Review: Bianconeri Bow Before Ballardini

By: Steven | October 6th, 2008

Wow. I expected a draw, but I never expected bringing home the bacon (or the panchetta) from the Olimpico in Torino. I haven’t seen much of the game except for a 25-minute highlight-reel and the things I heard over the radio, but I don’t think we stole those three points from Juve. If Cavani would just find his nose for goals back, we even could’ve scored three or four.

What I Liked:

Sneeze is the flavour of the week. It’s possible he never scores again, never plays another minute for Palermo or gets transfered to Genoa for demanding a starting spot next month, but I don’t care. He gave us three points, and those three points were taken off Juve’s dead, cold, almost-in-crisis hands.

Fabiolous keeps on stunning the crowd. I can’t believe we almost sold him this summer, and it’s even harder to believe that this is the same Simplicio as last year.

The Bovozzieri-partnership. Name any defensive pair in Serie A, and Cesare and Moris will most definitely kick the living shit out of them. Ballzagli who? Suckardo what?

Mighty Mouse may be forgotten by Lippi, he sure is the new King of Sicily. Six games, five goals. Some have already talked about Miccoli being past his prime. Fuck them. Micco’s never been this good, ever.

Ballardini’s subs. I cursed his Reggina-subs, but he did a mighty fine job yesterday.

What I Didn’t Like:

The Glass Man. We still rely on him too much. Please, needing a subsitution after scoring? Glad we have an international break coming up..

As I haven’t seen the entire game, I’m going for a short resume.

Pagelle (by Ricci, with some comments):

Amelia: 6. Slow afternoon, error on the equalizer.
Cassani: 8. Went up and down the flanks millions of times, secure in defending.
Carrozzieri: 7.5. Beast.
Bovo: 7.5. Beast.
Balzaretti: 7. Some trouble with Giovinco, not bad.
Liverani: 6. Did what he was brought in for. Good free kick for the 0-1.
Nocerino: 6.5. Looks like Gladiator.
Migliaccio: 6. Solid, nothing more.
Bresciano: 6.5. Full of heart.
Simplicio: 7. I would go for an 8. Was everywhere, sweet assist, should’ve made it 1-3.
Miccoli: frail
Cavani: 7. Plays well, causes panic, couldn’t score if his life depended on it.
Sneeze: 7.5. Match-winner.
Tedesco: old.

Ballardini: 7.

Facts:

Juventus 1 - 2 Palermo
Miccoli 23 (P), Del Piero 39 (J), Mchedlidze 81 (P)

Juventus: Manninger; Grygera, Mellberg (Salhamidzic 34), Knezevic, De Ceglie; Sissoko, Poulsen (Camoranesi 65), Marchisio; Giovinco (Nedved 80); Amauri, Del Piero

Palermo: Amelia; Balzaretti, Carrozzieri, Bovo, Cassani; Nocerino (Tedesco 79), Liverani, Bresciano (Mchedlildze 60); Simplicio; Miccoli (Migliaccio 29), Cavani

Ref: Tagliavento

Sent off: Sissoko 40 (J)