job, though. You’ve got to admit that, right?”

“Well, how can I show you what I can do with so little playing time,” he said. “I need to start matches.”

“Listen, I don’t want to lose you,” I said. “But I can’t guarantee everyone who comes to me starting time. We have a squad and we’re on an undefeated streak. Daniele could get hurt any day. He could go ice cold. Keep your head down and you’ll get your chance.”

“You’re being unrealistic,” he retorted. “A player’s career is very short and I need to be playing. And I’m not going to sit around and wait. Maybe I should find another club.”

He was increasing the temperature and I have to admit that I was starting to get angry. I mean seriously, he didn’t score at all last season when my beloved Rossoblu were relegated and desperately needed him to step up. Now he wants playing time? Seriously.

“Fine,” I said. “Must I remind you of last year?” He shook his head. Then looked down. Bubble burst. But now I needed to be careful. I also wanted to set him up for a fired up performance tomorrow. “My beloved Rossoblu are paying you 30,500 per week for you to perform one of the most difficult jobs in all of Italy. The strikers who always score are rare. Daniele has proven time and time again that he can score in Serie B. That’s why I signed him. His undoing has been Serie A as it was yours last year. I both bleed and sweat Rossoblu and nothing and nobody will stand in the way of getting this club back where it belongs.”

“I can only tell you what I did when I was a player,” I said. “I did extra training. I pushed myself further. Eventually, when I got in I made it impossible for the manager to take me out.”

“I think I’ve shown my quality,” he said. “I’ve scored twice in the limited time you’ve given me. If we disagree about that it might be time I start considering moving on.”

“We may disagree but remind your agent that you had two good season for Cagliari in which you scored 10 and 14 goals,” I said. “But that was five years ago. You haven’t done much since then and I think that Savoia, in whom I don’t have much confidence, will have a hard time selling you.”

“You’re a professional and I expect you to carry on doing your job,” I concluded.

He slammed the door on the way out.

Heh. He should be pretty fired up tomorrow. Or he's done and he's gone. Either way, problem solved.
 
Serie B: Bologna v. Pescara

View attachment 316231Tuesday, 28 October 2014

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Pescara are having a horrible season. Expectations were high for the Biancazzurri, they were supposed to challenge for promotion not flirt with relegation. We are the clear favorites and I tell the guys to put on a show for the fans.

What I'm hoping for is a nice, boring thrashing.

Matthias Lepiller scores in the 6th minute, Franco Zuculini scores for the second straight match in the 19th and a rather fired up Robert Aquafresca scores on 34 and with nearly the last kick in the half.

We're playing well, but we're tired. I'm going to watch center back Dominico Maietta, left back Archimede Morleo, Lepiller and Matuzalem.

My dream of a shutout are ruined minutes into the second half. We clear a cross in from our left, but the clearance falls to Gianluca Caprari just crushes a volley from 25 meters that left Dejan Stojanovic flapping.

Alright, fine. Quality volley. Can't defend against a goal like that.

View attachment 316229But then we started running around like fkn chickens with our fkn hedz cut off.

In the 60th minute, everyone in Stadio Renato Dall'Arra saw the through ball coming. Neither Maietta nor Federico Barba reacted well. So Pescara's Ali Sowe raced onto it and smashed it past Dejan Stojanovic.

Obviously, I was livid. I switched formation of my midfield so that Zukes was the shield in front of the back four and Casa withdrew into the center of midfield. I pulled off Morleo, put on Garics who went to right back and moved Ceccarelli to left back.

I was a nervous nelly for the rest of the match, but that switch wrapped it up. Luca Callegari and Uros Radakovic got a few minutes playing time late on.

My 'Jekyll-Hyde' postgame speech didn't go over to well. Lepiller and Aqua were miffed because they'd played well. But the center of the midfield was too pliant. I got my message across, regardless.

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The Rossoblu October-November 2014

View attachment 316151Wednesday, 29 October 2014

Four wins and a draw in the league is great. Obviously, I'm concerned about 11 conceded in October. Scoring 16 goals in a month of games would make any manager in any league happy.

The two games I highlighted as the toughest two, Avellino and Vicenza, were wins.

Next month, the tough match is Varese but we play them at home and they have to play third place Avellino in the midweek before they face us.

Bari are in 17th, Varese are 2nd (though they have a match in hand on us), Spezia are 21st, Latina are 14th and Perugia are 7th. It should be noted that Perugia are on a bit of a hot streak and could be higher than 7th by the time we meet them should their run continue.

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Gather that is you in your new logo Enrico?

Actually spent a couple of minutes flicking back & forth between the pic in the first page of your 14 story & this 1 & am still not positive. Lol

If so that is rather cool! Never seen that before.
 
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