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Horncastle's Serie A Divine Comedy: Heaven and hell after Matchday 19
HEAVEN
Napoli
Deservedly winter champions for the first time in 26 years. Napoli have played the best football in Serie A this season. Victory in Frosinone was the fifth occasion they’ve scored five goals. Since settling on 4-3-3, Napoli have won 19 of 23 games in all competitions - eight away from home - losing only once. If the season had started on September 20, the standings would go a little something like this: Napoli 39, Juventus 38, Fiorentina 32, Inter 30, Empoli 29. “A half-marathon doesn’t count,” cautioned Maurizio Sarri and the question is: can Napoli hold their nerve? No sooner did they go top in December than they relinquished their lead after defeat in Bologna. The visit of Sassuolo to the San Paolo next weekend will be some acid test.
Gonzalo Higuain
You have to go back 66 years to find a player more prolific than Higuain after the Girone d’Andata. Il Re Apolide - the stateless king: Istvan Nyers at Inter in 1950
Juventus
Allegri’s ninth symphony has Juventus concluding the first half of the season just two points behind leaders Napoli and in the Champions League places for the first time this campaign. Since the beginning of this winning streaks they have taken 7 points more than Napoli, 9 more than Inter, 10 more than Fiorentina and 16 more than Roma.
Paul Pogba
Reading Michael Jordan’s biography at the moment, Pogba's goal against Samp had MJ-like hang-time. With his back to goal, he out-jumped Mattia Cassani, chested the ball, struck it on the turn and into the corner. Allegri has been on at Pogba this season to be more and more decisive. The Frenchman has now been involved in four goals in Juventus’ last five games.
Fantantonio
The renaissance continues. Cassano got his first goal since returning to Samp. He has been involved in four of their last six. It was the eighth of his career against Juventus. Playing a la Totti as a False 9, only the Roma captain [9] has put more goals past the Old Lady.
Lorenzo Pasciuti
“The Mayor of Carpi” vowed to take his teammates out for dinner to celebrate. Lasagna is on the menu. Not Kevin Lasagna. A header against Udinese etched Lorenzo Pasciuti’s name into the record books. With it the 26-year-old, also nicknamed ‘Bebeto’ - he used to buy the Brazilian’s shirt - became the first player to score in each of Italy’s five divisions for the same club. “It’s not revenge but it isn’t far off either,” Pasciuti explained. “Some people said I wasn’t good enough to play in Serie C2, then I won promotion. Others said I couldn’t play in C1 but I won that too. Then they starting saying Serie B was a bit much for me and then I won it as well.” Next: survival in Serie A even if the trend would indicate an improbable Scudetto?
Maxi Moralez
Mexico-bound after León made him an offer he couldn’t refuse, the smallest player in Serie A got a bit send off. “MAXImum respect for the uncatchable elf,” read a banner unfurled by the Atalanta ultras. “Thanks Morález.” Things look a little bleak without him, particularly if Papu Gomez leaves in this window too. The Bergamaschi have lost four on the bounce.
The politest of protest
“I’m put out” read the print out held up by a Roma fan after the 1-1 draw with Milan.
Sassuolo
After losing 7-0 to Inter in back-to-back campaigns, Sassuolo have now beaten them home and away in their last couple of meetings. It’s a measure of their progression under Eusebio di Francesco, as is their league position [6th with a game in hand] and reputation as Ammazza-grandi - Giantkillers. Sass are unbeaten against all the teams ahead of them. They have claimed victory against the top three, Napoli, Juventus and Inter, and drew with Fiorentina and Roma.
Andrea Consigli
Redemption for a howler against Frosinone, Consigli produced a sensational series of stops away to Inter including a breathtaking fingertip-around-the-post save at full extension to deny Adem Ljajic. Definitely a contender for save of the season, it’s up there with Pepe Reina’s from Miranda and Gigi Buffon’s from Bostjan Cesar.
Gianluigi Donnarumma
Milan would have been 2-0 down in Rome if he had not been quick to react to Antonio Rüdiger surprising his defenders again. Still only 16 and not for the first time Milan’s Man of the Match, believe the hype.
LIMBO
Rudi Garcia
Blame shouldn’t fall exclusively on his shoulders. The conflict between the fans and owner hasn’t helped. The team was built poorly. Anyone can pick holes in it. The fitness team imposed on him by Jim Pallotta doesn’t appear to have made Roma any fitter. But the stats make grim reading for Garcia. It’s now 1 win in 10. Roma have drawn 17 times in 40 games over the last year. They’ve conceded 38 goals this season. Understandably the defence is getting deeper and deeper while the attack isn’t tracking back. Opponents have the run of the midfield. Garcia’s tactics haven’t changed since year one and Roma have been found out. His days are numbered.
HELL
Inter
After nine 1-0 wins, Inter got a taste of their own medicine. They’ve now suffered back to back defeats at San Siro. Of greater regret will be the one to Lazio when they imploded. This instead was one of those days when it just wouldn’t go in for them. Adem Ljajic had eight shots and created five chances but for all the questions he asked, Consigli had an answer. Mancini felt the match-winner, Domenico Berardi, should have been sent off but nothing should be taken away from Sassuolo who had a number of chances themselves. Mancini has got a conundrum. In asking the team to come out of its shell, play better and score more, Inter’s biggest strength - its defence - is a touch more vulnerable. If playing ugly brings results, beauty can maybe wait.
Geoffrey Kondogbia
If you asked someone with no knowledge of Inter and Sassuolo which of the midfielders cost €35m they would probably say Duncan and not Geoffrey Kondogbia upon watching Sunday’s game. The third most expensive signing of Inter’s history gave the ball away time and again. Duncan meanwhile didn’t misplace a pass. It was the cause of some embarrassment once upon a time not so long ago he was on Inter’s books.
Fabio Quagliarella
Last Wednesday Fabio Quagliarella did not celebrate a goal against hometown club, Napoli. It provoked outrage among Torino supporters, leading the striker to explain he was sorry about being sorry for scoring against the team of his heart. On Sunday, the Curva Maratona let Quagliarella know how they felt. “We don’t give a damn about your excuses,” a banner read. “Now’s the time we bid you farewell.” It’s the latest depth to which Torino has sunk in a crisis precipitated by a 4-0 defeat in the Coppa Italia to rivals Juventus. They’ve now lost four in a row and haven’t scored in 450 minutes.
Davide Ballardini
Saved from the sack on Wednesday after Beppe Iachini refused to come back without the promise of new signings, Ballardini was involved in a training ground bust up with Stefano Sorrentino after relaying the news that he didn’t intend to play him against Hellas. Tellingly Sorrentino did play and Palermo won thanks to a splendid double save of his and a goal from El Mudo Vazquez. What happened next felt unprecedented. The goalkeeper all but sacked Ballardini. “We won without a coach. He didn’t talk to us before or after the match… If he is sacked we’ll make history,” Sorrentino added. “It’ll be the second time in a season a coach has been dismissed after a win.”
Verona
Only four teams have ever been winless after the entire first half of the season. All were relegated. The last were Perugia and Ancona 12 years ago. Verona will be next.
