Inter Milan 0 v 0 Sampdoria
Feb/101
Inter and Sampdoria share a 0-0 draw at the San Siro as three players were sent off in an ill-tempered game.
Inter went into the game on the back of two disappointing draws, they were without Mario Balotelli, Davide Santon and Cristian Chivu for this one.
Sampdoria went into the game high on confidence after winning their last four league games. Once again Antono Cassano was left out, Nicola Pozzi took his place upfront.
The visitors had the first real sight on goal as Pazzini set off on a mazy run before putting in a teasing cross but there was no one there to meet it.
Samp had another good chance on 16 minutes when Pazzini flicked the ball onto Andrea Poli’s but his right-foot volley was saved by Julio Cesar.
The hosts should have broken the deadlock on the half-hour mark, Diego Milito headed the ball to Samuel Eto’o, but the Cameroon international fired wide from just 10 yards.
Just a minute later the game turned sour. Samuel was shown a straight red after his flailing arm caught Nicola Pozzi in the face.
This sparked a mass confrontation between the teams with Inter players accusing Pozzi of making too much of the challenge.
Things got worse for Inter just before the break, Cordoba picked up his second booking of the game for barging into Pazzini, Inter were now down to nine men.
Home fans and players were left fuming and the referee had to be given a police escort off the pitch at half-time.
Inter started the second half in determined fashion. After just 60 seconds Milito nearly carved a chance out of nothing, but his effort was charged down just before he could pull the trigger.
On the 53rd minute Inter again went close when a Wesley Sneijder free kick flew just past the top corner.
Sampdoria tried to push forward but failed to take advantage of the extra players they had on the field. Creating little chances to score.
Things took a turn for the worse for the Blucerchiati on the 73rd minute, when Pazzini received his second booking of the game, for a foul on Stankovic and was sent off.
Inter looked to take advantage of Sampdoria’s set back, but once again Eto’o missed a golden chance, Pandev played a neat ball through for the Cameroon striker but Storari blocked the shot.
The game finished 0-0. Sampdoria the happier of the two sides as they stretch their unbeaten run to 6 games. Inter leave the game with another disappointing draw.
Inter: Julio Cesar; Maicon, Cordoba, Samuel, Zanetti; Stankovic, Cambiasso, Muntari (Lucio 35); Sneijder (Thiago Motta 81); Milito (Pandev 71), Eto’o
Sampdoria: Storari; Zauri, Gastaldello, Lucchini, Ziegler; Semioli (Padalino 83), Palombo, Poli (Tissone 79), Guberti (Mannini 56); Pozzi, Pazzini
Lombardo
Preview – Inter Milan v Sampdoria
Feb/100
Inter v Sampdoria
Saturday 20th February 2010
San Siro, Milan
Inter (1st)
Inter need little introduction, as the Champions juggernaut their way to another championship. But they have stalled a little in the last week. They were disappointing in a 0-0 draw in Naples last weekend (albeit a fixture they have usually struggled with in recent years), and weren’t overly convincing in the 1-1 draw at Parma before that. However back on home turf they are formidable and have only dropped four points from a possible 36 at the San Siro. They have won every home game since 8th November.
Inter have quality from front to back and are ruthlessly efficient under Mourinho, despite his increasingly bizarre attempts to get himself sacked. Milito has 14 goals in 21 games, while Balotelli, Etoo and new signing Pandev hasve also been scoring freely. Even the defence are dangerous, Maicon has a very impressive 3 goals and 6 assists from full back.
While the majority of the teams in Serie A struggle with finances, and the playing quality regresses accordingly, Inter continue to build and improve and widen the gap between themselves and the also rans.
Sampdoria (5th)
After a miserable December, Sampdoria have flown up the table in the last few weeks with four wins on the trot. Last weekends 2-0 win at home to Fiorentina was the most impressive of the lot. Fiorentina may have had their eye on the trip to Munich in midweek (and their performance in Munich would suggest they did), but they simply couldn’t live with Samp’s organisation and desire.
Whether its down to the dropping of Cassano or not, Samp have become much more cohesive in the last few weeks. New loan signings Storari and Guberti have fitted in well.
Samp beat Inter 1-0 in September, the result that really got people talking about their flying start to the season. But this was at home, where Samp are really strong this year. Samp may be in fine form and challenging for the Champions League spots, but on paper Inter away looks a severe test. Having been on the end of thrashings in Milan and Turin this season, it appears that Samp have a habit of collapsing in the big away games.
They will need all their new found confidence and willpower to avoid the same in the San Siro in Saturday nights live TV game.
Opposition dangerman
Take your pick really, but attacking midfielder Wesley Sneijder is good to watch and is the man who makes Inter tick offensively. The 25 year old Dutchman did not make the impact many expected following his big move from Ajax to Real Madrid. But after a cut price move to Milan, Inter already look a poorer side without him.
Head to head
Sampdoria got draws in this fixture in 2006 and 2003 but apart from that, unsurprisingly, Inter dominate and usually win this one.
Prediction
I have tried desperately to find reasons to back Samp here. A 5th placed team in such good form, who have beaten Inter earlier in the season, and who play an Inter side who come off the back of two draws, mean there are real chances of an upset. If you could get Samp for around 10/1 they would be a good longshot bet, despite their poor performance in the big away games.
Unfortunately what has happened here is that the prices have adjusted to reflect all of this, and Inter are available at a temptingly generous 3/5. I make them 66% likely to win which means they should be more like 1/2 shots and so Inter look to be the bet…but I wont be betting.
Inter should win this. And probably to nil.
MUG_OUFC
Sampdoria 2 – 0 Fiorentina
Feb/100
Two Ghosts Return To Haunt The Viola!
Giampaolo Pazzini and Franco Semioli returned to haunt their former club, and add to Fiorentina’s crisis. Fiorentina who this evening were playing all in red, had picked up one point from their last four games. Samp had notched up three consecutive wins prior to this match and had leapfrogged Fiorentina in the table.
Suspensions: Marco Rossi (S) and Adrian Mutu (F)
First Half Action
Sampdoria started the stronger side with an Andrea Poli strike skimming the target and Reto Ziegler horribly scuffing a shot wide from a promising position. Fiorentina then lost Alessandro Gamberini to a shoulder injury, then moments later Mario Alberto Santana pulled up with a thigh problem. Cesare Prandelli was cursing his luck, having to make two substitutions in the opening 15 minutes.
Sampdoria took the lead in bizarre circumstances. Nicola Pozzi’s header from a Stefano Guberti cross looped over Sebastien Frey and on to the bar, but Franco Semioli dived on to the rebound heading the ball into Manuel Pasqual and into the net. It was a special goal for Semioli, who wore the Fiorentina shirt from 2007 to 2009.
Semioli nearly got a second by cutting in from the right with an angled drive that Frey palmed round the base of the post. Nicola Pozzi smashed a powerful first-time shot over from outside the box after yet more good play from Ziegler.
Alberto Gilardino’s fine volley forced Marco Storari to produce a good reaction save from point-blank range, however the offside flag had been raised in a close decision.
Sampdoria doubled their lead through another former Fiorentina player Giampaolo Pazzini. A Ziegler free kick was beautifully whipped in from the left wing for Pazzini to leap above the defenders and send a powerful header in off the underside of the crossbar.
Guberti smashed a strike on the volley just past the woodwork in first half stoppage time.
Second Half Action
Pazzini sprung clear of the offside trap, but stumbled on the ball when he was distracted by looking up at Frey.
Storari plucked Marco Marchionni’s header off the head of Gilardino following good work from Stevan Jovetic. The skilful Montenegrin then skimmed the near post from the edge of the box.
Adem Ljajic was Fiorentina’s final substitution and with practically his first touch fired a shot off target from the D. Marchionni fired over from a corner, but for the most part Fiorentina were reduced to hopeful efforts from distance.
For the second time in the game Frey had his palms stung by a missile of a free kick from Ziegler. Pazzini was clear on goal but tripped up on the ball, probably caused by the appalling state of the pitch.
Riccardo Montolivo was booked late on and will be suspended for the next match and Jovetic volleyed over in stoppages.
The win moves Samp into a champions league place but leaves Fiorentina firmly in the middle of the Serie A table.
Sampdoria: Storari; Zauri, Lucchini, Gastaldello, Ziegler; Semioli, Palombo, Poli (Padalino 76), Guberti (Mannini 59); Pazzini, Pozzi (Tissone 70)
Fiorentina: Frey; Comotto, Gamberini (Felipe 11), Kroldrup, Pasqual (Ljajic 69); Montolivo, Donadel; Santana (Marchionni 15), Jovetic, Vargas; Gilardino
phil_c64
Preview: Sampdoria v Fiorentina
Feb/100
Sampdoria v Fiorentina
Saturday 13th February 2010
Luigi Ferraris Stadium, Genoa
Sampdoria (6th)
Last weeks predictable win at bottom side Siena stretched the blucerchiati’s winning sequence to three wins, and confirmed Samps return to form following a miserable Christmas period. Sampdoria’s improvement in fortunes since Antonio Cassano was dropped/injured is incredible, while Fantantonio’s replacement Pozzi has come in and scored two goals in three games. Del Neri is either a genius, or lucky.
However, Cassano’s absence might not be the reason behind Samps upturn in form. Two of their three wins have come against bottom three sides (Siena and Atalanta), teams that Samp would almost certainly have beaten anyway. And the third victory away at Udinese looks impressive, but Udinese were extremely poor and Samp a little fortunate on the day.
Also worth considering is that we are at the midpoint of the season now, playing the reverse fixtures of the seasons opening fixtures. These were the games that Samp were winning to go on their turbo-charged start to the campaign. Samp beat Udinese, Atalanta and Siena in a row at the beginning of the year, and have done the same in their last three games. The obvious conclusion is not that Samp are in brilliant form, but that they are once again playing the teams in the league that they can beat.
Following this sequence we see that Samp played in Florence in their fifth game of the season, with Samp coming off the back of four straight wins. Fiorentina won 2-0. Will this sequence repeat itself on Saturday when Fiorentina visit the Luigi Ferraris?
Team News: Cassano has a thigh strain and is rated as doubtful for the game. Pazzini is expected to overcome the minor injury sustained at Siena.
Fiorentina (11th)
Fiorentina are stumbling having failed to win any of their last four games. With Mutu banned and Gilardino firing blanks, what should be a formidable attacking team look a little short on confidence in attack. Fiorentina, and Montolivo in particular, dominated Roma last week in the Sunday night game. But they couldn’t convert possession into goals, and paid the price when Roma scored yet another late winner to take all three points.
Transfer rumours linking the Viola with Samp stars Cassano and Pazzini (a former Fiorentina player) may unsettle the Samp men, but it may also hit the confidence of the current Fiorentina players who play in these positions. There is no doubt that Cassano’s decision to reject Fiorentina and stay at the Marassi was a big boost for Samp, and a bitter blow for Fiorentina.
After Saturday nights televised game at the Marassi, Fiorentina travel to Munich for a huge Champions League game against German giants Bayern. Teams that are not champions league regulars and do not have Champions League resources, like Fiorentina, often struggle to both maintain league consistency and perform well in the Champions League. You so often see teams like this struggle in the games played before or after big Champions League encounters. The coach may select a strong side, but it is human nature that in the back of the player’s minds they are thinking about the big match coming up four days later.
Add into this the fact that Fiorentina’s away form is poor, with just three wins from 11 games this season.
Opposition dangerman
Alberto Gilardino. The poacher may have looked out of form against Roma last week but the former Piacenza, Verona, Parma and Milan can never be taken lightly. Gilardino was in scintillating form in Italys final world cup qualifying games to secure Italian qualification.
Head to head
Sampdoria traditionally have a good record in this fixture and have won three, drawn two and lost one of the last six games at the Marassi. However the most recent encounter, last season, saw a 1-0 win for Fiorentina.
Prediction
This looks a very closely matched encounter, and is one best avoided for serious gamblers. Fiorentina won this fixture last season, and the game in Florence earlier this season, and Samps early season sequence of results suggest this may be a game they will lose. Under normal circumstances, if pushed, it would be tempting to go for a Fiorentina win at prices that look big at 2/1.
But there is a bomb in the formbook here – Fiorentina’s upcoming Champions League game in Munich in midweek. Couple this with Fiorentina’s patchy away form, and (assuming Pazzini plays) I estimate that Sampdoria are 40% likely to win this with 30% chance of a draw and 30% chance of Fiorentina win. In view of the prices available at the bookmakers, 6/4 or over on the Sampdoria win might just have a tiny hint of value.
More risk averse punters may consider taking Sampdoria with level ball on the asian handicap. This means your stake is returned in the event of a draw. Sampdoria’s price here is 3/4.
SAMPDORIA TO WIN (just)
MUG_OUFC
The Sampdoria Rollercoaster
Feb/100
Sampdoria have made a remarkable turnaround in the new year, after limping into the mid-season break on a string of underwhelming results which left fans disgruntled, players unsettled, and their league standing dipping into the bottom half of the table. It was a severe slap in the face after the start of the season saw them in devastating form, leading the league and drawing comparisons to the scudetto winning side of the early 1990′s.
Surrounding the story is that the reversal of form has occurred whilst their enigmatic star forward Antonio Cassano has been left out of the team by 1st season coach, Luigi Del Neri. Being an unthinkable choice in many fans eyes, Del Neri was jeered by the home fans last time out at Marassi, however one cannot argue with the results that have followed his decision. Cassano’s replacement, Nicola Pozzi has scored twice in his three starts, and perhaps most importantly he has scored both goals outside Genova, correcting a sequence of six away losses and, with last weeks win over bottom ranked Siena, moved Doria back into Euro-zone of the classifica.
It would be true to say that Pozzi has been largely forgotten during the last couple of weeks as speculation over a rift between Del Neri and Cassano has been rife, in some journals going so far as to do away with speculation altogether. However, Del Neri has maintained from the outset that his choice has been technical, whilst Cassano has denied any rift, and dramatically refused to join Fiorentina at the end of the transfer window, choosing instead to stay at Samp despite being left out of the team.
For the upcoming match, at least, it seems that Cassano will not even knock at the door, due to the soreness in his abductor muscle (www.sampdoria.it) which has seen him training with the team in the gym, but in the pool while the team is out in the field. But while he remains unavailable due to injury, Sampdoria are now starting to trust Del Neri and perhaps are warming to Pozzi, who must have faced the difficult realisation that he was an unpopular starting choice. He remains fairly modest about his abilities, stating after returning from Siena:
“I’ve always said and don’t mind repeating that I’m not a phenomenon but when I get on the field I never give up…. I don’t think that yesterday was a great personal performance from a technical point of view but I believe that I succeeded on a level of effort and will. These things, I can assure you, will never be missing from my game.”
Del Neri, for his part, has kept mum about any strife – solidly stating at the beginning that his choice was only to give more profondita to the team and it’s style of play. Now, three weeks later, he and his rejuvenated side stand in sixth place, and the prospect of bringing Cassano back into a winning side, maybe later on in a match when he might play havoc with a tired defence, must be incredibly satisfying. He has the team he wants, saying after the win in Siena that
“I saw the team that I like, able to fight for every ball and able to sacrifice. Our objective is to not have any objectives.”
Sampdoria play Fiorentina on Saturday night in Genova, the middle of a busy week in Serie A. Inter play in Parma on Wednesday night in a catch-up match from a week ago. In the next round, starting on Friday night, is Udinese in Milan, then the Roma vs Palermo match on Saturday evening followed by Sampdoria v Fiorentina at 20:45. Elsewhere Juve host Cenoa, and in the late game Mazzarri’s Sampoli take on Inter.
Doc
Preview: Siena v Sampdoria
Feb/100
Siena v Sampdoria
Sunday 7th February 2010
Stadio Artemio Franchi, Siena
Siena (15th)
Siena were unlucky in their defeat at in-form Roma last time out. They showed character to weather the Roma storm, and fought back from an early goal deficit to go into the final minutes at 1-1. It required a moment of magic from Fulham-bound Stefano Okaka to seal all three points for the giallorossi.
Siena are rock bottom of the league and it is not looking good for them. It is clear where Siena’s problems lie. They have managed to keep only two clean sheets since August. New boss Malesani arrived mid-December and had an immediate short term impact with two wins, but Siena regressed alarmingly quickly and have only managed one league point since their last win on 13th December.
On the positive side, for a bottom team, Siena seem to have no problems scoring goals. It is the other end of the pitch where the problems lie. Only two clean sheets in the league since August tells a damning story. Cribari comes back into defence for this game following suspension, which should bolster their defences. But the brazilian still looks short of the class act he was before sustaining a facial injury for Lazio in the Champions League.
Siena have won 2, drawn 4 and lost 5 at home this season. They are expected to miss Brandao, Rossettini , Parravinci (all injured), Rosi (suspended).
Sampdoria (7th)
Two wins from two games has rejuvenated Samp and they are right back in European contention. Their upturn in form has coincided with the dropping of Cassano. Del Neri can clearly point to these results as full vindication of his decision…but the fans and even his Chairman aren’t necessarily seeing it that way. Of course the two wins may just be because Samp were playing poor opposition.
Fantonio’s withdrawal was initially reported as a minor injury but it is becoming clear now that it was a decision by Del Neri, the reasons for which he is not disclosing. All was clearly not well as Cassano nearly departed for Fiorentina on deadline day. But he stayed, much to the relief of the Sampdoria fans. Now he has proved his commitment will Del Neri give him his place back? And if not, where does this leave Del Neri?
The problem Del Neri has given himself is that he will be very reluctant to change a winning team. This is a fragile team, and one wrong move could lead to another big slump. But there will be huge pressure on Del Neri to include Cassano. If he is brave and refuses, and results don’t go his way…well…rather him than me.
Samp looked OK in the 2-0 win against Atalanta. Guberti and Storari have made an impact following their loan recruitment, and, incredibly, Cassano hasn’t been hugely missed. Pazzini again got on the scoresheet amid the usual rumours linking him with a move. It was Juventus this week.
Sampdora go into this game with an unimpressive away record. Three wins and one draw from eleven games will need improving. But going away to the bottom side is an ideal opportunity to do that.
Padalino is suspended following his late sending off against Atalanta last time out.
Opposition dangerman
Massimo Maccarone needs no introduction to premier league fans, who will remember Middlesboro paying millions for him on the basis of one good Italy under-21 game against England. The bald headed poacher has scored 8 goals in a struggling team this year and will need to be watched.
Head to head
This fixture is evenly split over the last six meetings with two home wins, two draws and two away wins. Samp have the better of the more recent meetings, but last season this game was poor viewing and finished 0-0.
Prediction
The dismal run that preceded Samps last two wins is still fresh in Doria fans minds, and Siena did not disgrace themselves last time out in the Olimpico. Siena are better at home, and Samp are poor away. Samp are lurching from one drama to another off the pitch. So a shock home win or draw are real possibilities here, and should not be discounted.
However Sampdoria really should win this, and from a betting angle look the best bet at the prices. I make them around 45% likely to win which would make fair odds of around 5/4. However they are being priced up at more like 15/8, which looks suspiciously generous. Nevertheless, if Samp can win in the Friuli they can also win in Siena.
Sampdoria to make it three on the bounce.
MUG_OUFC
ucsampdoria.co.uk
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