Your Stadium Has 47.000 Empty Seats

By: Steven | September 11th, 2009

Sunday, September 13th, 2009 15.00
Stadio La Favorità, Palermo

I warriors, brigate rosanero, siamo forti e vinceremo!

Preview

After our first game, people were happy. People started dreaming again. After our second game, at the potato field in Arty Fartyville, people went back to reality. Zenga is not a wizard, and this team still needs a lot of work to be competing for the top five. I don’t care about comments from within the team that talk about the Scudetto, or even breaking into the top four. I want 5th or 6th, and a good Coppa run. People will try to hit us using Zenga’s comments, but I don’t think anyone here really believes that we can achieve that. Let’s do this thing step by step.

Step 3 is Bari. The team with the ugliest logo in all of Italian football, and a shirt that probably doesn’t have much competition in the same department either. The Galletti are back in A, and are still undefeated. Of course, that doesn’t mean shit, as I’d prefer winning 19 and losing 19 to drawing 38. Do the math, and you’ll see why. Anyway, on Giornata 1 they surprisingly held Inter to a 1-1, so this isn’t a team to underestimate. This is also the second Southern Derby in three giornate, which will also increase the pressure on Zenga and the boys.

The main obstacle that Zenga will need to overcome, is our first half performance. It will be impossible to get a good result if our first halves stay like this.

Squad Status

Palermo

Liverani and Miggy are still out injured, and so is Hernandez. Haven’t had much fun from that guy, have we? We’ll most likely see Bresciano and Nocerino running down the flanks, with Pastore in support of our magic duo and Blasi making his debut as defensive mid. There’s a small possibility that Bertolo will start in favour of Bresciano, but after last week’s game I wouldn’t count on it too much.

Bari

The Bari Offside is a nice place, and they’ll be able to tell you more. New acquisitions Donato, Diamoutene and Almiron will most likely not be there. Up to you if that’s a good thing or not. Superstar keeper JF Gillet will be the man to look out for, it only remains unseen how much he will suffer from his adventure with the Belgian NT (5-0 loss to Spain, 2-1 loss in Armenia).

Categorical Matchup

Fear The Brow vs. The Fearsome Belgian: Push. Gillet is by far Bari’s strongest link. Rubinho could become ours, but he needs a little more work.

Berlin Wall vs. Who that?: Palermo. Seriously, there aren’t much teams in Serie A with a defense that can compete with ours. I don’t see guys like Stellini and Parisi doing the same thing.

Back-up Bonanza vs. Serie B+: Palermo. Will Blasi perform? Will Bresciano go Bresciano again? Will Nocerino work his ass off? With Pastore on the field, this battle’s ours.

Dynamic Duo v. Kutuzov the Nomad: Palermo. Kutuzov can be dangerous. Cavani and Miccoli are dangerous. ‘Nuff said.

Last Five Games

Palermo: WL
Bari: DD

Final Analysis

This preview is bleeding cockyness. And it should. There’s no way in hell that not winning against Bari is acceptable. They’re fresh out of B, their team isn’t ready yet and they got lucky against Bologna. If Zenga wants to put his money where his mouth is, this is the time. Not winning against the Galletti means one foot in the grave for ‘Coach Z’.

Prediction

3-1. Pastore, Micco, Cavani. Kutuzov.

MOTM:

Pastore

Remembering the Good Times